What Is a Firewall and Do You Need One?

Goodbye Windows 98--
Hello Windows XP!

Getting Organized the Second Most Popular New Year's Resolution

Microsoft Server 2003 – To upgrade or not to upgrade

Software Version Numbers:
What Do They Mean and Why Should I Care?

Communication: Common Sense But Not Always Common Practice

Changing Your Computers Oil

The Era of Managed Messaging

What Are Repetitive Motion Injuries and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Repetitive Motion Injuries and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Prevention and Proper Workplace Set Up

E-Evidence Part 1: Computer Forensic Evidence Exists in Numerous Locations. Tracking Data and Capturing Them Can Be Challenging

E-Evidence, Part 2

Is Your Computer REALLY Safe from Electrical Surges?

Getting Organized the Second Most Popular New Year's Resolution

After losing weight, getting organized is the second most popular New Year’s resolution. For those who truly want to become better organized, make a firm resolution to improve your habits. If you find it helpful, make a printed sign and post it in a prominent place for motivation. Since getting organized is conceptual rather than tangible, break this down into individual, manageable goals that are specific, realistic, attainable, and measurable. Set as many or as few goals as you wish to achieve. As an idea, you can have 12 goals with one of them to be accomplished every month. At the end of the year you will have accomplished 12 goals!

For example, pick a room in your house that you want to organize and this becomes your goal for January. Select a spot to start decluttering and organizing, continue in a forward motion, and don’t skip anything. That way, everything behind you has been organized. Keep chipping away until the room is finished. Remember, you have the entire month to do this room.

Decluttering is a process similar to dieting. Once clutter starts, it grows just like added weight if not kept in check. Excess pounds weren’t added overnight and can’t be eliminated overnight so be realistic in your expectations when eliminating clutter. It takes time, just as pounds coming off when dieting. If you get off track, don’t give up. Make a new start, reaffirm your goal, and stick to your plan. You’ll be glad you did!

Tips: Start with small blocks of time, such as an hour or two. If necessary, schedule appointments with yourself in your calendar and honor it as if you had an appointment with someone else – and try not to cancel. In your zeal to get started, be careful not to do too much too soon, or you may become exhausted and give up. Remember the tortoise and hare story! Put away everything immediately after use to avoid recluttering.

Say your goal for February is to pay bills on time. Set up a permanent space for bill paying. Keep all bills in a labeled folder in order of the date to be paid. Have all necessary supplies such as your checkbook, envelopes, stamps, pens, pencils, return address labels, calculator, etc. kept in that space. Pick two to three days per month to pay your bills; note these dates in your calendar if it helps you to remember. Of course, allow enough time for mail delivery. On your copy of the bill write the check number and date paid, and the amount paid if it’s different than that invoiced. File the paperwork in subject files. Once this simple system is set up, it’s easy to maintain. Results are easily measurable -- if you don’t receive past-due notices, your system is working well.

Pick 10 more goals for the remaining months (e.g., organize your closets, garage, and basement; eliminate outdated magazines and newspapers), devise a plan for each, and schedule the appointments in your calendar. Have small goals for busy times, such as December (make holiday goals!) or vacation times, so you don’t over-schedule yourself and become frustrated if they can’t be completed.

You will feel a great sense of accomplishment as you complete each goal which will give you the motivation to continue. If it helps, give yourself a small reward after you finish each one. Just think how much you can accomplish by year-end!

Some tips for your new-year checklist are:

• Get a 2004 calendar that works well for you, paper or electronic, and enter all recurring events and scheduled commitments. Tips: Use different colors to distinguish family members, types of events such as birthdays or anniversaries, or family vs. personal activities. Use only one calendar.

• Set up Master Lists and To-Do Lists to record your tasks. These lists will eliminate the need to try to remember everything and ensure that everything gets done. Write down everything, without regard to their importance or the amount of time they will take, so nothing is forgotten.

• Organize tax documents for 2003. Schedule an appointment with your accountant if you use one.

• Schedule yearly medical and dental appointments and note them in your calendar.

• Clean out your files, set up new files, and archive older records.

• Update home inventory information for insurance purposes and increase coverage if necessary.

Being organized basically means being able to find what you need when you need it and getting tasks done by a specific time. Ever wonder why some people are organized while others are not? Do you think it’s due to an inherited gene? Organizing is a skill that anyone can learn with proper training. Everyone can, and should become and remain organized. With the increasingly rapid pace of the 21st century and demands on everyone’s time, it’s a must-have survival skill! Those who master it will be far ahead of the rest by maximizing their potential.

Have a wonderful, organized year!

About the author: Adriane M. Weinberg is the president and founder of An Organized Approach™ and provides organizing solutions to corporate, small business, home office, and residential clients. With her help to get and remain organized, people achieve greater success in their professional and personal lives. She is an active member of the National Association of Professional Organizers for which she is the Features Editor; the Greater Horsham and Willow Grove Chamber of Commerce; and Blue Bell Toastmasters. Contact her at 215-540-9401 or aoaconsulting@hotmail.com.

2003 An Organized Approach™

Microsoft Server 2003 – To upgrade or not to upgrade
Written by: Joshua Schricker

You’ve seen the commercials, Microsoft has spoken—"It’s time to upgrade…again!" All year we’ve had Windows XP for your workstations, and now, we have Server 2003 to run your network. Whether your old network is grinding to a halt, or you just want to be on the cutting edge, deciding to upgrade even a small network can be tough. When we’re asked about upgrading, we look at few key areas to determine what will work best for our clients.

Technical Feasibility – "How do we do it?"

Before any decision to upgrade is made, several technical considerations should be taken into account, including:

• Hardware compatibility—Will your current workstations and servers support an upgrade or do they need to be replaced?

One of the most common mistakes that clients make (particularly when trying to do upgrades themselves) is to upgrade right out of their hardware! Older peripherals such as modems and CD burners may not work with newer versions of Windows. Older machines may run very slowly—or, occasionally, not at all--on new operating systems due to slow processors or a lack of memory.

• Software compatibility—Will your current business applications be compatible with your new operating system?

Many users have suffered from this problem. You go through the pain of upgrading your workstation, complete with its suite of mission critical applications—the life-blood of the technical side of your business—and, "Ping!", you get an error. Your accounting program is incompatible with Windows XP. It is crucial to check with each vendor of your favorite applications before the upgrade and catalogue all compatibility issues. I can’t tell you how many times a client has informed me of a mission critical application only after the upgrade was finished. Older versions of software should be upgraded and made current. And most important of all, save your disks!

• Operating System compatibility—Are your current versions of Windows upgradable, or will you have to install from scratch?

Last but not least, can you upgrade? Windows only retains backward compatibility for a limited time. For instance, it is possible to upgrade directly from Windows NT to Windows 2000, but not from Windows for Workgroups. It is easier to upgrade from Windows 2000 to XP than from Windows 98 to 2000. Whether you upgrade or do a clean install will affect how long the upgrade will take, how difficult it is to migrate data and applications, to save user settings (i.e. your web links or your favorite wallpaper), and a host of other considerations.

Once you have looked at all these issues, you are ready to move on to the next set!

Practical Feasibility – "How will this upgrade affect my business?"

Once you have resolved the technical considerations and begun working on your plan—your "upgrade path" in tech-speak—you must look at how your plan may impact your business. Some questions which must be answered:

• How much downtime can you afford?

Upgrading even a small network can take several days or more. When can you afford to not to use your computers? Most competitive technology firms offer weekend and after hours installations. Fine for a 9 to 5 business, but what if you have shifts 24/7? Scheduling your upgrade must take the nature of your business into account.

• How is your data protected?

Even during a simple, well-planned upgrade problems can arise. Should an upgrade fail for any reason, how will this affect your ability to do business? Is your data backed up and easily restored? Does your plan include rollout stages, so that, should problems arise at any point, there are always machines running to handle mission critical aspects of your network? Unforeseen circumstances are the norm, not the exception, in this kind of project. The ability to quickly recover from any set-backs can mean the difference between a minor headache and a major crisis.

• Are your employees prepared for the new technology?

An oft-neglected aspect of upgrading is training. With any upgrade users can become confused at how to get their new PC to perform mundane tasks that, just a few days ago, were routine. Files are placed in slightly different places, folders get renamed, old familiar icons are now mysteriously absent from the desktop. Plan for a day or two of debriefing with your consultants, and be ready with questions!

These are just a few of the practical considerations that should be studied before you can move forward with confidence. (Next time we will discuss the final, critical consideration—Money!)

(In the last issue, we talked about some of the technological and practical considerations that should go into your decision to upgrade your network. In this issue we will look and the final and, for the business owner, most crucial issue…)

Financial Feasibility – "Can I afford it?"

This question has two parts. First, "How much will this cost?" The answer to this depends, in part, on the answers to the questions we asked in earlier sections. But of course that isn’t the whole story. Upgrading a single workstation to Windows XP Pro, is comparatively inexpensive compared to upgrading an entire network consisting of 20 workstations, 2 servers and a half-dozen out of date printers. A more important question is, "What do I want this upgrade to do for my business?"

The dollar cost of an upgrade should be weighed against the costs of not upgrading, and the value of what an upgraded network will do for you. Do you have a mobile sales force? Newer Windows Servers include robust VPN support, allowing your employees secure access to their information from just about anywhere. Do your employees share and collaborate on important documents? Windows 2003 includes support for Share-Point document management systems, allowing your employees to work on and track documents in progress. Is your network older? Newer hardware can run 3 to 4 times faster than older computers. Newer versions of Windows are faster and more stable than their predecessors.

And, there is what I call the "version wall". When a new operating system comes out, an older one loses support—Microsoft most recently withdrew support for Windows NT, and Windows 2000 Pro will not be far behind. As your network ages, not only does its useful life decrease, but the cost of a future upgrade creeps up. For many offices, the expense of an upgrade now is more than balanced out by the ongoing expenses of upkeep on their existing network, not to mention the spectre of an "emergency upgrade" is the not-to-distant future.

Once you have assessed you needs, and the value of planned enhancements to your current network, you can look at dollar cost in light of future benefits. Most clients tend to upgrade because their networks have reached a crisis, or one is looming just over the horizon. But, the real value in an upgrade is not simply to save your business from a potential disaster, but to streamline and speed up your business processes as they depend on your technology. A well planned upgrade shouldn’t simply put out fires, but rather light one under your network. The goal is increased efficiency and hopefully profits, by cutting your ongoing costs and enhancing your ability to sell your products and services.

Ultimately budgetary constraints and financing issues will inform your decisions and determine the direction of an upgrade. But even the dreaded "emergency upgrade" should be looked at with a critical eye—not only for how it will get your network back on its feet, but also for how it will ultimately enhance your ability to do business. The power today’s computer technology is extraordinary, compared to even a decade ago. Take advantage of your consultant’s expertise and get informed on all the technological opportunities out their for your business. In that way, you can turn the potential pain of an upgrade into future gain for your organization.

Good luck!

About the Author: Mr. Schricker holds both a BS and MS in Computer Science with a concentration in business, from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is currently a Senior Partner with Eastern Technology Services where he advices clients on and implements technology plans to enhance their efficiency and profitability. For more information about this topic or other topics, contact Mr. Schricker directly at 610.648.0166 x101 or jschricker@etsrv.com

Software Version Numbers:
What Do They Mean and Why Should I Care?
By Brian Donohue

Ever notice the numbers attached to the name of a particular software package? You probably know that they’re called version numbers, but what exactly do they mean and why should this matter to you?

Over the course of developing a particular software title, the product goes through many, many changes. Features are added and bugs are fixed. Sometimes, the final release of the product is completely different from the original idea. Developers need a method of keeping track of what has happened and where the project is going. The solution is to assign version numbers to each stage of the software's development.

The most common version numbering scheme is called the major.minor numbering scheme. While each company may have it's own variation of this scheme, they're all based on the same idea. Everything before the first dot ("major") tells what full version of the program it is. Everything after the first dot ("minor") tells what level of minor fixes have been done to the product. A 4.71 means that the fourth full release of this program has been pretty well debugged. A 5.01 means that the program is in it’s fifth full release (ie; it may have a larger set of features than 4.71), but it most likely still has quite a few bugs that haven’t been worked out yet.

A few examples of the version numbers of software that you may be using: Adobe Photoshop 4.0, Internet Explorer 5.5, and AOL 6.0. Microsoft, for their operating systems and MS Office product line, opted to use the current year as the version number. This was obviously done for marketing purposes. Still, if you look in the Help sections of those programs, you’ll find the "real" version number listed in parenthesis. My version of MS Word 2000 is actually version 9.0.2720, for example.

So why should any of this matter to you? Many web and multimedia developers use a form of this version numbering system to label each phase of a particular project. Since websites and multimedia both use scripting languages (sort of a lesser form of a programming language), it makes sense to use version numbers. I use a "standard" version number convention when creating websites and other multimedia projects. I divide each of my projects up into phases and give each phase a version number.

For example, when I complete Phase 1 of a website, I call it "Version 0.1". When I finish Phase 2, I call it "Version 0.2" (and so on). The initial debugging phase is usually Version 0.5. Version 1.0 is the first full release, which is usually what the public sees at the "Grand Opening" of the site. As soon as the site is open to the public, I start monitoring it for bugs. I check through it myself and wait for any user comment/complaints to come in to the webmaster@xxxxxxxx.com e-mailbox. I then compile a list of bugs, fix them, and finally post those fixes up to the internet. I call this fixed-up site Version 1.1. Sometimes, after a site has been active for a period of time, a client may want to have their site mostly (or completely) redesigned. The final result of a redesign would be labeled Version 2.0.

If your company chooses to have a website or another type of multimedia produced for them, it’s a good idea to understand how potential developers work. Version numbers are simply a way of keeping things organized. If a particular developer uses a version numbering scheme, they should inform you of that fact and should explain their methodology to you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. In today’s fast-paced "e-world" of "e-this" and "e-that", you must remember that keeping a project on track is essential when creating high-quality multimedia of any type.

Brian P Donohue is a Partner at Thumbprint Interactive™,
a multimedia firm in Harrisburg, PA
Contact Brian at brian@thumbprintweb.com

Communication: Common Sense But Not Always Common Practice
By Aime M. Marshall

How many times has something gone wrong, gone bad, or not gone at all on the job? How often have we blamed communication? And why is communication to blame anyway? Isn't communication common sense? We do it all the time, so why then do we have such problems? Answer: Just because we have the ability to communicate doesn't mean we are good at it.

Ineffective communication tends to be the culprit, hidden under the guise of "poor", "mis-", or "no". In a world of constant messaging (count the emails, voicemails, instant messages, faxes, advertisements you received today), ineffective communication tends to blend into the background. Only effective communication gets through.

To successfully combat overload or entropy in the work place, one must become an effective communicator. How can you improve communication effectiveness? Begin with a personal assessment of the following:

1. Self-image: Who I am shapes how I communicate. Therefore take a good look at the image you project. Ultimately, how you present yourself influences the quality of your interactions with others. Be aware of your self-image

2. Listening: Effective communicators don't just speak, they listen. They decode what they hear in order to interpret the intended meaning. Through the listener's silence or intermittent prompting, he or she demonstrates attention. That attention validates the speaker. How would you rate your listening skills?

3. Non-verbals: More than two-thirds of our communication occurs via facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice, appearance, posture, etc. We give non-verbals more credence because we've been interpreting them since infancy. If a someone's body language or tone contradicts the spoken word, we are more likely to discount what's being said and believe what's not. How do you use your body language? Are you using non-verbals advantageously? Are you aware of others' non-verbals?

4. Noise: Anything that prevents or hinders a message from being sent or received acts as noise. Environmental distractions, such as a loud office, are obvious. However, we tend to overlook psychological or emotional noise. Are your personal thoughts or feelings muddying interpretations, perceptions, etc?

5. Audience: Remember, your listener is evaluating the relevance of your message to his/her needs. This person is thinking "What's in this for me?" If you can preemptively answer this question, you will gain and maintain attention.

6. Message context: Each time we address another human being, we communicate on two levels: content and relationship. We speak tangible words while simultaneously expressing our intangible relationship to the receiver. It is important to be aware of both contexts.

As you see, effective communication involves both the speaker and the receiver. Just as good public speakers are not born, but rather are made, so too are good communicators. If we practice effective communication, then we will reduce frustration, errors, and problems in the workforce. After all, that's just common sense.

Aime is Associate Product Manager at Yves Rocher, North America. She holds a Masters in Communication.

Changing Your Computers Oil
By Joseph Resnick

As an information technology professional, I am often approached by friends, family, acquaintances and occasionally even complete strangers for help solving their computing woes. I've heard it all. Problems including video, sound, Windows, MAC's, software, hardware . . .you name it, I've been asked about it. The problems are rarely the same, but often times, the resolution of the problems involves the same steps.

Keeping your computers software up to date is an essential step in avoiding problems. Akin to changing the oil in your car, or removing leaves from your gutters, updating your computer's software helps assure smooth operation and reliability. Unfortunately, the metaphor works in reverse as well. Letting you car go without an oil change or letting your gutters get backed up with leaves, yields damage, shortens life span and reduces functionality of the system.

Services exist to help you maintain your car or your gutters, but inexpensive solutions for computer maintenance are rare, especially for the small or home office. So, how can you change your computer's oil yourself? Perform updates to your Operating System and software as often as possible, but not less than, every three months. Here's how . . .

Windows:
Microsoft makes available an on-line tool designed to keep your Operating System up to date. You can spawn a Windows Update session by double-clicking on your Internet Explorer Icon, then clicking on "Tools" and "Windows Update" (If you do not have this option, you are severely out of date and in need of an update to Internet Explorer. You can download that separately from Microsoft's downloads section of their web site.). Once connected to the Microsoft Update Web Site, click on "Product Updates." You don't need to download everything listed. I recommend downloading/installing "Critical Updates," "Internet Explorer Updates," "DirectX Updates" and any other selection that matches any problem you have been experiencing. You may need to do some of these selections, one at a time, restarting your computer between downloads.

Macintosh:
Apple makes available updates to your Operating System and installed software on their support web site. Installing the most recent, free update of your Operating System will always give you added performance and reliability.

Software:
Make a list of the software you use or have installed on your computer. Go to each of the manufactures web sites looking for free updates to the software. These will most likely be found either on the section of the site devoted to that product or within the support and downloads sections. Some updates will be newer versions and others will simply be patches. Be sure to install fixes and patches designed to improve performance on your operating platform (Windows, MAC, etc.).

Joseph Resnick is the Director of a Philadelphia Information Technology Department and personally maintains www.joeyrez.com as a resource for computer beginners. E-mail: me@joeyrez.com

The Era of Managed Messaging
By Rodney Hall

Now that your business has broadband access, now what? The adoption of the Internet as a corporate communications tool - along with the emergence of Web-based messaging technologies and standards that allow secure inter-company communications - have recently bolstered the case for turning over messaging systems to third-party specialists. A new class of outsourcers, called Messaging Service Providers (MSPs), has presented some pretty convincing arguments that managed messaging is the wave of the future. Their centralized, off premise messaging infrastructures offer businesses, both small and large access to the latest email technology with exceptional scalability, reliability and rock-solid security - all at dramatically lower operating and support costs than in-house messaging systems.

What are the Advantages of Managed Messaging?

Reduced Total Cost of Ownership and Operations
When companies purchase their messaging services from third parties, they don't have to make capital investments in hardware, software and operational support. Industry estimates state that the average cost per user per year in a managed messaging arrangement is $100, compared to about $650 per user with an in-house messaging system.

Improved Reliability, Availability and Scalability

Outsourcing messaging functions doesn't have to mean compromising performance. Centralized messaging technology can employ total service redundancy; high service availability to accommodate growing message volume and user bases.

Access to Latest Technology

Users don't have to worry about being outpaced by technology - MSPs take on the burdens of hardware and software upgrades, installation, testing, debugging, retesting and rolling out new services and features.

Expert Support

Managed messaging means that centralized support staff are available seven days a week, 24 hours per day to monitor, manage and troubleshoot messaging services.

Enhanced Security

To ensure that sensitive company communications stay out of unwanted hands, MSP's can provide Secure-Socket Layer (SSL) connections, certificate based encryption and intrusion detection software.

Universal Accessibility

The beauty of Web-based managed messaging is that employees in far-flung offices, on the road or at home can access their email from standard Web browsers or from any email software using standard protocols.

Delegated Administration and Provisioning

Handing over responsibility for your company's messaging system doesn't necessarily mean handing over the keys. Some MSPs, offer customers the ability to create, modify or remove mailboxes in real-time, leaving end users with control over vital directory and other administrative functions.

Address Vertical Market Needs

Managed messaging can deliver additional benefits aligned to the unique needs of a variety of organizations. Small companies (as small as 5 users) can get access to big-company technology and administrative support, while enhancing their company's image via branded email addresses. Medium-and-large-sized companies can save money, cut overhead, integrate disparate communications systems and connect multiple company branches.

Web portals can use managed messaging to improve the "stickiness" of their site -how often and how long visitors stay at the site - by offering Webmail to their own customers.

With these kinds of benefits, the case for managed messaging is strong, but making sure you receive all these benefits is a matter of finding the right Messaging Service Provider.

Rodney Hall is president of R.B. Hall Associates, an IT consulting firm. For more information on this topic, contact him at rbhall@rbhall.com or 215-782-2268.

What Are Repetitive Motion Injuries and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
By Joanna Libonati

Tens of thousands of injuries each year are caused by repetitive motions. There are different ways injuries can happen, but they all result from stress or strain imposed on some part of the body from a task's repetitive nature.
This includes typing, computer mouse use and recurring motions such as twisting, turning and grasping.

Repetitive Motion Injuries can be quite painful and become progressively worse without treatment, possibly resulting in complete loss of function in the affected area. Tingling, numbness, or pain in the affected area, and loss of flexibility or strength are common symptoms. Hands, fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders and backs are the most common areas affected.

Tendons connect the muscles to the bones. If movement is repeated too often without rest, the tendons surrounding the muscles can become inflamed and blood flow becomes restricted. When tendons become inflamed, they can press against nerves often resulting in numbness and tingling.

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most common disorders among the repetitive motion injuries. The Carpal Tunnel, at the base of the palm, is a snug canal through which tendons and nerves pass on their way through the wrist from the forearm to the hand and fingers. The nerve that passes through this narrow tunnel to reach the hand is called the median nerve. The Median nerve runs the length of the arm providing motor function to the hand and feeling to the thumb side of the hand including the first three fingers and thumb. If swelling and inflammation from overuse occurs, everything becomes compressed and the median nerve in the carpal tunnel becomes constricted or "pinched". The result is a decrease in nerve transmission to the hand causing numbness and weakness.

Causes of Repetitive Motion Injuries and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Repetitive Motion Injuries and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome develop slowly over time. They can be caused by:

• Long periods of steady hand movement doing tasks that are repeated over and over
• Holding the same position for a long time
• Working in an awkward position
• Forceful movements
• Not enough time to rest between repetitive tasks

Am I at Risk?

A sampling of the more common places where Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Repetitive Motion Injuries occur include:

• Graphic Designers from typing and using the computer mouse
• Computer Illustrators
• Programmers
• Other computer users
• Musicians
• Dental Hygienists
• Cashiers
• Work that demands repeated grasping, turning and twisting
• Some sports such as rowing, golf and tennis

What are the Symptoms?

• Weakness in hands and fingers - dropping objects
• Numbness and tingling in hands and fingers
• Burning in hands and/or wrists
• Pain in wrist sometimes feeling stiff or sprained
• Pain radiating from neck to fingertips or from fingertips to your neck
• Shooting pains from your wrist or hand to your elbow
• Numbness, tingling and sometimes shoulder pain on waking from sleep

If you are experiencing some of these symptoms, don't ignore them. Your doctor can make a proper diagnosis whether Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Repetitive Motion Strain is the cause. Early treatment is key in preventing further damage. My next article will explore prevention and proper workplace set up.

Joanna is a partner and creative director at Ascension Design, a full service graphic design firm outside Philadelphia. She can be reached at Joanna@ascensiondesign.net or 215-591-1010.

Repetitive Motion Injuries and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Prevention and Proper Workplace Set Up
By Joanna Libonati

Repetitive Motion Injuries and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be prevented through a proper workplace set-up. Once you make these adjustments to your office or work areas, even if you aren't feeling symptoms, you'll notice how much more natural and comfortable you'll feel while working. You will become more productive and have more energy at the end of the day as your physical stress has been reduced.

While at work:

• Take short, frequent breaks from computer work. Suggested 10-15 minutes break away from the computer for every hour on the computer.
• Get up and move around whenever you feel any symptoms
• Pause periodically to do relaxation exercises
• Give input when your department is purchasing furniture and computer equipment

Work station layout:

These are guidelines to ergonomically set up your workstation. The best way to know what works for you is by paying attention to the way your body feels. Are you comfortable? Feel physical strain or pain? Remember, pain is the way your body tells you something is wrong.

Computer set-up:

• Adjust your monitor so that the top of the screen is eye level.
• It should be directly in front of you 1.5 - 2 feet from your eyes. Putting the monitor off to the side involves twisting and stress on the neck
• A document holder is recommended to hold papers while you work.
• Position your monitor to avoid glare through lighting and positioning from windows.
• The keyboard should be detached from the monitor preferably on an adjustable tray or stand and level with the floor.
• The keyboard height should allow your elbows to be at your sides, forearms parallel to the floor, and your wrists in a neutral position.
• The mouse needs to be as close as possible and located on the same level as the keyboard
• Thick, soft wrist pads are recommended for proper wrist alignment.

Desk arrangement:

• Make sure your chair is the right height for you.
• It should have firm lumbar/lower back support
• The edge of the seat should be rounded so it doesn't press on the backs of your thighs.
• Armrests are optional - if you have them, they should be padded
• Your feet should be flat on the floor or on a footrest putting your thighs parallel to the floor, knees at a 90-degree angle.
• There needs to be enough room under your desk for your legs.
• Items on your desk need to be at the proper distance for reaching comfort and not crowded together.

Joanna is a partner and creative director at Ascension Design, a full service graphic design firm outside Philadelphia. She can be reached at Joanna@ascensiondesign.net or 215-591-1010.

E-Evidence Part 1: Computer Forensic Evidence Exists in Numerous Locations. Tracking Data and Capturing Them Can Be Challenging
By Dorothy M. Bollinger

Within the past 12 months, 90 percent of companies reporting to the Computer Security Institute of San Francisco stated they detected security breaches, 80 percent of which reported financial losses. However, only 34 percent reported the intrusions to law enforcement officials. Companies reported that they resolved the problem through business channels, as opposed to reporting the breach to law enforcement authorities, because of concerns over negative publicity, the effect on stock prices, and the risk of revealing confidential information.

E-Evidence Checklist

How well can your company answer the following questions? The answers could reveal the degree to which it can protect itself from liability and potentially embarrassing situations.

• Do you have a well-defined electronic document preservation and retention, destruction, distribution, storage and recycling policy?
• Have you created a well-defined records policy unique to the Company that protects confidential records and information?
• Have you informed employees about acceptable uses of the company's computer systems?
• Have you had an independent legal review of the company's Internet, computer, and information technology policies?
• Do you have an Electronic Discovery Response Plan (is it discoverable)?
• Have you audited the company's electronic documents, hardware, software, and control systems for legal, technical and strategic considerations?
• Have you prepared a draft preservation letter?
• Are you using slack elimination software?
• Are you using Metadata elimination software?
• Do you have a PDA use and misuse policy?
• Have you considered whether the company will discourage personal and individual files on the system in favor of a centralized document repository?
• Have you considered whether attorney/client privileged documents are mixed with documents that are not attorney/client privileged? And, whether attorney/client documents are labeled as such.
• Do you authenticate digital photographs by printing them, signing them, and dating them?
• Do you consider illegal encryption software as contraband on the company's computer system?
• Does your company implement and enforce its policies, monitor employees to maintain confidential and business information, and train employees about the importance of electronic information in this information age?

The next article will discuss preventing problems and how to collect, preserve and use electronic evidence.

Dorothy M. Bollinger is an Internet, computer and information technology attorney at the law firm of Fox Rothschild O'Brien and Frankel. She also teaches cyber law and policy at Temple University's Beasley School of Law. She can be reached at 215-661-9419 or dbollinger@frof.com

E-Evidence Part 2: Computer Forensic Evidence Exists in Numerous Locations. Tracking Data and Capturing Them Can Be Challenging
By Dorothy M. Bollinger
 
This article discusses preventing problems and how to collect, preserve and use electronic evidence.
 
Preventing Problems
 
Whether protecting a company's information through investigations during the normal course of business or in response to a criminal or civil intrusion into the company's information system, it is important for companies and attorneys to have a solid understanding of the technical, legal an evidentiary aspects of computers and networks.  This enables them to understand how to locate sources of evidence quickly, obtain authorization to search and seize evidence, collect evidence that will be accepted in court, and to protect and use electronic evidence through computer forensics.  Computer forensics applies computer investigation and analysis techniques to determine potential legal evidence.  Additionally, handheld forensics specialists acquire, investigate and analyze potential evidence from PDAs and are used in criminal and civil company investigations. 
 
Companies and attorneys also need to consider the risks associated with maintaining electronic information, the tactics to use to discover it, and the safeguards to protect electronic evidence for trial.  System administrators, computer security professionals, law enforcement officials, computer forensic scientists, ant Internet, computer and information technology attorneys are invaluable resources to the company.  Then, after the company preplans and attempts to prevent unintentionally disclosing information, it needs to consider acquiring, protecting and using the computer forensic evidence.
 
Collecting Evidence

First, the company must collect paper and electronic evidence from adversaries and third parties. Electronic evidence includes: (1) electronic copies, i.e., what the user created and can see on the screen and slack files attached to the document; and (2) electronic images, i.e., bit-by-bit digital records of the entire hard drive, disks, and tapes that captured deleted files and file fragments that have not been irretrievably written over with new data. Then the company should send a preservation letter to the opponent informing it to preserve certain documents.  For example, not to destroy backup tapes, to cease recycling electronic data, and to preserve imbedded data histories (when and by whom the data was created or edited).
 
Sources that contain hidden data include: the web browser cache, the system logs, diskettes, disks within disks, data written between tracks, graphics, metadata, PDAs, laptop computers, internal drives off-site servers, back-up tapes, zip drives, storage devices, browsers, cookies, compact disks, tapes, floppy disks, memory sticks, email, off-site storage, Internet and intranet content, source codes and spreadsheets.  Evidence collection and analysis tools are important to collect information from the compromised system. Digital evidence is found on computer networks, on the Internet, at the transport and network layers, and on the data-link and physical layers.
 
Preserving Evidence
 
The electronic evidence must be appropriately preserved.  Some ways include an electronic data audit, treating the electronic data appropriately after obtaining it, preserving the chain of custody, and authenticating it. One should use well known, reliable software and methods to work with the data, record all that the experts find, ensure the electronic evidence is not altered, or destroyed, write-protect and copy all of the efiles, scan for viruses, accurately date, time and place other authenticating stamps on the data, and search, organize and evaluate the results obtained through the discovery.
 
Web sites traditionally are considered untrustworthy because data changes frequently and at times can be changed by numerous people.  Consequently, authenticating the web site takes special skill and effort to establish its accuracy, whereas authenticating electronic mail is simpler because the e-mail was sent from a particular e-mail address.
 
Using Electronic Evidence
 
The electronic evidence must be used by adhering to Federal or Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence.  Although some similarities exist between paper and electronic company documents, and the use of experts, unique circumstances arise with electronic evidence.
 
Dorothy M. Bollinger is an Internet, computer and information technology attorney at the law firm of Fox Rothschild O'Brien and Frankel.  She also teaches cyber law and policy at Temple University's Beasley School of Law.  She can be reached at 215-661-9419 or dbollinger@frof.com

Is Your Computer REALLY Safe from Electrical Surges?
By Paul Galloway
 
How safe is your computer data from electrical surges?
 
Considering all the time, work, and future business represented by this data, the lackadaisical attitude most people have about protecting it simply astounds me!
 
A little preventative action on your part can mean the difference between a bit of inconvenience and a catastrophic loss.
 
Chances are you're already familiar with surge suppressors. You simply plug your computer into a power strip containing surge-suppression circuitry, then plug the power strip into your AC outlet -- in the case of a power surge on your AC line, the surge suppression circuitry should redirect the high-current away from your computer.
 
That's the theory, anyway.
 
The 'hard reality' is most surge suppressors are based on a 'sacrificial' component called an 'MOV' (metal oxide varistor). There are two problems with surge suppressors based on this technology:
 
1. With each electrical jolt received by an MOV, it loses some of its ability to function properly -- eventually it stops functioning altogether, leaving your sensitive computer equipment completely unprotected.
 
2. These MOVs are generally employed to divert surge current to 'ground'. But current doesn't stop flowing there. This surge current travels through the computer chassis, and up through the 'ground reference' lines in your computer's motherboard and other circuitry, through the data ports, etc.
 
So all the surge suppressor does is prevent the surge from traveling over the 'hot' voltage line. The surge still gets to your computer circuitry, just via a different path.
 
It may interest you to know these surges, even if too small to cause any immediate damage to your system, can affect the data on your computer's data lines -- leading to incorrect data, decreased performance, and computer 'lock ups' requiring you to reboot your machine. (Arrrggg!)
 
By the way, don't be fooled by the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) listing on your surge suppressor. It most likely states 'UL Listed' or 'UL 1449'. However, UL standards are primarily safety standards, not performance standards.
 
Your equipment should be UL 1449 listed, because that's a good assurance it won't cause a fire -- but it's not an assurance the device will adequately protect your equipment.
 
So what are you to do? Look for a surge protector with a 'UL 1449 Adjunct Certified Grade A Class 1 Mode 1' rating. Unlike the standard UL 1449 test, the Adjunct test is an endurance test.
 
Here are two companies who make surge suppressors complying with the above requirements (they call them 'series mode' suppressors):
 
Brick Wall: http://www.brickwall.com
SurgeX: http://www.surgex.com
 
SurgeX doesn't sell directly to end-users, but you can purchase their surge suppression equipment online at this site:
 
http://www.systemsstore.com
 
I don't believe there's any significant difference in the protection supplied by either company -- both meet the requirements stated above.
 
These devices cost more than the MOV-technology, but if you're leaning towards staying with the cheapie, I feel I should ask you in my best 'Dirty Harry' impression, 'Do you feel lucky?' -- think about it!
 
Paul Galloway is an Internet Marketing Technology consultant and the author of 'The Business Owner's Toolchest'.

He also publishes a free eZine, 'BizTools Brief' ( sign up at http://biztoolsbrief.com ) and develops custom internet marketing software solutions.
 
Other sites:     
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