We are in the process of moving all of our documentation, forms, and files online (or at least to digital format) and while working on that today we came across a couple of old installation forms from 1999. These forms are 10 years old! The people (if they are still here) have most likely received 2 new computers since then …
Are netbooks here to stay?
Netbooks seem to be this week’s topic. They came up a number of times, from a friend to a colleague at work to a secretary we used to support, but is now working at a different unit. Netbooks seem to be the next hot item and everyone wants one. Is it the price that makes them attractive, their size, weight …
Appreciate what you have been given
I’ve just been asked to reset an account password on a computer used by a faculty member who recently passed away. It was a strange feeling to see this individual a week ago and now she’s gone. Her office was filled with papers, assignments and books she was working on. It’s a sobering experience and makes you pause a bit, …
Desktop backgrounds
Backgrounds on people’s computers are always an interesting thing to see. They range from a solid color to some weird and usual pattern to photos of their loved ones to their favorite vacation spots. I normally enjoy nice photos of nature and space, I enjoy seeing photos of Earth from space as it gives me a whole another perspective on …
Don’t forget to say thank you
Don’t forget to say thank you every once in a while to people that do stuff for you. It’s a simple statement to make, but showing your sincere appreciation for their hard work goes a long way in their eyes. This should apply to everyone you interact with from people that you work with on a project, your own team, …
Laptops are not for everyone
Here’s a clear example of why laptops are NOT for everyone. This particular user has already abused their laptop in the past which was replaced by the university, but now they have done it again. Their current machine is scratched and dented on every side of the chassis. Looking at the battery we can also safely say that it was …
Our trusty SNAP Server
Today starts a week (spring break for all but professional staff) of catching up on our own internal, departmental projects and priorities and one of the first things I started is a fresh reformat of our old trusty SNAP server. We had it for many years and have decided to re purpose it for software and tools management and in …
Behavioral ads
Behavioral ads are cool as they make the content more relevant to you and are more appealing to advertisers at the same time due to greater accuracy in targeting users. On the other hand, the concern arises from what happens with your browsing history and preferences after the ads have been served? Is it used for other purposes, will it …
Know what you manage
I’m a strong believer that you must know the area you are managing. You should have either moved up in that industry or took some time to actually get yourself up to speed on current practices and common knowledge. Being only a manager of people without having the necessary (even if only fundamental) knowledge directly related to the area you …