Just as we get used to the current version of a piece of software the vendors seem to release a new one. So do we need to upgrade, and if so when is the best time? Unfortunately the answer to this, as with many of the other questions I've posed in this blog is 'it depends'. Like many things in life I start with the premise of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'. If you're only one or two versions out of date and it all works don't rush into an upgrade.

The main reasons why you may want to upgrade...
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I recently commented on an article questioning whether Apple is focusing on style at the cost of engineering in its' more recent products. This got me thinking about what is the best platform for a small business or consumer, Apple or Windows PC? As is often the case the short answer is it depends because we are comparing apples and oranges. Both platforms have strengths, but for some people it just comes down to personal preference. 

Apple products have a reputation for better security, altho...
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It seems hardly a week goes by without a news story speculating that hackers have obtained personal details from one website or another. So just how secure is our information on the internet, and is it safe to shop or bank online? Firsly we need to put things in perspective. There are risks associated with other methods such as telephone banking, and even high street shopping. But people tend to understand the dangers better so can minimise the risks. Would you walk round with £1000 in your ...
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IT is expensive, so it makes sense to ensure we only pay for what we need, and know how to use it properly. For every story in the press extolling the benefits of IT there is one about failure, and subsequent waste of money. So how do buyers ensure they get a fit for purpose and value for money IT solution? I know IT is both complicated and boring for most people, but that is no reason not to apply appropriate rigour to the procurement process. Cars are complicated and I don't really know how...
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Open source software has certainly had an impact on the software industry. The assumption that it has benefited everyone is perhaps a little more difficult to quantify. I have seen arguments for reduced cost, improved security and increased innovation, but counter-arguments for all these too. But it has certainly given customers more choice and forced suppliers of proprietary software to be more flexible in their licensing terms. There are a two common misconceptions about open source softwar...
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Ok, you've got your shiny new website and you want to be found on Google, Bing and maybe other search engines. If you leave it to chance it can take a long time for their 'web spiders' to discover and index your site, and it is unlikely you will appear anywhere near the top of any search results. So you need to do some search engine optimisation or SEO, but how? If you know getting your website on page one of Google is absolutely critical to your sales and marketing plan you may well benefit ...
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When we look for content on the internet we normally use a search engine such as Google or Bing to find those web pages which meet our search criteria. Each search engine has it's own jealously guarded algorithm for deciding the order, or rank of the pages returned. Search engine optimisation or SEO refers to the process of trying to get a web page at or near the top of the rankings. It is an inexact science as the search engine authors do not publish their algorithms, and may update them wit...
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Most small businesses and an increasing number of individuals now have a website. In my opinion there is an element of 'following the herd' in this - my competitors have one, so must I. Websites can be an extremely valuable tools for marketing, advertising, sales and potentially customer service, however they can also be an expensive waste of resources which deliver little. In reality a basic website can be created for very little cost, so there are few organisations who won't gain some benef...
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Many articles have been written about the risks associated with using the internet, however often these focus on the technology. True there a many tools hackers can use in an attempt to steal our data, and many tools we can use to defend it, for example firewalls, anti-malware programs and encryption. However why go to the trouble trying to break in if someone will open the door for you? Most modern cars have an engine immobiliser fitted but that's of little use if you give someone the keys.

I...
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IT outsourcing has been around for a while in various guises, ranging from a virtual assistant service to application service provision to full blown IT service provision. But does it work? The short answer is that it depends entirely on knowing what we are trying to achieve by outsourcing, and how we manage our providers. If you have a bank account you are to some extent outsourcing your finance function, but I doubt there are many organisations who don't check their accounts. Undoubtedly so...
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We all hate admin tasks, they are boring and take up our valuable time. And filing is as tedious as it gets, so what's the point? Well, there are several reasons to have a good filing system;
1. To reduce the time spent searching for key information
2. To meet data protection obligations to destroy sensitive information when it is no longer required 
3. To meet legislative obligations to keep certain records for a specific period of time
4. To ensure confidential information is stored securely

A g...
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The internet is a very useful tool, and it has changed the way we work and play. However there are a plethora of risks which are not necessarily obvious to non-IT people. Technology has a big part to play in keeping secure but one of the biggest risks is a good old-fashioned con. Why go to the trouble of hacking into someone's on-line account when you can trick them into giving you their login details? Below are a few tips;

1. Make passwords complex (mixed case letters and numbers), and don't ...
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Often we do things in a certain way, just because we've always done it that way, or we were taught to do it that way. But over time things change and there may well be a better, and this often means a quicker way. This applies just as much to computers, particularly the software, which evolves rapidly by changing existing functions and adding new ones. The current version of Microsoft Word is very different to that of 10 years ago and offers a great deal more features, but most people only wa...
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Most organisations have at least three primary resources - money, people and information. I have always found it strange that people accept the procedures and controls imposed on the first two, but typically resist any attempt to implement similar processes for information management and security. And quoting good practice or horror stories rarely changes their minds.

IT consists of two words - 'information' and 'technology', and I think there is too much emphasis on the latter, at the expense...
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We read a lot in the press about global warming and the increasing amount of energy we use. Did you know that the proportion of the total energy we consume which is used to power IT is increasing too? Yet IT has the capability to reduce energy consumption, and one obvious way is by reducing travel. Most of us have access to cheap broadband and there are many low cost or free ways to do audio and video-conferencing over the internet. Obviously we want to see our family and friends in person bu...
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I'm surprised how many small businesses don't backup their data, let alone have some sort of disaster recovery plan in place. A disaster can range from a PC failure to total destruction of your office and all it's contents. Statistically small businesses have shallow pockets and are the most likely to fail in the event of a disaster.

As we all become more reliant on IT and the internet how long can your business survive without access to electronic data and systems? How could you keep the busi...
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Modern cars are complicated yet reliable so why are computers difficult to use and unreliable? Part of the problem is that IT is a young profession compared with engineering - cars used to break down. Nowadays all cars have the same human interface (steering wheel, pedals etc.) but there is no accepted standard for computers. However I think inadequate skills are a significant issue too. We learn to drive and have to pass a test, if we didn't we would probably crash. Yet most people expect to...
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There is no doubt that the internet has changed the way we do business and conduct our personal lives. However it also introduces new risks and is not necessarily  a solution for all our problems. Backups are sometimes overlooked, but are an extremely important aspect of IT. Backing up your data to the 'cloud' (ie the internet) offers some advantages, but there are some potential issues to consider. For example how reliable is your internet connection and long would it take to restore all you...
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I'm amazed how many small businesses in the UK are unaware that the Data Protection Act requires them to register with the Information Commissioner even if the only personal data they hold is 'public domain', for example name, phone number and email. You are only exempt if you trade solely business to business (B2B), and even then if any contacts are sole traders or partnerships you need to register. For tier 1 organisations it can be done online in 30 minutes and costs only £35.
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