The Small NonProfit Office: Buying Basics

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I’ve updated my “10 Buying Basics” tips to account for a few changes in the tech world over the past year.

For fun, I also created a board over at Pinterest.com with visual links to many of these resources. What do you think? What rules or guidelines do you use?

1. Get fast Internet: cable (Docsis 3.0 modem), business class Ethernet, or DSL. Use gigabit switches & Cat 5e or 6 cables.

2. Secure your 802.11n WiFi router w/WPA2 & OpenDNS. Change default password; use “guest” network.

3. Standardize & replace equipment regularly. Replace desktops every 5 years, laptops every 3, tablets & smartphones every 2.

4. Buy current tech. e.g., i5/7 processors; monitors w/HD resolution w/Displayport, webcam & speakers; SSD drives. Don’t pay retail!

5. Update software. Windows: 7 or 8 Pro (touch!); Macs OS 10.8. Update your OS, applications, drivers & firmware.

6. Stay secure. Require logins; use anti-virus & firewalls. Use 2-step authentication & LastPass. Browse w/Chrome. Backup your data off-site.

7. Collaborate online. Email & calendar sharing w/Google Apps Education Edition. File sharing w/Google Drive.Web mtgs w/Google+ Hangouts.

8. Consider WordPress.org to manage your website w/free hosting @ Dreamhost.com & register your own domain name there ($10/year).

9. Print efficiently. Use networked, low-cost-per-page printers or multi-purpose copiers.

10. Consider Salesforce.com & VerticalResponse to track & engage constituents. Share your work w/Twitter, Google+ & a Facebook Page.

My new writing project

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As some of you know, I’ve been an enthusiastic adopter of Google Apps. I’ve helped many organizations setup and learn to use Google’s powerful set of collaborative tools.

Early this summer I saw a request for writers for TechRepublic’s Google in the Enterprise blog. I submitted my name. I’d always wondered if I had the discipline to write consistently and clearly about technology. There’s nothing like a deadline to prod me to at least try to do so.

To my surprise and delight, I got the gig. I’m enjoying it. My posts all relate to the topic of Google in the Enterprise, as you’d expect.

If you’re a Google Apps user, you may find some of the columns helpful. You can learn how to improve your use of Google mail search, replace flip charts with a Google spreadsheet for better group brainstorming, and make it easier to get to your Google Apps by placing links in several key places on your Windows system.

Some of the topics are more useful if you’re a Google Apps administrator. These include posts on how to use Google Drive for organization-wide file sharing, how to secure a user account with two-step authentication, and a checklist to help administrators manage staff transition in Google Apps.

If you’re interested in reading my posts, go to my author page at TechRepublic. You can then “subscribe to this page” using either RSS or email. (The links are in the upper right of the content area.)

Thanks for reading. If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered — let me know!