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Letter
from the Webmaster: Upgrade more than your brain
by Greg
Roberts
Despite
you best efforts and interest in focusing on people first, don’t
lose site of the fact you can quickly lose much of the value from
human capital because of obsolete hardware and software. Here are
a few ways to improve your success through technology.
1. Get high-speed
Internet access for your business and home. During this issue’s production,
I got caught up in the demise of a large DSL provider in my part
of the world. When they went out of business, my network went down,
too. Why subject myself to this much hassle? High speed Internet,
compared to a 56K dial-up via AOL, is like a dragster racing the
old red flyer wagon I used to pull around the neighbourhood. Now
that I’m back to using the trusty wagon, everything online seemed
to be moving in slow motion. But don’t misunderstand. I’d still
recommend you get high-speed Internet access for your business and
home if you spend more than an hour on the Internet each day. The
time you save will more than cover the extra 20.00/month and the
complications that might arise. If land-based connections are not
yet available, Sprint is working on satellite
connections that will soon be the standard to reach more and more
homes.
2. Upgrade
your computer system, or at least add memory. If someone told you about a machine
that could let you work nearly twice as fast as you are now that
only costs $1,200 what would say? My first question would be to
ask, “What is my time worth?” Minutes you wait can quickly turn
into hours of waiting. If you have to wait for your computer to
finish each task, it is probably too slow for your project. As a
web developer, I really use the power of the Internet and my computer
to work with each other. Windows was designed to multi-task. For
me that means running my FTP in one window, downloading needed files
in another, editing text in my HTML editor, and letting Photoshop
do it's optimisation magic to my graphic files at the same time.
Don't get caught waiting at your computer. Upgrade now and use your
time to make money. This is an investment in you and whatever you
do.
3. Multitask
your own memory.
A. If at all possible, play some soft
music in the background. This, for many people, actually keeps the
mind from wandering too far.
B. Write down the next three things
you want to do today. This helps you focus on the task at hand and
keeps you from worrying about the other things you have to do you
fear you might forget. As you finish each task, cross it off your
list. When all are complete, reward yourself with a break, some
food, or another LiNE Zine article.
C. Organize the desktop on your desk
and your computer. I have organized my physical desktop much like
a computer, each project in its own file folder, in a drawer named
C:\
Greg
Roberts has been the Webmaster of LiNE Zine since its inception.
Send your comments and suggestions to greg@linezine.com.
Copyright (c) 2000-2004
LiNE Zine (www.linezine.com)
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