News of Interest
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Dr. Gale will be presenting/exhibiting at several upcoming conferences this Spring. For more information,
click here.
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About This Issue
Hope your 2007 is shaping up nicely. We've had a series of evolutionary changes at BehaviorTech Manor, primarily focused on rolling out Rapid Screener and Progress Communicator, which are being exhibited at several upcoming regional and national conferences. For more information, visit www.behaviortech.net.
In this edition, we'll cover:
- Backing up your data. I know... been there, done that... except there are those of you out there who keep losing files and have difficulty recovering from computer crashes. So, consider this little primer as a refresher for keeping everything safe.
- Interviewing kids about technology. If you're not doing that in your contacts, there's a world of information you are missing. We'll cover the basics.
- Five of my favorite tech tools. These include web-based tools and Internet browsers that you may not know about, but should.
Best wishes,
Bruce
Bruce M. Gale, PhD
Contributing Editor
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Backing Up Your Data
I know, you've heard this so many times.... However, what I keep hearing about are the professionals who lost reports, important writings, parts of a book, and other needlessly stressful problems. Here are three easy tips for keeping your important files around until you decide they are no longer needed (two of them are FREE!).
- Open a Gmail Account. Gmail is the product of Google, a billion dollar company. Opening an account is as easy as a) going to http://www.gmail.com; b) entering your name, a username, and a password; and c) attaching files and sending them to this account. Especially if you create meaningful subject lines or labels, you can archive your important files. It's storage capacity is immense, meaning that you can store up to nearly three gigabytes of infomation. That's thousands of pictures, probably millions of pages of text. For a quick demo of how to set up Gmail, visit http://www.gmail.com.
- Sign up for Mozy. Mozy.com is an online backup program. It automatically backs up your files whenever your computer is "resting" or idle. Simple to install, just choose whether you wish to back up your Word docs, PowerPoints, photos, or music. You can back up to two gigabytes for free and additional storage is available at reasonable cost. For now, it is a PC only solution, but they promise a "Mac" version is on the way. Just don't lose your username and/or password. They cannot be recovered, a security feature.
- Purchase a flash drive or an external hard drive. These typically connect to your PC or Mac's USB port. Available for as little as $10 or as much as about $130, they can store hundreds or thousands of files, depending on their capacity. The larger hard drive models are great for archiving videos, music, photos, and other important, large files. They may be purchased at any office supply or large-chain discount store. Once you have one, it is as simple as selecting the files you wish to copy or move, then dragging them over to the hard drive icon. Many newer models allow you to password protect them, preventing others from accessing your data without your permission.
Any of these options may save you the avoidable stress and aggravation which come with losing data. Let this be the year you make a committment to keeping your information safe and secure.
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Interviewing kids about technology
In my social skills groups and individual consults, one of the things that seem to motivate my clients is discussion of the different ways they use technology. Along the way, I learn valuable information about their sleeping habits, friendships, and level of judgment. Fortunately, you don't really need to know much about technology, just have some idea of what questions to ask. In this article, I will go over the basics and also recommend some websites for you to visit. You won't believe what's out there!
Music. Ask them to play some of their music. The odds are it will seem strange. Try not to comment on the offensive lyrics, just listen. See if they listen to anyone on myspace.com. For example, check out the sickpuppies just to get a taste (you'll be surprised at what it isn't).
Photos. Have they stored photos online? If they are a teen, the odds are "yes." A popular site is photobucket. Visit their website and type either of the following terms into the search line: "anorexia," "teens," or "partying." This is just a sample to give you an idea of what is out there.
Online Games. Where do they go? What are they playing? Have your client explain some of the games they enjoy and why. Has your client ever been bullied online or bullied others? This can be diagnostically useful information.
Online Journaling. One of the more popular journaling sites is livejournal. Visit here and click on "explore." If you type in "eating disorders," "incest," "depression," or "anxiety," there are over 300 "communities" each. (A "community" is where groups of people have signed on as having common interests.) Google and Yahoo have their own groups too. This is the 21st century equivalent of a "self-help" or "support" group. Is this where your client is turning to for help? It's good to know.
Humor. They are everywhere... animation, anime, and alike. To get a sample, visit homestarrunner, a strangely compelling animation site. For a sample, click here.
So, see if they will take you on a web tour, get an external speaker so their iPod can play music in your office, let them guide you through the portions of the Internet they like to visit. When my clients ask why, I tell them that it's a helpful way for me to understand more about what they like to do and how they spend their time. I sometimes incorporate their favorite sites into some of the technology applications I create.
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Five of my favorite tech tools
These are free or low-cost tools that make my life easier. And the winners are: #5: Firefox. If your world consists only of Internet Explorer or Safari, you're missing out on a more useful browser. Available for PC or Mac, Firefox is a more robust, equally safe, if not safer, alternative. You can have more than one browser on your computer. The new version of Internet Explorer has tabs, but Firefox had them first and still does them better in my opinion. You can also obtain free add-ins (see choice #4 below). To obtain Firefox, click here and follow the directions. #4: Deli.icio.us. Now owned by Yahoo, this is part of a phase known as "social networking." What it allows you to do is to save your bookmarks (you do save bookmarks don't you?) in your own private, free account. You may optionally share the bookmarks with others or keep the information to yourself. They can be categorized, you can search through them, and best of all, they can be accessed from ANY computer. It is easy to install deli.iciou.us. Click here to obtain the free software. #3: Google Documents & Spreadsheets. When you sign up for that free Gmail account we discussed earlier, you'll find that you can use a bevy of other useful tools. One in particular that I've grown especially fond of is this one. Click here to take a tour or sign up. You can create files online, share them with others, save copies on your own local notebook or desktop machine, and create your own spreadsheets as well. The more I use it, the more uses I find for it. #2: Remember the Milk. Some large company is going to snatch this one up, you'll see. It a customizable "to do" list manager. Imagine being able to send an email from your cellphone reminding you to call someone at a certain time later that week. Then, when the time arrives, or earlier if you choose, you receive an email or text message reminder on your phone. Click here to find out more. #1: Google Gmail. I know, it seems I'm plugging Gmail incessantly. I am because it's that easy, that powerful, and that useful. You can have your regular email forward to Gmail, again providing for a complete archive of thousands of emails. You can set up filters that sorts your email based upon who sent it, the subject line or may other criteria. You can link it to your other email address. For example, I have it linked to two of my main email addresses. It lets me keep my email in one centralized location and I can check and respond from anywhere. Google appears to be in the process of creating an indispensable, friendly collection of web-based tools. The advertising is unobtrusive. Give it a try and see what it does for your productivity.
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I hope you found this information helpful. See you next issue!
Sincerely,
Bruce
Bruce M. Gale, PhD
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