Saturday, March 22, 2008
Computer Scrapbooks
When digital cameras were first released on the market, everyone was excited. Finally, here was an easy way to take and store photos. No more would our closets be plagued with boxes and envelopes housing a hodgepodge of unorganized photographs. What we didn't realize was that soon, our computers would be filled with a hodgepodge of unorganized photographs.
The explosion of home computers and the Internet has led to an increased need for people to organize computer scrapbooks. It's easy to accumulate literally thousands of digital pictures, and it's just as easy to get them all mixed up. Try finding a favorite photo as you're scanning through a list of numbers and letters. Creating computer scrapbooks makes it quick and easy to locate the photographs, as soon as you want to see them.
When preparing your computer scrapbooks, the first step should always be renaming your photos. You should use file names that are easy to understand and organize, rather than keeping the default names set by your digital photography software. Anyone who has used a digital camera or camera phone knows just how hard it can be to decipher the file names, let alone selecting the photographs. Proper titles listed in computer scrapbooks make it easy to remember which pictures you have.
One key point to remember is that all of your computer scrapbook files will be sorted in alphabetical order. This can get confusing, particularly if you're naming pictures by date. Rather than call your photos 'January10', 'April21' etc, use the numerical format year, month and then day. Those same files will now be called 20050110Baby and 20050421Baby. In doing so, your computer will display them in the correct date order for you.
After your photo files have been renamed, you need to create folders to store the different types of photo files. Try organizing your computer scrapbooks by subject, theme or occasion. This will allow you to find your photos much easier later on. For example, create a folder called 'Baby Pictures' and save all of your baby photographs in that folder. By setting up and following a naming system, you'll soon have the most well organized computer scrapbooks around.
Whether or not you print your digital photos, always create backups of all your computer scrapbook files. There are many archiving programs that can be used to compress large files, enabling them to be stored on a CD or other removable disk. It is essential that you label your CDs to keep your computer scrapbook backups as organized as the originals. You can write the title on the CD itself, but you should also remember to alter the name of the CD as read by the computer. Most CD writing software automatically prompts you to give the CD a title, but check the instructions before you start the burning process so you, and your computer, will be able to clearly identify the CDs.
Digital cameras make it easy to take and save pictures. Computer scrapbooks make it easy to find the pictures anytime you're ready to take a trip down memory lane or share the digital images with your friends.
Barbara Miller writes for several popular web sites, including http://gemug.com and http://gymif.com.
The explosion of home computers and the Internet has led to an increased need for people to organize computer scrapbooks. It's easy to accumulate literally thousands of digital pictures, and it's just as easy to get them all mixed up. Try finding a favorite photo as you're scanning through a list of numbers and letters. Creating computer scrapbooks makes it quick and easy to locate the photographs, as soon as you want to see them.
When preparing your computer scrapbooks, the first step should always be renaming your photos. You should use file names that are easy to understand and organize, rather than keeping the default names set by your digital photography software. Anyone who has used a digital camera or camera phone knows just how hard it can be to decipher the file names, let alone selecting the photographs. Proper titles listed in computer scrapbooks make it easy to remember which pictures you have.
One key point to remember is that all of your computer scrapbook files will be sorted in alphabetical order. This can get confusing, particularly if you're naming pictures by date. Rather than call your photos 'January10', 'April21' etc, use the numerical format year, month and then day. Those same files will now be called 20050110Baby and 20050421Baby. In doing so, your computer will display them in the correct date order for you.
After your photo files have been renamed, you need to create folders to store the different types of photo files. Try organizing your computer scrapbooks by subject, theme or occasion. This will allow you to find your photos much easier later on. For example, create a folder called 'Baby Pictures' and save all of your baby photographs in that folder. By setting up and following a naming system, you'll soon have the most well organized computer scrapbooks around.
Whether or not you print your digital photos, always create backups of all your computer scrapbook files. There are many archiving programs that can be used to compress large files, enabling them to be stored on a CD or other removable disk. It is essential that you label your CDs to keep your computer scrapbook backups as organized as the originals. You can write the title on the CD itself, but you should also remember to alter the name of the CD as read by the computer. Most CD writing software automatically prompts you to give the CD a title, but check the instructions before you start the burning process so you, and your computer, will be able to clearly identify the CDs.
Digital cameras make it easy to take and save pictures. Computer scrapbooks make it easy to find the pictures anytime you're ready to take a trip down memory lane or share the digital images with your friends.
Barbara Miller writes for several popular web sites, including http://gemug.com and http://gymif.com.
Extended Warranties and Notebook PCs
Unlike with regular desktop PCs, you should think about recommending that your clients buy the maximum extended warranty coverage on any notebook PCs they purchase. The cost of replacing any item on notebook PCs can be extremely expensive, and the financial threat of having to deal with a hard drive failure or replacement of the LCD screen is enough to make warranties worth the cost.
Replacement Costs
Notebook PCs have LCD screens that are created especially for each individual notebook. To replace a regular 17 or 19 monitor out of warranty a client would typically be able to find a suitable item at a local retail store for about $200-$300. However, the LCD screens of notebook PCs are usually never stocked in stores. Replacing it, with labor, assembly and cost of the part could be easily $1,000 or more.
Questions
Before you direct clients towards notebook PCs and warranties, ask them and the provider of the warranties the following questions:
1. Are the notebook PCs your clients own used more in the office or in the field? Can you get a copy of the notebook PC warranty?
2. What are the differences between the notebook PC warranty and the desktop PC warranty?
3. Does the warranty include or exclude any hardware parts?
4. Are there restrictions on the warranty for LCD panel or hard drive replacement?
5. What is the length of the included warranty coverage? Is the PC vendor the one that deals with the extended warranty?
6. If the extended warranty is given to a third party and the third party goes out of business, will the warranty be taken over by the PC vendor?
Because replacement of the hard drive and LCD screen on notebook PCs can be expensive, the extended service plan is the best option for your clients. Keep in mind that the expensive nature of repairs is the reason that extended warranties on notebook PCs are typically a lot more expensive than those for desktop PCs.
Copyright MMI-MMVII, Small Business Computer Consulting .com. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}
Joshua Feinberg helps small business computer consulting firms get more steady high-paying clients. Sign-up now for Joshua's free one-hour audio training on Small Business Computer Consulting secrets at http://www.SmallBusinessComputerConsulting.com
Replacement Costs
Notebook PCs have LCD screens that are created especially for each individual notebook. To replace a regular 17 or 19 monitor out of warranty a client would typically be able to find a suitable item at a local retail store for about $200-$300. However, the LCD screens of notebook PCs are usually never stocked in stores. Replacing it, with labor, assembly and cost of the part could be easily $1,000 or more.
Questions
Before you direct clients towards notebook PCs and warranties, ask them and the provider of the warranties the following questions:
1. Are the notebook PCs your clients own used more in the office or in the field? Can you get a copy of the notebook PC warranty?
2. What are the differences between the notebook PC warranty and the desktop PC warranty?
3. Does the warranty include or exclude any hardware parts?
4. Are there restrictions on the warranty for LCD panel or hard drive replacement?
5. What is the length of the included warranty coverage? Is the PC vendor the one that deals with the extended warranty?
6. If the extended warranty is given to a third party and the third party goes out of business, will the warranty be taken over by the PC vendor?
Because replacement of the hard drive and LCD screen on notebook PCs can be expensive, the extended service plan is the best option for your clients. Keep in mind that the expensive nature of repairs is the reason that extended warranties on notebook PCs are typically a lot more expensive than those for desktop PCs.
Copyright MMI-MMVII, Small Business Computer Consulting .com. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}
Joshua Feinberg helps small business computer consulting firms get more steady high-paying clients. Sign-up now for Joshua's free one-hour audio training on Small Business Computer Consulting secrets at http://www.SmallBusinessComputerConsulting.com
