Computers come in many different shapes, sizes, and uses
If you drive, the car you use most likely has a computer to help with fuel efficiency. The stoplight is controlled by a computer. Your driver’s license is in a database on a server. State Id and voter registration is in databases as well. And this isn’t even mentioning smart cars or the smart phone that you have.
Most people recognize that smart phones, smart TVs, and tablets are a form of a computer. Even if your cell phone isn’t featured or a “smart phone” a computer is still used to determine which tower your phone should use, route, and track your phone call. Computerized switches, routers, and tracking of course are used with land line phones as well.
Go shopping? chances are every purchase you make is stored on a computer. Even if you pay cash. It for sure is if you pay by credit card, or use a rewards card. It is stored for a variety of reasons from accounting, to inventory and marketing. Of course modern point of sale systems are a form of networked computer.
Use electricity? Instant meter reading and electrical efficiency depends on computers.
Watch a movie? Most likely it was edited with a microcomputer. Before computers were used to edit movies it would take a room full of editors to edit a featured motion picture. With a computer it can be done with as little as one editor.
Listen to the radio? watch TV? even if you hear someone live on the air, the programming is computerized. At times a single person may control several radio stations. Some small TV and radio stations are fully programmed for the entire night with only people on call.
Have a bank account? I seen on TV many years ago the last bank in the United States to not use computers. Chances are you don’t bank there.
Read the newspaper the old fashioned paper kind? It was edited on a computer.
Use the mail? Yes some mail is still sorted by hand, but it is assisted by computers with optical character recognition and bar codes.
This list could keep going, so I will stop here.
I chose to use Godaddy Bookkeeping as my new bookkeeping software.
Quickbooks (my old program) keeps taking features away so I decided to look for a new program. Also, I wanted the software to be cloud based and record transactions automatically.
Godaddy bookkeeping does that. First, before testing providers I waited for MidMinnesota Federal Credit Union to upgrade online banking software first. (the new online banking has added basic bookkeeping of its own such as putting transactions in categories)
I just import the the qfx file that I download from the online banking. Some Banks and other online accounts can show up automatically with go Daddy bookkeeping.
The software also allows adding images such as receipts or invoices to a transaction and Will put items into their proper accounts matched with their tax category.
The software does not file taxes or do payroll.
It can send out invoices and give customers an option to pay online.
I have been a customer with Godaddy for over 10 years and I am an affiliate and reseller See Godaddy (my affiliate link)
I am celebrating 2 1/2 years of boycotting gasoline and having a car. Only got rides a few times other than carpooling or taking the bus. The main reason is for my health. The second reason is to save money on things like car insurance, repairs, and drive time. Among many other reasons.
ebook now available on iBooks, Amazon (Kindle) and Nook Preview of my ebook
some of my latest videos:
Energy Saving devices list from ASE.org Why do tablets use less energy than older desktop and laptop computers?
They have no moving parts such as fans, or spinning discs (other than the user moving the entire device). Everything is closer together. They have fewer parts.
They use small energy efficient displays
They also create less heat.
If you continue to use a desktop or laptop computer you can plug the tablet or smart phone into a USB port to trickle charge after you have done the 1st full charge with your charger.
If you remember to unplug the charger, it uses dramatically less energy. The charger since it is converting AC power to DC power, if left plugged in takes more power than the tablet, or smart phone it powers.
Motion sensor power strip:
Motion sensor power allows device to turn off when you aren’t in the room.
It has some outlets that stay on all the time (you would probably plug your desktop tower and router/modem into these ports)
It has some that are on only when someone is in the room: you would plug your monitor, lamps, speakers, TVs, and chargers (for phones, laptops, and tablets) into these ports. oLED TVs/monitors use less electricity and heat read about other devices at
In addition to desktop computers, free wifi, books, magazines, and DVD, the Brainerd Public library will have Apple iPad tablets this September. iPads will be available for training as well as use in the library.
Here is a video from Lakeland Public Television:
Fiber optic is a thin, flexible glass cable used to transfer light.
What are fiber optics used for?
Including but not limited to the transfer of data (for things like viewing this web post) at the speed of light.
Data can also include voice (telephone) and video (cable television).
Light is sent at one end and at the other end the light is read.
Fiber-optic media is one of the core components of most networks, used often between building segments, between different floors, between buildings, and long distances between cities, states and countries.
Fiber optics are used for the backbone of most wireless networks including cellular telephones. The backbone of the Internet is fiber-optic cabling.
Fiber optics were first used and still used for a scope to look down a persons throat.
Fiber optics can also be used as lighting. Light is traveled without electrical wiring. Any light source can be used including the sun, LED or laser.
Advantages of Fiber optics:
Speed.
Distance
No radio, electrical, or magnetic interference
No wire tapping into the actual cabling
No transfer of electrical surges: reduces chance of damage from a lightning strike
Multiple uses which allows less (telephone, cable) lines to go into a building.
Dangers of Fiber-optic Cabling:
During the installation of fiber-optic cabling, utility lines may be broke. Years ago, in St. Cloud MN this caused a gas line break which caused an explosion taking out a city block. Fiber optics that need to be dug should only be done by utility professionals. Call before you dig in MN 811 web http://www.gopherstateonecall.org/
Touching the glass of a fiber optic cable can cause very bad slivers or cuts.
Fiber optics can can cause blind spots from the light that travels from them.
Dangers from the equipment used with the cabling.
Certain cable coating can be dangerous when melted.
First in Windows we will export an Open Office writer document to pdf. Click File Menu
In open office writer, with a document that is complete,
we go to the file menu
then Export as PDF Click Export as PDF
a dialog box is displayed, this gives you some options to adjust the quality and file size. A Dialog Box appears
Click on Export. Click Export
A save dialog box is displayed. I’ll Make sure it’s in the right folder,
change the name, for this I’ll use pdfsampletext, and click on Save. Change file name and location if necessary click save
Also be sure it’s saved in open office document format, making it easier to modify in the future. Be sure to save it as Open Office Document
Now let’s find that PDF file
I’ll go to the Windows start menu
then documents Documents
and then I’ll go to the folder I put in locate the folder open the file
and then I will click on the file pdfsampletext
it opens in Adobe reader the converted file in Adobe Reader
Next we are saving a file in Microsoft Office’s Word as PDF
With a completed word document click on File menu In Word Click File
then click save as Save AS
In the save dialog box next to save as type
select PDF change file type to PDF
click Save Save
The file then opens in Adobe Reader File opens in Adobe Reader
Next save a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet as pdf. Spreadsheet
First make sure the spreadsheet is saved as usual. Be sure to save as spreadsheet (Excel Workbook) first
Then similar to Microsoft Word we will go to File Menu File
then Save as Save As
select PDF next to save as type choose PDF
click save Save
it opens in Adobe Reader. PDF file in Adobe Reader
Google Chrome web Browser has built in functionality to save as PDF
So in Google Chrome for windows we go to the web page we want saved as a PDF
Click the Menu buton on the right
Click Print Chrome – Menu Button on right choose Print
Instead of using a printer we will choose save as pdf instead of printing choose save as PDF
Confirm Save as PDF
Save as PDF
A dialog box pops up, change the folder location and file name if necessary Confirm file name and location
then Save
In Windows File explorer I’m opening the folder we have it saved in
then opening the file
and there it is in Adobe reader
For programs that don’t have built in functionality to save or export a PDF, there is another option and it is print as PDF
For Windows you need to have a program that is a PDF printer. In macintosh this functionality is built in.
So I am going to demonstrate with this with 2 different programs
Neat Works, and CutePDF writer.
For this you have to be in the program you want the PDF document from
In this case I’ll choose Firefox
Click the menu button on the right
Click Print – note that this web page is set up to print as a blank page
Then make sure to choose the PDF printer, in this case we choose
Send to Neat then OK
Then choose the neat library folder, then OK
It may take some time to process it,
Then it shows up in NeatWorks
For CutePDF writer
Choose the print in your program,
Then Choose Cute PDF writer
Then OK
Then choose filename and location.
Then Save
my main use for Neatworks is keeping track of receipts
but its also used to keep track of documents and can combine documents
So first to combine documents I drag them over to NeatWorks drag
I select all that I want combined by clicking on each item while holding the
Control or Shift Key down
Then under action choose combine
To use the PDF in a different program other than Neat you
choose Export
To PDF
Selected Item
Then in the dialog box, choose the location and name, then Save
Here it is in Adobe reader
A word of caution about the Cute PDF writer:
It is a little difficult to install you have to install 2 parts.
Also if you don’t want the Ask Toolbar or Weather channel app you have to be sure not to install them.
And they do also offer a more featured paid version called Cute PDF Pro
Software used in this video:
Microsoft Windows & MSOffice http://www.microsoft.com
Apache Open Office http://www.openoffice.org
Neatworks http://www.neat.com
Adobe Reader http://www.adobe.com
Cute PDF Writer http://www.cutepdf.com
Chrome browser http://www.google.com/chrome
Firefox http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox
other software to consider:
Adobe Acrobat http://www.adobe.com
Nitro pdf http://www.nitropdf.com
or other operating systems such
Macintosh http://www.apple.com
software and brand names (other than Nates Computer Services and Brainerd Update) are of their respective owners and are not affiliated with this video
How do you get around traveling. Bring this up for Thanksgiving, the biggest Travel holiday in the United States.
One way you can use online video conferencing tools such as Skype with people farther away, and be with friends and family that are closer. Or sometimes an email or phone call can work.
By far away, I don’t mean just different countries or different states, it could be as little as 40 miles away or less which can be tough to travel in a snow storm, or just the darkness of this time a year in Minnesota.
More on this topic in my new book “Datacommuting”. available on iBooks, Amazon (Kindle) and Nook
I use online banking frequently. Not just to check how much money is in the bank. But also to make sure that my transactions went through properly and to make sure there are no unexpected transactions.
I also use it to get my statement online instead of on paper. I download the statement onto my computer and keep it in Neat Digital filing system. Also my credit union lets my have free online bill pay by using online banking instead getting statements in the mail. The online bill pay saves me on stamps and checks and can make sure my bills get paid on time.
I also download transactions to use with my bookkeeping (Quickbooks).
About those unexpected transactions – I recommend be very cautious about giving away credit/debit card numbers or bank over the phone. If you do make sure you initiated the call and not someone who called you. Also when using online, make sure it is a company you trust and over a secure connection.
It isn’t just hackers that cause computer problems?
No. many problems are caused by users themselves. Many because of users lack of knowledge – or in some cases problems with there senses. sometimes problems also happen to be glitches or bugs in software.
People will blame the last person fixing their computer or friend for problems that they actually caused themselves.
Many times people download too many programs on their computer that makes it slow, or sometimes download programs that do jeopardize the security on their computer. Also when typing passwords, people might not remember them, or mistype them and get locked out for their accounts own good.
Of course physical problems like battery issues on portables, hard drives on notebooks, or dust in desktop computers can also mess things up.
And of course you need to make sure that you don’t let other people use your computer unless you trust them well.
Another thing we have to think of is: what is a hacker?
A hacker on a technical definition simply means a programmer and does not necessarily doing illegal or unethical activities. I have also seen it mean someone that is just exploring. The main stream media (even sometimes society) uses the term hacker broadly and usually in a negative way.
A cracker on the other hand tries to get into places that they should not.
There really are people that take advantage of others on computers, and over the Internet. However, we need to make sure we really know how to use our computers before we blame others.
