October 2010
In this issue:
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What is a Hacker? |
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Effective IT Departments |
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Miss Communication |
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Connected Businesses Win |
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Emails You Should Not Send |
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Productivity Tip |
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Charity Golf Tournament |
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Make a Referral |
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Just for Laughs |
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Crown proudly sponsors local charity
golf tournament.
We had a lot of fun and even took home a trophy.
Alpha Project is a nonprofit human services organization that serves over 2,000 men, women, and children in San Diego each day.
We're Thankful You're A Customer And Hope You'll Help Us Find More Just Like You
Know anyone struggling with their technology? We can help. To thank you for the trust you have put in us we will send you a special gift for each referral you make to us. This months free gift is a $100 gift card to South Coast Surf Shops.
Make a Referral Here
Quote of the Month
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.
- Vince Lombardi
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What Is A Hacker
by Monte Enbysk
used with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center
 The first thing to know about computer "hackers" is that the term itself is a point of dispute.
Many people who hack into systems without criminal intent proudly label themselves "hackers," and say they're the good guys and the bad guys should be called "crackers" or something else. "Hackers are not evil, malicious people out to damage computer systems and steal passwords. Hackers hate these kind of people," read one e-mail I got after I wrote a column about virus writers.
Read more
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7 Habits of Highly Effective IT Departments
by Chris Geiser - cgeiser@pcstechnology.com - PC Solutions, Inc.
 It's been 20 years since Dr. Stephen Covey published his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Today, I will take a look at those habits and see how they apply to IT Managers of 2010 and beyond.
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Steven Covey writes that your life doesn't just happen. Whether you know it or not, it is designed by you. Proactive people recognize that they are responsible for the outcome of their life. By contrast, reactive people are affected by their physical environment, often blaming their circumstance or even the weather for their mood and behavior.
Read more
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Miss Communication
 By Craig Kitch
Not long ago, I held a communication workshop for a restaurant chain and asked a pretty young lady to assist me in a demonstration. As she walked to the front of the room, I announced to the group that we had just held a beauty contest and that one of the finalists was with us today. As she turned to face the group, I introduced her as Miss Communication and asked for a nice round of applause. Following the ovation, I indicated that she was obviously pretty and smart and asked why everyone was using her for a scapegoat. “You blame her for everything”, I said. When the customer is not properly served, and complains, we blame it on Miss Communication. Read more
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Connected Businesses Win
Networks connect your world securely, reliably and more efficiently.
used with permission from the Cisco Small Business Website
People in small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) regularly connect with others who are vital to their success. Customers bring income, the lifeblood of any business. Partners, such as contractors and suppliers, provide services and products for daily operations. Prospects are vital for growth and new opportunities. And employees are the brains, hands, eyes, and ears that make a business successful.
A network can connect them all, according to Deb Mielke, operator of HomeOfficeReports.com, a Web site providing technology advice and information to small and home-based businesses. "Electronic communication is a great way to reach a lot of people," she says. "The beauty of networking and the Internet is that it can make a little guy look like a big guy."
But what is a network? And how can it connect your world securely, reliably, and efficiently?
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10 Emails You Should Never Send
used with permission from the HP Small Business Center
Here's a scenario most of us are familiar with, whether first-hand or as a witness to a colleague's faux pas: an email with a crude joke or a funny picture that crosses into the personal-email realm is sent to a cluster of friendly internal contacts and accidentally included on the recipients' list is the company CEO. Embarrassing for the sender? Yes. Grounds for dismissal? Unlikely.
What can prove far more detrimental to your career, however, is the way you compose your everyday emails. We often treat email communication in the same casual manner as we do informal telephone conversations, and it's all too easy to forget that there's a flawless digital record of what's been communicated. Read more
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| Productivity Tip
Think locally.
A well-thought-out recovery plan takes into account multiple disaster scenarios, but it should also convey a realistic approach to preparing for the events most likely to occur in your area. For example (and to point out the obvious), a Florida company probably does not need to prepare for an ice storm, and likewise a business in Wisconsin should not focus on the effects of a hurricane. Be realistic about the threats you are prone to face, and focus your planning on those most likely to happen.
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