How To Archives - Page 8 of 9

How to Use a Blog | Insights for the New Blog User

New to using a Blog like our HTS Tech Tips and News blog? Well, my bet is that you have been to other blog sites previously without really noticing. In reality a blog is actually just a specific type of web site that allows for more frequent updates (postings) and easier interaction between site visitors and the site’s creators and writers.

The term “blog” is actually short for “weblog” which is an online journal that is regularly updated with entries called “posts.” These posts are the main reason the blog exists and consist of writings, discussions, links, pictures, graphics, videos or other related content listed in reverse-chronological order. Blogs exist because of posts, and the comments, responses and replies generated by the posts.

Blogging – The Video

If you are new to using a blog there is an excellent, short, You Tube video, “Blogs In Plain English” from a company by the name of CommonCraft that explains the basics of a blog quite well.

For more information on how the HTS Tech Tips blog functions see our “How To Use“ page. Please let us know if you have any questions or thoughts about our blog or blogs in general by leaving a note in the “Comments” section.

Secure Disposal of Data CDs

By MikeM

Question: I have several CD-ROMs with confidential data on them. Data security is my primary concern and I want to dispose of the CDs without fear of someone retrieving any of my data. How can I dispose of my data securely?

Answer: The security of your data is a valid concern and one that can easily be remedied. One way is to take a piece of sandpaper (the coarser grit the better) and give the surface of the CD-ROM a good sanding. Another way is to place the CD with data side down on the sidewalk, put your foot on top of the CD and twist it around vigorously. Both actions will scratch the surface beyond usefulness.

Of course you could also break the CD into pieces, but be careful as CDs can shatter into many sharp pieces when broken. For safety, you can always put the CD inside a section of newspaper before breaking it.

Transferring Large Files Via the Internet

By MikeM

Question: I periodically need to send large files (20MB – 150MB, PowerPoint and graphic files) to clients, colleagues or friends. I can’t do this as an email attachment as the emails get rejected due to the attachment size and I don’t have access to an FTP server. Any suggestions?

Answer: We have had two different clients recently recommend services that meet this type of need: YouSendIt.com (web site here) and Box.Net (web site here). The two services are slightly different in how they function but they essentially provide an easy way to transfer large files across the Internet at a very reasonable cost. Prices range from no charge for a basic account to $30/month for a higher volume business account.

Since these two services are slightly different in how they solve this issue it may be worth checking out both before deciding. Especially since you can get a basic account at no cost. And it sure beats having to mess with an FTP server or creating and mailing a CD.

Copying Text from A Web Page

By MikeM

Question: How do I copy text from a Web Page?

I periodically copy text from a web page into a document or into an email and many times the formatting of the document I was working on becomes all messed up. Is there a way around this?

Answer:Copying Text

Your problem is caused by unseen formatting instructions that are embedded within the text in the web page. Once you copy the HTML web text (along with its unseen formatting codes) into your existing document a clash of formatting instructions occurs. The easiest way to prevent this is to copy the text from the web page into an ASCII text editor first, and then copy the text from the text editor into your document.

ASCII text editors strip out almost all formatting from a document and only allow standard ASCII characters – letters, numbers, punctuation marks and a specific set of symbols. To make this easier Windows actually contains a text editor named Notepad that works well for this de-formatting function.

You can access Notepad within Windows XP by clicking on Start –> All Programs–> Accessories –> Notepad. You can also bring up Notepad by clicking on Start –> Run — > and entering “Notepad” into the entry box and then clicking “OK”. There are plenty of other ASCII text editors out there if you want one with more bells and whistles than Notepad.

Broadband Connection Speed Testing

By MikeM

Question: I have heard about how fast DSL and cable modem Internet connections are, but my DSL connection doesn’t seem very fast. Is there a way I can test how fast my connection actually is?

Answer: Yes, there are a few different sites that allow you to do this. The one we like the best is Speakeasy.Net. Go to the Speakeasy site and click on the Speed Test link (lower right corner of home page) and then select the Server in San Francisco (for Bay Area residents) for the most accurate measurements. The results will be in two components: Download Speed and Upload Speed. Download speed is the rate at which data flows from the Internet to your computer. Upload speed is the rate at which data flows from your computer to the Internet.

DSL and cable modem (Comcast in the Bay Area) connections vary in terms of technology and data speed. A standard residential DSL account will generally have a download speed as high as 1.5 – 6.0 mbps (megabits per second) and an upload speed of 384kbps (kilobits per second) – 1.5 mbps. One megabit equals 1,000 kilobits. However, based on the technology that is used, DSL speed can decrease the farther you are from a phone company switch. So you may not receive the maximum data speed, and sometimes it can be significantly less than the maximum. AT&T has also come out recently with a range of different download speeds (384 kbps to 6.0 mbps) and different prices ($14.95. to 34.95/month).

Cable vs. DSL

Due to technology differences comparing cable modem and DSL data speeds is not a true apples-to-apples comparison but it’s relatively close. Comcast currently lists their residential service download speed as 6.0 mbps with a price of $42.95/month. Comcast also advertises a “PowerBoost” technology that it says will deliver speeds as great as 16 mbps when downloading large files. Our testing has shown many clients consistently receiving download speeds in the 7 – 30 mbps range in Marin County. Upload speeds for Comcast can vary from 1.0 mbps to 3.0 mbps.

Prices and data speeds will continue to fluctuate and evolve over time so the above number may not be 100% accurate. Check with each Internet Service Provider for current info.