NowITWorks.net

Quite often, things seem to go wrong with our computers and networks with no apparent cause or solution. Many of these cases can be brought about by simple changes a user may have made that at the time seemed inconsequential, but proved to have severe impact.

This is where a change log can come in handy. Basically, a change log is just that – a log of changes that you have made into a system currently in place. Entries in this log can be anything from changing a password to adding new hardware, or anything and everything in between.

(more…)

I regularly use two different calendar applications; Google calendar for my personal stuff and Outlook manages my work schedule. It would be nice to see both of my schedules in a single application and maybe sync the two together.

Along comes KiGoo, a free Windows application that will do just that. You can sync all of your calendar appointments and contacts between Google and Outlook. Also, they can be viewed in one interface. It supports both Outlook 2007 and 2003, offers great collaboration features and provides information from both programs in real time.

If you are keeping two calendars like me, I would highly advise that you give KiGoo a try!

This handy little free-ware application for Windows produces a live snapshot of your PC’s configuration, and displays it on your desktop. The file displayed is actually a bitmap created by the software, and is fully customizable. You can change the colors, fonts and sizes of the text, and specify which stats you’d like to see. It’s a very tiny program – only about 1MB – and doesn’t even have to be installed. You just download it and double click to run the software. You can set it up to run a new snapshot at different intervals, like startup or other specified times.

This little app is very handy for servers or terminals in a managed environment, especially if it is a machine you don’t look at very often. You can read more about the product or download it here.

Now IT Works is now on Twitter!

Keep up with technology news and blog posts by adding Now IT Works to your Twitter network. You can find our account here.

Not sure what all the fuss is about? Check out the Twitter FAQ here.

Link: http://twitter.com/nowitworks

One of the most common mistakes people make with their email is thinking of it as a package delivery system. We all have an aunt or grandma who thinks it’s cute to take 400 hundred pictures of her cat, downloading them onto the new computer she got for Christmas, and then sending every single picture in one email…to fifty recipients. This scenario, as most of us can attest, is bad for everyone involved. Chances are, it will be slow to move over the tubes, possibly get blocked by security software, and just as likely as not, won’t be delivered at all.
(more…)

With the price of storage at such a low, it’s a shame not to at least own a USB thumb drive.  These little buggers are invaluable for those on the go, even if you only bounce between two or three separate offices.  However, most people use these gizmos solely to house documents; to be used as file repositories, so that important data may be kept close at hand. 

Fortunately, this doesn’t need to be the case!  Your thumb drive can be utilized in a much more powerful capacity, by installing on them what are called “portable apps.”  These are programs, just like on your PC, that can be installed on the thumb drive and used on whatever computer you connect it to.

Portable Apps (http://portableapps.com/) is a wonderful resource for these programs, and I will highlight five of the packages that Now IT Works employees recommend.  And the best part is – they are all free!

(more…)

Do you remember when Maureen in HR sent out that lovely email to the entire company, exclaiming to the Heavens her excitement about this Friday’s meeting -casual attire not mandatory, but encouraged- and you could barely read the text in the body of the email above the visual commotion of her Outlook stationary? Adorned with flowers and little kitty paw-prints – it’s enough to give you a headache or at least induce an annoyed sigh.

(more…)