That Girl's Blog

I'm a PC, but trying a Mac

2008-11-02T07:32:00.001-06:00

Have you seen those commercials? "I'm a PC" from Microsoft? Their advertising trick to get more people into PC's rather than Mac's? Moving people over from one system to another is not that easy, and I'm proof.

Last spring while I was doing mad networking and events, I was asked over and over if I "supported Mac's"...and I do, I just didn't have current experience. I started out on Mac's in 1996, but left once my computer lab at Winona State moved to a PC geared lab. In April of last spring, I bought a MacBook because I didn't want to start losing potential clients, I needed to be able to support both systems.

I have to admit, I've had a hard time getting used to the Mac. For the first months, it was rarely booted up. I set up my email and played with Safari a bit, but didn't do much else. In August of 2008, I moved my home based office to a professional building near downtown and made the decision to take all my PC's to the office and only use the Mac at home. I worried that I wasted $1300 on the Mac!

3 months later, I'm finally used to the Mac, the tools and how it "works". Everyone says using a Mac is so easy, but it's not that easy if your stubborn and don't want to learn it. As well, it's probably easier for someone who is new to computing.

In my troubleshooting visits, I get asked quite often "Should I switch to a Mac, I hear they are so reliable"...and my answer is this "That's what I hear too. They are pretty expensive in comparison to a $400 PC".

According to my Google Analytics site, here is the operating system run down.

Windows 78.29%

Macintosh 21.01%

Linux 0.42%

iphone 0.28%

Wow, the iphone made it as an OS! LOL....that cracks me up, but nonetheless, it has to be considered in today's fast and getting faster world of technology.

To close, I have been taking Mac calls for a few months now and almost all of the issues I deal with are still application related and I can support any application, so it's worked for me. For those that are considering switching over, I highly recommend that you buy all the software you will need to make the transition more smooth.

Today I am installing a new printer. We'll see how that goes. The last one I installed had driver complications and I gave up on trying to fix it LOL.

Free online back up program

2008-09-10T08:47:00.001-05:00

2 gigs of online backup for FREE!
Today we will talk about backing up your data online through a website called "Mozy". I use it every day and just love how easy it is!

In this issue...
Why back up online?
How do I do it?
How to earn free space

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Why back up online?

Many of us, including me...keep the external hard drive right next to the desktop pc. Is that really the best way to back up your data? It's the way many of us are used to doing it. What if your house was in a fire?...that external hard drive would burn if your computer burned now wouldn't it? And if you had a break-in and someone stole your computer, wouldn't they take your external hard drive too? It's probably connected!
A solution I am offering you folks today is to use Mozy. It's a very simple software tool that uploads your information to their servers right over your internet connection. No hardware necessary!
They offer 2 gigs for free; if you need more space they offer yearly packages for under $60 a year.
My Mozy uploads slick and I can't even tell it's doing a backup to the internet.
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How do I do it?

Click on this link...

www.mozy.com
Go to the bottom of the page and click on "2gig backup free"

Register for an account. Next page, complete the survey. You will receive an email with instructions on how to install the software.
Once it's installed, you will be able to easily select the files you want to back up; Mozy will help and do a search for you too to find the most common files.
Just a reminder, please reset the scheduled back up time to another time other than the standard "12:00 am" as so many people are doing it at that time, I would select "2:00 am" or later.
Mozy's free 2gig back up does not allow phone support, only email and live chat, so if you have an issue, don't call.

Taken from their website:
1. Sign up for an account.
Create a MozyHome user account which will allow you to download MozyHome software. Its quick, easy and our step-by-step instructions will guide you through the process.
2. Download and install software.
MozyHome downloads in just seconds, and the installation is simple and fast.
3. Select files to be backed up.
Simply check the boxes next to the backup sets, or types of files you want to back up, and MozyHome does the rest. In addition to selecting files by backup sets, you also have the option of selecting specific files and directories.
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How to earn free space

If you are considering signing up for Mozy's 2 gig free deal, you can put in my referral code and earn 256mb free for yourself as well, I earn 256mg for free.

My code is BZ3DLB

Or click on my referral link here

https://mozy.com/?ref=BZ3DLB

Happy backing up!

Shortcuts that can save the day!

2008-08-08T10:33:00.001-05:00

Friday's Tips and Tricks!
Shortcuts that can save the day!

August 7th, 2008

Welcome to Friday's Tips and Tricks! Most Friday's I will send out a short note, reviewing things that are important for you to know. Reminder...if you would like to unsubscribe, there is a link at the bottom to do that.

Today we will talk about some keyboard shortcuts to use in your everyday computing and some may save the day!

NOTE: Everyone uses their computer "their own way". You may not use these tips and tricks and you may already use them, either way...good things to be aware of. Please send any other tricks to Lisa@callthatgirl.biz for future tips and tricks.

In this issue...
Where did my work go?
My computer froze
My emails won't send!

Where did my work go?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Admit it... You're a multi-tasker and just work too darn hard, and sometimes have too many things going on. Help! I lost what I was working on!

Press on the "alt" key and the "tab" key at same time. You will notice little boxes pop up. That window shows you everything you currently have open on your computer. Continue to click the tab key and it will scroll from application to application. This is a good trick especially if your mouse is frozen and you need to save some work.

My computer froze!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometimes an application can freeze and you can't do anything...

Start with the "alt + tab" trick, find your work that needs to be saved, then hit "Ctrl + S", it will bring up a "save as" box.

If this fails, I recommend just leaving your computer for a few minutes and let it settle down. Sometimes we work too hard and the computer/application can get "confused". Letting it rest awhile, will give the application time to figure itself out. And clicking-clicking-clicking trying to get it to work, only confuses it more.
My emails won't send!
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FOR OUTLOOK USERS
You accidently sent out a HUGE email. I'm not talking a 4mb size, I'm talking about a 24 mb size email. It's sitting in your outbox and your other emails you're trying to send out are piling up. How to resolve that yourself...

Go to the email that is sitting idle and click on it. Next hit your "shift + delete" key at the same time. This should purge the email from the outbox. If not...
Try "file" at the top of your Outlook, select "work offline". Close Outlook. Open again and try the trick again, "shift + delete". A very large email may take some time to delete. Remember to put your Outlook back online once you have deleted the email.

Call That Girl!
www.callthatgirl.biz
Info@callthatgirl.biz
612-865-4475

Tips about buying a new computer

2008-07-25T18:10:00.002-05:00

Friday's Tips and Tricks!
Things you need to know
July 25, 2008
Welcome to Friday's Tips and Tricks! Every Friday I will send out a short note, reviewing things that are important for you to know. Reminder...if you would like to unsubscribe, there is a link at the bottom to do that.

In this issue

How long does a computer last?
-----------------------------

As long as you take care of your computer, it can last well over 10 years. Some computers do have major malfunctions though and they're just not worth repairing. Can you prevent that? Not in every case. I have gone to a client's house who has a Windows 98 machine, almost 10 years old, still running just fine. The user only needed a few slight problems fixed.

What I normally tell folks is this...once a computer starts to get over 5 years old, start saving to buy a new one. Replacing the hardware that fails can cost almost $300 with parts and labor. With a repair bill that big, it's not worth replacing it when some new computers are $300!
What can you do to keep your computer around a bit longer?
Turn it off at night
Keep your Windows updates current
Install an Antivirus program
Move your music to an external hard drive
NOTE....Laptops seem to have a shorter life span than a desktop computer.

How much should you spend?
-------------------------------
Do you have an IT Budget? We discussed this a few Tips and Tricks ago....

Computers can range from $300-2500 for the same type of system, with just a few hardware changes. Do you need to spend $2500 on a new computer?

If you are a basic user, a $300-$500 desktop computer should work just fine for you. It will come with all the basic hardware and you should not need to upgrade much. If anything, you may want to upgrade the memory. For the laptop user, basic laptops are selling for under $500 at many big box shops.

NOTE: If you have special needs for your programs, then you may need to spend more money on a higher-end model computer.

What's the deal with Vista?
----------------------------

Many of my clients have been in need of an upgrade of their systems and I can't tell you how many say, "I have heard to stay away from Vista".

So what is the deal with Vista? Vista is the operating system that you will need to use if you're buying a new computer. It has a different look and feel than other systems and it takes some learning to figure it out, but it's not that different and it's more stable than it was last year. The biggest issues people are having with Vista are that it doesn't work well in a corporate environment. For the home user, it should work just fine. You may experience some problems with...

1.) Your printer isn't compatible anymore (if you have a really old one)
2.) You don't know how to use it (because of look and feel changes)
3.) Slowness (this can be changed by adding more memory)
4.) Old programs that worked on your XP computer won't install on Vista (You will need to buy a new version or call the manufacturer and see if they have an update for Vista)

Does Call That Girl recommend using Vista? We sure do! I have been using it since January 2007 and really haven't had any issues with it. We also offer "Vista Tweak" sessions on how to use it better to fit your needs. For what it's worth, about half my client base has Vista and no one has downgraded back to XP yet!

Spyware! Things you should know

2008-07-22T09:13:00.001-05:00

Friday's Tips and Tricks!
Today's topic: *Spyware*
WARNING!!! This week's newsletter is kinda lengthy!

July 18th, 2008

Welcome to Friday's Tips and Tricks! Every Friday I will send out a short note, reviewing things that are important for you to know. Reminder...if you would like to unsubscribe, there is a link at the bottom to do that.

Spyware!

What is it?

How you get it?

What does it do?

How to avoid it!

What is spyware?
Simple explanation: Spyware is a "spy program" that is downloaded/installed and infects your computer. It's usually a very small program that is hard to detect without running spyware cleaning programs.

How did you get it?
For the most part...
-You downloaded a program from the internet using Internet Explorer such as games, coupon specials, or you...
-clicked on a pop up window (like the one below) -didn't close the window properly
-installed a smiley toolbar for your email program
-installed a "spyware program" that was meant to prevent spyware

The image below is an example of how spyware attempts to get you to download their "tools"

What does it do?
--Sometimes it tracks your websites
--Sometimes it collects personal information
--Sometimes it adds a toolbar to your Internet Explorer browser
--Sometimes it can infect your computer with spyware viruses
--Sometimes it can take over your entire computer settings so you can't do anything or change any settings.
--Sometimes it installs a re-director on your Internet Explorer window so it will never go to your home page. It takes you to as foreign website or a web ad site.
--Sometimes it does something I've never seen before! Spyware is sneaky!

NOTE: I use the word "Sometimes" in these scenarios because spyware is now worse than just regular viruses that people used to worry about. Spyware comes from the internet so it's even harder to figure how you got it exactly. Unlike the old days when you remember exactly what email caused you to start noticing a virus infection.

How to avoid getting it
-When you get a pop up window like the one above, do not click on any of the options, and try to close the window with the X in the right corner.

-If that fails you, try to close all your internet windows.

-If that fails you, right click on your task bar on the bottom of your screen and find "task manager" and then you will see this window...click on the Big E (Internet Explorer) and then click on the bottom of the screen "end task" and stop all the internet windows.

-You can also avoid getting spyware problems by not downloading anymore free games, coupons buddies programs, smiley programs, etc.

-You can also avoid spyware by using another internet browser other than Internet Explorer. You can use Firefox, Opera, etc. There are quite a few out there now to select from.

How to remove spyware
-There are many ways to remove Spyware. The big fixes are to run spyware cleaners, but there are also many things you need to check on the computer besides running a cleaner. I can't tell you how many people have told me, "I ran the cleaner". There are many "fake cleaners" out there that actually can infect your system worse.

NOTE: Some spyware companies are having you pay for a download to clean the virus. From what I have seen, these are HOAXES. They usually run $30 or so and do not clean/remove the spyware.

Call That Girl for a phone support/Home visit. Until July 31st, we will be offering a phone support special for $45 for an hour. During this support chat, we will install a well known spyware cleaning program and do a 15 point checklist for checking your computer and talk you through how to maintain your system.

Got a questionfor Call That Girl?
Call That Girl can give tips and tricks til the cows come home, but what are you interested in reading up on? Send Questions to info@callthatgirl.biz and have your question answered in the next newsletter.

Stay tuned for next week's Tips and Tricks....Purchasing your next computer
Call That Girl!

www.callthatgirl.biz
info@callthatgirl.biz
612-865-4475

Thursday, pretty boring

2008-07-03T09:45:00.002-05:00

It's 9:45 am, just got done walking my dog. It's been a slower week for CTG. Holiday week, and people don't want to deal with anything. I don't either to be honest LOL. I am doing a lot of catch up stuff as I had 2 pretty big expo's in the last 2 weeks.

Today so far, I've...
~done some banking
~cleaned up my email
~updated my linkedin profile
~cleaned up my office a bit

Not too exciting today.

I have a client at noon, then off to run errands and help my friend's girl move out of her apt. Yes, I am a good friend! Tonight I will probably go to the grocery store, dog park and get some cat food. I lead a thrilling and exciting life here in South Mpls!

It's 8:15 am, what I've done today so far

2008-07-02T08:17:00.002-05:00

Life of an entrepreneur. In case you've ever wondered how a start up keeps busy, here is what I've done so far today. Since 5:30 actually. I normally am not up at 5:30, but I couldn't get back to sleep so I started to work.

~invoiced a client for $300
~emailed a group of women for a new marketing venture
~created a promo piece for a TV show
~sent out a constant contact to a group I met at the Gay Pride over the weekend
~created a marketing sheet for referrals
~sent out an invitation to my Yahoo group to a Single Entrepreneur meeting
~invited a few folks to my Linkedin
~sent out a receipt to a client for services repaired yesterday
~updated my client/expenses worksheets
~created a test account for remote assistance
~fixed my rate chart and bio for website, emailed webmaster
~finally...decided to blog again.

I am sending out weekly tips and tricks via constant contact, so I think I will just use this blog as a daily update on my crazy solo venture life I have going on.

Now I am going to clean my house. I just had 2 expo's in the past 2 weekends and my house is TRASHED!! I will clean until 10:00, then walk Frankie and go to SA. My intern is coming over at 11:00 and I have to call a client to pick up a computer, schedule a social hour, complain to Sears about my mattress. Intern is here all afternoon, then I have a client at 4:15, happy hour at 5:30.

Work day done.

Cleaning up your software

2008-03-31T10:20:00.002-05:00

Just as a tip...when I clean a computer, the first thing I do is go to the Control Panel and hit "add/remove" programs (for XP users that is).

I generally do a quick scan and see what looks like it should be there and what should not be there.

What should be there? Programs you have paid for or knowingly downloaded.

What shouldn't be there? Spyware programs!

You can easily tell a spyware program by 2 things.
1.) the word "search" is in the name of the program
2.) the program is very small in size (under 1 mb usually)

If you want to delete those little buggers, you can. Just a reminder that sometimes a removal of those spyware will take you to an internet site and require a download of a tool to uninstall it. Generally that is the safest way to go, follow the spyware instructions. Back in the day it was hard to remove the spyware, but today it's a big easier.

Sometimes the computer will require a reboot after removing. Make sure you watch for that window or option in a window because you may want to wait to reboot until you are done.

TIP...many "coupon" saving websites will download a tool, so if you're a coupon maniac, you may want to remember that those coupons you are cyber clipping is maybe adding spyware. Most people hate it when I remove that coupon tool, but it's really best for your computer.

If you have any questions about removing software, please feel free to email info@callthatgirl.biz or call for a quick free consultation. 612-865-4475

Free "Office" type program available!

2008-03-11T07:14:00.001-05:00

Microsoft Office is a pretty big chunk of change for a word formatting and spreadsheet right? It's $149 at my local computer store.

Or would you rather have a generic version for free? It also saves as "word 97-2003" so you can always make sure your friends and colleagues get a version you send that does open.

http://www.openoffice.org/

Open Office offers word documenting , spreadsheet, presentation, draw, database and a math program. You can also open other "Word documents" in Open Office Writer and save back and forth.

-Free-Looks and feels like Microsoft Word
-Opens Microsoft Word documents
-Creates PDF's without a writer
-Compatible on XP and Vista

It's a fairly easy installation, of course...call or ask me any questions!

Have a great Tuesday!

Lisa

The dirty work

2008-03-05T07:06:00.001-06:00

Yes folks, you have to clean inside your computer (not if you have a laptop, but we'll touch on that later).

Clean inside my computer????

Yes, I said it! Do you know what the inside of your computer looks like? It's a metal box with parts all over it connected by a huge board called "the motherboard" or (fatherboard as the ladies like to call it).

If you are interested in seeing what's going on and how many dust balls are in that box, let's take off the cover or "shell" as geeks call it and find out! (reminder...if you have pets, expect A LOT of dust and fur!)

1.) Unplug all cords! This machine must not be connected to any power.

The cover will come off easy if you have a Dell.
The cover will be probably harder if you have another model.

Usually there are clips on the Dells that snap and you slide off half the case, it's not just as simple as opening a box, but it will slide open.

For other models, you may have to unscrew some of the exterior screws. Sometimes half the cover comes off, other times the whole thing will come off and there you will be seeing your computer naked!

Most people I have seen clean out their computer, just get a vacuum and suck all the dust balls out. (even I do that usually...) But...there are some concerns with that. Electric static can zap your computer and fry some of the pieces. So for you "Average Jane"...I just recommend just hand grabbing all the big pieces. Then after you have them picked out, just grab a paper towel and start wiping the rest out. You will especially want to get the back area where the power fan is, and where you plug in your internet cords, monitor, etc. Those are very dusty! (as they are so close to the fur and dust in your house).

After you find it all clean and good to go, put the cover back on and plug it all back in. Your computer will not run faster or better, but I have seen some really scary fur balls in one of my computers and I feared fur fire LOL. Never know....it was a huge furball.

LAPTOP USERS

Nope, you can't just take it all apart and dust it out...but you can clean the keyboard and I do recommend that. Why? Because the keyboard is a part of the "machine" unlike a regular computer that has it detached. Keeping your keyboard clean will help keep your laptop working especially after warranty. Just get a can of dust air and give it a good "spraying down" and then check for huge crumbs and what not. A cookie crumb can cause a key to stick and give you hours of drama....so just check that out on occasion and you'll be in great shape!

If you have any questions about this or want Call That Girl to do a regular computer cleaning and show you how to dust out your computer, call 612-865-4475 for an appt.

Enjoy your Wed!

Lisa

Backing up your stuff! It's easy!

2008-02-21T08:05:00.000-06:00

So many of you out there have told me shyly..."nope, I never back up my data"

Well, it's pretty easy these days, not that it was ever that hard, but it can be confusing. What do you back up? What is that important that if your computer crashed, you will be crying for days over it being lost?

Pictures? Family, friends, travels??? Yep, those are VERY important! Most people never back up those pictures.

Music? Yeah, all those hours of downloading your cd's to the computer would be gone too.

Word, Excel, Quicken and your email? Your emails may be the most important, but anything you have saved in Word, Excel, would be gone.

How do you back this up easily?

First thing I would do is purchase an external hard drive. I bought a 250 gig hard drive for $85. You probably don't need 250 gig, but you may...it can depend on how many pictures and music you have on your hard drive.

But for safety sake, I can say that 250 gig is all you may need. I can assist you on figuring out if you need more.

Second thing you do, is install the hard drive. It's usually as easy as just plugging in the cord to the computer, but each hard drive has a set of instructions.

Third thing, figure out where all your stuff is on your computer. Many people just keep it all in the "my documents" folder. I tend to be a bit more scattered and have my own way of managing files, but either way...you know where your stuff is right?

Go find that stuff, right click on it and make a copy.
Then go to the new external hard drive in the "my computer" window and right click "paste"

It's really that easy. If you need more assistance, please feel free to call me for a consultation. Backing up your stuff can be easy and you should do it!

When they say "it's your hard drive"

2008-02-14T09:43:00.000-06:00

So you get the "blue screen" or "blue screen of death"...what do you do now?

If you call someone, you may get this answer, "It's your hard drive"

Or is it...

I've troubleshooted many of these errors. Sometimes simple troubleshooting is all you need to do.

First I would start by turning off your computer.
Then unplug all your cords including monitor
Let the computer sit for 20 minutes

After 20 minutes, only plug in the ac/dc for the computer and monitor and turn it back on.

If it turns on and goes to the Windows start up screen, you may have a bad keyboard, mouse or USB external port issue.

Once it comes back on, if all seems ok...turn it back off.

Plug back in the keyboard and mouse. Turn it on again.

If it blue screens, it's more than likely your mouse or USB port. If the end of your mouse has a circular end, it's probably not the issue. If it has a 1/2" thin metal end, it's a USB mouse and could be the issue. Try another mouse if you have one.

If your computer turns on fine again, then test your USB plug-ins. (camera, webcam, printer, etc)

If then all seems ok, go in and back up your information/data right away.

Again....if anything at this point fails, it could be a hard drive issue. I don't always think it's a bad drive if it blue screens. Sometimes your computer just has a bump in the road and needs to be "reset". The troubleshooting tricks above often help figure out what may be causing the issue.

USB ports can fail if you plug in a camera or another "external device" meaning...printers, cameras, webcams, etc.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. 612-865-4475

Defragging and what it really means

2008-02-11T17:24:00.000-06:00

Many of my clients will call and say "I defragged, but it isn't faster"...

Defragmenting a computer or "defragging" will not speed up your computer. I think it's an old wives tale that comes from years ago when it probably did help the computer. But in these days, a computer running slow can be from many other issues.

What does "defrag" mean?

Simply put...
It means to clean up the fragmented parts of the hard drive (fragment means scattered bits that need to be put back into place that have been moved caused by uninstallation of programs or just Windows installation issues).

If you defrag, your computer will run more efficiently, but not necessarily faster.

*For a faster machine, you can have a computer cleaning done by Call That Girl. Charges run about an hour for this service.

*You may also need to add more memory. Especially if you are running alot of programs at once.

*As well...your hard drive may be getting close to full. With music and game downloading so popular now, it's not hard to get your hard drive to max capacity.

Buying an external hard drive for the music is a great idea! (and you can back up your data there too!)

For a consultation about your hard drive, computer cleaning or anything else in regards to defragging, please contact me at info@callthatgirl.biz.

Thanks for Bloggin with That Girl!

:)

Do you own your own business?

2008-02-09T11:27:00.000-06:00

Women working out of their homes on their own home based business, is BIG business! Many of my clients are just that...owners of home based businesses.

Are you taking full advantage of the technical needs to help your work day be much more at ease? Do you have an IT person to rely on for your technical questions?

Yes, even as a home based business, you do need to have an IT budget. You do use a computer and will have technical needs at some point. IT support is essential to keeping your business running smoothly.

Call That Girl offers a bit more "assistance" to the home based business owners than just technical support. I can also assist you with technical gadgets...

Do you have a smartphone? (Treo or Blackberry)
Do you have a business contact manager program? (Outlook?)
Are you Linkedin? (www.linkedin.com)
Do you use email marketing? (Icontact or constant contact)
How many databases do you use for keeping track of your clients and contacts?

Now you may ask...why would I need a smartphone? Do you travel to clients homes and need address/contacts/email with you on the go? Did you know you can download the map to a clients house and view it on your smartphone? I use those tools everyday when I have a home visit. It's great to know that I have the info as close as my phone and do not need to boot up my laptop or constantly print all the information out.

Call That Girl today for a free phone consultation and let me help you get more out of your business day.

612-865-4475

Laptop vs. Desktop computer

2008-02-07T07:58:00.000-06:00

So you're looking to buy a new computer, but unsure which to buy?

Laptop vs. Desktop computer

They used to say, the laptop was only good for those that travel, but those days are long gone! Welcome to the new world of "in house" traveling!

Now you can take the computer to your kitchen, deck, bedroom and basement! No more sitting at the computer desk.

My recommendation? You will need to purchase a wireless router. The Linksys or Belkins seem to be the most popular.

What kind of laptop should you buy? Any basic laptop these days has wireless capabilities and if you are a basic user, there is no need to spend $1200 anymore. I am recommending to users buying a 2nd computer to look at the Acer. The lowest end model is running around $400 at Microcenter (with about $30 in memory upgrade needed to run Vista)...a deal you really can't beat!

For more information on buying a 2nd computer and wireless set up, contact me at info@callthatgirl.biz or call for a consultation. 612-865-4475

Vista? Should I downgrade to XP?

2008-02-06T09:40:00.000-06:00

Many of my clients have purchased new laptops that has Vista preloaded on it. Many of you have software that is not up to speed with Vista. Should you downgrade or try to get your software up to speed?

Here are my thoughts...
I have been using Vista since last January. Yes, Vista is buggy and does things that really bother me. I am also a technician and can fix my own problems (and enjoy trying to fix those problems:). You the customer...can usually only get so far until you decide it's not worth using Vista.

First thing you may want to consider is making a list of problems are you experiencing since the upgrade to Vista. Some problems are just "configuration issues" that I can assist with. Some problems are seriously the Vista operating system and you may need to go back to XP if your work depends on it.

Second thing is check to make sure that your software is Vista ready. Even though it installs (usually you will get an error during installation that tells you if it's not Vista ready) it may need to be updated on the company website. Check with the software company website and verify. You also may need what is called "a patch" to make it work on Vista. You can also google the issue and see if others on the net are experiencing the same issues.

Third thing is Call That Girl (612-865-4475) for a phone consultation. I do offer short conversations for free to give you an idea if you should consider staying on Vista or downgrading back to XP. If a home visit is required, we can discuss that. I can also assist via the phone if need be.

Please post comments or questions about Vista! thanks and...

Have a good Wed!

Lisa

Busy Monday!

2008-02-04T09:42:00.000-06:00

Hello to all my new blog readers!

I sent out an "Icontact" message to many of my Women Expo visitors this morning. I am excited to start blogging and giving out as much information as I can in regards to computing and internet. Please do not hesitate to ask questions!

Today has been a busy day for me, I did some work on my icontact newsletter and started up a Linkedin women's group (Women in Computing). As well, getting ready to run a few errands later and it's SNOWING! YAY! I love the snow so much. I don't like the bitter cold (like the cold weekend of the expo....that was really cold!).

Happy Monday to you all, enjoy your week.

Lisa

MyKids and MySpace

2008-02-02T07:22:00.000-06:00

Myspace and Mykids

Do you know what your kids are up to online? Many parents today let their children have free reign on the computer and the internet. I know it’s very hard to watch your kids every minute they are online, but there are things you can do to keep them safe!

Have an in home internet safety course given by Call That Girl.

We will review personal information issues
We will review how much time children are online
We will set up chat sessions reviews
We will review websites they have been to
We will do an internet search for information that may have been given out already
We will remove their administrative rights from the computer
We will create a family myspace page and add your children’s pages to the family page
Instruction on how to use myspace and facebook in age appropriate manners
How to avoid downloading games that bring spyware
How loading the computer with spy ware can be unsafe for you and your family

…And most important to you and the family budget, a computer loaded with downloaded games and spyware can slow down your internet connection, and require a cleaning more often than necessary.

Most kids today are using myspace.com and facebook.com regularly. Many children are “safe” users and know not to give out personal information, but many kids are posting VERY personal information and photos. This information should not be given out. Children sometimes don’t know what they are doing and how it can affect not only them, but their friends and families.

We have all heard the stories about information on the internet coming to haunt folks in real life.

The internet is real life! Protect your family now!

My first "blog"

2008-02-02T07:13:00.000-06:00

As I've been spending the last 5 months starting up my business full-time, I have been told many times over to blog. I kinda winced and said "I hate reading blogs". Blogging was the last thing I really wanted to do.

Then...a business associate told me that he blogs and he said it was a good advertising technique, so here that girl blogs now.

Stay tuned for more fun blogs to come!

Lisa

A bit about "Call That Girl"

2008-02-02T07:06:00.000-06:00

Bio sheet!

Call That Girl (CTG) is owned and operated by Lisa Hendrickson, and around the metro area Lisa is affectionately referred to as "the IT girl" or "that computer girl", hence the snappy website: www.callthatgirl.biz . Given that Information Technology is a male-dominated industry, Lisa and Call That Girl offers a new approach to everyday computer woes.

CTG originated in Minneapolis, 2003 as an at home computer repair company focused on supporting women users. CTG was a sole proprietorship in the summer of 2004, and while working at the Mayo Clinic, Lisa found that physicians also needed her computer expertise in their home offices. Lisa has been working ever since supporting a variety of industries, including: Universities, Military Networks, and Research and Development, but she has never forgotten the Call
That Girl dream. Lisa and CTG aspire to support women and home based businesses on a level that far exceeds the competition, never compromising value and repair.

"I love troubleshooting and helping the customer. I will only work in positions where customer focus is #1. I also believe that teaching is a certain aspect of computer repair. Clients need to be informed of not only their choices of service but to learn how they can avoid repeat calls for future repair", states Hendrickson.

Running CTG is an around the clock job, but Lisa still enjoys non- technical hobbies such as vintage shopping and collecting, traveling and shooting pool. She also volunteers at Resource INC, a community support service for those coming out of drug rehabilitation, welfare and veteran status. In addition, Lisa works to provide technical advisement for children's health organization, Camp Get-A-Well-A.

Her goals for herself reflect her efforts at CTG, to make a difference in people's lives and to help others while sharing her talents and passion.