ICQ | |
You've heard me mention my "ICQ Number" before, and some of you may wonder what the heck I'm talking about. Say the letters out loud; sounds a lot like: "I Seek You." Of course, "Icy Cue" wouldn't make too much sense in this environment, eh? ICQ lets you know when other folks (who have ICQ accounts) are online; it allows you to communicate with them in real-time. Exchange text messages spontaneously; launch private chat sessions; transfer files between your computers. "And if you act today, you'll get this lovely set of steak knives!" ICQ can make a nice addition to your daily surfstyle; it beats having to wait for e-mail responses in certain cases. But ICQ, while popular, isn't used by everybody. Some Netheads use MSN's instant messenger; others prefer AOL's client. There's... no standard in sight. Which one is the best? Find out which one your friends and/or colleagues use and you'll have your answer. With any luck, there will be a unified protocol soon. We can end all this IM incompatibility nonsense. Enough jabbering on. This is almost more fun than CB radio... over and out.
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Inkjet vs Laser Printers | |
You're tired of copying everything by hand? I had no idea they made a machine that could quickly duplicate words and images. What do they call such a crazy device? A printer. Ain't technology something else? Okay, don't worry... I'm not going to define the word "printer" for you. I have to make a few assumptions and one of them is that you know what the heck a printer is, for crying out loud. However, do you know the difference between an Inkjet and a Laser printer? Inkjet printers spray ink onto the paper from small cartridges. This type of printer is good for home use (printing birthday cards, signs, banners, etc.). Laser printers use a much larger cartridge that contains a powdery toner. These printers are ideal for text output. If you're Stephen King, you might opt for the laser printer, but if you're Martha Stewart and want to print out pretty patterns, you might opt for an Inkjet. The choice ultimately comes down to you. I had nothing but headaches with the Inkjets I used years ago. Quality was mediocre, and I'd often have to reprint pages (because I'm a perfectionist). Once I went laser, I couldn't turn back.
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Intranet | |
Everyone knows what the Internet is, but do you know what an intranet is? That's not a typo. Yeah, see -- the letters got flipped around. The Internet can be accessed by just about anybody, whereas an intranet is only available by those on a 'local' network. Let's say you're working for a software company, and the boss wants to tell all of her employees about the company's new operating system that's going to make Windows obsolete (it could happen). Now, she could post the information up on the company's public Web site, with the following note: "Please don't read this unless you're an employee of this company." Sure, that might work, but one should never leave security to chance. Okay, so should she print and distribute paper memos? There aren't enough rain forests in the world to support that habit. Upon setting up an intranet, the company would have a central data center which could only be accessed by specified personnel only. You don't have to be in the computer business to need an intranet, either. Its services were designed for those who needed an easy way to stay in touch with co-workers. Nobody outside the tightly-knit intranet circle is allowed in. There are no exceptions to this rule.
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IPO | |
Darn all these technology acronyms. Heck, I wonder if the journalists who use them even know what they mean half the time. "This IPO this, that IPO that..." What the heck does it mean? I'll tell ya: "Initial Public Offering." A company that was once privately owned has made its shares available on the stock market (for the first and only time). You've probably heard the term used a lot lately -- especially when talking about dot-coms. Everyone on your block wants to grab a piece o' the digital pie: "Hmmm... this is great. What's in this? Ones and zeroes? I was hoping for blueberry." But, as those of you with stock have found out, an inflated IPO can lead to sticky financial situations. The market is down for the moment, but remember: people are still checking their e-mail.
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IT | |
In this fast moving information age, you seem to be hearing the term "IT" a lot lately. What is IT? Well, this time, IT is not the Stephen King novel about the evil clown; IT is an acronym that simply stands for: "Information Technology." Ya know: server stuff, electronic security, system certification, programming, networking, etc. There are several Internet resources available for those in this ever-expanding field; within a few months, Lockergnome will be launching its own (hand-crafted) IT newsletter. We're in the midst of an information revolution (so I'm told). IT professionals are helping make sense of it all -- they're human switches, in a way. Even though the Internet has lost a few dot-coms here and there, the role of the IT person is just as strong. Hug your system administrator today. I'm waiting for the Information Renaissance -- when we all start painting on our monitors. It'll happen, I bet. I am Italian, after all. |