At the Bayer Center's upcoming fall conference, The Resilient Sector: An Open Space Odyssey, we plan on putting our technology where our mouths are. We'll be using digital cameras and our portable wireless network to help participants record the proceedings and extract, compile and project highlights live. The conference won't be over at the end of the day, however! Ongoing dialogs will be facilitated over the web.

Can we do it? Join us at the Open Space Odyssey and see for yourself! Read more about The Resilient Sector: An Open Space Odyssey online

Tip of the Month: Using the Technology You Already Own to Save You Time and Money

We've all been there.  There is so much to do getting the latest board report finished or making sure our clients have food or shelter.  There's got to be a better way to use technology but who has time to even figure out what to try?  And who knows if all that effort will really pay off?  Well, we thought we'd help you out and list some of our favorite time and money saving tips!

1. Make a backup! Any kind of backup! On floppy, if necessary!
2. Update your anti-virus signature files at least weekly. This may mean actually obtaining a legal copy (or legal copies), which will cost you money but keep your files clean and save you the risk of failing a license audit. (Can you say Blaster Worm?!)
3. Set up a functional directory system and establish naming conventions for documents that mirror your business processes. Make sure hard files use the same system.
4. Print preview your document before printing to make sure page breaks and headers are where they should be.
5. Use your word processor¿s comments and/or track changes feature and email documents to colleagues instead of printing out a copy and editing on paper.
6. Maintain your client or donor information in one place to avoid duplicate entry and bad data (and irritated constituents).
7. Share your calendar online with other staff (or publish to a shared directory periodically) to facilitate scheduling.
8. Learn how to use formatting features in your word processor such as tabs and indents, ¿Keep text together¿ or page and section breaks to avoid having to realign everything when adding or deleting text.
9. If you don¿t mind small print and your printer supports it, print more than one page per sheet when reviewing information to save paper. Or print in draft mode to save toner.
10. If you use Windows, use the Favorites feature to give you instant access to network folders or subfolders on your hard drive.

September Technology Classes

Yikes!  September is next month AND next week but there's still time to register for these classes.  Follow the links to read more or call 412-227-6814.
 

You can now register online for our classes!  Just visit the education section at www.rmu.edu/bcnm to register or see all our fall courses.  Financial aid is available.

Technology for Leaders:  Making a Change
What does it take for a successful, smoothly running organization to make a leap into Open Source and not only survive, but find significant cost savings and productivity benefits?  Read how one for-profit executive's frustration with some notorious customer service led him to make a startlingly beneficial change.

CNet News from August 20, 2003:  Rockin' on without Microsoft

All nonprofit techies (accidental, part-time and full-time) are welcome but please RSVP to wormer@rmu.edu or 412-227-6823. There is a $10 fee to cover the cost of a light breakfast and materials.

CERT¿ Coordination Center

Computer Associates: Virus Information Center

McAfee Virus Information

Symantec AntiVirus Research Center

Virus Information from Central Command