Sample Issue of
MICE™ Business Monthly

Welcome to the first issue of the MICE Business Monthly!

We hope that you will provide us feedback about special topics you'd like to see in the newsletter.

We are going to provide you with well-rounded topics for employers as well as employees.

This month, we will be covering the topic of Productivity as it relates to Computer Multi-tasking.

We approach the subject from what we believe is an interesting viewpoint. Are computers really helping business improve productivity? If not, why?

In all of our highlights, we will give you additional links that will allow you to follow-up further on your own.

If your business is considering upgrading to Windows XP, we highly recommend reading the article under the Security Headlines for Business called, "Microsoft Laughs Off Security".

Our clients already know where we stand on this issue; if they upgrade, they do so at their own risk and without our support!

Let us know what you think about this newsletter and what you want to see included!

Until next time, "Happy Computing!"

And remember, "The early bird catches the worm,
             but the second mouse always gets the cheese!

The Editors

The topic of productivity is rather untimely now. As anyone in business today knows, productivity rates for the US declined significantly since the September 11th attacks.

(I don't know about the European countries as I haven't looked at their statistics lately. However, since our newsletter is viewed in 39 countries, maybe some of our friends overseas can fill me in on your country's productivity?)

So how can we really look at productivity in light of this? Well, computers were introduced long before September 11, 2001. So all we need do is take a small step back in time and look at some statistics from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics on the subject.

According to data posted on their web site at bls.gov:

"Productivity increased 4.3 percent in the nonfarm business sector during 2000, more than in any year since 1983, when output per hour increased 4.5 percent. Productivity rose rapidly in 2000 because output grew 5.7 percent while hours of all persons rose just 1.3 percent. In 1999, productivity rose 2.6 percent as output grew 4.8 percent and hours of all persons rose 2.2 percent."

At first glance these statistics look rather favorable for technology. Output increased 5.7%! Wow!

However, look at the hourly increase of 1.3% to produce that increase.

If technology were truly doing what it is supposed to be doing, (making us work smarter not harder) why isn't productivity going up and hours staying stable or even declining?

There is favorable indication that perhaps people are starting to use technology more. The fact that in 1999, productivity rose 2.6%, output grew 4.8% and hours rose 2.2%. At least in 2000 we have a 4.3% rise in productivity with output growing 5.7% and the hours only rising to 1.3%.

I should also point out that these figures do not include manufacturing.

But are we using technology to our best advantage in business? I don't think so.

Many of our clients are experiencing severe frustration because as they grow dependent upon computers, they start multi-tasking.

They will have their Outlook or Outlook Express minimized on the taskbar so they can be alerted to new incoming mail, the AntiVirus is running, a Word Document is open with a report they are working on, that is connected to the charts and graphs in PowerPoint and Excel (which are also open on the desktop).

Now they hop on the Internet to grab a statistic and their system locks up. What happened?

All that productivity is a wash because now they have to reboot and lose some of the last changes they made and didn't save, plus the loss of time to reboot the computer and reopen applications, and the list goes on.

You know the scenario. I'm sure you've been through it yourself. So what's the solution?

When multi-tasking, many users do not take into account the capabilities of their PC. The biggest problems are with laptop users who attempt to use their portable computer with the same verve that they use a desktop PC.

Memory, speed of the processor, and bus speed of the motherboard all need to be factored into the equation.

Many computer users in business do not have the minimum memory installed to run Windows let alone multi-task. While Microsoft suggests 64 meg RAM as the minimum to run Windows 98 SE, it's hardly enough to keep the program kicking.

Older processors slow down the process of multi-tasking even more. You may have the latest and greatest software but if your processor can only move data through at its top speed, that's as fast as its going.

The sad part is that all of this could be improved. If your company can't or won't pay for newer machines, then increase your memory to the maximum the motherboard will hold. Prices on memory have decreased considerably.

Check to see if you can upgrade to a faster processor which is not as expensive as a completely new system. A faster processor on an older machine is now reasonable in price because the newer motherboards won't support them.

And above all else, when it does come time to upgrade to a better PC, don't buy retail, "off the shelf". Those products are made for "average" home users. Your business needs are not average, nor are they the same as what you use for home. Get a unit that will support the work load you need.

While newer laptops are fast and fully loaded, many times there are so many proprietary programs running in the background that are necessary to make the laptop function correctly (Gateway is notorious for this), that the capacity for multi-tasking is severely reduced. As the saying goes, "Don't send a boy to do a man's job." Which is exactly what you are doing when you expect a laptop to work like a desktop PC.

The most pathetic side to this scenario? Many business owners have better PC's at home than they do in their offices, yet they expect the office PC to do twice the work and faster.

Think about that the next time you see an employee rebooting or standing by the printer waiting for a document to print!

Next Issue: A brand comparison for Business PC's. Wondering if a Compaq is better than a Dell? What about the great Gateway Lifetime Support? Don't miss this next issue!

We've all been warned about possible new terrorist attacks. Do not rule out cyber attacks! Make sure your network is secure and back up information.

This article is the government statement about those warnings at ABC News*.

If you are involved in e-commerce, read this article about the four myths on on-line retailing on Zdnet Techupdate*.

As an employer, you may want to see some advice on how to keep your best employees. Check out this advice on ABC's Working Wounded*.

If you are an employee who's been a little edgy with recent job cuts, here's some good news for you. Unemployment Rate Lower*.

*All previous article links have been removed from online.

The hysterical news article of the month: Microsoft Focuses on Security!

If you want to read what they really think about security, read this: Microsoft Laughs Off XP Denial of Service Vulnerability

And to reinforce your position (or to get you to understand our position about why XP is bad for business) read: XP Software of Choice for Hackers!

On January 24, 2002, CERT issued an advisory about an AOL/ICQ vulnerability.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:
Buffer overflow in ICQ before 2001B Beta v5.18 Build #3659 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a Voice Video & Games request.

Further details at: Cert Advisories

And for a review and history on the destructive new MyPartyPictures virus: MyParty

Keep those antivirus definitions current!

If you are running PowerPoint 2002, this security patch needs to be downloaded here*.

* This link has been removed from online.

From:MoreFromRondout*

I am really surprised that this joke did not make its usual rounds on the Internet!

It had me laughing so hard I was in tears. It's called: "No Smoke"

After experiencing difficulties with his computer, a poor, incognizant user called the system maker's technical support line for assistance...

Technician: Hello. How can I help you today?
Customer: There's smoke coming from the power supply on my computer...
Technician: Looks like you need a new power supply...
Customer: No, I don't! I just need to change the start-up files...
Technician: Sir, what you described is a faulty power supply. You need to replace it...
Customer: No way! Someone told me that I just had to change the system start-up files to fix the problem! All I need is for you to tell me the right command...

For the next ten minutes, in spite of the technician's efforts to explain the problem and its solution, the customer adamantly insisted that he was right. So, in frustration, the technician responded...

Technician: I'm sorry. We don't normally tell our customers this, but there's an undocumented DOS command that will fix the problem...
Customer: I knew it!
Technician: Just add the line "LOAD NOSMOKE.COM" at the end of the CONFIG.SYS file and everything should work fine. Let me know how it goes...

About ten minutes later, the technician received a call back from the customer...

Customer: It didn't work. The power supply is still smoking...
Technician: Well, what version of DOS are you using?
Customer: MS-DOS 6.22...
Technician: Well, that's your problem. That version of DOS doesn't include NOSMOKE. You'll need to contact Microsoft and ask them for a patch. Let me know how it all works out...

When nearly an hour had passed, the phone rang again...

Customer: I need a new power supply...
Technician: How did you come to that conclusion?
Customer: Well, I called Microsoft and told the technician what you said, and he started asking me questions about the make of the power supply...
Technician: What did he tell you?
Customer: He said my power supply isn't compatible with NOSMOKE...

*Our dear friend Jay Driskell from MoreFromRondout passed away in 2007. He is deeply missed by millions of his readers as well as all of us at MICE Training & Technology.