Igniting Business Blog

As a computer technician, I often get asked the question "Why is my computer running so slow?" I chuckle to myself sometimes, because "slow" is usually a relative term. For example, "Can you take a look at my laptop? [Insert co-worker's name] is not having any issues with her computer, and we have the same computer." Regardless of what slow means to you, here are some simple tips that will help keep your computer running smoothly:

Recently, Igniting Business asked a local small business employee what she thinks of Windows 8.1. Her name is Paula Burger, and she is an accountant for Oakstone Construction, a residential construction company. When we got her answers to our questions, Paula said "I was not entirely positive about upgrading, but I was honest." If you are still unsure of upgrading, read through Paula's experience of the new operating system.

As someone who installs and upgrades computers for small businesses, I have heard many questions regarding the new Windows operating system. The user interface is different from what Windows 7 or Vista users expect, so it can be unnerving and inconvenient for some people to learn. Tablet and smartphone users have some sort of experience with the app or card style interface, but those who are not as knowledgeable in this area may have trouble adapting. For that reason, I have put together a short and simple look at Windows 8.1. Microsoft has a lot of nice resources too, and I will be linking to them throughout this blog.
To start off, if you have Windows 8, it is for your benefit to upgrade to Windows 8.1. After this modification, you will have less trouble maneuvering through the new operating system. If you would like help updating to Windows 8.1, please follow these instructions. Oh, and it's free! So update!

Most likely, you have heard some news about the recent security concerns regarding Internet Explorer. You usually don't hear this much talk about most software bugs, but this one is quite serious. There are a lot of people who use IE, and all those users are extremely vulnerable. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security warned against using IE until the bug was fixed. For those who want all the details, Microsoft has posted an official report: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/library/security/2963983. The main thing you should know is that someone could remotely execute arbitrary code when you view a well-crafted web page or email. Eventually, this can lead to your entire system being compromised. That means all your information can be easily stolen if your system is successfully attacked.

Have you explored the Review tab on Microsoft Office's ribbon beyond spell check and word count? Well Microsoft Word has more features to offer. In this blog, I will walk you through the Comments, Tracking, and Changes sections. Here there are features that help to review edits that have been made to a document. This is especially useful when a document is being passed back and forth between several people. I think you will find yourself using these features more often than you would expect.

Environment has a strong effect on the way we work. Lighting, sound, cleanliness, culture, and many other factors influence our productivity. But have you ever considered how your PC Desktop organization affects your work? Do you think there is any significant benefit to having a clean file structure?
The best way to find the answer is to test it on yourself. The following are some helpful tips to keep your virtual space in order. Keep in mind that this blog post is in no way expansive or all-encompassing. It is meant to show you the basics - point you in the right direction. My hope is that the three mentioned items will spur you to find your own ways to be organized.

How many times have you typed in your business' website into a browser? How often are you typing out "google.com" or "facebook.com"? Well if you want to bypass the step of typing those URLs every time, you can save those pages as bookmarks. Every browser is different, but the following sections have simple steps for three commonly used browsers.

How often do you use images in Microsoft Word? Images can be very helpful – from writing notes for a presentation to explaining a concept to a client. If you have never tried inserting a picture into Word, take a look at the different methods outlined in the following sections. You may be surprised how well a few images can spice up your documents.

You may have heard some buzz recently about the new Google Glass. Well Igniting Business had the opportunity to test it out, courtesy of our new friend David Drum, Research Manager at MOREnet. As a Glass Explorer, David had the chance to test and give feedback to Google regarding the Google Glass technology, and he shared his thoughts with us.