For my final tutorial blog I felt it was a good idea to cover a topic everyone with a computer should have some knowledge about...Computer Security. While I'm no expert when it comes to the topic, there are some basics that every computer owner and user should know. To go over the basics, we'll start from the moment you boot up your system..
Hard Drive Encryption
One of the very first lines of defense you can install on your computer is hard drive encryption software. This software can be configured to prevent your computer from even booting without your password. This can be very useful if you have personal data on your hard drive. Another big advantage of hard drive encryption is that potential intruders are not able to access your hard drive even if they remove it from your computer and connect it to another machine.
User Login
While hard drive encryption is definitely not for every user, one line of defense that every computer owner should have is a User Login and Password. It's not the most sophisticated form of security available on a computer, but for simply locking your computer and preventing use by those in your immediate area (apartment, dorm, etc.) it is more than sufficient at preventing use.
With logins, there are many options today to prevent/allow access to your system. The most common is simply a password. Though some other options that have become more and more common on today's computers are biometric readers, such as finger print scanners, and even facial recognition using a webcam. These are all great options and can be used in conjunction with each other as well as independent of each other.. Most people I know that have the options of facial recognition or finger print scanning end up entering their password more often than using an alternative, though between facial recognition and finger print scanning, finger print scanning seems to be the more favorable because it's faster. A couple aspects of facial recognition that make it not as appealing are that you need proper lighting for the software and camera to work properly, as well as time to sit still and look at the camera so it can analyze you facial features. All in all, you really can't go wrong with using the traditional password approach to deter the unauthorized use.
Now that you've got your computer booted up and you're signed in...
One of the first things you should check to see that is up and running (usually only when you first start up a brand new system) is the firewall. This feature comes built-in on most operating systems and provides a first line of defense from unwanted access that can occur when connected to an internet connection.
Next, it would be a good idea to install an anti-virus program. There are many options out there from companies such as Norton, McAfee, Avira,...the list goes on. The names mentioned are all programs that usually require the purchase of the software and a licensing fee, usually for a year, however, there are many free options available for personal use. Some of these can be found on sites such as http://download.cnet.com/.
This brings us to our option as a supplement to anti-virus software, spyware and malware detectors. While most of the newer anti-virus programs include these features, there are many available, also free for personal use, and can be found on http://download.cnet.com/. A few I have used in the past are Spybot Search and Destroy, and Malware Bytes.
Just a few tips regarding website account passwords...
It's very convient to have access to everything from bank accounts to credit card accounts, and various other forms of personal information online. However, when it comes to accessing theses accounts, they all have their own login systems requiring a username and password. Just about every account advises that you make at least your password unique to that site. When you think about the number of accounts you have, that amounts to many passwords...for some up to 100 plus. One feature that a lot of web browsers have included is the option to remember login information. This is one feature I refuse to use unless it is an account that contains absolutely no personal information...even then, it's still a risk. Now, you can create a Word document or a spreadsheet that contains all of your usernames and passwords, but if you do, keep in mind it is liable to be discovered should someone gain access to your computer. Keeping that in mind, should you decide to make such a file, start with the name of the document or spread sheet. Make it something that doesn't stand out as the key to your accounts, as well as something that only you would know what it's true content is. Next, rather than spelling out your entire username and password, format them as such "u*s****m*" and "p*****r*", or something along similar lines. That way, the *s act as somewhat of a password. Another option to protect these types of files, should you create one, is to encrypt them. There are many free programs that allow you to encrypt files. That way you have one password, the more complex and obscure, the better, to access all you account login data.
All in all, computer security really isn't as daunting a task as it may seem. It just comes down to be aware of potential threats and taking the appropriate precautions to deter and mitigate those threats.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Secure Email Project Blog Post
This week we discussed secure email, as well as computer security and ethics.
Here you can find a couple of screen captures from my Mozilla Thunderbird Inbox that show the responses I received from Professor Means regarding my digitally signed email and my encrypted email, respectively.
Breach of Security Article:
In recent news, there was a breach data security for an email marketing management firm, called Epsilon. Epsilon handles the email information for roughly 50 major companies, including Target, Capital One, and Hilton Honors. In the breach, the names and email addresses of customers for these companies were compromised, though the full extent is not yet known. Though none of the compromised information could directly lead to identity theft, it provides potential thieves with more than enough information to phish and spam email accounts in attempts to gain access to customer accounts.
Since the breach, the companies affected have sent out emails to their customers detailing what happened and instructions to never provide any account information through email, even if the email claims to be from the company. The article also outlines some guidelines maintaining the integrity of your email account through various precautions and tips, such as reading all emails with skepticism, because though an email may look legitimate, potentially harmful emails are made to look as though the originated from a trusted source.
To read the article I summarized and find out more of the tips you should take, go to the following link: http://woodbridge-va.patch.com/articles/email-safety-after-epsilon-data-breach
Here you can find a couple of screen captures from my Mozilla Thunderbird Inbox that show the responses I received from Professor Means regarding my digitally signed email and my encrypted email, respectively.
Breach of Security Article:
In recent news, there was a breach data security for an email marketing management firm, called Epsilon. Epsilon handles the email information for roughly 50 major companies, including Target, Capital One, and Hilton Honors. In the breach, the names and email addresses of customers for these companies were compromised, though the full extent is not yet known. Though none of the compromised information could directly lead to identity theft, it provides potential thieves with more than enough information to phish and spam email accounts in attempts to gain access to customer accounts.
Since the breach, the companies affected have sent out emails to their customers detailing what happened and instructions to never provide any account information through email, even if the email claims to be from the company. The article also outlines some guidelines maintaining the integrity of your email account through various precautions and tips, such as reading all emails with skepticism, because though an email may look legitimate, potentially harmful emails are made to look as though the originated from a trusted source.
To read the article I summarized and find out more of the tips you should take, go to the following link: http://woodbridge-va.patch.com/articles/email-safety-after-epsilon-data-breach
Friday, April 1, 2011
VoIP Call Extra Credit Blog
In looking through the extra credit opportunities, I thought this would be an excellent one to take advantage of. You'll see in my video that I took place in a conference call with 2 friends of mine, Mike and Alec, who also happen to be in ISM3004. We used Skype to host our call and I used Jing to record my screen during the call. This was not my first time using Skype to call people though. I've used it to talk to my parents a few times, but I use it more often to talk to friends, especially those friends who live abroad. One of my friends lives in Australia and has been in Hong Kong for sometime and this has been a way to keep in touch rather than pay for expensive international calling. I also thought Skype would be good to have because I will be abroad for an internship this summer and rather than pay for a cell phone in another country, I'm just going to make sure my parents have and know how to use Skype so we can keep in touch during my time away. Overall, the conference call among Mike, Alec, and myself went well. I believe we are all very familiar with Skype, which made the call very easy, quick to conduct. That said, you can follow this link to watch and listen to our Skype call if the embedded video doesn't work. Skype VoIP Call Video
DoppelMe Avatar Extra Credit Blog
To create my avatar I used the website DoppelMe.com. I've never made an avatar before and thought that it might be a bit of a task, but after going to doppelme.com and following the steps, it was actually quite easy to make one, and it's free. In following the steps, you start by selecting gender, skin and eye color. From there you are taken to the main page to build your avatar. Here you can choose a facial expression, hair, clothing, glasses, shoes, a background, and many other customization options to make your avatar reflect you. After going through all the steps, I wound up with my avatar without having to sign up for anything. One of the disadvantages to not signing up is you can't embed your avatar into websites. However, without signing up, you do get to see what it looks like when finished, which gave me the opportunity to take a screen capture of my avatar. Below you'll see what the last step of the avatar creation page looks like, and on the right-hand-side of the screen is what my avatar ended up looking like.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Access Database Project
What I Learned...
The past couple weeks I have been working on the Microsoft Access Database Project. After watching the lectures and working through the project, I learned a lot about databases and how capable they are of making many aspects of business easier. In completing this project, I learned how to import data into a database and make sure it's formatted correctly as it is imported. I also learned how to create tables and modify how and what data is displayed. In addition to the basic data aspects of Access/databases, I learned how to run queries on the data in the database, then sort and group that data, as well as how to create and edit forms and reports in the database. I really had no idea that Access was such a powerful tool and could be so useful in making businesses run more fluidly.
Improvements for the Gym Owner...
One improvement I can think of from the get go would be for the gym owner to add a "Submit" button to the new member form if he or she is going to have that form on the computer. If you work with Access, it's ok to not have that feature, but for customers or potential customers entering their data in to the database, it may be somewhat confusing to know that your data has been added without the option to "submit" the data. Another improvement, or in this case an addition, that I think should be made to the form is an "interests" section, or something along the same lines. This way you can learn more about your customers and what they want to get out of having a membership at your gym. Then, hopefully you can use this information to hire staff that can cater programs geared toward members' interests and goals and help maximize their membership value and experience...which, in the end, could make your gym more profitable. Finally, I'm sure there are many more ways to improve this database to help the gym owner, but when it comes down to it, what really matters is that it helps him or her, and the company as a whole, to conduct business and serve the members in the best way possible.
The past couple weeks I have been working on the Microsoft Access Database Project. After watching the lectures and working through the project, I learned a lot about databases and how capable they are of making many aspects of business easier. In completing this project, I learned how to import data into a database and make sure it's formatted correctly as it is imported. I also learned how to create tables and modify how and what data is displayed. In addition to the basic data aspects of Access/databases, I learned how to run queries on the data in the database, then sort and group that data, as well as how to create and edit forms and reports in the database. I really had no idea that Access was such a powerful tool and could be so useful in making businesses run more fluidly.
Improvements for the Gym Owner...
One improvement I can think of from the get go would be for the gym owner to add a "Submit" button to the new member form if he or she is going to have that form on the computer. If you work with Access, it's ok to not have that feature, but for customers or potential customers entering their data in to the database, it may be somewhat confusing to know that your data has been added without the option to "submit" the data. Another improvement, or in this case an addition, that I think should be made to the form is an "interests" section, or something along the same lines. This way you can learn more about your customers and what they want to get out of having a membership at your gym. Then, hopefully you can use this information to hire staff that can cater programs geared toward members' interests and goals and help maximize their membership value and experience...which, in the end, could make your gym more profitable. Finally, I'm sure there are many more ways to improve this database to help the gym owner, but when it comes down to it, what really matters is that it helps him or her, and the company as a whole, to conduct business and serve the members in the best way possible.
Tutorial Blog 3: The Web Log (aka The Blog)
Prior to this course, I've had very limited exposure to blogs. I usually only encountered them when reading about current events or looking up different topics of interest online in order to get opinions, reviews, and more information on products, etc. However, blogs can be written about a wide variety of topics.
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a blog is "a website that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer."
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blog
That said, a blog can essentially be written about anything the writer/author wishes to share.
Once you've figured out your first idea or topic to write about, next comes putting your thoughts into text. There are many places online where you can write and blog for free. One of these sites happens to be the one I am using for my Blogs, www.Blogger.com. Signing up is free, easy, and once you have your account, you can dive right in and begin. Blogger.com makes sharing your thoughts and ideas as easy as possible by providing what they call the "Dashboard". Here is a screenshot of what my dashboard looks like:
As you can see, it's very clean and easy to navigate. Once you've created a profile, you can customize it and tell people about yourself, if you wish (these options are on the left, next to my picture).
Now on to the blog portion of the Dashboard...
In looking at the heading "Manage Blogs", to the right of that, you will see how many blogs you have hosted through Blogger.com, I currently have one. Below that, the title of your blog is displayed, i.e. "ISM3004 Blog", followed by the number of posts, the date of your last post, and a link you view your blog's page.
Next, you'll see the "New Post" button, and other options related to your blog, this is essentially your "blog control center". It seems pretty straight forward, but here you can create a new post, edit posts you've already published, as well as view comments, blog settings, etc.
To get posting...
We'll start by taking a look at creating a new post. By clicking the "New Post" button, you'll be brought to a page that looks just like this:
What's great about this page is that it looks very similar, and functions very similarly, to today's most common word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word. In creating a new blog post, all you have to do is add a title, type out your thoughts, and publish! If you wish to format, add links, pictures, videos, etc., the toolbar at the top provides you will all of these options and more. Here's an up-close look at the toolbar:
Like I said earlier, it's very similar to something you might find in programs such as Microsoft Word, and is very easy and straight-forward to use...and it even includes Spell Check!
If these options aren't quite what you wanted, or maybe you want more options, I was in the same situation when I first began posting. Not to worry though, in looking at Microsoft Word, you can actually open up a new template for a blog and publish your posts straight from Word! All you have to do is enter your log-in information when prompted by Word, type up your post, and publish...it's as easy as that.
A quick look into Editing Posts...
There's one last basic thing I wanted to touch on in this tutorial, and that's editing posts that are drafts, or posts that you have already published. To do this, you start by going to your Dashboard, and then selecting Edit Posts. In doing that, you'll be brought to a page that looks similar to this one:
Down the left-hand-side of the screen you have your labels, which you add to each post, and these are simply key words or phrases that will help people find your post.
In the main viewing pane on the screen though, you'll find the list of all your posts, both published and drafts. To the left of the title, you are given the options of editing all the posts, and for those you have published, you are given the additional option of viewing the post. To the right of the title, your labels for that post are displayed in green, along with the word "draft" if it is unpublished, followed the date you began work or published the post, your name as the author, and the option to delete the post.
Clicking on the "Edit" option will open the post and look similar to this:
Here you can edit the post just as you would if you were typing a new post. Once you are finished editing, you can preview the post if you wish, or publish it right away!
Just a few notes...
The items I discussed above are really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to posting blogs on Blogger.com. This web log platform gives you a number of customization options to make your blog, truly yours. Some options to choose from are layouts and designs they provide, or you can customize your layout or design and even edit the html to make your blog look the way you want it to.
In writing various blogs for this course, I've learned way more than I ever thought I would about blogs. Hopefully this informational tutorial helps you better understand the basics of this platform should you decide to publish your thoughts and ideas online.
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a blog is "a website that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer."
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blog
That said, a blog can essentially be written about anything the writer/author wishes to share.
Once you've figured out your first idea or topic to write about, next comes putting your thoughts into text. There are many places online where you can write and blog for free. One of these sites happens to be the one I am using for my Blogs, www.Blogger.com. Signing up is free, easy, and once you have your account, you can dive right in and begin. Blogger.com makes sharing your thoughts and ideas as easy as possible by providing what they call the "Dashboard". Here is a screenshot of what my dashboard looks like:
Now on to the blog portion of the Dashboard...
In looking at the heading "Manage Blogs", to the right of that, you will see how many blogs you have hosted through Blogger.com, I currently have one. Below that, the title of your blog is displayed, i.e. "ISM3004 Blog", followed by the number of posts, the date of your last post, and a link you view your blog's page.
Next, you'll see the "New Post" button, and other options related to your blog, this is essentially your "blog control center". It seems pretty straight forward, but here you can create a new post, edit posts you've already published, as well as view comments, blog settings, etc.
To get posting...
We'll start by taking a look at creating a new post. By clicking the "New Post" button, you'll be brought to a page that looks just like this:
What's great about this page is that it looks very similar, and functions very similarly, to today's most common word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word. In creating a new blog post, all you have to do is add a title, type out your thoughts, and publish! If you wish to format, add links, pictures, videos, etc., the toolbar at the top provides you will all of these options and more. Here's an up-close look at the toolbar:
Like I said earlier, it's very similar to something you might find in programs such as Microsoft Word, and is very easy and straight-forward to use...and it even includes Spell Check!
If these options aren't quite what you wanted, or maybe you want more options, I was in the same situation when I first began posting. Not to worry though, in looking at Microsoft Word, you can actually open up a new template for a blog and publish your posts straight from Word! All you have to do is enter your log-in information when prompted by Word, type up your post, and publish...it's as easy as that.
A quick look into Editing Posts...
There's one last basic thing I wanted to touch on in this tutorial, and that's editing posts that are drafts, or posts that you have already published. To do this, you start by going to your Dashboard, and then selecting Edit Posts. In doing that, you'll be brought to a page that looks similar to this one:
Down the left-hand-side of the screen you have your labels, which you add to each post, and these are simply key words or phrases that will help people find your post.
In the main viewing pane on the screen though, you'll find the list of all your posts, both published and drafts. To the left of the title, you are given the options of editing all the posts, and for those you have published, you are given the additional option of viewing the post. To the right of the title, your labels for that post are displayed in green, along with the word "draft" if it is unpublished, followed the date you began work or published the post, your name as the author, and the option to delete the post.
Clicking on the "Edit" option will open the post and look similar to this:
Here you can edit the post just as you would if you were typing a new post. Once you are finished editing, you can preview the post if you wish, or publish it right away!
Just a few notes...
The items I discussed above are really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to posting blogs on Blogger.com. This web log platform gives you a number of customization options to make your blog, truly yours. Some options to choose from are layouts and designs they provide, or you can customize your layout or design and even edit the html to make your blog look the way you want it to.
In writing various blogs for this course, I've learned way more than I ever thought I would about blogs. Hopefully this informational tutorial helps you better understand the basics of this platform should you decide to publish your thoughts and ideas online.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Web2.0 Presentation and Blog
Before reading my Blog/Self-Critique, please watch my Web2.0 Presentation using the following link: Andrew's Web2.0 Presentation on WarringtonINsiders.com
Self-Critique of My Web2.0 Presentation:
While this critique is bound to be subjective since I'm reviewing my own presentation, I'm going to try my best be as neutral as I can in my review. ;)
All-in-all, I think I did a pretty good job of putting together a very informative presentation about WarringtonINsiders.com. Part of the reason why I chose this particular topic for my presentation was in the hope that it could be used beyond the class project context to help in the expansion of the website. When putting the presentation together, I could not decide on the best logical order in which to present the content. However, I think the approach of giving background information, followed by soliciting sponsorship was the logical approach to presenting this topic. The only thing I think I would consider changing about this is the very end. I debated which order I should present the sponsorship opportunities and the example of our stock market challenge sponsors, but I think the order I chose to present makes the most sense. I'm sure there are plenty of questions I did not anticipate in my presentation, though I did my best to be as detailed as possible given the raw stage of development the website is currently in.
As for whether or not I feel I grabbed the audience's attention, I'm a bit biased here due to my involvement with the website, but I feel that it's a very interesting idea and I would definitely listen to a presentation about it as a UF business student, especially had this been around when I was a freshman. One tool I used to emphasize the particular parts of the presentation that I felt were the most important toward conveying my message was the use of questions. Upon watching my presentation, you will see that I did not use them often, but when I did, they prefaced important parts of the presentation. As you might be able to tell through my sparing use of questions in my presentation, I tend to keep my points concise and focused solely on delivering the key points and answering questions before they are asked. However, with a new website and the content we plan on it containing, there are bound to be questions that others will pose that we may not foresee.That said, I feel like I was clear in my presentation of WarringtonINsiders.com and conveyed as much information as necessary for a general presentation of this nature.
I do not think I made very many, if any claims in the course of my presentation. However, if I did make any claims, I made sure to validate them, rather than leaving them as a potential unknown posing a point for questioning. Also, I checked and re-checked my presentation multiple times, in addition to having peers, such as my roommates, look over the presentation to make sure I avoided any inconsistencies, errors, or unbelievable claims.
One thing I cannot stand in presentations is clutter. I believe I did an excellent job of avoiding this by "utilizing the white space" as often as I could in my slides. At times when I thought my text and verbal presentation said enough about topics, I left space so the audience was able to focus on the points and information presented. There were a few times I did add some pictures to display what some aspects of the website look like, though I was sure to keep them to a minimum and use them as visuals aids to my points. By avoiding clutter, I was able to ensure readability for the audience as there was plenty of space available on my slides to allow me to increase font size when necessary. To assist with readability for my audience, I added animations to my slide so I was able to control in what order and at which time text was to appear on the slides. In adding animation, I was able to "say it and show it" simultaneously, so my audience could see the point and listen to the explanation. This was effective in my presentation because I made sure to put just enough text on the slides to convey my point, while allowing myself to further explain each point to avoid clutter and reading off of the slide.
Overall, I would say I learned a good deal about presentations and presenting from taking part in this project. There were some points I had learned over the years that were further emphasized in the material, as well as plenty of new points that I hadn't really paid attention to before. For instance, when presenting graphs of information, I never really though about monitoring how much content you displayed on the graphs and in which way you displayed it. Though, after watching some of the videos, I learned that graphs are very similar to text in that you have to avoid clutter to ensure readability. Another lesson I learned was the importances of having just enough text on your slides to convey your point. Otherwise, your audience is left trying to read the slides instead of paying attention to you. The points I just mentioned also happen to be what I feel will be the most useful to me in business in the not-so-distant future. Graduation is right around the corner and with that comes jobs and presentations in some manner or another. Utilizing the lessons learned in this segment of the course will be of great help, not only in finishing out my college career, but also as I begin my professional career.
Thanks for checking out my presentation and blog! I hope I provided some useful information.
Self-Critique of My Web2.0 Presentation:
While this critique is bound to be subjective since I'm reviewing my own presentation, I'm going to try my best be as neutral as I can in my review. ;)
All-in-all, I think I did a pretty good job of putting together a very informative presentation about WarringtonINsiders.com. Part of the reason why I chose this particular topic for my presentation was in the hope that it could be used beyond the class project context to help in the expansion of the website. When putting the presentation together, I could not decide on the best logical order in which to present the content. However, I think the approach of giving background information, followed by soliciting sponsorship was the logical approach to presenting this topic. The only thing I think I would consider changing about this is the very end. I debated which order I should present the sponsorship opportunities and the example of our stock market challenge sponsors, but I think the order I chose to present makes the most sense. I'm sure there are plenty of questions I did not anticipate in my presentation, though I did my best to be as detailed as possible given the raw stage of development the website is currently in.
As for whether or not I feel I grabbed the audience's attention, I'm a bit biased here due to my involvement with the website, but I feel that it's a very interesting idea and I would definitely listen to a presentation about it as a UF business student, especially had this been around when I was a freshman. One tool I used to emphasize the particular parts of the presentation that I felt were the most important toward conveying my message was the use of questions. Upon watching my presentation, you will see that I did not use them often, but when I did, they prefaced important parts of the presentation. As you might be able to tell through my sparing use of questions in my presentation, I tend to keep my points concise and focused solely on delivering the key points and answering questions before they are asked. However, with a new website and the content we plan on it containing, there are bound to be questions that others will pose that we may not foresee.That said, I feel like I was clear in my presentation of WarringtonINsiders.com and conveyed as much information as necessary for a general presentation of this nature.
I do not think I made very many, if any claims in the course of my presentation. However, if I did make any claims, I made sure to validate them, rather than leaving them as a potential unknown posing a point for questioning. Also, I checked and re-checked my presentation multiple times, in addition to having peers, such as my roommates, look over the presentation to make sure I avoided any inconsistencies, errors, or unbelievable claims.
One thing I cannot stand in presentations is clutter. I believe I did an excellent job of avoiding this by "utilizing the white space" as often as I could in my slides. At times when I thought my text and verbal presentation said enough about topics, I left space so the audience was able to focus on the points and information presented. There were a few times I did add some pictures to display what some aspects of the website look like, though I was sure to keep them to a minimum and use them as visuals aids to my points. By avoiding clutter, I was able to ensure readability for the audience as there was plenty of space available on my slides to allow me to increase font size when necessary. To assist with readability for my audience, I added animations to my slide so I was able to control in what order and at which time text was to appear on the slides. In adding animation, I was able to "say it and show it" simultaneously, so my audience could see the point and listen to the explanation. This was effective in my presentation because I made sure to put just enough text on the slides to convey my point, while allowing myself to further explain each point to avoid clutter and reading off of the slide.
Overall, I would say I learned a good deal about presentations and presenting from taking part in this project. There were some points I had learned over the years that were further emphasized in the material, as well as plenty of new points that I hadn't really paid attention to before. For instance, when presenting graphs of information, I never really though about monitoring how much content you displayed on the graphs and in which way you displayed it. Though, after watching some of the videos, I learned that graphs are very similar to text in that you have to avoid clutter to ensure readability. Another lesson I learned was the importances of having just enough text on your slides to convey your point. Otherwise, your audience is left trying to read the slides instead of paying attention to you. The points I just mentioned also happen to be what I feel will be the most useful to me in business in the not-so-distant future. Graduation is right around the corner and with that comes jobs and presentations in some manner or another. Utilizing the lessons learned in this segment of the course will be of great help, not only in finishing out my college career, but also as I begin my professional career.
Thanks for checking out my presentation and blog! I hope I provided some useful information.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Tutorial 2: Intro to PowerPoint
PowerPoint as a Tool
Today I'm going to give a brief overview/intro to PowerPoint. PowerPoint is an invaluable and very useful tool to both students and professionals alike. It provides you with the ability to present visuals for just about anything, from a presentation about a trip you recently took to a business proposal, all in one easy-to-use program. When you first open PowerPoint, you need to choose a theme for your presentation. While it's not necessary to choose one as your first step (you can apply themes later), choosing a theme can be helpful in organizing your thoughts and figuring out the best way to convey your message. Here's a screen capture of a few themes you might find when you open PowerPoint:
Upon reviewing the video quality on here, it's not very good.. Here is a link to video where you can view it in higher quality.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10144412/animationtransition.mp4
Thanks for looking at my tutorial blog and be sure to check back for my next post!
Today I'm going to give a brief overview/intro to PowerPoint. PowerPoint is an invaluable and very useful tool to both students and professionals alike. It provides you with the ability to present visuals for just about anything, from a presentation about a trip you recently took to a business proposal, all in one easy-to-use program. When you first open PowerPoint, you need to choose a theme for your presentation. While it's not necessary to choose one as your first step (you can apply themes later), choosing a theme can be helpful in organizing your thoughts and figuring out the best way to convey your message. Here's a screen capture of a few themes you might find when you open PowerPoint:
If you look to the left side of the window, you can choose various ways to filter themes or even download new themes to choose from. In looking at the right side of the window, you can refine some options for the theme you select. First of all, upon selection, you are given a preview of what some slide-layouts would look like with your selected theme applied. This side of the window also gives you the option to change the colors used in your slide theme, as well as change the primary font, and the slide aspect ratio (options include Standard 4:3, Widescreen 16:9 and Widescreen 16:10) depending on what type of screen/projector you have to present with.
Making a Slideshow
Now that we've selected a theme, it's time to begin building our presentation. After selecting "Choose" at the lower right of the theme selection window, PowerPoint will open with the theme you have selected already applied and a title slide ready for you to begin editing. Here is an example of a title slide:
Now that we've made our title slide, we can begin inserting new slides. If you look above on the left-hand side of the screen capture, you'll see that I've already added a few slides. Here's how you do this..
- You can simply click on the "New Slide" button (you'll see this toward the top-left part of the screen capture.
Note: When you click on the "New Slide" button, it will insert a basic content slide with a title bar at the top...there are other slide-layout options though!! - Instead of using the basic content slide provided by clicking the "New Slide" button, you can click on the arrow located on the right of the "New Slide" button and choose the appropriate slide-layout for your needs from the subsequent drop-down menu. (See screen capture)
Let's say we selected the "Title and Content" slide-layout from the drop-down menu to insert into our slideshow. We'll now type in our title and write a little description about PowerPoint..
Now that we've explored the basic content slide, let's take a look at how we can incorporate media into our slides.. So we'll insert a new slide by clicking the arrow next to the "New Slide" button and for this example, we'll select the "Comparison" slide-layout. Here is what the blank layout looks like:
Notice in the two large rectangular boxes, below "Click to add text" there are 6 small squares with little designs in each of them. These allow you to insert media onto the slide. I'll start from the top-left square and move right and explain what each allows you to insert. By clicking on the boxes, you can insert tables, charts, SmartArt, pictures, ClipArt, and videos. Here's an example of this slide-layout with pictures on it from a trip I took to Europe:
As you can see, PowerPoint is a great, easy-to-use tool for presenting material and media, with options for just about any presentation need you could have, both personally and professionally.
Ease of Use
Now that we have seen what PowerPoint looks like and can do, we'll go over a few aspects that make PowerPoint very easy to use. Since PowerPoint is a Microsoft product, and comes in the Microsoft Office Suite, it functions very similarly to Microsoft Word..one of the most widely used word processing programs today. With that said, you can edit and format text in PowerPoint essentially the same way you would if you were working in Word! Additionally, when you insert pictures into slides, like I did above, you can perform basic photo editing and formatting, such as cropping, rotating, and resizing, right there on the slide too, nearly eliminating the hassle of using another photo editing program.
Animation and Transition
PowerPoint doesn't stop there either. It allows you to customize transitions between slides and animations to give your slide show a personal touch as you present the material. Below is a quick video I made, using Camtasia Studio for Mac, on how to use basic animations and transitions in your PowerPoint slideshow.
Upon reviewing the video quality on here, it's not very good.. Here is a link to video where you can view it in higher quality.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10144412/animationtransition.mp4
Thanks for looking at my tutorial blog and be sure to check back for my next post!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Excel Project
For the Excel Project, we were given a set of data and asked to format and manipulate it in various ways to learn the different uses and functions of Excel. First, we did some minor formatting, such as bolding text and centering titles, as well as adding some columns. Next, we utilized the "Freeze Pane" feature in Excel to freeze the first two rows, which contain all of the column titles and headings. We then added a column for Maximum Heart Rate, and entered a formula to find the max heart rate, =220-Age, for each person and copied it down all to cover the entire column of applicable cells. For age, we simply referenced the cell that corresponds to each person's age so we didn't have to input data for each cell. Again, we inserted another column, this time to find each person's Target Heart Rate. We did this by creating a cell with a designated target heart rate for each person of 80% of their max heart rate, which we used as an absolute reference, and multiplied it by each individual's max heart rate found earlier, and used this as a relative reference.
Next, we had to find the Highest Heart Rate Achieved by each subject. To do this, we used the "=LARGE" function in Excel and found the largest number, or highest heart rate in this case for each subject, from their field of data. Continuing along, we then had to formulate a test to see if each subject achieved their target heart rate. To do this, we used the "=IF" function in Excel to compare each subject's target heart rate with their max heart rate. If the max was the same or greater than the target, the test returned a "Yes". If the max was less than the target, the test returned a "No". For the final data portion of the worksheet we had to come up with a percentage increase in heart rate for each subject. To do this, we found the difference between each subject's highest heart rate and starting heart rate, and divided this difference by the starting heart rate. The next few things we did were formatting, such as adjusting each column to the appropriate with, changing the page orientation and page size for printing, adding a header, etc.
Now that we have all of data inputted, formatted, and saved, we then had to create a couple Pivot Tables in Excel. This was the part I personally found to be the most interesting as I had not used Pivot Tables before. For the first Pivot Table, we had to sum up the number of both male and female subjects, as well as a grand total, who reached and did not reach their target heart rate during the 15 minute exercise window. After doing this Pivot Table, I realized they were pretty straight forward to do. It's simply a matter of selecting the data you want to include, with headings, and then sorting it based on specifications. The last Pivot Table we did was a breakdown of Average Percentage increase for both male and female subjects, in the age groups of 20 to 29, 30 to 39, and 40 to 49. To do this, we selected the data and headings, selected that we wanted to make a Pivot Table on another sheet, and then sorted the data per specifications to attain the proper read out. Below is a screen capture from my second Pivot Table that shows the Average Increase Data per the age groups specified above.
That's all for the Excel Project Post!
Next, we had to find the Highest Heart Rate Achieved by each subject. To do this, we used the "=LARGE" function in Excel and found the largest number, or highest heart rate in this case for each subject, from their field of data. Continuing along, we then had to formulate a test to see if each subject achieved their target heart rate. To do this, we used the "=IF" function in Excel to compare each subject's target heart rate with their max heart rate. If the max was the same or greater than the target, the test returned a "Yes". If the max was less than the target, the test returned a "No". For the final data portion of the worksheet we had to come up with a percentage increase in heart rate for each subject. To do this, we found the difference between each subject's highest heart rate and starting heart rate, and divided this difference by the starting heart rate. The next few things we did were formatting, such as adjusting each column to the appropriate with, changing the page orientation and page size for printing, adding a header, etc.
Now that we have all of data inputted, formatted, and saved, we then had to create a couple Pivot Tables in Excel. This was the part I personally found to be the most interesting as I had not used Pivot Tables before. For the first Pivot Table, we had to sum up the number of both male and female subjects, as well as a grand total, who reached and did not reach their target heart rate during the 15 minute exercise window. After doing this Pivot Table, I realized they were pretty straight forward to do. It's simply a matter of selecting the data you want to include, with headings, and then sorting it based on specifications. The last Pivot Table we did was a breakdown of Average Percentage increase for both male and female subjects, in the age groups of 20 to 29, 30 to 39, and 40 to 49. To do this, we selected the data and headings, selected that we wanted to make a Pivot Table on another sheet, and then sorted the data per specifications to attain the proper read out. Below is a screen capture from my second Pivot Table that shows the Average Increase Data per the age groups specified above.
That's all for the Excel Project Post!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Tutorial 1: Ergonomics and Proper Typing and Workspace Form
Today's blog is going to look at Ergonomics while working at one’s computer.
First of all, ergonomics are very important to one’s physical health, especially when a vast amount of one’s work-day is spent at a computer/workstation typing. We’ll start off with a few of the basics…
Posture
Posture is important because it is all in your core and back. While at your workstation, you should be sitting up-right in a chair with adequate and leg support, high/low enough to where your feet rest flat on the ground. Next, make sure your chair has arm rests that can be adjusted to support you arms at the height they rest at when your shoulders are back and relaxed.
Going along with posture, we’ll talk about your computer screen next. You should position your computer screen (if it’s adjustable) so that your eyes are level with just around the top of the screen when you are sitting up straight and looking straight forward. This allows for you to remain comfortable while working and to avoid strain on your eyes and neck.
Another tip for good/proper posture is to arrange your desk and workspace so that the items you use most frequently are with-in arm’s reach so minimize awkward reaches and stretches.
Finally, a major cause of neck pain while working, often results from holding your phone between your shoulder and ear. A few alternatives to avoid pain associated with repeatedly doing this include headsets, using the speakerphone (if not distracting to others, etc.), various devices/attachments that can be place on the back of the phone’s handset that compensate for the distance between your shoulder and ear to minimize the strain on your neck.
Here are a few good links for info on posture:
- http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/positions.html
- http://www.ergoindemand.com/laptop-workstation-ergonomics.htm
Eye Health
When working in a room all day and staring at a computer screen, your eyes become used to focusing at one distance and one lighting condition. This can lead to eye problems (some requiring corrective lenses such as glasses or contacts) and headaches.
Here are some tips to help ease eye strain while working at a computer for an extended period of time:
Here are some tips to help ease eye strain while working at a computer for an extended period of time:
- Every so often, take a break from focusing on your computer screen and look around and focus on objects at various distances for a minute or so.
- Adjust the brightness of your monitor to a comfortable level. Too bright of a screen in conjunction with bright lighting in your office are a major cause of headaches.
- If you have a document holder or notes you are transcribing to the computer, make sure whatever you are referencing while typing is located the same distance from your eyes as your computer screen.
A link for more information: http://www.safecomputingtips.com/ergonomic-problems-eye.html
Other Ailments
Here is a list (with accompanying links for information)of other ailments that can result from poor ergonomics:
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (or CTS, one of the most common ailments) affects the wrists and results from improper support while engaging in typing and other dexterous activities for prolong periods of time. To find out more regarding CTS follow this link: http://www.safecomputingtips.com/carpal-tunnel-syndrome.html
- Repetitive Strain Injury is essentially what the name implies..injuries from repetitive strain, usually in the hands, wrists, arms, and/or neck. Here’s a link for more information: http://www.safecomputingtips.com/repetitive-strain-injury.html
- Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) encompass the previous two ailments listed, as well as other problems. Symptoms include pain, swelling, numbness/tingling, cramping, reduced grip strength, etc. and should be addressed with a physician sooner rather than later to avoid more serious injury. For more information, follow this link: http://www.safecomputingtips.com/musculoskeletal-disorders.html
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