#TECH: Mac? Windows? Need Both Operating Systems? Use Both! (Part I)
Invest in software, not computers
In the primitive era of personal computing (any time before about 2004), one had to commit entirely to one of three platforms or operating systems: Mac, Windows, or Linux. Sharing documents created on one platform with a colleague on another platform was tricky at best. What could be shared was electronic information (emails or websites) or un-editable PDF files, all of which made collaboration difficult and pretty much locked any office, nonprofit, or even family onto one track.
Now with cloud computing and mobile devices and programs that create ‘virtual machines’ of one kind of operating system working within another (think: picture-in-picture feature on a television), individuals can pick their favorite hardware and OS, and be confident that they can collaborate with their less enlightened colleagues. We’d like to introduce the latest developments in virtualization and present a brief series on a few ways to set up many computers on one device.
Popularity: 1% | Category Desktop Apps, Hardware Review, How-to, Nonprofit, Resource, Reviews, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Video | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#TECH: We Catch Up With Dropbox Collaboration Tool (With Nonprofit Pricing)
Sync files among your devices, whatever OS they run
We’ve covered collaboration tools in the past, and Dropbox is a favorite for its ease of use and inexpensive offerings (including a personal favorite price: free for 2GB of storage space). We wanted to return to the program this Tech Friday because Dropbox continues to develop and people are finding new ways to use it.
For a reminder on the practicals of Dropbox: individuals get 2 gigabytes of storage for free, which allows you to sync files and folders among your computing and mobile devices − the premise of ‘cloud computing.’ From there, rates go up by 50 GB increments up to the ‘Teams’ level that start at a Terabyte. But what’s really good news is that late last year Dropbox started offering 30% discounts to nonprofit organizations!
Once you get signed up for the account, what can you do with it?
Popularity: 2% | Category Desktop Apps, How-to, iPad Apps, iPhone Apps, Nonprofit, Resource, Reviews, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Video | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#TECH: Designing A Mobile App? Design For A Mobile Device!
Who needs an app for that?
The nonprofit world is going mobile. The move might be slower than in the corporate world, but it’s steady, and nonprofits are developing ways to get around software or contractual walls. Mobile apps encourage supporters to stay engaged with your organization and its programs, and the apps also can give volunteers and staff in the field access to necessary information from the home office and/or report developments to that office. Best of all, mobile apps could links developments on projects directly to the mobile donors who can instantly see the link between their support and the progress the charity is making.
But before you get all buzzed about the synergy, you should be aware of the challenges of developing an application for mobile devices, including the fact that there are so many kinds of mobile devices.
Popularity: 2% | Category Blogs, Communications, Design, Desktop Apps, Graphic Design, Hardware Review, How-to, iDevice, iPad Apps, iPad/Tablet, iPhone Apps, Marketing Skills, Mobile, Nonprofit, Resource, Reviews, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Web Design | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#Tech: The Net Is Not Quite Dead, But It’s Not Your Mom’s Web Anymore
First of all, an adjustment/correction to yesterday’s story: Facebook pushed back its rollout of Timeline across all accounts until tomorrow, the 31st. Facebook did this rather quietly and did not state why, but you now have about 20 hours to get your Timeline up-and-running, as we outlined yesterday. (Thanks to Cody Damon of Damon Strategic for the heads-up!)
Today’s tech topic is related in so far as it is about how we interact with Facebook and other online services in new ways. The traditional ‘internet via browser’ model is fading away, to be replaced by a more precise paradigm − one that moves us from our mobile devices directly to the service/platform/medium that we want. The opportunity it presents will streamline, and perhaps redefine, the internet as we knew it. How?
Popularity: 3% | Category Advice, Apple, Case Study, Communications, Desktop Apps, Fundraising, iDevice, iPad Apps, iPhone Apps, Marketing, Marketing Skills, Media Review, Nonprofit, Publications, Report, Resource, SEO, Site Administration, Social Media, Software Review, Strategic Marketing, Technology, Web Design | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#TECH: RSS Readers To Help Save Time & Sort Out News & Emails
We continued our series on Tumblr yesterday with some guidance to get your nonprofit’s blog out via an RSS feed that allows people to subscribe to your site. When they subscribe, they get automatic updates and summaries of whatever is going on in your blog. The great aspect of setting an RSS feed for your organization’s blog is that you encourage people to subscribe to your feed, then outreach to your supporters is automatic. Moreover, readers can forward a single link to their colleagues and friends to encourage them to subscribe.
But what about the advantages of using Really Simple Syndication as a reader and follower of news in the nonprofit world? With just a bit of setup organization, you will find RSS a fabulous way to get to the information you want coming to you, rather than hunting out for it.
Popularity: 3% | Category Blogs, Communications, Dashboards, Design, Desktop Apps, E-Mail, eNewsletter, How-to, iDevice, Internal Marketing, iPad Apps, iPhone Apps, Marketing, Newspaper Article, Publications, Report, Resource, Reviews, SEO, Site Administration, Social Media, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Tools | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#COMMUNICATIONS: Presentation Software Also Moving To The Cloud
Slide presentations have been both the bread-and-butter and the champagne-and-caviar of the business pitch. Slides offer an outline and a set of visual cues that help engage audiences and move donors to action. Moreover, the best-known desktop applications to create presentations, Microsoft’s PowerPoint and Apple’s Keynote, offer various ways to save your slideshow and share it via email or posting on your website.
Nevertheless, developers and startups believe the sharing of these presentations is where the next big thing will be, and they are moving not only the sharing but also the development of slide presentations online. We’d like to introduce two of them, and what they bring to businesses and nonprofits that the traditional desktop apps do not. They both have free starter accounts, with greater features and storage space with subscriptions.
Popularity: 3% | Category Communications, Design, Desktop Apps, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Public Media, Reviews, Slide Presentations, Software Review, Storytelling, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#HOWTO: Collaborate & Manage People & Projects Without The Need For An Office
This time last week we talked about the online scheduling convenience of Tungle.me, which offers subscribers the opportunity to block out available times on their calendars within which prospective colleagues or meetings can choose mutually convenient meeting times. This week, as promised, we turn to a web suite of scheduling materials that expands the elegant calendar of Tungle to include a suite of project-management tools: Deskaway. As the name indicates, the suite offers a number of tools that allow subscribers to carry out a number of organizational duties while away at from their desks.
Popularity: 4% | Category Communications, Desktop Apps, How-to, Marketing, Marketing Skills, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Project Management Tools, Resource, Reviews, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#HOWTO: Schedule Staff & Manage Projects From Any Networked Device
Keeping you and your colleagues on schedule can be tricky if some of your organization’s work involves being on-site and meeting with donors. Add to that the annual fundraising gala or organizing staff for a booth at a fair and scheduling can become a nightmare. Thanks to ever growing wi-fi networks and smartphones, though, keeping staff aware of scheduling need not be so scary. We’d like to share two applications over the next week that are real lifesavers when it comes to keeping things on track around our office. Today let’s tackle Tungle.
Popularity: 3% | Category Advice, Branding, Communications, Desktop Apps, How-to, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Reviews, Site Administration, Social Media, Software Review, Technology for Nonprofits | | 2 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#PHILANTHROPY: Google Can Give Time, Resources, & AdWords To Nonprofits
Google is the great behemoth of web searching and video hosting. Google.com is default homepage in millions of browsers and YouTube has inspired citizen journalists in war-torn Syria and video mashups of cute kittens in suburbia. Google.org is perhaps not as well known, but its philanthropic outreach is huge, and it offers that money and support numerous ways – some of which your organization can surely take advantage of!
Popularity: 4% | Category Advertising, Advice, Blogs, Campaigns, Cause Marketing, Civics, Communications, Community, Crowdfunding, Desktop Apps, Development, Donor Acquisition, eNewsletter, Fundraising, Grants, Grants and Funding, How-to, Major Gifts, Marketing, Marketing Skills, Measurement, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Public Relations, Site Administration, Social Media, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Video | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#HOWTO: Time Those Tweets To Test And Build Impact
Earlier this week we introduced and reviewed a few social-media dashboards to help tame your organization’s streams of updates pouring in. Many platforms (like Hootsuite, TweetDeck, and SproutSocial) also offer the ability to schedule a series of tweets to go out over days, weeks, or months. This feature is obviously handy if your charity has a similar message or link that it wants to send on a regular basis (enter it once, schedule it for Tuesdays over the next month, done!).
But how does that timing feature work, and how could your nonprofit use it to your advantage?
Popularity: 4% | Category Campaigns, Cause Marketing, Communications, Crowdfunding, Dashboards, Desktop Apps, Events, Facebook, Facebook, Fundraising, How-to, Marketing, Marketing Skills, Measurement, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Site Administration, Social Media, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Twitter, Web and Print | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#HowTo: Getting Back To Your Desktop From An iOS Device
Write your next proposal on your iPhone!
It’s inevitable: You’re out of the office, armed with an iPhone or with your iPad, and prepping for a big presentation to a potential donor. You need to get to a file or access something on your computer, which – alas – is sitting on your desk back at the office. Now you’ve either got to go back to the office, or to call and hassle a colleague to sift through your machine to find what you need. This scenario probably also involves giving someone else your computer’s password, which you shouldn’t do.
Enter a number of options to allow you to connect back to your computer from iOS, saving you time and the embarrassment of calling HQ for help with your own files. I’ll explore two popular ones that I’ve frequently used. The first is one most have at least heard about, thanks to their email advertising campaigns: LogMeIn.
Popularity: 8% | Category Apple, Communications, Desktop Apps, How-to, iDevice, iPad Apps, iPad/Tablet, iPhone Apps, Nonprofit, Resource, Reviews, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits | | 0 Comments
Written by: Scott Caldarelli
#HowTo: Be Productive Anywhere on Apple’s Mobile iOS
With the advent of the iPhone and iPad, it’s easier than ever to get things done when out meeting potential donors or organizing fundraisers. Depending on what you need to do, an iPhone or iPad can keep you productive on the commute to and from work or on an airplane etc. That said, we are not condoning working on your iPhone or iPad while driving!
Many organizations use Microsoft’s Office suite for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. Though it’s rumored they’re working on a version for iPad and iPhone, Microsoft has been notably absent from the AppStore, the marketplace where all applications for Apple’s mobile operating system (iOS) can be purchased. Not to worry: here are some ways to get started creating and sharing immediately with your mobile device. (more…)
Popularity: 3% | Category Apple, Desktop Apps, How-to, iDevice, iPad Apps, iPad/Tablet, iPhone Apps, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Reviews, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Tools | | 1 Comments
Written by: Scott Caldarelli
#HowTo: Online Anonymity & Security Pivotal For Holiday Season
We don’t intend to be scare-mongers on this blog with so many stories on internet/cloud security. A minority of us will ever have our organization’s site hacked or email breached. The thing is, preventing such invasions is not especially difficult but prevention is a dynamic endeavor. As technology changes, and hackers’ tools changes with it, your organization must adjust accordingly. And once your information is compromised, you’ll desperately wish you had taken a few steps of prevention earlier.
Last week we discussed the need to secure passwords and to vary them across sites because our information is not so much ‘anonymous’ as ‘pseudononymous.’ Aggregates can be used to build up a coherent image of online you by pulling bits from a few frequented sites. We also noted that we would continue the story by looking at the need for security and anonymity for the networked machine – which is what we turn to today.
Popularity: 7% | Category Advice, Campaigns, Case Study, Communications, Desktop Apps, E-Mail, How-to, Marketing, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Public Relations, Research, Resource, Reviews, Site Administration, Social Media, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits | | 2 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#SocialNetworks: Google+ Defies Expectations And Thus Facebook
The fastest growing social network in history (at least until the next one) is now officially Google+, which has grown to over 25 million visitors since its launch a mere 5 weeks ago, according to Reuters. The numbers include the 7.5-odd million who have visited from overseas (India, Canada, Brazil, France, Taiwan…). So thus far things are looking really good for Google’s latest foray into the social-networking universe.
On that particular point: rarely do we get to point out how right we were with a prognostication. But we feel justified in tweeting our success in that the MKCREATIVE blog predicted great things for Google+/Google Plus. Our egos are just as quickly checked, though, when we remember that the success we thought Google+ would enjoy might take a year or two to achieve – not a month.
Will it last?
Popularity: 3% | Category Case Study, Communications, Community, Crowdfunding, Desktop Apps, Facebook, Fundraising, Marketing, Marketing Skills, Media Review, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Opinion, Social Media, Software Review, Technology, Web and Print | | 1 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#Development: LinkedIn For Good Builds Bonds Among Nonprofit Members
The social-networking site LinkedIn is treated as perhaps the most professional of all such sites/services. People who use it might have photos of some crazy weekends, but those tend to go to Facebook. LinkedIn has almost 4 million people within its network, and some 76,000 nonprofit groups that have coalesced within it.
With such credentials and use among nonprofit employers and staff, the site has recently hired Bryan Breckenridge to establish “LinkedIn For Good,” which is meant to enrich tools and networking opportunities specifically for the nonprofit community. One of the first things he and his staff established was a handy-dandy page on their ‘Learning Center’ about how nonprofit individuals and organizations can make the most out of LinkedIn.
Popularity: 3% | Category Advice, Campaigns, Communications, Community, Desktop Apps, Development, Marketing, Media Review, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Public Relations, Site Administration, Social Media | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#Tech: Mac Mini Server, Part 4 – Storage Options
Scott Caldarelli returns to continue his discussion of the advantages of the inexpensive Mac Mini Server for your office.
I am pleased to be back to discuss the great opportunities that a Mac Mini Server can offer a charity or nonprofit wanting a stable, secure, and affordable computing solution for everyone in the office and even on the road. This time, I’d like to talk about how and where to store the files that your organization will be using.
By default, if you purchase the Mac mini Server from Apple, it comes configured with two 500GB, 7200 rpm drives. Also by default, the Mac Mini has one drive with Snow Leopard Server software pre-installed and one drive blank, awaiting your data.
There’s nothing wrong with that setup. 500GB is a lot of space for future use. Nevertheless, two issues arise: First, the drive might not be quite fast enough for you. Second, there are no failsafe provisions. If the system drive breaks, you can’t get to your organization’s files because the method and software to get to those files doesn’t exist. Conversely, if the data drive goes down or breaks, you can’t get to your files because the drive can’t be accessed.
Apple's RAID Utility is built in to the Mac Mini Server
One alternative is to set up a RAID 1 mirrored system. RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent (or ‘Inexpensive’) Disks. A RAID 1 system allows for the first drive to be your actual, working drive. What also happens is that when a file gets written to drive 1, it is also written to drive 2. On the Mini’s desktop, you would see only a single 500GB hard drive because the other drive is simply mirroring that original boot drive. In the event that the drive stops working, the RAID can be easily rebuilt, which typically uses a “Rebuild” command in the software to transfer operations to the backup drive.
Another alternative is simply to set up a clone of the OS’s drive – the one also carrying your files. I typically recommend using a software such as SuperDuper ($27.95) or Carbon Copy Cloner (donationware) to schedule a time to make a copy of the first drive to the second drive. After the initial run through, when the program runs again, it only copies any changes, which means the software takes much less time to finish its work. This system will allow you to restart and boot from the backup drive if need be.
A third option is to set up the two drives as a RAID 0 array. This is set up to provide faster read and write times to the drive, making the system work faster for all your staff. You also double your storage capacity because both original Mac Mini drives are used. Two 500GB drives yields nearly 1TB of drive space. The concern with this setup, though, is that if one drive fails, you’ve got nothing. So, you want to be sure to attach a USB or Firewire drive to the Mac Mini and backup the two drives. It doesn’t need to be another RAID 0 system, just a drive large enough to fit what is on both drives (that is, at least a 1 terabyte drive).
In the next revision of the Mac Mini Server, it is highly likely that Apple will also install a Thunderbolt port on the back. Thunderbolt is a new high speed port that will greatly enhance storage speed compared to USB or Firewire.
Since the mini will also get a much newer processor as well, it’ll certainly open up what it is capable of and up the target audiences for it. Creative workgroups, small businesses, and even small video houses could use the mini plus a Thunderbolt RAID storage system to work cheaply, efficiently, and save on costs and power.
Many choices exist for storage for your Mac mini Server. Hopefully this will help the choices make sense for you and your organization.
Please see also Part One, Part Two, and Part Three of Scott’s discussion of the Mac Mini Server.
Guest blogger Scott Caldarelli writes frequently about technology and IT consultation at scottcaldarelliconsulting.com.
Popularity: 15% | Category Apple, Communications, Database, Desktop Apps, Hardware Review, Nonprofit, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits | | 1 Comments
Written by: Scott Caldarelli
#Tech: Collaboration Tools To Navigate The Cloud
Everyone in the tech and communications worlds is talking about ‘The Cloud.’ And so have we. The concept might seem new, but really it’s the term, not the technology, that’s new.
But even as we send our entertainment, files, and photos to iCloud, Dropbox, and Flickr (etc.), we might feel like the cloud provides a one-to-one relationship. I send my stuff to a service, you sign in to the service, you see my stuff.
But as JD Lasica shows us with one of his great Top 10 lists, there’s plenty of free-to-inexpensive software out there to make the cloud a viable medium for collaboration. Nonprofits and charities really should take advantage of these technologies: collaboration in the cloud means fewer trips to regional offices (saving fuel and money), quicker turn around on on-house projects to keep them timely, and convenient ways to update colleagues on-the-fly when the big donor comes through.
We picked three of these gems of the ten that we would like to call a bit extra attention to.
Popularity: 5% | Category Communications, Dashboards, Desktop Apps, iPhone Apps, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Social Media, Software Review, Technology, Web and Print | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#Tech: How to Print a Document from Your Mobile Device
Cloud computing is going through some growing pains that are not likely to end in these hot summer months. Nevertheless, all tech-watchers argue that cloud storage of documents and software is the future of computing. Working on one’s fundraising pitch at home, synching to one’s online storage service (some of which will be reviewed next week!), then showing one’s potential donors on an iDevice or tablet certainly seems a convenience and a way to demonstrate efficiency and a commitment to going paper free.
But sometime you’ve just got to print the document you’ve just shown on your handheld device. Without a USB connection, how do you do that?
Popularity: 3% | Category Desktop Apps, iDevice, iPad Apps, iPad/Tablet, iPhone Apps, Reviews, Software Review, Technology, Web and Print | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD
#Tech: The Apple Mac Mini Server – Part 3
Scott Caldarelli returns to continue his discussion of the advantages of the inexpensive Mac Mini Server for your office.
In my last installment of this ongoing series, I talked about the Mac mini server and using Kerio Connect for your contacts, calendars and possibly email. As a reminder, let me summarize: Apple‘s Mac mini Server is a low cost server for small organizations and provides a central location for storing shared calendars, contacts, and files. It has some built in tools do accomplish all this, and Kerio Connect is a third-party product that provides more features than those provided out of the box with the Mac Mini Sever. It’s an alternative to Microsoft Exchange for small and medium-sized organizations, providing email, contact, and calendar management through desktop email clients, web browsers, and smartphones.
So, if your needs are basic, the out of the box items will probably do what you need. If not, a product like Kerio Connect will enhance that functionality for you. In today’s entry, I’m whittling down some of these options for those who are on a little tighter budgets. Who isn’t these days?
Popularity: 10% | Category Apple, Communications, Desktop Apps, Resource, Reviews, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Web and Print | | 0 Comments
Written by: Scott Caldarelli
Social Networking: How to Use HootSuite to Unify & Automate Your Social Networking
Sometimes the power of Twitter is that people use it in real time to report global events. Sometimes the impact of Facebook comes from our ability to post in-the-moment reactions or thoughts to evens as they unfold. We have often noted the power of social networks to spread information, draw in donations, and call passive supporters to action.
But the fact of the matter is, in the nonprofit and charity universe, immediacy is only occasionally a concern. Mostly, what we want is a sustained (even if rather briefly) campaign of advertising events, calling people’s attentions to a concern, and/or encouraging participation in fundraising, political action, and the like. Who wants to break up their day every few hours to remember to send out those announcements to their followers? Not me, and probably not you.
A fabulous, free, tool to automate and schedule that process is HootSuite. It has been around for a couple of years now, but its value seems really to have become evident to organizations in the social-good economy over the last few months. We want to introduce some resources to get you and yours on board with this great tool.
Popularity: 4% | Category Communications, Community, Dashboards, Desktop Apps, Facebook, Marketing, Nonprofit, Reviews, Social Media, Software Review, Twitter | | Comments Off
Written by: Christopher Gardner, PhD