My home office setup for video recording and remote presenting

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 13:47:11 +0000

My role at Microsoft has always been primarily a remote role, from home. But as travel has? decreased, the amount of time I spend on video has dramatically increased, and that’s not just from meetings. Many technical presentations are pre-recorded (and moderated live when aired), or delivered live to camera, and I also record short promotional videos which are usually scripted for training content or events.

Here’s a walkthrough of the setup I’m currently using, to get results like this:

So you?re now a remote presenter!

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 19:30:31 +0000

The COVID-19 epidemic has seen the world go into lockdown and in-person events be cancelled. Many organisers have looked at online options to deliver events, whether they are industry tech meetups or conference, or school and universities etc. For many speakers, this has meant quickly learning a new skill ? presenting remotely!

It?s important to appreciate that this IS a different skill to presenting in front of a room full of people, on a stage with bright lights and a lapel mic. So lets look at some of those differences and tips for delivering a great talk online.

Cloud Advocacy with no conferences?

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 18:19:20 +0000

The public face of a Cloud Advocacy role looks a lot like planes and conference venues. So in the midst of the COVID-19 virus, what exactly does my role look like?

It�s not brain surgery

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 17:01:15 +0000

With rest, I regain my perspective.

I had a big lead-up to taking some time off. Then that turned out to be a little more stressful than we had planned. But I got to spend some dedicated time with the people I love the most, where I didn’t have to check emails. Bliss.

I beat myself up for failing to complete a task and having to hand it over. There might even be an entire blog post in that itself. Just as I’d tell anyone else that it’s ok to ask for help, I had to ask for help. When I set the bar high for being a person who will do what she has said she will do – personal circumstances meant I didn’t. The result – it got taken over and handled, because I am supported.

In the quiet

Sun, 09 Jun 2019 15:21:38 +0000

In a society where busy & activity & noise & public is normal, progress is made in the quiet.

I’m currently working at two speeds:

1) See an opportunity and act on it.

2) See an opportunity and plan it. Research it. Consult on it. Amass a jumble of thoughts. Discard some. Sharpen the focus. Document the challenges, the approaches and the solutions.

As someone driven by the satisfaction of less items in my Inbox, less things on my to do list, speed 1 is so much more satisfying. But I’m enjoying the details of speed 2. The digging in. Respecting bigger things enough to give them more of my time.

Doing vacation right

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 22:20:46 +0000

The timing of this tweet made me smile. I had recently returned from 8 nights away in paradise (Khao Lak, Thailand) at an adults only resort with the love of my life. I hadn’t checked Outlook or Microsoft Teams once. I was in a pretty good position to comment on how to be someone in tech who was good at vacation.

#CloudAdvocateLife ? Work update (Mar 2019)

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:37:23 +0000

OK let’s not mention how long it has been since I’ve blogged. Just sit back and enjoy my website refresh and let’s move on ….

Amongst the craziness of my life now I’m full-time at Microsoft, I tweet the occasional #CloudAdvocateLife moment to give you some insight into the highs and lows of my day. Here I can expand a little more on the work I’ve been doing and how I maintain my work/life balance and my mental health. Today, let me catch you up on how the Cloud Advocate role has unfolded so far.

The new age of IT Operations

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 09:20:34 +0000

When I started in tech, the world was MS-DOS based, with Windows 3.11 for Workgroups if you were lucky. Word Perfect ruled the typing pool and dot matrix line printers sang in the background. There was no plug and play. There was config.sys and autoexec.bat. Token ring and IPX/SPX.

I promise I won�t tell you to get off my lawn.

And then, our tech world changed. Windows NT brought with it the registry. TCP/IP. Ethernet. Active Directory. So many new things to learn that fundamentally changed our technology infrastructure.

My first week at Microsoft

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 02:46:53 +0000

�How is Microsoft?� �It must be amazing!� �What are you working on?�

This is how the conversation goes with anyone who knows of my July 16 start date as a Microsoft employee.

If you missed my announcement (because I�recorded a video�instead of blogging about it), I�ve joined the Cloud Developer Advocates who report through to Azure engineering. I�m part of a new, global team focusing on IT Operations in Microsoft�s cloud. We have strong connections to our technical �IT Pro� communities, to help make Azure and its resources even better for people who are wrangling virtual machines, storage, backups, identity management etc etc.

The case for Cloud Access Security Brokers in small business

Fri, 06 Apr 2018 09:26:14 +0000

For most small businesses reading this article, I�ve lost them with the headline. A Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) is likely to be something they�ve never heard of, let alone considered. Yet more small businesses are becoming Cloud-friendly, especially with their adoption of Software as a Service applications. Funny thing is, some security-focused IT professionals would never consider using Cloud services without a CASB.

I had the pleasure of spending some time with a company called Forcepoint, in Austin, Texas, as a Tech Field Day delegate. David Coffey (VP Research & Development) says �How do you secure things that you don�t own or manage?� IT Pros understand that challenge. Traditionally we�ve focused on securing the devices that you use and the networks that you access. We�ve put firewalls between your PC and the Internet and we�ve prevented you from using random USB sticks. Today�s challenge for IT is ensuring security from your iPad in an airport lounge, to corporate data in the Cloud.

Office 2019 moves to Click to Run, no MSI

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 09:28:19 +0000

There�s a buzz in my technical world this morning with the announcement that Office 2019 will not be available as MSI files, but will only be a Click to Run (C2R) product.

If that went right over your head, you may not be an IT Pro, and you can ignore the rest of this message.

If that has you breaking out in a cold sweat, let me clear up some confusion about the difference between MSI and C2R.

5 tips for success with modern collaboration tools

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 09:30:17 +0000

I see so many people running to a technology because other people said it was good. That�s how our trusted referral society works, but it�s rarely the tech that solves the problem � it�s how you use it.

Modern collaboration tools are the hot topic right now, whether you prefer Slack or Microsoft Teams.

So I wrote my thoughts on the 5 tips to ensure success with tools like those, and published them on our company website:

Find me at Microsoft Summit Sydney 2017

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 09:33:03 +0000

Want to know a productivity hack to tidying up all those loose ends? � Schedule some time away from the office. There�s no motivation like an immovable deadline!

Next week I�m travelling to Sydney for three Microsoft events. This time I�ve booked an AirBnB and the family are coming with me. I�m looking forward to some quality time with them, when I�m not mingling with my tech friends.

You�ll find me:

Microsoft 365 Business � not a rebrand or a marketing wrapper

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 09:42:38 +0000

After the announcement of Microsoft 365, I�d pushed it into the �look at this�later� pile. A recent Microsoft presentation at a reseller event�flicked the switch for me on how Microsoft 365 Business�could really help SMBs who are still stuck on Windows 7 or Windows 8, and how the device management can help with Macs, Android and iOS.

I blogged about my thoughts for 24�7 IT Connection:�https://24x7itconnection.com/2017/10/17/microsofts-strong-smb-story-with-microsoft-365-business/

If you�re looking for more technical information on Microsoft 365, here are blogs from some fellow Microsoft MVPs. If you have any other good resources, feel free to leave them in the comments:

Making the sale before you�ve met the client � why your social presence matters.

Tue, 25 Jul 2017 04:23:18 +0000

I�ve been daydreaming about replacing my home theatre speakers, since our ageing amplifier died. The sleek, silver Sony box was impressive in its day but that was over 18 years ago. Now we�ve got all the wireless and internet connected things, I�m spoilt for choice. I�ve done some online research but I�m not a detailed, melancholic personality type. An instore demonstration of the Bose and Sonos systems has me convinced that Sonos is the way to go. But I�m still unsure about handing over that amount of money right now for some nicer sounds. Ultimately, my purchasing transaction is likely to be handled by someone in a retail store � hopefully someone who treats us better than the last guy we dealt with.

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.

Outlook for Mac Read receipt and Gmail calendar and contacts

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 04:38:24 +0000

Aside from the strive to use modern collaboration tools, many people still live in email as their main form of business communication. Microsoft�s �any device� approach means we�re seeing more support for Outlook and other Office apps on the Mac, but there are still some functionality differences.

Here are a couple of features that are missing on the Mac, which have recently been flagged by the Office team as in development or preview:

Outlook cannot log on. Verify you are connected to the network.

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 04:39:40 +0000

I?ve seen this great little error occur with Microsoft Outlook 2016. It?s so great that even completely uninstalling Office 365 ProPlus and reinstalling it doesn?t get rid of the error. This is on Windows 10 with the latest operating system updates applied.

?Outlook cannot log on. Verify you are connected to the network and are using the proper server and mailbox name. The Microsoft Exchange information service in your profile is missing required information. Modify your profile to ensure that you are using the correct Microsoft Exchange information service.?

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.

Graduating from Computer Troubleshooters

Sun, 11 Sep 2016 04:48:49 +0000

The email subject read: The biggest announcement since Apple removed the headphone jack.

How do you break it to a group of friends that you�re leaving them, after 12 years?
We were just honest.

After 12 years of trading, Tony & I announced that we would be graduating from the international Computer Troubleshooters franchise, effective 1 Oct.

I use the word graduating intentionally. The Computer Troubleshooters group has been with us since we started our own business in a new country, pre-kids, without the support of our corporate technical peers and hoping that we could make this work financially to be our primary source of income. We�ve learnt so much in that time about business, about tech and about each other.

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!

Why the I.T. guy hates the Cloud

Mon, 30 May 2016 04:51:11 +0000

For small businesses, Cloud solutions seem to deliver innovation, productivity and profitability with ease.

You don�t have to sit around and wait for the �I.T. guy� to install something on a server, then install something else on your computer. It�s all enabled by just signing up to a service in your web browser and entering your credit card number. The secure access, reliability and backups are all handled behind the scenes.

Can Kentik end the performance blame game?

Mon, 23 May 2016 05:05:25 +0000

As part of the?Tech Field Day Extra?crew at?Interop 2016, I got to sit in on a great presentation by?Avi Freedmanfrom?Kentik.

I?d?never heard of them, which is not surprising given my Australian-based SMB world, but I sat with an open mind as Avi talked about Enterprise (and larger) networking concepts. It?s always so great when a presenter makes it ?real world? enough that you can see the benefits, without necessarily understanding all the tech under the hood. Seems that the world is hearing about Kentik though as their customers already include yelp, Pandora, Box, and openDNS.

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.

Outlook 2016 Attach File menu disappears

Wed, 20 Apr 2016 05:02:51 +0000

We?ve seen some strange ?attach file? behaviour in Outlook 2016 installed via Office 365 ProPlus.

Specifically, when you click on the Attach File icon, the dropdown menu of Recent Items and other locations disappears, rolling back up. You can?t actually attach a file.

This behaviour appears when Outlook updates the Recent Items list.

Can Kentik end the performance blame game?

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 04:55:23 +0000

As part of the?Tech Field Day Extra?crew at?Interop 2016, I got to sit in on a great presentation by?Avi Freedmanfrom?Kentik.

Calling all SMB Innovators � Where are you?

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 05:10:09 +0000

Warning: This is an opinion piece and quite honestly, a rant. You have been warned.

Our business has been supporting the technology needs of SMBs for 12 years now, after we stepped out of the corporate world. The early years were comparatively easy � a business wanted I.T. support, we�d upgrade a server or two to newer software and bigger hardware and the addition of remote monitoring and management tools consolidated our efforts across our customer base. Nothing really extraordinary there.

The Internet of Things: Smart toasters, smart cities or dumb marketing?

Mon, 08 Feb 2016 05:11:21 +0000

The catalyst for this post was a conversation with a bunch of great, smart people in IT about IoT. The general consensus was that the term meant different things to different people and had fallen victim to its own hype. Sound like any other computing term you know � (Cloud)?

It was then followed by a ton if hilarious examples about the weird things being connected to the internet (see�Twitter:Internet of Shit) and the inherent security concerns with all of this (see�Hello Barbie privacy fears�and also�Skynet)

Flipped your Windows 10 screen?

Fri, 08 Jan 2016 05:14:52 +0000

Flipped your Windows 10 screen?

I?m laughing because I just managed to flip my screen while writing the title of this post.

The keyboard shortcut for rotating your Windows 10 display is Ctrl +Alt + one of the arrow keys.

Sometimes I manage to trigger this by accident. I?m not holding down Ctrl + Alt, but if I press an arrow key to go back and edit a typo, I?m suddenly looking at things on my screen sideways or upside down:

Microsoft Band 2 Review ? How it?s changed my day

Fri, 08 Jan 2016 05:13:29 +0000

I used a Fitbug Orb for a while. It did a good job of reporting steps & sleep back to an iPhone app but I got annoyed that it had a CR battery to replace (non-rechargeable) and the rubber wrist strap was annoying (it would come off in the night while sleeping). I was tempted to get a Fitbit purely to have a silent alarm, but I never went and bought one.

Fix AVG Anti-Virus Update failed � The update control file is missing

Fri, 08 Jan 2016 05:12:29 +0000

We had a customer�s Windows 7 computer running AVG 2015 Anti-virus, managed by AVG Cloudcare, that was refusing to update its virus definitions database.

Update failed.

The update control file is missing.

Note: This error has been reported on non-Cloudcare versions and earlier versions too.

Even getting tough and uninstalling the software with the AVG Removal Tool, rebooting and reinstalling .. left me with exactly the same problem. Other computers at the site were unaffected.

The world is changing and so is Spirent

Fri, 18 Dec 2015 05:16:30 +0000

Sometimes it�s great to sit down for a presentation with no preconceived ideas. It makes it interesting to listen to a guy up the front in a company t-shirt, who you�re not viewing as the �Vice President of Marketing & Product Strategy�. The title doesn�t actually do justice to Neil Holmquist from Spirent Communications.

The internet would tell me that Neil has a 15 year career with Spirent, beginning as an engineer. It would also give me a ton of information about the telecommunications testing company itself, founded in 1936 and listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Office 365: Mail page blank in Firefox, shows �Continue� on tab

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 05:19:24 +0000

Blogging this one from a colleague in case anyone else hits the same symptoms.

User was logging�into Mail in Office 365 using Firefox.

The page was completely blank.

Instead of the browser tab label saying Mail � Username it just said CONTINUE.

Worked correctly in Internet Explorer.

Could access the same Office 365 account correctly from another computer on the network using Firefox.

Troubleshooting things that didn�t work:

Opening Firefox in safe mode
Resetting Firefox to defaults
Clearing cache
Deleting cookies
Removing save password

The fix was to create a new Firefox user profile:

Netflix & skill: The magic behind the streaming media provider

Fri, 11 Dec 2015 05:22:02 +0000

I have a whole new appreciation for Netflix.

It should be pretty simple, right? I turn on my smart TV. The Netflix app authenticates me & checks I�ve paid my subscription fee. It delivers content suggestions based on my profile & my previous viewing choices. And it does this on an enormous scale, globally. So you assume they have some pretty big, redundant networks and servers.

That�s the problem with consumer technology that�s this good � we assume it�s simple.

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.

USA bound for Tech Field Day!

Fri, 13 Nov 2015 05:24:20 +0000

It�s the morning before�I leave for 18.5hrs of travel. Stating the obvious, Australia is a long way from America (and I�m only going to the West Coast). But I�m beyond thrilled to have been given this opportunity.

To my non IT friends and family, I�m going to Silicon Valley for a conference.

That conference is Tech Field Day�s Virtualization Field Day 6 http://techfieldday.com/event/vfd6/ If you�re awake during San Jose�s day, you can�even see live video streaming of the day on that page. If you have twitter, play along with the hashtag�#VFD6

The problem with Partners

Mon, 26 Oct 2015 05:38:08 +0000

As a �partner� in the �channel� (just imagine the air quotes), I�m going to�stand on my soapbox and have a little chat about the role that we play in making software & hardware companies successful. Yeah, that totally sounded conceited, but follow along with me here.

There are so many facets to this chat that this post won�t be published in its original form. It�s going to take time to organise these thoughts into a logical sequence that flows, because the partner relationship is not a simple conversation.

KoalaSafe Internet Filter ? Review

Sat, 03 Oct 2015 05:41:34 +0000

Having a rather complicated home network, I?ve struggled to find an Internet filtering product that lets me work like I need to AND doesn?t need to be ?installed? on the devices that my kids use. I was excited to hear about the KoalaSafe kickstarter campaign then, that promised a safe WiFi network of its own.

Scam email from Microsoft Management Team

Sun, 20 Sep 2015 05:43:19 +0000

This landed in my Inbox last week.

It?s a phishing scam, designed to capture your real login details and is definitely not from Microsoft.

It?s good practice to log straight into?the website or Cloud service?in your web?browser to check the validity of any warnings like these. Don?t click on links in your emails!

From: Microsoft Management Team <update.m01205@outlook.com>

Subject: Your Microsoft account requires update

Hi Microsoft User,

Your mailbox Size is almost full. Incoming mails might soon be rejected and Your mailbox might be closed.

How to get the ATO Business Portal to work on Windows 10

Fri, 28 Aug 2015 05:44:35 +0000

The ATO Business Portal is vital to Australian businesses. This secure gateway allows us to provide reporting information to the tax office, to meet our compliance regulations.

It?s understandable that if you do any of those kind of tasks (either for your own business or someone elses), you need to know that the website and it?s AUSKey authentication is going to work before you upgrade to Windows 10.

The goods news is ? it does work.

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?

How to become known within your Industry: Show Up. Contribute. Share.

Mon, 06 Jul 2015 05:46:39 +0000

People have started asking me how I have made so many connections with other people in IT, especially overseas. When I examined it, it turns out it�s just a by-product of how I engage with other people and get connected into groups of peers and �hero� speakers/writers. It�s nothing I specifically set out to achieve.

I�ve published my thoughts on LinkedIn�s Pulse blog site:

http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-become-known-within-your-industry-show-up-contribute-sonia-cuff?trk=prof-post

-SCuffy

What you need to do before AND after upgrading to Windows 10

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 05:47:54 +0000

Microsoft has announced that a free upgrade to Windows 10 will be available on the 29th of July for�eligible systems. This can be applied anytime over the next 12 months and your computer will be presented with a system tray icon and popup showing you how. Note: Eligible computers are�those already running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. If your computer is joined to a business �domain� network, you may still be eligible but won�t see the popup, so your IT department can control the upgrade process.

HP all in one fails sound driver & webcam driver installation on Windows 8.1

Sat, 30 May 2015 05:49:43 +0000

Nothing taunts a systems administrator like a yellow exclamation triangle in device manager.

After�an HP all in one computer had been worked on to remedy another issue, the only problem that remained was no sound & no webcam. And that stupid little yellow symbol. This appeared after Windows Updates had automatically updated the operating system from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1.

I tried all the usual suspects � disable the driver, uninstall the driver, try to update the driver (already the latest version), install the Realtek High Definition Audio driver directly from the Realtek website, disable the anti virus software etc etc. Every time, after each reboot, device manager taunted me with that little yellow symbol.

Can�t create a static gateway VPN on a Microsoft Azure virtual network

Wed, 06 May 2015 05:51:10 +0000

Ah the joys of a proof of concept. We�re playing with a vendor�s application that has some tricky networking requirements (multi-site VPN support through a third party aggregator) to see if the architecture would work with�a server in Azure.

The great part is we have a trial version of the software, so we can replicate things from the comfort of our own office without disturbing the customer. Which is just as well, really.

Outlook 2013 changes account from Office 365 to old on premise Exchange server

Thu, 05 Mar 2015 05:55:46 +0000

When you have a problem once and you can reset everything, it?s annoying. But usually it?s quicker than getting to the root cause of exactly why it happened. When the same problem occurs a month later, it?s time to find the root cause.In this case, my Outlook 2013 randomly decides to stop connecting to Office 365 and changes my?email account settings back to our old,?defunct?Exchange server. The telltale sign is when Outlook refuses to connect and repeatedly prompts for my user credentials (yes I did type in my password correctly). The only way to fix it seems to be to set up a new Outlook profile and reconnect to Office 365. Talk about?frustrating. We?d done all the necessary steps during the migration (including adding the correct autodiscover dns records) and had run happily for months before this issue appeared. And lucky me, it was only happening on my computer.

An Office 2013 product fails to install after removal of Click to Run

Tue, 20 Jan 2015 05:57:02 +0000

The Click to Run software manages the streaming of the installation of some Office products and a virtualised environment to enable different versions to run side by side on a Windows computer. If this software gets its �knickers in a knot� (technical term), you might come across some issues with your next Office software installation. Don�t remove this component if you think you�ll only ever use msi based retail CD installations.

Drink Bottle Wrangling

Mon, 19 Jan 2015 05:58:08 +0000

Yes, in the land of parenting it?s that time of the year when all of the back to school stuff is being procured.?? Blogs are aplenty on where to keep the school bags & which lunchbox to buy. So if you?re one of my tech followers, this post might not be for you .. unless you have kids or?you have drinks bottles for sports etc.Drink bottles have a great knack of falling over like bowling pins in my cupboard. They also breed, which is the only explanation for why a household of four people has so many. So, drink bottle wrangling is a common thing. Or was.

Review: Tile (bluetooth tag)

Sun, 11 Jan 2015 05:59:02 +0000

Tile was the first crowd funding campaign that I supported. My money would actually result in the finished physical product being shipped to my door and this seemed like a gadget I would use. I had to be patient though ? still being in the design stage, it would be over 12 months before I?d hold a Tile in my hand.

So you have a new Windows 8 PC ? now what?

Sun, 28 Dec 2014 06:00:09 +0000

A salesperson has guided you through the purchase of a new PC (desktop or laptop) and it?s now sitting in a box in your home. Assuming you can see the little symbols showing where to plug in the keyboard and mouse (which in reality are usually all just USB these days anyway), you should be good to just plug everything in and go, right?

Ah, well, almost.

Chances are that most PCs you?ll drag home from a retail store?have a manufacturers release of Windows 8 installed on them. Unfortunately, there are usually a ton of updates that have been released by Microsoft since that PC has its software installed ? the most important being the immensely helpful upgrade to Windows 8.1

How SMB IT service providers view the Cloud

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 06:04:13 +0000

It�s not news that IT is an ever-changing industry. The skills that I learnt when I first started are now mostly irrelevant. I say �mostly� because some of the fundamentals of disks, files, networks etc still hold true (once we�d migrated off token ring anyway). And I still use the command prompt to search for files. But when I started, there was no Cloud, no social media, no phishing, no virtualization, no sector based backups and no ADSL. File storage was done on a Novell Netware server or three, with a bank of dial-in modems for remote access.

A looong weekend

Sun, 05 Oct 2014 06:06:50 +0000

Monday in Queensland is a public holiday to observe�labour day, which is quite apt because yes, I�m working. Now before you�pity me that I don�t�get three whole days off (in a row!), I�m not that concerned actually.

Long weekends are the perfect structure for me. I�ve had time to spend with friends and family, time to catch up on housework and time to work while clients are away and I can�control their computers whenever suits, without interrupting them. It�s also the last weekend before school recommences for the kids so add in polishing shoes & gathering all required school items prior to the first morning back.

How to host a Frozen party (A tutorial for the unorganised)

Sat, 20 Sep 2014 06:07:50 +0000

WARNING: Do not continue?if you have?no interest in Disney?s Frozen whatsoever.

Having two daughters under 10, our house & car has been filled with Frozen songs, so naturally that was the chosen theme for Miss 4?s 5th birthday. I?wasn?t interested in it being the best decorated Frozen party ever. I just wanted it to be achievable & for her to have a good time. So, here is a tutorial on how to have a Frozen party when you?re on a budget & leave things until the last minute.

Pre Conference Countdown � a lesson in not sweating the small stuff

Mon, 01 Sep 2014 06:09:10 +0000

At short notice, I�ve taken a leap of faith and purchased a conference ticket. It was left until the last minute because I�ve been umming and ahhing about whether or not I can justify spending the money to be a delegate for 2.5 days, plus accommodation. Everyone who has attended this industry conference raves about it and I�ve made some great connections with people over the last 12 months who will be there. Never underestimate the power of meeting the face behind the emails, I would advise other people, as I was so wisely taught when I stepped into the broader industry. You�ll be amazed what happens at �the meeting after the meeting� or months in the future because you took the time to start building a relationship. Yes, all the justification in the world for taking a large sum of money out of my bank account.

How to REALLY end the tech gender gap

Sun, 03 Aug 2014 06:10:37 +0000

Time Magazine�has just told me that the way to end the gender gap in tech is to run girl�s summer coding camps.�Sure.

And then what do you do when those girls try to enter the industry? How are you going to ensure that their potential employer gives them and equal chance � and an equal�salary? How will you ensure that her peers will cheer her on,�value her�opinion and accept her recommendations? And what happens if, heavens forbid, those girls don�t actually like to code and�write off the industry because of it?

Cloud Myth #1 � It�s bulletproof

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 06:11:33 +0000

I�ve seen a few discussions amongst the Australian IT community recently from people who are very anti-Cloud. Aside from privacy concerns (NSA access to data centres not located in Australia) and Internet infrastructure concerns (yes, many businesses still have pitiful Internet speeds), the next favourite objection involves every time a Cloud service has ever has an outage.

Microsoft�s Office 365 service didn�t help my cause today with a 3hr�degradation in service, where emails couldn�t be sent or received for a number of customers. When the service was restored though, all the emails caught up.

What they don?t tell you about making Cake Pops

Thu, 03 Jul 2014 06:18:37 +0000

I started?doing the school holidays thing?of letting the girls have some?unstructured play time?(aka amusing themselves while I work). My aim is to wrangle my unread emails & attend to anything time critical, then spend some time with them. They love to bake. Well, they love to start baking then leave me to it and return in time to eat the results.

So in a moment of Aldi clearance madness, I bought a cake pop kit. I have no room in my kitchen for single-use appliances so I was never going to buy a cake pop machine (the ones that look like toasted sandwich makers). But Aldi had this cute little box with the silicone moulds and a recipe book & sticks.?A bargain, guaranteed to give us some?quality time together.

550 not permitted to relay error sending to new Office 365 email accounts

Wed, 23 Apr 2014 06:19:42 +0000

An IT technician migrated a customer over to Office 365, including using the hosted Microsoft Exchange service for email. He followed the right steps, verified their own domain name, adjusted the MX record and added the right SPF entry.

However, some people sending to this email domain were receiving a delivery failure report error (though some people could send to them successfully):
SMTP error from remote mail server after RCPT TO::
host recipientdomain.com [223.99.99.99]: 550-Please turn on SMTP Authentication in your mail client.
550-delivery5.spamserver.com [116.99.99.99]:54447 is not permitted to relay
550 through this server without authentication.

New shiny blog!

Sun, 23 Mar 2014 06:20:48 +0000

When I first took the plunge with WordPress, it was to create a blog that aligned with our website. The website has now moved to a WordPress platform and has it�s own blog component. I also found myself rambling about other stuff and tech stuff that was very techy.

So, I�ve finally made the split. Off the Scuff becomes my new personal blog for all the things that aren�t small business related, so I can rant on without it being under the company name. It�s not going to be the prettiest blog you�ve ever seen (I�m a writer, not a graphic designer), but it will feel more like �me�.

Reckon Accounts Pro 2013 error Error 1920. Service QuickBooks Database manager Service (QBCFMonitorService) failed to start

Wed, 15 Jan 2014 06:21:23 +0000

Today I upgraded my laptop to Windows 8.1 Pro. By �upgrade� I actually mean backed up, formatted & installed Windows cleanly. It went surprisingly well and was pretty fast. The only Microsoft glitch I had were some updated that failed to install until after I rebooted, then away they went (though they gave me no indication that a restart was needed).

I�d been running QuickBooks Pro 2012/2013, so it was time to install the new version � Reckon Accounts Pro 2013. And this is where I went around in circles.
The product is supported on Windows 8, but the installation failed with �Error 1920. Service QuickBooks Database manager Service (QBCFMonitorService) failed to start.� The installation would then roll back.
This kb was hopeless:http://www.quicken.com.au/kb/issue_view.asp?ID=4906
And another kb was hopeless that told me to delete a bunch of folders (that hadn�t been created) and try it again. It mentioned that my installation was having trouble connecting to the company database file, which made no sense seeing as I�d pick the stand-alone client option (as our company file is on our file server, no my laptop).

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?

Fixing Code 19 error in device manager for CD/DVD drive � configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 06:25:29 +0000

Windows XP laptop with a DVD writer not working � can�t see or play CDs or DVDs, not even appearing as a drive letter.

Device manager shows the drive with an exclamation mark and the error:
�Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. To fix this problem you should uninstall and then reinstall the hardware device. (Code 19)�

The troubleshooter suggest uninstalling & reinstalling the device, which gives exactly the same error. Updating drivers & windows etc didn�t help. It was hard to find any information on this message that actually related to the registry.

Get Ready QLD! Preparing for storm season � unofficial tips & tricks.

Sun, 20 Oct 2013 06:26:50 +0000

We�re heading into that time of year again in Queensland, where the conditions become perfect for severe weather events. Being sub-tropical, the heat of spring brings moist air currents, electrical storms, cyclones & flooding. While 2013-2014 is not expected to bring the heavy deluges of rain seen previously (eg Nov 2011), we�re still bracing for impressive electrical storms & their damaging winds plus the possibility of cyclones in the north of the state. I won�t go into the weather patterns that produce these, other than to say we are in a �neutral� phase (neither La Nina or El Nino).

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).

Why is writing important to me and my business?

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 06:31:36 +0000

Wow. That�s a big question that I�ve never asked myself before. It�s never been important like being at the top of a list of priorities, or even at the top of the �important/urgent� quadrant of a to-do list. But it�s important to my heart, to the part of me that always has writing as the answer to the question �what do you really want to be doing right now�.

The comfort of keyboard clicks & screen focus soothes my soul. My writing has always been a natural outpouring of my thoughts and never a chore. Well, mostly never, unless you count struggling through sections of an unknown subject section in a tender document and even then we made it into the top 2 out of 35. Word count has always been a guiding constraint and never an impossible mountain to climb.

When business & IT collide.

Thu, 01 Aug 2013 06:32:21 +0000

I had the pleasure of showing a team the features of their new CRM software. Have I lost you yet with how boring that sentence is? Fortunately the reality was far from boring.

To me�� the CRM system is a plugin to a Joomla website. There are some bits I can configure & some bits I can�t (especially as I�m not the Joomla site admin nor do I ever ever want to be.
To the business owner�� the system means no more monthly fees to a Cloud CRM system. This one off purchase will last her for at least 3 years and will handle the growth she is expecting. It�s also one place to see how her sales pipeline is looking & to get instant access to the conversations had with & information that�s been provided to her customers & prospective customers.
To the team members�� this is a �central console�, one place to get a picture of what they have on the go and what others are working on too.

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.

The effect of the Jolie Effect

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:37:07 +0000

Social media lit up with the news � Angelina Jolie had written her story about having a double mastectomy.
Journalists clambered to find a local source with the same story, to air a piece on the evening news that was a little more relevant than just retelling Hollywood news. They were quick to label �the Jolie Effect� � where thousands of women will now consider this procedure if they find that they too carry a defective gene because they are now aware that it�s a viable option.

So I cried at my daughter�s cross-country, before she raced.

Tue, 07 May 2013 06:38:11 +0000

Yup, that�s a big heart on my sleeve title right there. It may even come as a surprise to my loving husband who was standing right next to me. Gotta love sunglasses.

My daughter is 7. Cross country running (or any running or even walking for that matter) is not her favourite thing. She takes after her mother like that. But she loves to dance. I have no idea where that came from. So we went along to support her, cheer her on as she faced a 750m running race with all of the other Yr 2 girls.

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.

Truths from the campfire

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 06:52:47 +0000

Delete Candy Crush. It�s a time-wasting distraction.
Social media is very anti-social. It�s ok to embrace a community of like-minded people in cyberspace, but not at the expense of the people who are actually in the same room with you.
Use Facebook & Twitter for sharing life moments with and engaging people, not for living every moment alongside.
Your phone has the ability to turn the data connection off. Use it.
Fresh air is underrated. Go outside more.
Campfires are hypnotic, calming & warming.
BE WHERE YOU ARE.
Live your life with purpose & a plan, but roll with the punches too.
Stop just wishing.
Play with your kids.
Food is fuel.

-SCuffy

On going backwards and forwards, and things that are free.

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:53:37 +0000

I can�t say that today was the best & the worst of days. I�ve had better (read: wedding day, birth of two healthy girls etc), so it wasn�t really a red letter day in that respect. And I�ve had worse (money, rental stress, money, dog dying, money), so it wasn�t really a day to cry either. But it certainly did ride a roller coaster. I�m hoping this is a sign that it ended happily & I got off the ride safely, because I�m here writing a blog post & listening to Florence + The Machine (MTV Unplugged 2012) in glorious Logitech quality.

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.

Customer Service � you are doing it right!

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 06:57:52 +0000

Wow, another chance to write a non-ranty blog post! I love it!

With Miss 7 at home on school holidays, I�ve been running some errands with her in tow. Today I had two great examples of customer service from the most unlikely of places � the Family Assistance Office and Westpac bank!

1 � Insider tips from the Family Assistance Office

After submitting a Medicare refund claim in person, I popped across the room to talk to someone about a Family Assistance claim I�d submitted a month ago. The actual submit process was great � it was all done online and, �as I�m already a client, they�ve got all of my details on file already. No need to visit a service centre. But while I was in the neighbourhood, I just thought I�d check up on it. Robyn at Strathpine confirmed that it was in the system waiting for someone at their end to action it, and I didn�t need to do anything else. She said if I hadn�t heard within 2 weeks, to phone them. And then she leaned forward and gave me an inside tip �Phone the call centre & leave your mobile number for a callback, don�t sit on hold in the queue. Don�t let your phone leave your side for the next 24-48hrs. When you see a Blocked number calling, answer it. Our number is always blocked & we don�t call back a second time if you miss us. That will save you having to come back in here on the school holidays with your daughter.�

A new start, because it�s Wednesday

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:59:06 +0000

The Easter long weekend makes Tuesday feel like Monday. Except this Tuesday was the last day with Tony�s parents visiting AND both of our girls at home. So now Wednesday feels like Monday. The good news is that Friday is now only 2 sleeps away! Why can�t weeks�work�like this more often?

The alarm went off before 6am this morning, because I chose to set it for that time. Circa 1998 me would be horrified at that concept. But my morning walk was rewarded with the most beautiful pink sky sunrise and a feeling that everything was fresh, new, unblemished. The day started, full of possibilities and choices and events and actions and reactions and emotions and �. nothing. For 40mins, just nothing. Nothing but me and the pink sky.

Vodafail by another name: 3 Mobile demands payment during overseas trip.

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 07:02:13 +0000

Brace yourselves � this is a rant.

In my opinion, mobile phone companies are right down their with real estate agents and used car salesmen. But let me lay out the facts and you can decided for yourself.

After receiving a wedding invitataion, we decided to pack up the kids and head to Wellington for a 10 day holiday. We�re self-employed with clients who rely on us, so by �holiday� I mean �time away from the office�. We accept that our lifestyle means our phones come with us and so does the laptop. Then again, we didn�t have to get annual leave approved.

To Christchurch, with love.

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 07:03:35 +0000

When you grow up in a city and leave it, you carry a piece of it with you. Whenever it�s mentioned, whenever you hear from friends or family there, one particular heartstring is tugged, still reserved for that place and connected to those memories.

This is why, 2 years after a 6.3 earthquake that killed 185 people and literally brought the city down in a cloud of dust .. you grieve too. As the world around you carries on with a normal Friday, you look at everything with different eyes again.

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.

Our �sleepless hero� culture

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:11:37 +0000

Well, I did promise timely blogging of my opinion on current events,�so with this topic rattling around in my brain, it seemed like a good start.

The recent bushfires�across�Australia have been horrific. While fire is a natural part of the bush�s life, it�s a fearsome beast when it comes close to our homes, our friends and our families. And when it does�literally come breathing down our necks, our heroic firefighters don their gear and stare it in the face. The Queensland Rural Fire Service are true heroes in every sense of the word, especially the volunteers who don�t even get paid for such�dangerous work.

Don�t get too excited now �

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 07:12:41 +0000

New name, new theme, new blog?

Umm, sort of. Part of me wants to yell �Yes, 2013 is the year I finally write to my heart�s content and attract a following of thousands and tidy income stream�. The other part of me thinks �I have a marketing piece to finish, the kids are due home, I have to cook dinner tonight & there�s a pile of ironing to do once the kids are in bed.� Hmm.

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.

�Hey yourname� from earthlink.net emails � spam

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 07:14:35 +0000

Just a quick post to show you some spam emails I�ve been receiving. My fantastic spam filter (http://www.ctscleanmail.com/) has been quarantining this stuff, but the subject AND the fact they are coming from the same domain name earthlink.net made me curious enough to do a little more research.

Spam list earhlink.net

A quick internet search shows that while earthlink.net is a valid email provider, it has been known to have issues with spam from user�s accounts in the past, especially spam that has been coded to include your name in the subject. See this July 2011 blog post�http://blog.onlymyemail.com/endless-spam-from-earthlink/

Facebook just made your old private messages public � or did it?

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 07:17:21 +0000

The latest scandal to hit Facebook is from users reporting that old private messages (circa 2007-2008) have now been made public on their timeline.

Facebook is denying this, saying they aren�t private messages at all, just old wall posts.

Despite Facebook engineers knowing what they are talking about with their own software (or do they?), users �saw it with their own eyes� so it must be a privacy breach.

Let�s back the truck up for a minute and find some evidence. Remember that? Facts that may help explain what has actually happened and an prove or disprove a theory?

Lost September .. and how your passion follows you.

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 07:18:29 +0000

17 Aug, seriously? That was my last update and it�s now 26 Sept. Bad, bad blogger.

Actually, that explains a lot. This isn�t a �blog� in the �always updated, one million followers, ads everywhere and monetised to the teeth� sense. This is my spot on the net for random ramblings when I feel like it, with no pressure. Which is why it will never make me a millionaire. Oh well.

Bliss

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 07:19:16 +0000

Ah, talk about being blog absent. Not going to blame it on the new job, being sick etc etc. It just hasn�t happened lately.

But tonight I found myself in the zone, in that sweet spot of pure bliss. And I was cooking dinner on a Friday night.

By Friday night I�ve usually run out of enthusiasm and am throwing together pizza at home or toasted sandwiches, just something easy. Tonight I didn�t get home until 4:30pm & the leftovers were scotch fillet, corn on the cob, roast pumpkin & potato bake. Far from being a planned gourmet dinner, it was actually �what do I have left in the freezer, what�s dying in the fridge & how can I make 4 tiny spuds feed a family without having to go to the supermarket.�

Blessed are the flexible

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 07:20:07 +0000

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

In general, I�m a pretty �go with the flow� individual, I think. Except when it comes to planning my day. I like to know what�s on the horizon for at least the next four hours. If something new comes up during then, that�s cool. I get more frustrated when something in my mental picture of the future is cancelled, especially at the last minute. I know it�s rarely the end of the world, but I just get these expectations that sometimes don�t pan out.

A new chapter

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 07:20:51 +0000

Gosh, where do I start this one. How about a pearl of wisdom? I don�t believe that a change in direction is indicative of failure. I believe it takes a strong person to change their circumstances.

I�ve been involved in small business for 13 years. It�s rewarding and it�s hard. Under the guidance of some great people it enabled me to firstly dip my toes into management and then plunge into total business ownership with my husband, as the sole income source for our family. It enabled me to work through two pregnancies and raise two gorgeous little girls. On the upside, I saw all of their first moments and kept up to date with the changes in my industry at the same time. On the downside, I�ve never had a maternity break, I�ve always worked when my kids slept and I�ve lost sleep worrying about clients and money.

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.

The warrior spirit when germs attack.

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:25:28 +0000

I�m sick. Technically, a doctor would announce that a germ of some description has entered my body and that my immune system is in full response mode.�I�m pretty sure it�s your common garden variety cold or flu-type bug, that inhabited my 2 year old the week before.

She got lots of mummy & daddy cuddles and one day off childcare. Today, I ran errands, braved the school uniform shop, did the school run, tamed my Inbox, visited my parents & wrangled the kids into bed by myself. Then I happily collapsed on the couch to watch some recorded TV. That 40mins was as still as I�d been the whole day and I was quite happy to not be washing, tidying or even �social mediaing�. Until this blog post started to fester and here I am now in my study at 9:30pm to get it out of my head.

Customer service according to your bank

Wed, 02 May 2012 07:26:41 +0000

I�ve had two reasons on two seperate days to�actually step foot inside a bank branch. This is most unusual, being an electronic payment kind of girl. The customer service I received has been rattling around in my brain as a blog post and refuses to let me get any sleep until I unleash it. I don�t think it�s going to sway your opinion about banks in general, but from a customer service point of view it is kind of interesting to put it under a microscope and analyse it.Branch�1: The cheque and the change of PIN number

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.

To the cloud .. or not? (A personal account)

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 07:32:26 +0000

This isn�t intended as a comprehensive argument on how to evaluate if Cloud Computing is right for you or not. �I�ve written it to show where we use Cloud Computing in our own business, and where we don�t. �As most of my readers aren�t IT Providers, you may find something relevant in this, or you may not. �But I�m a firm believer in recommending the best solution to a client for their individual needs, so our own decision on Cloud Computing has been based on our current business needs.

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:

The only thing that�s constant, is change.

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:37:02 +0000

Before you go and get all excited, it is not a New Year�s Resolution of mine to write more blog posts, even if it should be.� After housework, mummy duties and work, I occassionally like to spend an hour doing nothing but watching mindless TV, but that rarely happens, so my blog posting is waaay down in the priorities list.� Not to mention that I�ve discovered the time black hole that is Pinterest.� Saying that, I had to chuckle at someone else on Twitter who moaned that her brain is full of writing ideas UNTIL she sits down at her computer for some allocated writing time.� I often feel like that.� So tonight I�m foregoing an early (pre 10am) night in bed, to get some thoughts out of my brain.� Here�s hoping that will make for a better night�s sleep, instead of a night of processing what I�ve just written.

�Fitting� Rooms

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 07:40:12 +0000

Today, Kerr Alexandra (@Kerr_alexandra) tweeted �Probably my most favorite fitting room sign ever!�, with a pic that referenced makeup and fake tans. I�m guessing this is the bane of many retailers, who end up with smudged and stained goods back on their racks that nobody wants to buy. I�m also guessing that model�s makeup scarves hanging in the fitting room may be lost on most of the general public too, though they are intended for the express purpose of keeping ones makeup on one and not on one�s new clothes when changing outfits.

How to save yourself after accidentally deleting an email folder on your iPhone

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 07:43:12 +0000

In the tradition of �physician, heal thyself�, I�ll come clean and confess to a slight user error with my iPhone. I will also let you in on the secret of how I recovered from it, which you may also be able to do WITHOUT calling your IT department.

So, this iPhone thing is all new to me. I�m usually an early adopter, but my HTC phone was still under contract when the first iPhone came out and then I procrastinated�about the iPhone vs Windows Phone debate�so I managed to launch straight into a 4S.� Setting it up was rather straighforward � until I tried to add another email account.� Said second email account is on a server that isn�t mine, and all I had�was a wedmail address & the login details.� I can figure this out, surely.

It�s not you, it�s your content

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 07:41:36 +0000

Today, my twitter account @CTAspley was unfollowed. Publicly.
The person who unfollowed me sent a tweet that mentioned my name, and said as I�d unfollowed them first, they would reciprocate. Boo hoo.

The impact of this is that I became aware of the unfollowing, and anyone that they follow also saw that I�d unfollowed that person. After that sentence, do you still follow me? If you use twitter, that probably made sense.

My love/hate relationship with Monday

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:45:34 +0000

After having dinner, getting the kids to bed & doing the dishes, I forced myself to go back into the office and finish today�s bookwork before I wrote this post. I did get it finished too, apart from one bill I have to yell at Sensis about. �My aim is to have the books up-to-date each Monday and I didn�t want to start Tuesday with that hanging over me. �All I really wanted to do though was write. �The term is �eating frogs� � referring to doing what you don�t want to do, first, then enjoying your pleasant task afterwards. �Frog eaten, commence writing (it�s 21:41). Oh the life of a Work at Home Mum.

BigPond ADSL ? Your ADSL Service Cancellation Notice email

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:50:09 +0000

Disturbing email doing the rounds over the long Easter weekend in Australia, pretending to be from BigPond. I?m blogging about this in the hope that you?ll find this entry?if you receive that email and Google it first.? It?s a scam, and a very clever one.

First the details: sender address?ebilling@bt.com?(that?s your first alarm bell-bt.com is not a bigpond or telstra domain name)

Subject: Your ADSL Service Cancellation Notice?(second alarm bell ? I am not and have never been a BigPond ADSL customer)

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.

Logitech Harmony One Review � Logitech Australia Product Tester

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 08:27:52 +0000

Logitech Australia Product Tester � Harmony One Remote (Dec 2010)

Logitech Australia reached out to its social media community and asked for volunteers to test some of their products.� I was accepted as one of the �chosen few� and here is my completely unbiased report on their product.� Enjoy!

On arrival, the Harmony One remote was staring at me through clear plastic, just waiting to escape!� The packaging did a clever job of hiding all of the boring bits (software installation CD, instructions, charge cradle and cable), whilst leaving the feature product on clear display.� The plastic was a bit of a mission to get in to� or maybe that was just my impatience!

Issues with security update patch for IE7 WinXP KB2416400?

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 08:01:13 +0000

Our friends at the Kaseya NOC have decided not to rollout out a Microsoft security patch just released for Internet Explorere 7 machines (on Windows XP).� They�ve seen some issues once it�s been installed and there are a few blog sites with people reporting problems.� Suggest hold off installing this one for a while until it�s sorted:

�Post: We have noticed that after applying the patch KB2416400 (MS10-090), when browsing a particular site, all links stop working following clicking a link to open a java script pop-up window. Hitting F-5 to reload the page restores functionality of the links. So to avoid this miss-functionality we have denied this patch from all Virtual Manage machines.

Attention!!!! All your personal files were encrypted with a strong algorythm RSA-1024 �

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 08:31:28 +0000

.. and you can�t get an access to them without making of what we need!

Read �How to decrypt� txt-file on your desktop for details

Just do it as fast as you can!

Remember: Don�t try to tell someone about this message if you want to get your files back! Just do all we told.

*Eeek*� If your computer�s desktop has suddenly turned very pale and is displaying the above message, I hope you have a good backup*.

Protect your PC Against Adobe PDF Reader Security Flaws

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:33:25 +0000

Not an original blog entry this time, but advice definately worth sharing from the security experts at AVG � thanks Lloyd!

Melbourne and Amsterdam, 13 August 2010�� It should go without saying that the best way to deal with malware is, of course, not to get infected in the first place.

Lloyd Borrett, Security Evangelist�for�AVG (AU/NZ)�says, �Being aware of what products are being targeted by the bad guys may help you as well, so it may be useful to know that at the moment Adobe products are virtually the number one target across the world with millions of PCs being hit by infected Adobe PDFs. Others are being pwned via Adobe Flash ads via Facebook and other social media web sites.�

Technology considerations for your new startup business

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:34:54 +0000

If you�re thinking about starting a business (congratulations!!), then technology might be the very last consideration on your mind.� With a long list of tasks in front of you (like getting a logo and stationery designed, finding an office, and working out your marketing plan), you may just requisition your home computer to start running your new business.��Let�s�look at some of your very first technology decisions.

New computer or your home PC?�� For a while, your home computer may be adequate to handle the necessities of your business.� However, if your computer time is conflicting with the children�s need to surf the internet for their homework, it may be time to consider a dedicated business computer.� Study any system specifications carefully and check the manufacturer�s websites.� Many �cheap� retail deals are superseded models, cannot be upgraded easily or may not connect to a bigger computer network, which will all be important as you grow.� Also, talk to your accountant about any tax benefits that may be gained from leasing instead of purchasing your IT assets.

Paypal / Western Union money scam

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:36:33 +0000

Thanks to Kate Booby at Spinefex (www.spinefex.com.au) for alerting us to this one!

�I thought I should bring your attention to a scam that we have 3 separate cases of occur within our immediate friends/family.

All of these people had advertised to sell items (2 x cars, 1 x horse) and had been contacted by email and phone calls from a buyer.

The buyer has asked to pay for the items through paypal (and the sellers had to set up paypal accounts) because the buyer is overseas or can�t use their internet banking (one case the man said he was on an oil rig, another was overseas).� Paypal is generally a safe & secure way to receive funds or pay for items.

Planning the survival of your business

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:38:43 +0000

If your technology stopped working, would your business stop functioning too? Is your business totally reliant on the information stored on your computer systems or could you continue to deliver 95% of your products and services and catch up on the computer work later? No matter which end of this scale your business is at, you will fare much better during a major technology outage if you plan in advance, before it happens. This month we take some of the mystery out of Business Continuity Planning.

Office 2010 � great new features!

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 08:40:19 +0000

Written for the Computer Troubleshooters franchise for distribution to our global client base:

Microsoft�s release of Office 2010 has been somewhat overshadowed by the recent Apple iPad release, however the new version of Office has some fantastic improvements that are worth shouting about. This month, we highlight a few of the features that will make your life easier.

Work better together�� Do you e-mail files for people to review, managing revision numbers and tracking editing changes? Or do you use technology like Google Apps for internet-based sharing and collaboration? With Office 2010, your document can now be shared easily on the internet and edited by multiple people at the same time (for real-time co-authoring). This feature alone may change how teams work together internally and how businesses work with their customers.

The 5 things YOU must know about your business�s computers

Mon, 31 May 2010 08:41:44 +0000

If someone else is responsible for the technology in your business, it can feel fantastic that you don�t have to worry about that part of your business operation.� But whether that person is an employee, a freelance computer guy or a larger I.T. support company, the responsibility for this part of your�business still ultimately lies with you.� Here�s�a list of�what all business owners should know about their own computers:1. Administrator passwords�� Local administrator accounts� have full access to make changes to your computers.� If you have a server, there may also be a �domain administrator� account.� Make sure you have a record of these account passwords in a safe place.� If your business provides laptops and mobile phones to your staff, also keep a record of any passwords or PIN numbers that are used to secure these mobile devices (e.g. are prompted for when the device is turned on).� This may seem a bit over the top, but it only takes a disgruntled employee or an issue with your support provider and you can find yourself locked out of your own systems, at the mercy of someone else who knows the passwords when you don�t.� I�ve actually seen I.T. companies refuse to release administrator passwords.� Remember, your information is your property, not theirs.

Found a webpage crashing my Internet Explorer tab � how I got around it!

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 08:43:50 +0000

I have a business information blog website set as my homepage.� Today when I started up Internet Explorer, the page content would start to load, I�d see all of the text, and then the tab would �crash�, stating that the page had caused a problem and it was going to try to reload it.� After a couple of attempts at this, I got:

Website restore error.� Internet Explorer has stopped trying to restore this website. It appears that the website continues to have a problem.

Instead of taking me in a constant reload loop, IE had given up.

The trials & tribulations of a digital certificate file (aka why you should listen to your husband)

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:46:51 +0000

I should have listened to my husband.

Armed with my shiny new copy of Windows 7, I was keen to install it onto my laptop to see if the claims were true that this new operating system would give my laptop a new lease of life.� �Remember to take an image* of it first�, called hubby.� I logically thought this through and reasoned that all of my important files were in My Documents which is synchronised to our server, therefore there was nothing else on the laptop that I needed to keep.� I even thought about my digital certificate file from the ATO, and remembered that I�d previously made a backup copy of this file on another location on our server.� So, with all of my bases covered, I began to format my hard disk.

Windows Updates? Why bother?

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:49:55 +0000

So many people I know are cynical about Microsoft�s �Windows Updates� .. that is, if they even know it exists.� Valiant attempts by Microsoft to make these updates deploy automatically (to your internet-connected PC) have hit some snags � the installations don�t always work and sometimes they can even break the functionality of corporate applications.� To ease the headache for system administrators, Microsoft�instituted �Patch Tuesday� .. being the 2nd Tuesday of every month when all the newest, tested updates would be sent out.� This lets systems administrators know when they will be hit and gives them a chance to test the latest updates in a lab against their corporate software programs, before releasing�them into the bigger corporate network.

OK, Windows 7 it is.

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:52:28 +0000

A lot has happened since my last blog entry.� Mortgage approval, in-laws 7 week stay, birth of new baby, end of rental lease, moving back in with my parents and storing a houseload of stuff at a friend�s, oh and continuing to run our small business.� So you�ll forgive me for not posting earlier�🙂

I am getting back into the swing of things with my writing committments, amongst which is the customer newsletter distributed globally through our franchise.� With Windows 7 now released, our early Oct edition was a quick glimpse into why you might bother with the new OS � well, as much as a glimpse as you can get in 500 words.

Dear Mr Bank Manager (aka the ballad of the self-employed)

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:53:46 +0000

On most days I love being self-employed.� I like the control I have over how my business operates.� Whilst we�re still only a �micro business� (read: no other �team members� but us), it could be classed by some as a job.� However, I get to set my own salary, my own hours, my own work location, what products & services I offer, how I market & advertise and which customers I will (or won�t) deal with.

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:

Free search engine (SEO) tips from Google for small business

Fri, 22 May 2009 08:56:01 +0000

I�m going to keep this post brief so you can just get straight to the video on YouTube and watch.

Matt Cutts from Google gives you his search engine optimization tips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gscFgaMTm48

-SCuffy

Update on Support On Click � Police alert to Scam

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:57:01 +0000

It�s official � the Queensland state Police have investigated complaints and found the Support On Click offering is a scam�(when they call and pretend to be Microsoft).� Here is the official press release, with a link to the police website:http://www.police.qld.gov.au/News+and+Alerts/Media+Releases/2009/04/New+scam+targets+computer+users.htm

The Queensland Police Service has issued a warning about a new scam targeting computer users.

The scam involves people taking a call from a person working at a foreign call centre. The victim receives a call from the offender, who claims to belong to a software support company that has been requested by Microsoft to fix problems on the victim�s computer.

Support On Click (aka reading the fine print)

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 08:58:14 +0000

It�s that time of the night (usually around 6:30pm) and the phone rings.� A lovely Indian voice from Support On Click tells you that your computer has serious problems which must be fixed by paying them a subscription fee for a remote support session.� Would you be suspicious?� What if the caller told you that they were actually from Microsoft, or that they were calling on behalf of your internet provider (even mentioning BigPond by name)?

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.

HTC Touch Pro plays up �

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:02:10 +0000

No, not the �naughty child hiding your car keys� playing up, but an ominous �reboot loop� playing up on any inbound or outbound phone call connection.� Had I managed to get a dud?

Thanks to the google search of a friend, a hard reset was attempted (after the usual I.T. trick didnt work of removing & replacing the SIM and battery).� The procedure is posted here for a couple of reasons � to make it easy for me to find should I need it again .. to add another page on the internet with this info for anyone googling to find � and to boost my google results�🙂

HTC Touch Pro!!!

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:08:13 +0000

I�ve been excited about the HTC Touch Pro phone since somebody showed me it on a website in about July.

http://www.htc.com/au/product.aspx?id=62326

Holding out for news of an Australian release date was marred by Telstra picking up exclusive rights to the HTC Touch Diamond � the Pro�s little brother without the keyboard.

After seeing an Oct 14 release date on an Australian retailer site, I checked with my current telco (3) and they have it listed!!� Customer Care will send me one today, to arrive on Tuesday, whilst the 3 stores dont have their stocks yet.

MYOB update download corrupting registry?

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:10:24 +0000

Thanks to the team at First Class Accounts for passing on their experience with a downloaded update from MYOB.� Could have been due to the file becoming corrupted during the download process.

After�downloading and�installing the new MYOB from the internet (Accounting Plus V18 or Premier V12), someone�went to�shut down her computer and found it�would not reboot.��Looked like�the MYOB download had severely damaged her Registry.� The IT guy�repaired the problems, but not without 36 hours downtime on her system!!!� He said that hers was the second system that he had seen with similar problems after downloading the new MYOB!!

All quiet on the western front �

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:12:00 +0000

Am I tempting fate by saying the current volume of �standard� PC problems is rather low at the moment?� By �standard�, I mean the usual suspects � hardware failures, viruses and Windows corruptions.

You think that would worry a computer service company � think again!� We�re loving the more interesting side of our business � talking to customers about whether a server is the right move for them or not (see�www.ctaspley.com.au/news.htm), establishing system health monitoring and preventative maintenance, and adding new technology components that really have an impact in a business (spam filter for a start!).

Australian shops in spam subject

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:15:11 +0000

Recently my hotmail account junk e-mail filter has been catching some rather �Australian-targeted� spam.

Often with a sender of �Thanks for participating!�,��Much Thanks!�, the subject lines claim to have a voucher pending for me from an Australian store like Myer, Wollworths or JB-Hi Fi (though I�ve also seen an iPhone one too).� The company is MyGiftRewards, and they ask me to click on a very suspicious link to confirm my email address and claim my $500 voucher.

When AVG goes bad

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:16:56 +0000

Intermittant but far too frequent STOP blue screen messages seen on Windows XP with AVG 8.0 Internet Security (the one with the firewall component).� Strange thing is, the blue screen often mentions things like IRQL errors, so it may lead you down a faulty hardware path.

Turns out the AVG 8.0 firewall can be the culprit.� An easy way to determine this (apart from disabling the software) is to remove the network connection.� No network=no firewall activity=no blue screen.

Technology moves

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:17:56 +0000

Well, the whole office moved really, this weekend.� And in a rare moment of quite, surrounded by not quite as many boxes, I thought it was about time I added a new blog post.� Can you tell things around here have been a little busy?

So, a couple of tips for moving your technology (which I really should write up as a free report, but with content slightly better than just off the top of my head):

MYOB & Vista & Forms �

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:19:37 +0000

Today�s MYOB/Vista trick � logged onto my lapatop with a new user account that is NOT a domain administrator (trying to be all security conscious and the like).� Then MYOB v17 refused�to see my custom forms (incidentally, the business fie is on a shared�drive).

Log on as the old, domain admin user � no problem.

Turned out to�be file security (surprise).� By default, the local Users group (which contains the Domain Users group) does not give full control or modify access to the Forms directory and files.� Change this to allow full control to the forms, and hey presto, my non-domain admin user is now accessing branded invoices in MYOB once again!

Credit card fraud � happens to the best of us

Mon, 05 May 2008 09:24:01 +0000

I�ve always been very vigilant about watching the transactions that appear on my credit card, which is even easier to do when you can view them online via internet banking before they disappear off to your paper statement copy.� Fortunately the fraud department at my business bank is just as vigilant, stopping a transaction from Cebu Air and notifying me about it.� We played safe and cancelled the card, which saw me issued with a new number.� And wouldn�t you know it, a week later the second card (different number, same linked account) of my husband�s also was subjected to a declined Cebu Air transaction.� Yup � cancelled and reordered his too.

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.

Tracking sales opportunities

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:25:47 +0000

If you�ve ever heard the term �CRM� thrown around, be warned ��Customer Relationship Management�is about a whole lot more than just installing some software.

On a small business scale where you are both �cook and bottle washer�, or you may have one staff member who is focussed on sales, Microsoft�s Business Contact Manager may be an easy way to get started.

Integrated into Outlook, it let�s you load contacts and opportunities, assign which stage of the sales process they are at, and link any email communication to their BCM record.� Then you can see some nice little graphs re how many opportunites (and what dollar value) you�have in your sales funnel at each stage.

Managed Services Contract Signup Incentive

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:27:43 +0000

In talking to customers about managed services, we�re finding they are sometimes procrastinating in making a decision � we�re not getting a no but we�re not getting a yes yet either.� Proactive support and maintenance doesn�t seem to have enough urgency on it for people to make a decision quickly.� So, we thought we�d put our thinking caps on to see what kind of incentives we could offer for people to sign up, as a promotion we could then market.

Windows Live Messenger & AVG 8

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:30:14 +0000

Another tale from the trenches .. that being my own personal experience on my PC!� Windows Live Messenger refusing to sign in, giving an 8100030d error.� Most suggestions include regsrv32 commands to reregister dll files, resetting modems etc, nothing which worked on Vista for me.� Until I remembered that Tony had recently upgraded my software to AVG Anti-Malware SBS Edition version 8.0.87.� So, diabled the Resident Shield � no go.� Went into the Web Shield and unticked the Instant Messaging, MSN Protection � still no go.� Disabled the Web Shield entirely and what do you know �. hello, messenger, you have returned!� Yuck � I�m now off to report this to AVG.

What are we selling?

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:31:11 +0000

I�ve picked up a great book called �Stop bitching, start pitching� by Marty Kellard & Ian Elliot.� It�s forced me to really stop and think about how we pitch our managed service product, B.E.S.T.� They claim it�s not enough to have the best solution and the best sales message for it.� Instead you really have to do your homework and analyse the wants & needs (written and unwritten) of your customer and the key decision makers and influencers, then ensure that you are addressing those.� Especially for new business, a customer needs to be able to picture you working with them to solve their business problems, and taking it much further than just replacing the current IT guy that they are unhappy with.

Storage in the Australian SMB Space

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:33:17 +0000

Day 2 of the New Zealand Computer Troubleshooters conference was full of very talented kiwis highlighting open source, retail shops/service centres, and job management systems.� James Caldwell didn�t have to try very hard to�remind us�why we love AVG (especially when they sponsored the Friday night mini-golf/spit roast dinner/drinks/prizes & more drinks).

But the topic that�really made me think was Storage Management, presented by Jeff Maslen.� With credentials including HP, IBM and Ingram Micro, it�s great to see someone of that calibre at our conference.� He was such an engaging speaker, that a lot of people walked out of the room saying �I don�t know what he was talking about, but I want one�.� With Jeff warning that the days of direct attached storage (e.g. hard disks inside servers) are numbered, he advised us to get onboard with technologies such as iSCSI SANs etc, even in the SMB market.� Now, I�ve always understood the reasons for SANS, Blade servers etc in the corporate world (where data volumes are huge and floor/rack/data centre space is limited AND expensive � but for SMBs?� And when we talk SMB, we talk less than 30 PCs � more likely less than 10 PCs.� Jeff�has enough experience�and knowledge for me not to dismiss his ideas completely, but instead make me interested enough to find out more and see just how�SMB owners can be sold on the value of $10,000+ storage solutions.� Not to mention the fact that I know his name from somewhere�and it�s driving me crazy trying to figure out from where!

Is your critical information really deleted?

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 09:34:25 +0000

Title=thought provoking question that came from our friends at Kroll On Track during day 1 of the New Zealand Computer Troubleshooters conference � delete or even disk format does not permanently remove data.� Kroll�s fancy data recovery program can get some very interesting data (i.e. credit card numbers etc) of �blank� hard disks � just like you find in second hand computers being sold on eBay.� Of course it was also�a shameless plug from their data erasure software, which even they cannot recover data from.Colin�delivered a brief session on demystifying search engine optimisation (=copy Colin�s site/tags etc! � gotta love being part of a �share and share alike� franchise group of talented individuals!).� And if you came here looking for SEO tips �. sorry, you�ll just have to join�Computer Troubleshooters.� Actually, I may ask Colin for some �end customer� type tips that I will blog at a�later�date, so watch this space.

Managed services?

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:36:53 +0000

There�s a new phrase slowly rumbling through the computer support industry in Australia � managed services.� It�s being helped along by companies like Kaseya, who are trying to convince every one-man-band computer guy that they can earn truckloads by using the Kaseya product.� Problem is, your technology tool of choice is only one small piece of the puzzle to make you a successful managed service provider (MSP).� So, we now have another �book & webinar� spawning industry, trying to each people the secrets of being an MSP, structuring contracts, pitching to customers etc etc.

Outlook express and spell check

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:42:58 +0000

Learnt something new this week � Outlook Express does not have an inbuilt spell checker and relies on a word processing program to be installed to use this feature.� And Open Office won�t cut it.

If you do have a word processor installed but spell check isn�t working in OE, check out Kelly�s Korner for tips to replace a dll file or fix registry entries:��http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_oe.htm#xp_spell_checker

-SCuff

Local newspaper stars

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:54:02 +0000

Thanks Glen for the �dig in the ribs� about this blog, which has been a little quite over the last few weeks.� So, what�s my excuse?� Taking over the Regional Director role for Computer Troubleshooters in the state of Queensland, Australia!� What have�I let myself in for?

So far it�s been�a�fast learning curve, with some excellent�training from VIC RD extraordinaire, Quentin Ogle, and sitting in on a new franchisee training, meeting with prospects and organising our first workshop.� Oh, and we even managed some self-promotion (in more ways than one) in the local paper .. ignore the hideous photo in which we look like we are on drugs.

Disappearing sound devices

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 09:57:27 +0000

Today�s lesson is a short one, about the magic of disappearing sound devices.

In Vista, under Control Panel, then Sounds, the first tab is Playback.� Mine shows two devices: Speakers and Realtek�Digital Output.� Whilst�playing around with some settings the other day, I right-clicked on Speakers and selected Disable � and disable they did!� Having been used to network icons that remain with a red X on them when disable, I was most surprised to see my Speakers device completely gone.��A-hunting I went,�not able to find the�darn things anywhere for me to re-enable them�🙁

A printer is a printer is a printer �. right?

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 10:02:43 +0000

Asking any IT person to recommend a printer (or a laptop or PC for that matter), is like saying �which car should I buy?� or �which house should I build?�.� It strongly depends on what your needs are, as a printer on a network for 10 people in an office printing mainly documents is far different�from a home printer that you want to handle photos.

Here are my top�five�printing tips :

Messaging, instantly.

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:03:54 +0000

Once upon a time, internet chat rooms were pages of text that you had to �refresh� to see a new message, and anyone could intrude on.� Fast forward to today, and instant messaging gives us our own private chat rooms (or are they private?) with only the people we want to communicate with (if we select the right settings).� There are many pros and cons of instant messaging, and I for one am a believer that it can benefit businesses, if done properly (i.e. securely).

Loose your Groove

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:05:29 +0000

Did I mention how well my laptop has been running since the Vista reinstallation?� Oh yeah, except I still haven�t tackled iTunes again�🙂

Here�s one that�s caught me out before .. and, as I didn�t reinstall the applications (hubby did) .. it snuck back in again.� Small business owners in Australia & New Zealand may be familiar with the MYOB suite of accounting/bookkeeping software.� It literally stands for Mind Your Own Business.� Well, Accounting Plus v17.0.0 (and some earlier versions) don�t play well with Microsoft Office 2007.� In particular, when you try to display a payroll advice, MYOB crashes with a �stopped working� error.� Very frustrating when you are trying to process the salary payments.� Even more frustrating when it�s your own salary you are trying to pay.

A rebuild is a beautiful thing

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 10:06:29 +0000

How long do you put up with a problem before you fix it? Especially if it�s one of those �slightly annoying but I can work around it� type computer problems?� Do you wait for a quiet moment at work (yeah, right), or for a time when you are feeling particularly unproductive or are avoiding another task that would be more unpleasant?� Or do you wait until another one .. or two .. or many other little problems join in the party and gang up on you?

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?

About Sonia Cuff

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Don’t you love writing about yourself?

Let’s start with the basics - I’ve been working in tech for over 30 years. When I started, you had to plug your computer into the phone line and make a call (that’s if you were lucky enough to have a computer at home.) I started out by learning how to build 286/386 PCs running MS-DOS and the rest as they say is history. I’ve always been an infrastructure girl - hardware, networks, servers, operating systems are my thing, then Infrastructure as a Serivce and all the foundational services of the Cloud.

Sonia Cuff

Questionable URLs detected in message email reply when reporting in Outlook

Using the Microsoft Surface Dial to edit videos in Camtasia

My home office setup for video recording and remote presenting

So you?re now a remote presenter!

Cloud Advocacy with no conferences?

It�s not brain surgery

In the quiet

Doing vacation right

#CloudAdvocateLife ? Work update (Mar 2019)

The new age of IT Operations

My first week at Microsoft

The case for Cloud Access Security Brokers in small business

Office 2019 moves to Click to Run, no MSI

5 tips for success with modern collaboration tools

Find me at Microsoft Summit Sydney 2017

Microsoft 365 Business � not a rebrand or a marketing wrapper

Making the sale before you�ve met the client � why your social presence matters.

On becoming a digital nomad

Outlook for Mac Read receipt and Gmail calendar and contacts

Outlook cannot log on. Verify you are connected to the network.

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

Graduating from Computer Troubleshooters

Xerocon South � My Expectations of Xero�s Conference

Why the I.T. guy hates the Cloud

Can Kentik end the performance blame game?

Interop 2016 ? Presentation Guide

Outlook 2016 Attach File menu disappears

Can Kentik end the performance blame game?

Calling all SMB Innovators � Where are you?

The Internet of Things: Smart toasters, smart cities or dumb marketing?

Flipped your Windows 10 screen?

Flipped your Windows 10 screen?

Microsoft Band 2 Review ? How it?s changed my day

Fix AVG Anti-Virus Update failed � The update control file is missing

The world is changing and so is Spirent

Office 365: Mail page blank in Firefox, shows �Continue� on tab

Netflix & skill: The magic behind the streaming media provider

Welcome to ?The Technical Details?

USA bound for Tech Field Day!

The problem with Partners

KoalaSafe Internet Filter ? Review

Scam email from Microsoft Management Team

How to get the ATO Business Portal to work on Windows 10

How to protect yourself online when travelling

How to become known within your Industry: Show Up. Contribute. Share.

What you need to do before AND after upgrading to Windows 10

HP all in one fails sound driver & webcam driver installation on Windows 8.1

Can�t create a static gateway VPN on a Microsoft Azure virtual network

Outlook 2013 changes account from Office 365 to old on premise Exchange server

An Office 2013 product fails to install after removal of Click to Run

Drink Bottle Wrangling

Review: Tile (bluetooth tag)

So you have a new Windows 8 PC ? now what?

How SMB IT service providers view the Cloud

A looong weekend

How to host a Frozen party (A tutorial for the unorganised)

Pre Conference Countdown � a lesson in not sweating the small stuff

How to REALLY end the tech gender gap

Cloud Myth #1 � It�s bulletproof

What they don?t tell you about making Cake Pops

550 not permitted to relay error sending to new Office 365 email accounts

New shiny blog!

Reckon Accounts Pro 2013 error Error 1920. Service QuickBooks Database manager Service (QBCFMonitorService) failed to start

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

Fixing Code 19 error in device manager for CD/DVD drive � configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged

Get Ready QLD! Preparing for storm season � unofficial tips & tricks.

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

Exchange mail delivery stops on Windows SBS 2003 with AVG

Why is writing important to me and my business?

When business & IT collide.

Authentic.

Why I�ll never have a Filing pile again.

Solar power & the QLD Government

The effect of the Jolie Effect

So I cried at my daughter�s cross-country, before she raced.

Xero Personal � I think I love you

Truths from the campfire