September-October 2006 - Issue 53

• Intro
  
• Article - Computer Backup by Tom Lamm of Osage Enterprises
  
• The Office Corner
  
• Grammar Question of the Month - Formatting a book title on the Web
  
• Tech Tips by Terence Kierans - Word and Excel
  
• Tech Corner
  
• Writing Corner
  
• Word of the Month - wreak
  
• Recommendations
  
• Judy's Corner
  
• Judy's Photo Gallery
  

* How do I backup my important files? This is always in the minds of those of us who use a computer for a living. My thanks to Tom Lamm of Osage Enterprises for his excellent slant on backup strategy.

* What are the most important issues you'd like to see addressed in a future issue of Communication Expressway? Drop me an email.

Tom Lamm, Osage Enterprises: www.OsageInc.com

PAY ME NOW OR PAY ME LATER
We all know how important it is to keep the computers in our lives backed up. We also know that the open secret is that few really do this properly. I hope that these backup methods and strategies will make it easier for you to maintain a proper backup. Making it easy to keep the computer backed up helps assure that you will do it consistently.

BACKUP STRATEGY

When to Backup How often should you back up your computer? Daily? Weekly? What should you back up? Everything? Only things that have changed? Where should you store your backups? On site or off site?

The question is not unlike asking how secure a lock should be. The answer for a retail business is different from a bank; they are both different from a household.

A normal home computer for personal use should probably be backed up weekly, with a copy moved to an off-site location every month. A worst-case scenario where the computer and all local backup copies are destroyed will mean you lost up to one month's email and accounting. Not that drastic for a home computer used for personal activities. The tragedy that made you lose the computer and backups is usually far worse.

A normal business computer has much higher use, may store client data, and has accounting information for the business. The email will be work related. Losing a month's work on that computer will be quite expensive. Most experts recommend daily backups kept local and weekly backups stored off site.

What to Backup
You do not need to backup software you purchased and have the install disks for. You do need to backup the programs you purchase online and downloaded. The same is true for the music you download. On your home computer, backup your photos, email, and home accounting information. Do you create documents or spreadsheets you do not want to lose? Do you use software to create calendars or other specialty information? These are all candidates for your backup plan.

Your local backup might store only what has changed recently. Your off-site backup should store all of your vulnerable data. To restore, you simply restore from your off-site copy and then restore the local backups that you made after the last off-site copy.

OPTIONS - HOW

Automatic Backup
Let's face it, the main reason backup plans fail is because people forget, get busy, or for other reasons simply don't make the effort. The good news is that many automatic backup methods are available. Windows XP has an automatic backup feature. Configure it to run on a regular basis. This is a very good solution for your local backups. It will perform your backup at the time and day you select. Set it up to run at a time when you are not generally using the computer.

Most dedicated external drive backup systems include automatic backup software. Many of the on line backup companies do as well.

Off Site Options
Many people overlook the importance of off-site storage for your backups. Even an expert, writing for a magazine, said that his backup hard drive is the first thing he will grab if his house catches fire. He overlooks the fact that his plan assumes he is home when the fire starts, and that he can get to the hard drive safely. It is vital that you store a copy of your backup off site.

If you own a small business, take the off site copy home. If your business is at home, consider sending a copy into work with your spouse. You might also make arrangements with a colleague to swap off site backups.

CD ROM
CD ROMs and DVD ROMs are inexpensive enough to be used as a regular backup media. This is an efficient way to create your local backups. Store the work you changed each day on the CD ROM. If your computer's hard drive dies overnight, you will have yesterday's work saved. Remember that CD ROM discs are not permanent storage. The data you store there will be lost after a year or two.

External Drive
If your home or business has a network, your external hard drive may simply be the server. If you prefer, you might use a dedicated external hard drive. CNET reviewed the Maxtor OneTouchIII: http://tinyurl.com/ftd4q. Iomega also makes external hard drives: http://www.iomega.com/global/index.jsp. Their Zip drives use removable media; nice for the off-site copies.

Online
Online backup services have come of age over the last few years. Early on, security was a major concern. Make sure you select an online provider that encrypts your data. Remember, you are relying on others for your protection. If the online backup company goes out of business, you might not be able to access your data. Though we have not tested these services, Consumer Search has a few reviewed a few providers: http://www.consumersearch.com/www/internet/online-file-storage/index.html.

Remember, if your business owns a web site, and you are comfortable using FTP software, you may be able to upload a .zip file to that space yourself.

SAMPLE STRATEGIES

1. Subscribe to an online company to make a weekly backup at the end of the week. Use the Windows backup feature for the daily, local, backups.
2. Use the Windows backup feature to make daily backups to a removable hard drive. Store a copy off site once a week.
3. Use your Zip drive for the complete weekly backup. Keep local copies of recent work on CD ROMs.

PUTTING THE PLAN INTO ACTION
If you have a plan and you are comfortable that it will work, great! You are set. If you still have questions, review the sources listed below.

The next important step is to test your backup on a regular basis. There is nothing more maddening then grabbing your backup, triumphant that your planning is paying off, and learning that not everything was saved as planned.

Do not format your hard drive and try to restore! Restore to a little-used computer. Or, restore to a separate directory tree on your main computer. Make sure all the data you expected was restored.

SOURCES
Be aware that online reviews may be written by anybody. The author may or may not be unbiased. CNET is one of many reliable sources. A few years ago, they panned an external hard drive. That review is a few years old, and that company has probably made several improvements. Still, it proves that CNET is willing to deliver the bad news when necessary. Look for similar reviews from any online source.

Use the consumer review magazines at your library. Some are so unbiased that they refuse to accept advertising. ConsumerSearch On line reviews online backup alternatives: http://www.consumersearch.com/www/internet/online-file-storage/index.html. Stanford University has an excellent article about computer backup: http://www.stanford.edu/services/backup/

Microsoft has a series of articles about computer security, including "How to Decide What Data to Back Up": http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/default.mspx http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/backup.mspx

CNET has a series of articles about backup: http://reviews.search.com/search?q=computer+backup&tag=srch&submit=Go%21

1. TURN COLD LEADS INTO HOT NEW SALES BY JANET ATTARD
http://tinyurl.com/kqbx4

2. COMMUNICATE TO SUCCEED BY KELLEY ROBERTSON
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/internal-communication.htm

3. IDENTITY THEFT RESOURCE CENTER
http://www.idtheftcenter.org/index.shtml

Q. How can I underline a book title on the Web when underlining indicates a hyperlink?

A. With the advent of the computer, it's no longer necessary to underline book titles (except occasionally in some bibliographies...it depends on the style guide). Book titles are italicized. For a full-blown explanation of what works in most written/published documents, go to this site: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/italics.htm

And there's always my article, "Polished "Presentations," which explains some of the new formatting and font choices we have: http://www.editingandwritingservices.com/presentations.html

WORD: CHANGING THE FORMAT IN TEXT FILES

Sometimes you have a document or some other information in plain text. No problem with Word handling the file. However, by default, Word formats the text in Plain Text style with 10-point Courier New font. You are probably not using that font for your document, meaning you will have to select the text and apply a new style or font.

So, to change the way Word formats text from a text file just follow these steps:

1.	Go to "Format/Style". In the "Style" dialog box select "Plain Text" in the "Styles" list. (If Plain Text is not showing in the list, select "All Styles" from the drop-down list.)
2.	Click "Modify". In the "Modify Style" dialog box. Click "Format" and choose "Font". Select the font name and/or size you want to use.
3.	Click OK to close the "Font" dialog box.
4.	Before closing the "Modify Style" dialog box be sure to check the "Add To Template" check box.

Checking the "Add To Template" check box makes Word store the change to the "Plain Text" style in the template on which the current document is based.

Now, the next time you open or insert a .txt file, Word will display the text with the font you assigned to the "Plain Text" style.

EXCEL: TRACKING CHANGES

If you've worked on a shared worksheet, don't you wish you could review all of the changes. Excel's Track Changes feature will help you; it keeps an onscreen log of all changes that are made to a worksheet.

When you make an edit with track changes on, a small triangle appears in the top-left corner of any cell that is edited. If you mouse over that cell a window showing the changes made will appear.

When you deselect the Track Changes While Editing option to turn track changes off, the worksheet will no longer be shared, and the change history will be deleted.

To track changes, go to "Tool/Track Changes" and select "Highlight Changes". When the Highlight Changes dialog box appears, you can set a number of parameters, including When, Who, and Where.

The "When" option lets you track all changes, changes made since the last save, changes to be reviewed, or changes made since a certain date.

The "Who" option lets you track changes made by everyone or by everyone but you.

If you don't want to track changes made on the entire sheet, the "Where" option lets you select a particular range and Excel will track changes only in that range.

The Highlight Changes dialog box also has an option that lets you list saved changes on a separate sheet, which is more than useful when you are troubleshooting or reviewing the life cycle of the worksheet.

Terence Kierans
Cyberspace Virtual Services
tkierans@virtualservices.com.au
http://www.virtualservices.com.au/
We keep your project on the boil, while you sleep

1. GREAT TIPS FOR STARTING A DOMAIN NAME SEARCH by Denise O'Berry
http://www.allbusiness.com/blog/JustForSmallBusiness/3357/006288.html

2. SEND UP TO 1 GB FREE VIA THE WEB
http://www.yousendit.com/

1. CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSES: six main licenses offered when you choose to publish your work with a Creative Commons license.
http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/meet-the-licenses

2. U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE: This site, says an editor, allows you to e-mail a specific question, and you will receive a well-considered, answer from a real person, usually within two days.
http://www.copyright.gov/

3. ARTICLES ON WRITING: Also a place to submit your articles.
http://www.writershelper.com/articles-on-writing.html

4. IMPROVING WRITING WITH THE SIX TRAITS
http://www.fno.org/bio/TRAITS.HTM

5. RESOURCES FOR WRITERS: GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: Don't miss this site!
http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/resources/index.html

Main Entry:wreak
Pronunciation:*r*k also *rek
Function:transitive verb
Etymology:Middle English wreken, from Old English wrecan to drive, punish, avenge; akin to Old High German rehhan to avenge and perhaps to Latin urg*re to drive on, urge

Date:before 12th century

1 a archaic : AVENGE b : to cause the infliction of (vengeance or punishment)
2 : to give free play or course to (malevolent feeling)
3 : BRING ABOUT, CAUSE *wreak havoc*

*By permission. From Merriam-Webster's Collegiate(R) Dictionary at www.m-w.com by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.

1. THREE TIPS FOR MAGNETIZING YOUR COPY by Mike Fortin
http://tinyurl.com/jyw5x

2. AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE UNIVERSITY
http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/

3. SHORTCOURSES.COM: A Complete Guide to Digital Cameras and Photography
http://www.shortcourses.com/

4. EDUCATION BUG Articles, resources, and an education directory. Article topics are broken down into category by Type of School, Age of Student, or Role of Person and include such topics as: Financial Aid, Creating a Homeschool, School Counselors and Students with Special Needs, Garnering a Grant, and more.
www.EducationBug.org

1. Recently I spent a couple of weeks with family in Hawaii. I needed only to walk out the door to find subjects to photograph. I will show a few examples in my online Photo Gallery. We experienced a great deal of rain, which was fine with my family, since they collect all their running water from rain.

Tiny cardinal: Keahou Beach, Hawaii

Cyphomandra Betacea, also known as Tree Tomatoes: Holualoa, Hawaii

White Hibiscus: Keahou Beach, Hawaii

White Plumeria: Keahou Beach, Hawaii

Medinilla magnifica, also known as Philippine Orchid: Holualoa, Hawaii

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