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Ask the Propeller Heads
Dear Propeller Head: I own a small
business and am a little worried about misuse of the Internet
by my staff. It’s not that I suspect anything, I
am just afraid I might have my head in the sand on this
one. Should I be doing anything? – The Ostrich
Dear Ostrich: Yes, I think you should
do something. The bad news is that you face a couple of
potential threats. The good news is that you can mitigate
them significantly with just a little effort.
E-mails can get you into trouble. Your employees may be
using your e-mail domain to send things that could later
cause problems for you. Your e-mails may also have a larger
audience than you expect. Generally two things should
be done. First you need an Internet usage policy (more
on that later). Second, insist on a footer (signature)
on all e-mails that says something like this:
(This message, including any attachments, is intended
solely for the use of the named recipient(s) and may contain
confidential and/or privileged information. Any unauthorized
review; use, disclosure or distribution of this communications
is expressly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy
any and all copies of the original message.)
Your employee’s recreational use of the Internet
could get you into trouble because they may be doing things
for which your company could be liable or culpable. Your
employee’s use of client’s computer systems
could also get you into trouble. Generally, an Internet
usage policy can mitigate this threat also.
So, what is all of this talk about an Internet usage policy?
This is a statement that describes the terms under which
your employees can use your and your client’s computer
and Internet resources.
It basically says that the resources are for business
purposes, that they may be monitored, and that they understand
the risks if they fail to comply. This document should
be distributed at a staff meeting, added to you policy
manual, and your Intranet. A good place to start for a
model is: internet-policy.org
and itsecurity.com/papers/trinity11.htm.
Dear Propeller Head: I’m finally going
to take the plunge and get a digital camera. What features
should I look for in one? – Going Filmless
Dear Filmless: Welcome to the club! I just bought
one myself this past year and have been extremely pleased
with the results. But I have a better question for all
of us digital users out there: What is the best way to
share these electronic memories with family and friends?
Answer that one! I will make the assumption that
you are like me and that you are not a professional photographer.
That doesn’t mean you can criticize my work! But
what it does mean is that the only feature you should
concern yourself with is usability.
Worrying about features you’ve never heard of before
and are likely never going to use is a waste of time.
First thing I did while shopping was look for one intuitive
enough for me to use without looking at the manual every
other minute.
That means picking up each brand of camera in your eager
little hands and simply playing with it. See how easy
it is for you to do the things you are going to do frequently
like turning on or off the flash or reviewing photos.
Chances are that you’ll find one brand that you
really like. Then the choice is simple. Simply get the
best camera that you can afford (and don’t forget
the accessories!).
However, there are some other usability issues that you
shouldn’t forget about. These are the type of storage
the camera has and the type of battery. Make sure that
storage is cheap and it is easy to transfer your photos
to your computer. Then make sure the battery holds its
charge and is rechargeable. Seriously consider a 2nd
battery!
So, without mentioning a single technical detail, you
should be able to find a camera perfect for you. I impress
even myself sometimes.
