Sanders Media

I am an avid gamer. I started out with the original Sega Master System, and I am currently using the XBOX 360. Years ago, I never could have imagined where gaming would be today. With broadband internet now the norm, the Internet has entered our lives outside of the computer. 

Microsoft recently updated the XBOX 360 operating system and it’s internet service, XBOX Live. With this update comes the ability to stream content from your Netflix account. My XBOX 360 is no longer merely a gaming device. While you could download content before, it’s never been as easy as it is now. I watched three straight episodes of The Office without leaving my living room.

The Internet is getting more powerful all the time. It is truly amazing to see how lives can be transformed by being connected. I am excited by existing technology, and I am enthusiastic about the innovation to come.

Like many of you, I look for environmentally friendly ways to consume. I recycle everything from soda bottles to paper towel cores. As the old computers started to build up, I looked for ways to responsibly dispose of them. Older computers consist of several toxic chemicals, and are bad for the environment. There are several companies that will recycle your old computer for free periodically during the year. 

Despite our best intentions, much of our recycled “e-waste” is ending up in developing countries. There, it pollutes the water and soil. If you saw this recent 60 Minutes report that followed the trail of our e-waste, you saw the damage being done.

The best way to responsibly recycle e-waste is to know a little about the company recycling it. Here is a list of companies pledging to responsibly recycle e-waste. Also, the manufacturer will often take the computer back for recycling. The good thing about recycling with the manufacturer is the public scrutiny they are under. It would be very bad business to send toxic materials to developing communities.

By doing just a little investigating online, you can find the proper place to recycle that old computer.

I’ve talked about backups a little in previous posts, but I thought I’d expound on it today. I can’t remember how often I get clients who need vital data recovered because their computer went haywire. Most often, they don’t have any backups. Data recovery can be expensive, while preventative measures are much cheaper.  Because digital storage is so inexpensive these days, it’s never been easier to protect your data.

The first thing to do is buy an external hard drive. I’ve seen 500GB USB 2.0 drives for as little as $89.99. Even people with large media libraries will find it difficult to fill up a 500GB drive. Also, don’t always go for the cheapest. Ask the staff at the store, as well as people you know, which drives work best. When you see multiple people having the same problem with a particular drive or manufacturer, stay away. I’ve personally had great success with Western Digital, LaCie and Seagate drives. 

CD-R and DVD+-R media is another way to backup your files. One caveat is the size of the discs. CD-R’s top out at 700MB. Single layer DVD+-R’s can hold 4.7GB of data, and dual layer discs can hold 8.5GB. Another limitation is they are write-once. Meaning you can’t add more data later unless you either use a re-writable disc or have a program that can write multiple sessions. If you’re wanting to backup specific files on a smaller scale, disc media can be a great choice.

The last backup choice I’ll talk about is online storage. It has some advantages over external hard drives and disc media. For one, you won’t have any physical hardware, if desk space is a problem. Second, you can access the data from any internet connection. Some limitations would be the need for an internet connection and the speed of that connection.

In truth, I use all three. My full system backup is on an external hard drive. I make a second backup of specific files, such as my music, on disc media. Sometimes I will make a third backup online. These multiple backups save me in case one fails. While I recommend as many backups a possible, even one full system backup can really come to your rescue. If you’re worried about remembering to do periodic backups, there are multiple programs that will perform scheduled backups that you set.

I can’t encourage you enough to backup your data. When disaster does strike, you will be hard pressed to find a better investment of your money and time.

Thanks to the ongoing litigation of the RIAA and the MPAA, the public at large is acutely aware of copyrights. However, due to a law that is too open to interpretation, many may be innocently violating a copyright. Here are some tips for staying on the right side of the law.

1. First and foremost, try to get permission from the owner of the copyright. You can save a lot of research time by simply asking.
2. Purchase rights to the material from a vendor. An example would be stock photography. I often purchase stock photos from istockphoto.com to use on my sites. TV production studios will purchase music libraries. They are then granted the right to use that music in their productions.
3. Never use anything that you’re unsure of. Ignorance is a difficult defense if you find yourself in litigation.

I’ve touched on different parts of this in previous posts regarding Web 2.0 and Google Docs. Now I’d like to tie them together under the umbrella “cloud computing”. 

First, I’ll try to define cloud computing. It enables people to utilize computer functions such as email and word processing in the “cloud” (i.e. the Internet). You are then able to access these files anywhere in the world via the Internet.

Here are some real world examples: Gmail, Google Docs, Yahoo! and Amazon Web Services. In the traditional office setup, there are many computers with individual software suites on each one. An example would be Microsoft Office. Clearly there is an expense here due to the licensing fees for the software. Also, you need the computers to hold the email locally or on a server inside the company. 

Sites like Amazon Web Services provide what is known as Software as a Service (SaaS). Here, you can pay a monthly fee for access to the applications your company needs. They also provide remote digital storage for a monthly fee. Google Apps provide more basic functions like email, calendar, word processing and spreadsheets. The convenience of having access to your files from anywhere is enticing for many.

Cloud computing does have some drawbacks. You can only reach these services with an internet connection. In most settings, this isn’t an issue, but if you travel abroad, it can be a major hinderance. If your Internet Service Provider (ISP) has a cap on the bandwith you can use, that can be a problem.

As computer and web technologies advance, we are going to see more computing functions going to the “cloud”. For now, any of us who have ever used Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail or Gmail, are already there.