I.T. Tips from fergus.it
18.8.11
Simple program to remind you to take break from your computer
Breaker is a timer that will alert you when it's time to take a break or keep track of how long you've been working, depending on how you configure it. Program your "work time" and it'll tell you when to stop working.
If you're keeping track of your productivity, you can tell it to keep track of how long you've been working and alert you when it's time to stop and take a breather and then again when its time to go back to work. Breaker can be set with how long you want to work before the app alerts you, how long your break should last, and how frequently the app should loop those two cycles.
This way, the app is flexible enough to use with the Pomodoro style, where you should work intensely for 25 minutes, and then take a 5 minute break, but also flexible enough for the 20-20-20 rule, which says for every 20 minutes you stare at a computer screen, you should take a 20 second break and look at an object 20 feet away to reduce strain on your eyes.
http://davidevitelaru.com/software/breaker/
14.7.11
Excel Shared Workbook
In most office settings there is a shared drive where users can store common files for everyone to use. This usually leads to daily sightings of this message: “The document [file name] is locked for editing by another user. To open a read-only copy of this document, click…“ This message appears because someone else already has the file open.
Sometimes however, it is necessary to have multiple people in a file at once. This can be to either speed up data entry or simply make things easier for collaboration purposes. Here is how to turn on the shared workbook feature:
Click on “Review” then “Share Workbook” (Shortcut Alt→R→W). The “Share Workbook” dialogue box will open and from the “Editing” tab click the check box that says “Allow changes by more than one user…” (Shortcut Alt+A)
There is an advanced tab in the dialogue box as well, but it is mostly personal preference stuff as far as how the changes are tracked and implemented into the file. It is good to at least look over the advanced options to get a sense of how the shared workbook operates.
The other important thing to note is that Excel automatically turns off some features in shared workbooks. This is to simplify the workbook since multiple people can be in the file at once. For example, shared workbooks don’t allow merging cells, conditional formatting, or inserting pictures/graphs/etc.
Sometimes however, it is necessary to have multiple people in a file at once. This can be to either speed up data entry or simply make things easier for collaboration purposes. Here is how to turn on the shared workbook feature:
Click on “Review” then “Share Workbook” (Shortcut Alt→R→W). The “Share Workbook” dialogue box will open and from the “Editing” tab click the check box that says “Allow changes by more than one user…” (Shortcut Alt+A)
There is an advanced tab in the dialogue box as well, but it is mostly personal preference stuff as far as how the changes are tracked and implemented into the file. It is good to at least look over the advanced options to get a sense of how the shared workbook operates.
The other important thing to note is that Excel automatically turns off some features in shared workbooks. This is to simplify the workbook since multiple people can be in the file at once. For example, shared workbooks don’t allow merging cells, conditional formatting, or inserting pictures/graphs/etc.
13.7.11
Windows 7 - Excel files - Locked
If you use Excel, and save and access spreadsheets from a network location, you may run in to a bug where the file is reportedly locked by you when you don't have it open.
The solution is to turn the details tab off in Explorer – Open Explorer (Computer) click Organise where the menu bar is normally, then Layout, then make sure Details is unticked
The solution is to turn the details tab off in Explorer – Open Explorer (Computer) click Organise where the menu bar is normally, then Layout, then make sure Details is unticked
28.5.11
Websites - Print only the content you want, or save to PDF
Rather than just printing everything or using copy & paste to create a custom document for printing, you can use a bookmarklet.
A bookmarklet typically is a little javascript utility that sits in your browser bookmarks bar and does its magic once you click it.
The following bookmarklets can help you cut all the junk out of a website and print a nice looking version.
A bookmarklet typically is a little javascript utility that sits in your browser bookmarks bar and does its magic once you click it.
The following bookmarklets can help you cut all the junk out of a website and print a nice looking version.
Try all 3 and see which works best for you
18.5.11
Backup for SOHOS - Need Redundancy Not Raid
While not as elegant as a full RAID solution, using a second NAS to back up the first provides two key advantages for small networks.
The most important advantage is that it provides complete redundancy. Since each NAS is self-contained with its own drive, power supply and processor, it stays up when anything—not just a drive—fails on the other.
Using a separate, networked NAS also allows physical separation between the primary and backup NAS. You can use this advantage to place the backup NAS in a different, perhaps hidden, location to provide additional physical security. You can even use a wireless (in a pinch) or powerline (preferred) bridge if you don't have an Ethernet drop where you want it. Since the backup is a background activity, you don't need the best in throughput.
In order to make this approach work, one of the two NASes must support scheduled backup to or from a networked drive. Most all NASes support backup to a USB-attached drive and many can do this trick with a networked share. But some drives support only attached-drive backup. So you may need to download the user guide of a product you're thinking of purchasing in order to know for sure.
The separate backup NAS approach can also be less expensive than RAID
A possible disadvantage is that the backup may not be an exact duplicate of the primary due to the file changes that occurred between backups. But depending on how you use the primary NAS, the effect can range from the loss of a few hours work to no data loss at all.
The most important advantage is that it provides complete redundancy. Since each NAS is self-contained with its own drive, power supply and processor, it stays up when anything—not just a drive—fails on the other.
Using a separate, networked NAS also allows physical separation between the primary and backup NAS. You can use this advantage to place the backup NAS in a different, perhaps hidden, location to provide additional physical security. You can even use a wireless (in a pinch) or powerline (preferred) bridge if you don't have an Ethernet drop where you want it. Since the backup is a background activity, you don't need the best in throughput.
In order to make this approach work, one of the two NASes must support scheduled backup to or from a networked drive. Most all NASes support backup to a USB-attached drive and many can do this trick with a networked share. But some drives support only attached-drive backup. So you may need to download the user guide of a product you're thinking of purchasing in order to know for sure.
The separate backup NAS approach can also be less expensive than RAID
A possible disadvantage is that the backup may not be an exact duplicate of the primary due to the file changes that occurred between backups. But depending on how you use the primary NAS, the effect can range from the loss of a few hours work to no data loss at all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)