On becoming a digital nomad

Fri, 14 Jul 2017 04:35:51 +0000

If I was living the entrepreneurial dream, this article may have started off differently.

Windows 10 blue screen reboot loop ? Attempted to write to readonly memory

Tue, 11 Oct 2016 04:47:34 +0000

We only have one customer who is not a business.

They are the sweetest elderly couple and they?ve called us for years.

Today I had one of their computers in because it was blue screening. It?s a custom built machine that originally had Windows 7 on it but has since been upgraded to Windows?8 and then Windows 10. With an SSD hard drive, it usually runs pretty well .. until the?day it got itself stuck in a reboot loop.

Xerocon South � My Expectations of Xero�s Conference

Sun, 04 Sep 2016 04:50:06 +0000

This week a few of my interests have collided � Microsoft Australia�s annual�Partner Conference, ProBlogger�s�annual conference�and Xero�s�Xerocon South�conference.

As much as I hate to be missing out on the announcements and tech goodness from Microsoft, or the hugely engaging ProBlogger fun,�Xerocon South won me over for a few reasons.

It�s in my city (yay for my own bed). It�s the first time they�ve had a combined Australia + New Zealand conference. And I�ve been talking lately to a few Cloud-friendly accountants and bookkeepers. Yes, I�m going to hang out with the financial crowd. Wish me luck!

Interop 2016 ? Presentation Guide

Sun, 22 May 2016 04:56:27 +0000

What is it about going away that makes the world throw a dozen deadlines at you at once??🙂

Now the main ones have been tackled, it?s time to get my thoughts published regarding Interop 2016, which I had the pleasure of speaking at.

It?s always scary speaking at a conference that you?ve never attended before, as you don?t know if your content will hit the mark. I?m pleased to report that there was a great mix of topics at this event ? from higher level ?what?s the future?? discussions to deep dive technical sessions.

Welcome to ?The Technical Details?

Tue, 08 Dec 2015 05:23:23 +0000

If you haven?t noticed, I?m a little bit of a social media addict. My twitter feed is mostly full of technical IT people, some journalists and a bit of emergency management (earthquakes etc). My Facebook is a lot more private and includes the in-laws and my sister?s family, both overseas.

I noticed that I didn?t belong to a?technical community on Facebook. My group memberships relate to my?neighbourhood, blogging etc, but nothing technical.

How to protect yourself online when travelling

Wed, 05 Aug 2015 05:46:00 +0000

The internet is such a part of our daily lives�that it�s hard to imagine being totally disconnected, unless that�s the whole point of your travel plans. We�re so used to transferring money online and sharing our photos. But if you�re using the Internet overseas, here are some essential tips to help protect your identity.

Before you go:

Check your account security details.� Some online services (like email accounts) will get worried if you start accessing them from a different country and may even suspend your account. Before you leave, log in and check your account details to ensure that any security information is accurate, should you need to prove that you really are you. This includes checking any secondary email addresses and security questions. Do you still have that old hotmail account and do you remember your first pet�s name?

The establishment of Australia (aka a Storm about a T-Shirt)

Wed, 08 Jan 2014 06:22:22 +0000

Disclaimer: I am a New Zealand citizen who has adopted Queensland as my new home, started a family here and a business. This does not make me an expert on Australian history. (Actually�it�s really expensive & almost impossible for me to�get citizenship here).

Ever written a controversial blog post that makes you want to disable the comments and your social media accounts, in preparation for the backlash that may come? This is the one for me. Deep breath, here goes.

Quickbooks crashes on reconcile reports or saving as PDF

Tue, 17 Dec 2013 06:23:44 +0000

Do you know the saying about builder�s houses? It refers to tradies that are so busy repairing other people�s places that their own home has a few things that need attention, but they never make the time to fix. IT people have the same issue with their own computers. I�d been putting up with a problem in Quickbooks Pro 2012-2013 for some time and finally decided to research it.

When my bookkeeper reconciled the accounts & wanted to print the reports, Quickbooks would hang. Same symptom if I tried to save an invoice as a PDF (using the inbuilt QB feature, not a third party PDF printer). My computer is running Windows 7 64-bit.

Beware LinkedIn scammers wanting your company�s services

Mon, 16 Dec 2013 06:24:38 +0000

Just a quick heads up on this one. I was sent a LinkedIn connect request by someone from a state-level sporting organisation who had a title of Finance Manager. We had a Group in common, so I accepted.

This was quickly followed by a message from him, stating that he was interested in our IT services. I was a bit surprised as he was in a different state, but the main alarm bell ringer was the slightly poor English phrasing. He made a point of telling me that NSW is in Australia. Would you seriously do that to someone you connect to who is in Queensland?

TitStare � Why women don�t feel comfortable in the tech industry.

Mon, 09 Sep 2013 06:28:57 +0000

It�s not like me to rush out a blog post. I don�t leap to my keyboard everytime something in the media has people crying out against it. But today I just felt so compelled to write about TitStare.

At TechCrunch�s �Disrupt� event in San Fransisco, audience members were presented with the TitStare app by two guys from Sydney, and another app called Circle Shake by a guy in Adelaide where he pretends to jerk off. Part of that audience was a 9 year old girl. Part of that audience was female. Part of that audience was self-respecting men who couldn�t believe what they were seeing. And yeah, it was a little bit funny, but totally inappropriate for a professional industry event.

Exchange mail delivery stops on Windows SBS 2003 with AVG

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 06:30:28 +0000

We have AVG 2013 successfully running on a number of client�s servers and our own servers, with no problems. However one particular client with SBS 2003 experiences intermittent email problems which always co-incide with an update to AVG.

Symptoms include: Users saying they haven�t received any emails recently or their recipients haven�t received emails that they sent, failed SMTP test on mxtoolbox.com (indicating the Exchange server is not accepting messages for delivery).

Authentic.

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 06:33:54 +0000

Last week, on three separate occasions, I was given feedback by people I admire. Two of those were part of a formal assessment process. One came out of the blue. I respect the skills, opinions & experience of all three people. And I was glowing.

�Exemplary� �A style that�s yours � don�t ever change it� �Have you considered contacting this publication�

To say I was on Cloud 9 is an understatement. And then, in that same week, I had an opportunity to speak into a few people�s lives. An opportunity to sow some seeds of encouragement, build some people up, cheer for them on the sidelines. Not to give advice, not to solve anything, but just to reassure.

Why I�ll never have a Filing pile again.

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 06:34:42 +0000

This post is going to be short & sweet, as a grocery list is staring at me & the school pickup is also looming. Being self-employed means sneaking into the supermarket BEFORE pickup, so as not to drag two kids through it afterwards & it take ten times longer. But hey, if Seth Godin can write short daily posts, so can I (just don�t expect them daily)!

A business expert once said �do your filing once, each week�. Another business expert said �never handle a piece of paper more than 3 times�. I tried the former, and ended up with a pile called �Filing� that NEVER got emptied, no matter how much I tried to convince myself that it was the perfect Friday job with some great music playing loudly.

Solar power & the QLD Government

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 06:35:46 +0000

When the QLD Government announced that solar power users would be paid for power that they generate, don�t use and feed back into the grid, I didn�t give it much thought. Our power bills were slightly higher than the average, running a business from home and having computers on 24�7, but the cost of a solar system was way beyond our budget. But then, we did the numbers.

We were going to be significantly better off if we drew-down on our mortgage to pay for our solar system. Our mortgage payments wouldn�t rise any higher than we were already paying plus we�d have free power & feed in payments. So, we took the plunge and invested in a 5.5kw system. We love it to bits, especially when our power bill arrives each quarter, in credit.

Xero Personal � I think I love you

Wed, 01 May 2013 06:51:47 +0000

Personal finances � there�s an interesting topic for you.

My wonderful melancholic detailed husband has a magical budget spreadsheet that magically shows us earning more than we spend. Problem is, his lovely wife has no visibility of that when she is actually spending. And I�m not saying I�m a reckless spender at all, but my shopping volume is based on the bank account balance on that day, not any budget or forecast.

Logo not appearing on invoice � Unleashed software / Xero

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:55:19 +0000

We have a client who uses Unleashed Software for inventory management and invoicing. It integrates with Xero. They called us today to say that their company logo was appearing on some but not all of their computers, which are a mix of Macs & PCs in different locations & countries.

Wary of the old �Quicktime & Myob� trick, that was the first thing we asked them. The second thing we asked gave us the answer though � in the instances where the logo was not showing up, they were using Google Chrome to access the system. Once they launched Internet Explorer instead, the logo appeared fine.

Are we really that stupid?

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 07:07:48 +0000

Warning, this post may turn into a rant. This topic has been on my heart since before Queensland�s recent rain event (Jan 2013) and it just won�t leave my thoughts. Now that my attention is not so urgently taken with filling needs, it�s time to let the topic loose.

Are we really that stupid?

Once upon a time, there were maybe a handful of ways to die: sickness, injury (especially in the workplace, if you think industrial era) and childbirth. But society went and got all advanced and created technology and the Internet and cured illnesses and improved safety and childbirth. And we all lived long lives happily ever after.

The stages of Baked Relief: Team Formation

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 07:09:08 +0000

As we reflected on the 2 year anniversary of the 2011 QLD Floods, little did we know that another severe weather event was literally around the corner. Thanks to ex-tropical cyclone Oswald, our season of drought was about to be spectacularly broken, in more ways than one.

400mm+ of rain fell and fell and fell. Rivers burst their banks and created new pathways as gravity pulled that water volume downwards to sea level. Suburban and urban drain systems couldn�t keep up with such rapid and consistent water inflows. Queensland flooded again.

When Breastfeeding becomes your PR disaster

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 07:10:41 +0000

OK, this one is a �mini-post� to �get the subject off my chest� � yes, pardon the pun.

On the news yesterday we heard of a mother who was approached by a staff member at a council-run public swimming pool, because another swimmer was uncomfortable with this lady breastfeeding her baby at the poolside. The mother was embarrassed & humiliated and chose to leave the pool. To her defence, she stated that she was supervising her other children who were still in the pool. It�a also against the law to discriminate against breastfeeding mothers in public places.

RIP the Australian sense of humour, murdered by Twitter.

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 07:13:16 +0000

OK, lets cut right to the chase on this one. Does anyone on twitter still have a sense of humour? Have we become so politically correct that our comedians will suddenly find themselves searching for other employment? Do we know the difference between fun and trolling, or is �funny� now attacked if it remotely offends anyone?

Yup, I�ve pulled out the big guns on this one and I�m waiting to be shot down.

Hands up if you need a Smartphone Pledge!

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 07:23:53 +0000

Over the last few days, a few articles have come my way (including one I wrote myself) about smartphone addiction and the impact of our �always connected� society. My favourite so far has been this fromm Joe Kraus at Google Ventures:�http://joekraus.com/were-creating-a-culture-of-distraction

Hi, my name is Sonia and I�m addicted to my smartphone. Except it�s not my phone itself per se, it�s that feeling of knowing what is going on right now and what my internet friends are talking about. I�ve reverted to my teenage self and I don�t want to miss out, on anything, even for an hour.

My Titanic story, as we remember them 100 years ago

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 07:28:41 +0000

It�s hard to escape Titanic news at the moment, as we mark 100 years since the ship sank. I refrained from calling her unsinkable, as apparently the White Star Line never called her that, but it was stated in a shipbuilding publication that her design made her �practically unsinkable�. �I confess to following @TitanicRealTime as the story holds a special place in my heart and it does fascinate me.

On Friday the 13th February 1998, my boyfriend took me to a late night screening of the James Cameron film. It finished after midnight, on Valentine�s Day. He then took me for a drive up to the hill in Wellington that overlooks the city, in a re-enactment of the evening we met (that�s another story). I had become rather soppy after the film, so he mentioned he didn�t have any tissues but would this do .. and pulled out an engagement ring. �Since then, Titanic has been our thing.

Anatomy of a fake Facebook email

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:29:39 +0000

Today one of my email accounts received a Facebook notification, only I knew straight away that it was a fake. �This post shows you what the email looked like and the warning signs that this wasn�t a valid notification. �More likely, it was an attempt to steal my facebook details & hack into my account, after I had clicked on the links & willingly entered in my real facebook username and password for them.

Why you have every right to question Kony 2012 & Invisible Children

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 07:31:52 +0000

Have I made you angry with the title of my blog? Are you frustrated at the critics of a movement that just wants to save the kids? Are you trying to search through media reports to confirm what the truth is and what it isn�t? That�s my point.

48hrs ago I had no idea who Joseph Kony was. �I sat and watched as Kony 2012 swept social media then my television. �My FB & Twitter feeds were swamped with links to the video. �And then the critics were publicised too. A university professor and a student weighed in on the debate. The most recent one I�ve seen is from someone who has returned from Uganda.

I�m NOT an Australian.

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:35:59 +0000

I�m officially NOT an Australian. I have a New Zealand passport and I�m entitled to a British one too. �As I sit here in my Brisbane home on Australia Day, I�m officially a �Resident on a Special Category Visa�. That�s Aussie legal talk for �Kiwi�. �To my homeland, I�m a �Non-resident�.

There is a stereotype that Kiwis in Australia live off government payments and enjoy the land of milk and honey, just lazing about, and that�s before we mention sheep. Kiwis have their own thoughts on Australians and sheep too�🙂��So let�s just look at my profile for a minute as someone who�s NOT an Australian:

Help Christchurch from your kitchen � become part of Baked Relief

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:51:43 +0000

To my friends in Christchurch, my colleagues, my school mates, �I need to tell you about a great concept that will help the people of this great city to recover.

In Brisbane�s recent floods, Danielle Crismani realised that homemade food would warm people�s hearts. She didn�t realise that as well as the joy of the recipients, the home bakers themselves would be filled with joy from just being able to contribute, many with young children at their feet.

My thoughts on the Mud Army

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 07:52:43 +0000

The Mud Army was a term being used by the media to descibe the volunteers that helped thousands of Brisbane residents prepare for and recover from the flooding from the Brisbane River (after the Toowoomba flash floods Mon 10 Jan 2011).� Like mud, the name just stuck.

I had the privilege of being part of the �uniformed division� of the Army in my SES orange overalls.� After watching the news of our regional Queensland towns being flooded, and just wanting to get out to help them, I (along with hundreds of others) was needed in my own backyard.� The weather forecast had not been good, but I had no idea that I�d ever see the Brisbane River get so high.� I also had no idea that the general public would roll up their sleeves and help.

HP recalls some Australian laptop batteries

Thu, 28 May 2009 08:54:44 +0000

HP is recalling more than 3,000 rechargeable battery packs used in laptop computers due to a potential fire hazard. �The voluntary recall comes after the company received reports that a fault in the lithium-ion battery pack could cause it to overheat. �HP Australia estimates 3,405 potentially affected battery packs have been sold in Australia.

There have been 19 instances of overheating recorded worldwide but none in Australia.

The company is recalling battery packs sold individually or used in�HP Pavilion notebook�computer models:

MYOB pictures on email & pdf forms

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:00:08 +0000

OK, let�s ignore how long it�s been since my last post and just rejoice that due to my great filing system I managed to find my wordpress login details�🙂

Strangest thing in MYOB accounting software � customise a form and insert your own picture/graphic (eg company logo), use the �Send to email� or �Send to Disk� to create an electronic version of your document (invoice/statement etc) � and no picture images appear.

Not-quite-Internet Banking

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:25:19 +0000

As a business owner, I rely on internet banking to work every day (and every night).� It sure beats�the way that many businesses used to�work � collecting daily statements from the bank each morning.

So, when internet banking goes bad (and only on your computer .. not one of those lovely �service is not available� messages from the bank), where do you turn? Assuming�your problem is not that you have the Pop-Up Blocker turned on and your banking site wants to pop up the login window.

Save, save, save

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 10:07:33 +0000

Save � of the critial �protect your data� type, not the �look how much money I saved in this sale today type� (though arguably they are just as important as each other).

Normally my favourite rant is regarding backups (and, more importantly, testing your data restorations), especially where small business is concerned. And I�m talking real small business (1 � 20 users). But I�ll save that for another day.

No, today�s rant is about saving your progress as you go. Though the concept was made famous when Microsoft Word crashed during that business report/university paper you had nearly finished .. and hadn�t saved .. and couldn�t be recovered � saving as you go is important for other applications too .. and not just software applications.

And I work in I.T.!!!

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 10:08:29 +0000

I�m afraid I�m starting this blog with a technology drama, involving my shiny new iPod Shuffle (2nd generation) and Windows Vista.� �Ah yes, Vista� you say knowingly.� But at Microsoft�s defence leaps the voice of my dear friend who pointed out that the vendors had the Vista code for�2 years prior to the release, so surely they could have sorted out their device drivers by now and what more does Microsoft have to do?

Uncategorized on Sonia Cuff

In the quiet

On becoming a digital nomad

Windows 10 blue screen reboot loop ? Attempted to write to readonly memory

Xerocon South � My Expectations of Xero�s Conference

Interop 2016 ? Presentation Guide

Welcome to ?The Technical Details?

How to protect yourself online when travelling

The establishment of Australia (aka a Storm about a T-Shirt)

Quickbooks crashes on reconcile reports or saving as PDF

Beware LinkedIn scammers wanting your company�s services

TitStare � Why women don�t feel comfortable in the tech industry.

Exchange mail delivery stops on Windows SBS 2003 with AVG

Authentic.

Why I�ll never have a Filing pile again.

Solar power & the QLD Government

Xero Personal � I think I love you

Logo not appearing on invoice � Unleashed software / Xero

Are we really that stupid?

The stages of Baked Relief: Team Formation

When Breastfeeding becomes your PR disaster

RIP the Australian sense of humour, murdered by Twitter.

Hands up if you need a Smartphone Pledge!

My Titanic story, as we remember them 100 years ago

Anatomy of a fake Facebook email

Why you have every right to question Kony 2012 & Invisible Children

I�m NOT an Australian.

Help Christchurch from your kitchen � become part of Baked Relief

My thoughts on the Mud Army

HP recalls some Australian laptop batteries

MYOB pictures on email & pdf forms

Not-quite-Internet Banking

Save, save, save

And I work in I.T.!!!