Databranch Newsletter - February 2006

February 2006
In this issue...

>Wireless Meets
   Small Business
>Steer Clear of
   Spyware
>Calendar Tips

Microsoft
Outlook 2003
Calendar Tips

To set an appointment to repeat, designate it as recurring In the appointment, click the Actions menu, and then click Recurrence.

Let Outlook find a meeting time when all attendees are available On the Scheduling tab, type the names of the attendees in the All Attendees list, and then click AutoPick Next.

Quickly create an all-day event in Calendar Click the day heading that you want, and then type the name of the event. If the event lasts several days, click the first day heading, drag across all days, and then type the event name.

Quickly switch between viewing a day, week, or month in Calendar Click the day, click to the left of the week row, or click the day of the week heading.

Quickly move an appointment Drag it to a new date or time in your Calendar or in the date picker.

Please forward this newsletter to anyone else in your organization who might be interested!

Wireless Meets Small Business

Learn more about how wireless can add value to your business operations, and the measures you must take to secure it before you implement it.

These days, wireless computing means freedom in business. No longer must people be tethered to their desks, bound by the mass of cables and cords that connect their equipment. Wireless means work can be done beyond office walls, from anywhere there is a wireless hotspot - which these days seem to be everywhere - the airport, coffee shops, hotels, and many homes. The possibilities for mobile working increase exponentially with wireless, translating into increased productivity. At the same time, wireless introduces a new set of security issues, and all too many businesses are jumping on the wireless bandwagon before they understand the technology and all the risks associated with it.

In July, the Yankee Group released a survey indicating that spending on wireless voice and data services by small and medium-sized businesses will grow by 93 percent this year. With dropping costs of entry and more stable standards, going wireless is easier than ever for small businesses. While the benefits of wireless can be great, you need to consider your unique situation, and whether you have the time and expertise to manage the security issues that can accompany wireless.

If you can identify with either of the following, then wireless may be the right connectivity solution for your small business:

Steer Clear of Spyware

Spyware programs track and monitor Internet browser usage, secretly collecting your information to use for commercial purposes. If there is spyware on your computer, what you are doing and where you are going on the Internet is being transmitted to remote servers of third parties so they can display targeted advertisements to you–a lot of targeted advertisements, in case you haven’t noticed. Spyware and adware are often thought of as the same thing, and this is a common misconception. Adware is less invasive, and much less intelligent than spyware. Adware takes the form of random pop-up ads. For example, let’s say you’re on a recipe Web site, and all of a sudden a pop-up advertisement of an Internet casino appears. That’s adware. Spyware goes a step further because it collects information about your Internet habits and uses that to tailor unsolicited pop-up advertising to your interests.

Chances are you or someone you know has run into a problem with spyware. If the computer suddenly becomes unresponsive, or is barraged with an onslaught of pop-up windows that make it nearly impossible to do anything, these are signs of a spyware infection. Spyware slows down your computer because the software is always running in the background, using your computer’s processing power and Internet connection to send the data that’s been collected about you to a third party. In addition to the annoying pop-ups and computer slowdowns, you can see evidence of a spyware problem if other abnormal things happen, such as: strange toolbars appearing, icons for software you didn't install showing up on your desktop, new bookmarks in your favorites list that you didn’t add, or a site you don't intend to visit keeps appearing as your homepage.

How spyware gets on your machine The creators of spyware are tricky. They have to be–because they know that no one would consciously agree to let it into their computer. So they turn to a variety of methods to get you to allow them access to your PC. Here are some of the most common methods: