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Video-On-Demand Slowly Killing Effective Procrastination

04 Sep

Television has historically been a fantastic instrument of procrastination. “I’ll watch this Burn Notice marathon and clean my room during the commercials,” I used to tell myself. While subsequently enjoying two hours of Burn Notice, I also had approximately 32 minutes of commercials during which I could comfortably focus on cleaning. I always knew I could enjoy my favorite shows with a small serving of productivity on the side.

Three months ago out of frustration with Time Warner Cable for virtually everything they do, I terminated my service. I now enjoy the occasional console game, use an XBox 360 to stream video via Netflix, and download anything else I need from 360-Zune.

Some might see this as a blessing: a chance to determine one’s own pauses and take breaks on one’s own terms. But for those of us who relied upon the inflexible obtrusiveness of Wacky-Waving-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Mans to punctuate our attentiveness to other tasks, video-on-demand has dawned a frightening new era in which television cannot responsibly be used as an alternative to work.

I’m not saying I want commercials back, but it definitely begs the question of why some providers have done away with commercials all together. Clearly, some viewers are not terribly bothered by them. And as traditional cable/satellite providers lose market share to Netflix, advertisers are certain to seek new ways to maintain existing saturation. Perhaps they will capitalize on this with a stream of ad-revenue by offering a slight discount (or even an extra month free) to incentivize subscriber participation. This could surely compensate for any subscription incentives offered and would help make TV productive again.

Money aside, some commercials are just really fun to watch. Some, on the other hand, I do not miss and would be perfectly content never to see again:

  1. Any vehicle commercial in Texas. If it’s a truck, it usually features a truck salesman riding on a horse (why??) explaining that driving a truck is manly and Texan. “I’m gonna buy me a Ford truck and cruise it up and down the road,” they proudly proclaim.
  2. If it’s a car commercial, it usually sounds something like “Hey, come check out these cars! And if I can’t beat a new Kia deal in Texas, I’m jus’ gonna give it to ya!” Please.
  3. Binder & Binder. Please go away forever. These guys insist on forcing a 250% volume increase, presumably to make sure you hear them even if you’ve stepped away, or are one of those horrible people who likes to watch at a reasonable volume that doesn’t keep the entire house awake. Unfortunately for Binder & Binder’s marketing strategy, if their target demographic wasn’t already too deaf to hear their commercials, it probably is now.

Which commercials make your list?

 
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How to Print or Export from an SPL File

31 Aug

Weird problem, interesting solution…

Last night someone in my office was in a meeting and tried to print some important documents to a local printer that no longer exists (we use networked printers on Citrix). The error went unnoticed until this morning, by which time the documents had sat in the print queue overnight with an error status, and their original source was long gone.

Because the print did not complete successfully, I was able to copy the .SPL (printer spool) files from WINNT/SYSTEM32/SPOOL to a safe location. Then the real issue: how does one read, print, or export from an SPL file?

Tech forums and a Google search did not yield anything particularly fruitful, until I found a German software developer called lvbprint. They had an application called SPLViewer which I suspected might do what I needed, and it did not disappoint. Though I received an error when using it to open one of the SPL files that was live in the spool, the copy I made worked like a charm. Within a couple minutes I was able to reprint each file to our PDF printer and save them as new documents. Viola!

Another solution I was playing with was going into the ‘port’ settings for the nonworking printer, modifying it to match something else that was still functional (like the print2pdf app I was using), and then restarting the job. I think with some finagling this could have worked as well.

For now, document printed and problem solved. Next time you need to export or print from an SPL file, SPLViewer is your guy.

 
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Installing WordPress with GoDaddy Applications

30 Aug

I am finishing up with a migration from Blogger to Godaddy WordPress and found a few really frustrating issues. One in particular, the cannot login issue, was referenced on several forums but not addressed very thoroughly. What does it look like? You type in your username and password and are perpetually returned to the login screen without any error message.

In the end, the solution was quite simple and something that everyone should pay attention to when installing Blogger through GoDaddy Applications.

When putting in the install info, GoDaddy asks you to select the domain name for the WordPress install. Selecting the domain name (in my case “stevenrosson.com”) causes the config variable for my domain to be set exactly to “stevenrosson.com”.

The problem? I had .htaccess redirects set up for all my domains to automatically insert a “www.” before everything. This is great for search engine optimization, but not so hot if your WordPress login is looking to access files on “stevenrosson.com” and is instead hitting a 301 redirect to “www.stevenrosson.com”.

To fix this, temporarily disable whatever line in your .htaccess file is causing this particular redirect (you can comment it out with a # symbol) and then sign in to WordPress. You’ll then be able to visit your Settings page and change “WordPress address” and “Site address” to reflect the proper domain (i.e. the www.stevenrosson.com). Then stick your .htaccess rule back in place. If you have not edited .htaccess manually and simply used GoDaddy site redirects, simply delete whatever redirect is prepending the “www.” and put it back in once finished.

The overall blogger migration was not as smooth as I’d hoped: I’m still working out some glitches with categories and pages displaying 404 errors. UPDATE: The solution to this ended up being a trip back to my Settings > Permalinks page and reapplying what I’d done. The .htaccess file in the blog directory had not been updating properly. So, problem solved, things seem to be working fine, and it’s good to be back.

 
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A New Microsoft?

24 Dec
Dear Microsoft:

I am not your biggest fan. I ditched Windows years ago and do not use any of your computer products, I regularly convert our mutual business clients into Linux users, and I buy put options against your stock as I watch years of monopolistic and anti-community business practices finally catch up with you.

Today, however, you caught me off guard.

Recently, the one and only Microsoft product I use – my Xbox 360 – displayed its horrid “red ring of death”. I called customer support and, to my dismay, found that the standard warranty had expired. Your representative quickly informed me, however, that an extension had been granted for my particular issue. He immediately emailed me a shipping label.

Within two weeks, I received a new replacement console, an extension of my standard warranty period, and a free one-month extension to my Xbox Live subscription to apologize for the inconvenience of having to send it in for repairs (after you had already paid for shipping both ways AND repaired it outside of warranty).

You also included a survey to make sure I was satisfied, as well as an email address I could use if I wanted to provide comments of my own (which I’m pretty sure is the first time you’ve ever asked for my input in a manner that didn’t have a “Send Error Report” button on it).

If your Xbox Customer Service Team is indicative of a new benchmark for Microsoft customer support… no, I won’t take it that far.

But this Christmas Eve, I thank you.

 
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Review of The Henley Park Hotel and Other DC Venues

21 Sep

Not quite in the thick of things, but not too far to have fun and stay connected: The Henley Park Hotel is, as boutique hotels go, pretty awesome.

Staff were friendly and helpful and, for the small number I actually observed, seemed to accomplish an incredible amount. They were helpful as one could expect in helping me check-in and get oriented with my surroundings.

The Downtown DC location is great. It sits at the corner of 10th Street and Massachusetts Avenue, relatively close (10-20 minutes on foot) to four metro stations covering all five lines. This is about a block from the Convention Center and about 5 minutes on foot to Chinatown.

There is a ton of history behind this hotel, which you can read all about in the Historic Hotels of America book next to the fireplace in the Wilkes Room (or on their website). It was originally built in 1918 as the Tudor Hall Apartments and housed its fair share of Senators and Congressmen. Needless to say, it is architecturally very elegant.

Another great thing about The Henley Park Hotel is its menu. The Coeur de Lion restaurant is an attraction in itself, though I was particularly impressed by the Blue Bar Cocktail Lounge. It features a light menu with smaller portions and very reasonable prices, perfect for a late-night bite (which I am always a fan of). I shared the arugula and pear salad, grilled portabella mushroom, and french fries, all of which were fantastic.

The only bad part of my stay was the reservation process. Their website features a horrid flash-only reservation interface that is quite difficult to see: I suggest calling instead.

Overall it was a great stay and one that I would certainly recommend. Oh, and unlike some other hotels in the Downtown DC area (cough Hyatt Regency cough), they have complimentary Wi-Fi and plenty of vegetarian food options.

Speaking of food, Bruegger’s Bagels near Chinatown was an amazing breakfast destination and one that I will certainly enjoy again on a future visit. We were greeted by a smiling five-year old gleefully holding open the door: I later learned that he was in fact from Texas and enthralled by my Longhorns shirt and not a byproduct of some recent change in child labor laws. The actual employees were very friendly (with a lot of pep for a Saturday morning) and happy to give their feedback on various menu items. I’d read great things about their salmon sandwich on a warm rosemary/olive oil bagel, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

For one of DC’s most famous brunch destinations, the Tabard Inn is pretty fantastic. Located close to the Dupont Circle metro stop and about five blocks from the White House, the three adjoining buildings were built as private residences between 1880-1890 and converted to a hotel in 1920. It’s a beautiful setup, though I’m here to talk about brunch.

I was with a party of eight and we were seated upstairs in a private room that looked like a nice household dining room: unlike anything I’ve really seen in a hotel before. Now I’m a big fan of limited menus with fewer and better quality choices, but this menu was also unique in that almost every item had at least one or two components that we had to ask our server (or consult Google) for help identifying. Even Google struck out a few times. My meal was a house-smoked salmon with capers and horseradish crème fraîche, complimented nicely by a Bloody Mary that earned a 4.5 out of 5.0 on the Rosson Bloody Mary Scale. Brunch was delicious, appropriately portioned, and, by the time I finished feasting on their multiple breads, quite enough to satisfy my appetite (and rule out any possibility of dessert). Reservations are best made at least two weeks in advance to avoid a wait of an hour plus.

For a lunch that is decent, Bullfeathers is a convenient distance from Capitol Hill and has a sense of humor with items like “Lobbyist Salad” and “The Filibuster” sandwich. I opted for the marinated grilled chicken platter, which consists of a chicken fillet topped with grilled pineapple and served with rice and fresh sautéed vegetables. It was a little dry, especially for something that calls itself marinated. My first Bloody Mary measured a weak 2.5 on the RBMS, though the second was much better and clocked in at 4.0 (though that may have been an aftereffect of the first). Though the food was not great, the service was quick and our server was funny. Combine that with any of their daily happy hour specials and it may be worth checking out if you’re in the area.

Axum Restaurant, a small Ethiopian spot, was perhaps my most unique dining experience ever. Washington DC is home to America’s largest Ethiopian community, so I suppose it’s no surprise that the Ethiopian food was – according to our Ethiopian cab driver – of utmost authenticity. The restaurant looks small and quiet, though looks can be deceiving. I was surprised to be carded (21+) on entry and quickly learned of a “club” on the second floor, which is apparently still part of the restaurant. The music was loud and not particularly conducive to a nice meal, though the people running up and down the stairs throughout the night were interesting to watch. Luckily the uniqueness of the food was an adequate distraction from the noise.

We ordered a combo vegetable platter, combo meat platter, and honey wine. The meat platter consisted of doro wat (chicken/egg stew), yebeg alicha (lamb stew), special tibs (sautéed meat with vegetables), and kitfo (minced beef heated and marinated in a mitmita spice blend). The vegetable platter consisted of gomen (greens), shiro (chickpeas), atkilt wot (curried vegetable stew), kik alicha (yellow split pea stew), yemisir wot (split lentil stew), and fasolia (Greek-style beans).

The food is all served in little piles on a large piece of Ethiopian pancake-like bread called injera, which is made from a fermented mixture of teff flour and water for a slight sour taste. Though enjoyable, the taste and texture is hard to get used to. The honey wine is delicious, though its sweetness creeps up slowly and is eventually difficult to stomach, especially with the injera. These are not two items that I would typically think to combine.

My overall conclusion is that Washington DC is, with exception to the political shenanigans on Capitol Hill, still amazing and always worth a visit.

 
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Installing Ubuntu Linux on the Samsung N120 Netbook

04 Sep
Over the past two months or so I’ve watched my old HP Pavillion laptop slowly fall apart. I was missing several keys (I broke them while trying to clean underneath) and the screen was starting to tear off from having been picked up by the corner one too many times. Needless to say, it was time for an upgrade.

Since the main undoing of my laptop was its weight (and the fact that I manhandled it) I figured the most important factor for me would be size. I naturally gravitated toward netbooks and spent a few weeks reading Consumer Reports and combing through reviews on CNET.

I finally settled on the Samsung N120 primarily due to its keyboard size, which is (to my knowledge) the biggest available for a netbook. It also packs a gigabyte of DDR2 RAM and a 160 GB hard drive, which is more than my two-year old HP Pavillion that cost twice as much. Its battery can last up to 8 hours during modest use or, according to the editors at CNET, 5 hours and 14 minutes during video playback. Oh, and it weighs in at just under three pounds.

For the past year or so I’ve been using Fedora Linux on my HP laptop. It’s a great distribution but I often found myself envious of the Ubuntu community for the amount of support available. When I bought the Samsung N120 and the time came to fix it (i.e., install Linux) I found the Fedora+N120 reviews to be less than stellar.

I instead opted for the Ubuntu Netbook Remix which, according to the Ubuntu Wiki, was pretty compatible. The only issue it mentioned was Wireless LAN: apparently it has problems detecting the N120′s Atheros card.

I can’t speak for anyone else’s experiences, but for me it installed like a dream. I imaged it onto a flash drive, booted into the Ubuntu installer (which did require switching the boot order in the BIOS), and partitioned it alongside Windows XP. It took about 40 minutes total and has no bugs that I’ve found. Ubuntu Netbook Remix detected my wireless LAN (a WPA network) within seconds and has had no connectivity issues. Sound works, function keys work, hibernate works, and internet works: what else do you need? I haven’t had any luck with my cube yet, but all in good time.

Now for anyone considering Linux for the first time, let me tell you that you really just can’t go wrong with this combination. Ubuntu is very user friendly and comes preinstalled with Firefox, Pidgin (for instant messaging), Evolution (for email) and OpenOffice (for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations). Your Windows files wil port right in, and you can even remap your Ubuntu bookmarks to point to your Windows documents/pictures/music if you want to work with the same files from either operating system.

I used Xmarks (formerly Foxmarks) o port over my Firefox bookmarks and passwords, which also worked like a charm. Whether you are switching from another Firefox installation, Safari, or even Internet Explorer, Xmarks makes it incredibly easy to keep things in sync. My biggest fear about this sort of software has always been the server doing something stupid and overwriting my uploaded data with local (empty) data on a fresh install: this is not a problem at all with Xmarks as it clearly offers initial options of server –> local download, local –> server upload, or two-way synchronization. The Xmarks add-on is free, though I sent over a little donation as a token of my appreciation for saving me a whole lot of time: when I first moved from Windows to Linux (Fedora) after Google Browser Sync was discontinued and before Xmarks existed, it was no easy task (perhaps due to my n00bery at the time) getting my passwords and such ported over.

Evolution is pretty slick as well: porting over your Outlook mail is a little more challenging as you will need to convert your .pst Outlook files to .mbox before Evolution will import them. There are several walkthroughs on Google to help accomplish this.

Ultimately I say it’s all worth it for the freedom of not being a slave to Microsoft. I’m no Microsoft hater – I do use their insecure and overpriced products on occasion – but I do value privacy and convenience (of which they deprive their users at every opportunity).

On a more serious note, though, it really is great to know that your system is stable and secure and that people around the world are constantly working and collaborating to make it even better. Windows is good for some things (albeit certainly not those), but at the end of the day, that’s really what open source software like Linux is about.

 
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How to Select a Web Host

01 Sep

Behind every website are three important components: your content, domain name, and hosting. The right match of these three things can lead to a spectacular and profitable site: the wrong mix can be disastrous.

Today I’m going to focus on web hosting and the role it plays in developing your business.

Your web host is the computer that stores the files that make up your website. When a user visits your site via your domain name (like stevenrosson.com), your web host transmits those files to their computer where they are then rendered and displayed by your browser. Aside from providing storage for your web files, the host also provides email access @yourdomain.com and other important services for your business.

A Google search will show nearly 200 million results for web hosting, and choosing the right one can be daunting. Many offer an overabundance of services at rock-bottom prices (under $10/month) while others offer solutions such as dedicated servers, which are far more expensive.

The less expensive and seemingly all-encompassing hosts appear worthwhile on the surface: they often provide shared hosting packages that unlimited data storage and bandwidth; free email addresses; unlimited FTP accounts and sub domains; and unlimited top level domain hosting on a single account. They’re a cheap reseller’s dream.

What you ultimately sacrifice for the price is support, professionalism, and accountability. Many shared hosting companies keep overhead to a bear minimum by off-shoring their sales and support staff and “accidentally” overbilling for services. If your website or business can tolerate sporadic downtime and you aren’t worried about whether you can contact them in a pinch, then this may be the solution for you.

About seven years ago I signed up with a company called Host Department that offered shared hosting services. I watched as their hosting packages grew in features and shrank in price: when the former owner sold the company it seemed to collapse under its own weight. Under new leadership its servers began to experience downtime around 41% (according to my WebSitePulse.com reports) and support became unreachable for weeks at a time.

When it comes to hosting, either of these two recommendations will keep you safe:

1) Consider one of the GoDaddy.com Hosting Plans: they have a great reputation as one of the biggest providers of domain names in the world and are located in the USA. Though they also provide inexpensive shared hosting, they have 24/7 email and phone support with a dedicated support staff. Having been a domain customer with them for many years, I am comfortable referring my business clients to and affiliating my business with them.

2) If you do not choose a GoDaddy plan, be sure to do your homework when it comes to the host you choose. Avoid the web host review sites that you’ll find online: many of them are run by either by companies who either sell rankings to the highest bidder or are owned by hosting companies themselves. Instead find out if they have a 30-day money-back guarantee and purchase a one month subscription to test. See if you are comfortable with the control panel and open a free WebSitePulse.com trial to test the server’s uptime. Also verify that the host’s support line works by calling at various times throughout the day/night: make sure you can always reach a human and that they have some clue what they are talking about. Don’t be shy about asking where they are located who they rent their server space from. If they can’t tell you where to find information about their data center, find another host.

In closing, be sure what you are getting before you dish out money for web hosting, and always test their support before making any commitments. If you have business clients who are depending on you to host their websites (or on access to yours), their security is NEVER worth the few dollars per month you will save with most shared hosting providers.

Here is a funny example of why to avoid these businesses in the form of an email I received from Host Department before I canceled my accounts with them:

—–Original Message—–
From: hdsupport@hostdepartment.com [mailto:hdsupport@hostdepartment.com]
To: Rosson, Steven
Subject: Change of FTP Passwords reg. URGENT !!!

Dear Valued Customers,

Greetings !

After analyzing the recent server / account compromises, it is found out that the root cause of the intrusion is due to weak FTP passwords. Hence we kindly request you to change your FTP passwords to a secure one (combination of ALPHANUMERIC & SPECIAL CHARACTERS). Treat this URGENT.

Thanks in advance for your kind cooperation.

Regards,
Support Team
Hostdepartment LLC

http://www.hostdepartment.com

—–End of Message—–

Any hosting company that allows customers’ weak FTP passwords (which should be expected) to compromise their entire server really should probably go bury their head in the sand.

 
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Save Money: Discounts on TV Service

09 Aug

This installment of my “Save Money” series will cover discounts on TV service. This particular discount is my favorite because it is by far the easiest to achieve: every client I’ve helped has been able to save money this way.

Unless you’ve been living in a television-free cave for the past ten years, you’re probably aware of the bitter rivalry among the various cable and satellite providers: in my area these include Time Warner, DirecTV, and Dish Network. They absolutely hate losing customers to one another and will go to great lengths to prevent this from happening. You – the savvy consumer – can use this to your advantage.

Regardless of your current level of service, know the end result you want to achieve. In most cases, it is realistic to shoot for something around a $20 discount off your monthly bill. With about ten minutes of research and ten more minutes on the phone, you can make this a reality.

Start by conducting some research into the introductory plans of your provider’s competition. If you have digital cable, find out what the cheapest satellite options are. If you are on satellite, find the least expensive cable package. Also check your provider’s website and find out what promotional rates they are offering for new customers. No matter what you’re paying now, you’ll be able to find a cheaper rate somewhere (even if it’s not for something you’d want).

Armed with this information, call your provider’s customer service department. Take the quickest possible route to get a human on the phone and inform them that you would like to cancel your service. They will eventually transfer you to someone in their retention department, which is just what we need: an army of people who specialize in making angry people happy.

When they ask what the problem is, politely tell them that you enjoy the service but are looking to be more frugal and realized that you could save a substantial amount per month by switching to [insert competitor here].

They’ll spend a minute looking over your account and then make you an offer: in my case it was $20/month off my Time Warner Cable bill. If they try to offer you free stuff instead of a discount, politely thank them but say you are looking to save money, not add new services. At this point they should tell you something you want to hear.

The key to making this work is not sounding like you are calling for a discount: when they believe you are looking to cancel your service, the discount will come naturally.

Though highly improbable, if at any time the customer service representative sounds ready to process your cancellation request, just tell them that you’re having second thoughts and will call back after looking at some other plans. If the retention representative is doing their job right it should never come to this, but if it does, just call back and take it from the top with someone else.

Give it a shot and let me know how it turns out. Next week I’ll cover discounts on home and cellular phone service.

For more information about how you can save money for your home or business, contact me for a free consultation.

 
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The last GPS you’ll ever buy: the Garmin Nuvi 885T

06 Aug

When it comes to road safety you can never be too careful. So when I saw the specs on Garmin’s new nüvi 885T, I had to try it out.

I acquired one of these nifty devices yesterday and substituted it for my nüvi 760. I also recently used the nüvi 855 and will be using both of these models as benchmarks for comparison.

First off, let’s get some perspective on pricing. Amazon.com consistently has the lowest price on these (and has a good return policy, no tax, and free shipping) so all pricing and links refer there.

nüvi 760: $199.99
nüvi 855: $249.99
nüvi 885T: $369.31

Similarities

All three models are 4.3-inch widescreen, preloaded with City Navigator North America maps, feature an FM transmitter, and have handy on-board software like calculator, currency converter, JPEG viewer, etc. Each allows multi-destination routing and is expandable via SD card for use with content plug-ins or extra music storage, though the 855 and 885T use microSD only. Each also comes with a “Safe Mode” feature that has to be disabled in order to play with it while the car is moving.

The 855 and 885T both have lane assist to guide you to the correct lane for your route, though I have not found this feature particularly useful. If you watch the road instead of your GPS, navigating to the correct exit is not usually a problem.

FM Transmitter

One thing I’ve noticed uniformly about the nuvi line is the poor reviews of their FM transmitter functionality. I must comment, however, that I have been extremely satisfied with it, and I also live in a major metropolitan area. I use it for navigation prompts, phone calls, and music with very good clarity. I do notice a degradation in signal strength and increase in static when the unit is unplugged, so for best results, I suggest keeping it plugged in.

Speech Recognition and Remote Control

Moving onto what really sets these units apart, the 855 and 885T introduce a great speech recognition engine that compelled me to buy these. It has a small remote control that straps onto your steering wheel so you can easily use your thumb to activate the listening mechanism. You can issue commands like “view map,” “find place by name,” “find place by category,” “go home,” “music player,” “dial number,” and more: any prompt or menu you see on the screen can be activated by voice. While navigating the menus this way can be a bit more time consuming than using the touch-screen, it is certainly safer than constantly taking your eyes off the road. And I’m all about safety.

Bluetooth for Hands-Free Calling

One thing that really baffled me was the lack of Bluetooth on the 855. Why add a safety feature like voice activated menus and not take it all the way by incorporating Bluetooth? Probably so Garmin could add it as a special feature in the 885T and charge an extra $100 for it, since this is the only difference between the 855 and 885T.

Conclusion

Each of these are fantastic units and well worth the money. If you are looking for a good well rounded unit, the nüvi 760 is great basic pick. Its hands-free Bluetooth, FM transmitter, multi-route destinations, integrated traffic recevier, and preprogrammed maps and points of interest make it a fantastic base unit.

If safety is a priority for you, the nüvi 855 does a great job at incorporating the features of the 760 into a sleek new design and giving you that voice activated accessibility. And to round it all off with the Bluetooth, the nüvi 885T is the last in the series.

Given the features of the nüvi 885T I will probably be stcking with this one for a while. Add a subscription to MSN direct (traffic, stocks, movie times, flight status, and more) and this may very well be the last GPS you’ll ever buy.

 
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Backups, backups, backups!

04 Aug

I was browsing Craigslist today when I came across a post that really made me cringe: it was from a lawyer, bless his heart, offering a $2500 reward for the return of his stolen $250 laptop. On the laptop were his court files, client records, calendar, finances, and even family photos. “The contents of the laptop are worthless to everyone except me,” he says, “but my livelihood depends on it. I will handsomely reward whoever can return it to me, no questions asked, ten times the value of the computer itself.”

It’s a horrifying thing to think about: suddenly losing years worth of important files – emails, pictures, school work – with no recourse for retrieving them. Theft, however, isn’t the only way to lose data.

• Accidentally deleting or overwriting important files can be frustrating and irreversible. One wrong click, or a sneaky computer virus, and it’s all gone.

• Natural disasters can strike anyone, anywhere. Floods, fires, and electrical surges can instantly destroy your hard drive, as well as any physical backups (CDs, DVDs, hard drives) in the immediate vicinity.

• Hard drive failure is inevitable: it is not a matter of if, but when. Laptops are especially vulnerable: a drop to the floor can break one little pin and cost over $1000 to recover your files.

Years ago I watched my father spend entire days saving his files onto 3.5″ floppy disks. Then CD burners became common and the technologically inclined could save their important documents onto a few CDs in just a few hours. Today, we have a new solution that saves time, money, and lots of hassle: secure online backup.

Online backup software operates in the background on your computer and automatically secures your files on a regular basis. It detects when something has changed and adds it to your secure online backup with no user intervention required.

I personally use and strongly recommend online backup to many of my clients. Most of these programs are easy to install and set up. Some also allow you the luxury of accessing your backup files securely through their website from any computer. Restoring files from your backup is (usually) very simple: you can download the entire backup or select specific folders to retrieve.

Whatever backup solution you choose, no computer user – home or business – should be without a comprehensive backup solution. External hard drives, while not entirely secure, are available at most electronics stores and are cheaper than ever (I saw a 1 terabyte hard drive at Fry’s last week for $99). If you do use an external drive, remember to store your backup in a secure off-site location like a safe deposit box.

Data loss is inevitable: it is not a matter of if it will happen, but when.

Don’t be the Craigslist lawyer.

EDIT: Removed reference to a particular online backup site. The point is the backup, not who you do it with.

 
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