Resolutions for a New Year
15 November, 2011
Here are five IT related suggestions that are designed to make your life easier, safer and more productive in 2012.
Master the Inbox.
Email, that wonderfully productive, unobtrusive tool that enables us to get on with our day to day work lives and never becomes a burden, is always easy to manage and wait…that’s not your experience?
If you feel like your mailbox is the master of your destiny and you’re drowning in 1000 emails, it doesn’t have to be that way! Setting some goals around adopting a methodology for coping with your inbox and creating an effective system for storing e-mail data may be the best Christmas gift you could give yourself. Remember, you don’t need to keep everything – used wisely, shift-delete can be your (and your server’s) best friend.
For a copy of our booklet on Hints and Tips for effective Inbox management, email info@correct.com.au with “Master the Inbox” as the subject line.
Manage better Passwords.
SplashData (a password application provider) recently published a list of the top stolen passwords posted online by hackers. The most common password used is (you’ll never guess)… “password”. Popular also are sequences of adjacent numbers or letters on the keyboard. Online email, bank, social media and other accounts or network credentials protected by these sorts of passwords are simply easy targets for hackers. For the full list, as well as some tips for improving and tracking your passwords, click here.
Store Data on the Server.
Hands up those of you reading this that back up your desktop PC every evening and take the data offsite. Okay, now hands up those of you who save files on your PCs hard drive; important files. Are they files that you might be really upset about losing?
Okay, hands down – on the mouse. Now save all those files up to your company’s server! We see time and again clients’ PCs and notebooks fail (as hard drives are wont to eventually do) and valuable data lost because it just wasn’t backed up.
Chances are, your company server is backed up every day (and if it isn’t, we need to talk!) Don’t risk it if it is worth keeping; keep it in a place on the server where you know it is going to be backed up. Speak to us for advice on file folder management and backups if you have any questions or wish to know more.
Renew or refresh that UPS.
UPS batteries are not designed to last forever. If it has been some time since you purchased your UPS or replaced its battery, you could be putting your server at risk.
Often by the time you pay for replacement batteries and then testing of the aging unit to make sure that electrically it is still sound, it is worth considering replacing the entire unit and investing in new equipment with an extended warranty
Keep your computing safe.
Your most trusted friend just sent you a link and it looks like a good offer. DON’T CLICK IT. No matter how tempting attachments or web links may seem, these often lead to virus or malware infections. If someone sends you an unsolicited link it is best to check with them first; they may not even realise they are infected. If it comes from someone you don’t know, never open it; shift-delete!
Adobe - Licensing Programs, Hardware Platforms & Training Resources.
1 September, 2011
There isn’t a more accurate sentiment in the software world than “the only constant is change”.
Software developers are consistently tweaking, patching, improving and redesigning their platforms in the pursuit of new features and benefits to offer their consumers. This creates two issues for anyone using software.- How do I make sure I’m always entitled to the latest version?
- How do I keep up to date with all the new features and functionalities?
Retail licenses or “box product” may seem like the easiest way to get your hands on software. However, unless you plan on never upgrading your hardware and you refuse to evolve what you are doing to match the market as it changes around you, retail licenses are extremely limiting as they offer no upgrade path.
Take Adobe’s Creative Suite for instance. When CS2 & CS3 were released, the internet was a very different place. The way people consume media has changed immensely; think mobile devices, most of which hadn’t even been developed in CS2 & CS3 days!
In the two generations of releases since then, Adobe has added a plethora of new features which are designed to improve productivity (turning an hour’s worth of work into a single click) and address the ways people are now consuming their media (such as HTML5 & Flash tools).
They’ve also addressed the way hardware platforms have developed – things like 64 bit support so that the software talks to 64bit processors and graphics cards to get the most out of their resources. There’s no point owning a race car if you’re going to drive it with your Sunday hat on.
Adobe has a fairly simple licensing structure. There are two programs; “TLP” & “CLP”.
Transactional Licensing Program (TLP):
This is the one most Small to Medium Business would be interested in. You can buy a minimum of 1 license and discounts start kicking in for volume purchases fairly early. The discount structure is based on points and you earn 1 point for every 1 USD you spend, so for the Adobe suites you can start seeing discounts with “volume” purchases as low as 2 or 3 licenses. There is no set contract or agreement period; a discount level is simply calculated based on each individual transaction.
Cumulative Licensing Program (CLP):
Adobe’s CLP would suit larger organisations or international companies with worldwide affiliates. Price discounts are locked in based on purchases made over time. The entry point into a CLP is around the 25,000+ points mark and there is a 2 year term for discounts to be calculated. You would need to be purchasing a reasonably high volume of product to enter into this program, but it does offer customers maximum discounts for the purchases they are making.
Upgrade Plans:
Two year Upgrade Plans are Adobe’s answer to software maintenance. Whichever licensing program you are eligible for, Upgrade plans protect the investment you make by amortising and over time reducing the cost of maintaining your software installations at their most current version.
So, that covers off that first issue we mentioned earlier; Upgrade Plans enable you to make sure you’re always entitled to the latest version of the software. To keep up with the new features and functionalities, Adobe has lots of online resources that are available for you to use. Check out:
- Adobe TV, videos for all sorts of Adobe users
- AcrobatUsers.com, the Adobe Acrobat User Community
- There are also a bunch of resources here, on the Adobe.com.au website
To learn more about Hardware Platforms that are certified to run Adobe products, check out HPs Digital Media and Entertainment Solutions.
Correct Solutions can help you determine both the right licensing program and the right hardware for your Adobe software, if you are seeking advice call 02 8831 8200.
HP's Tax Time Promo
2 June, 2010
For a limited time only, participants can redeem a bonus Coles Myer Group Gift Card on all eligible purchases.
For example, the HP ProBook 6540b Notebook PC is eligible for a $100 Coles Myer Group Gift Card if purchased before 30 June 2010. Other great products, like the HP TouchSmart 9100 Business PC and the HP ProBook 5310m Notebook PC are also eligible for a $100 gift voucher.
HP WANTS TO HELP YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS.HP are offering a cash prize of $25,000 to help you grow your business. Use the money towards business consultancy, professional development or other activities to enhance your business performance. Simply purchase any 5 eligible products in a single transaction, and tell them in 25 words or less, how the $25,000 cash prize will benefit your business. Click here for more details.
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