Behind the Scenes in My Online Business
Do you have shelves that are full of outdated computer books, or is it just me?
I’m finally getting rid of some of the oldest, and dustiest books, like the Microsoft Word guides that you can see in the picture below.
It’s been years since any of them were opened (thank goodness!), and they’re about 5 pounds each, so it will certainly lighten the bookshelves when they’re gone.
Yes, I’m frugal, and hate wasting money, whether it’s a personal expense, or something for my business. So I was annoyed when I ended up paying extra for my AWeber mailing list service. Don’t get me wrong – there is great value in having an email list service, but don’t waste money on your email list!
Maybe this article will help you avoid that mistake, and a few others that I made in getting my mailing list started.
I’ve been working on a client’s database, in Microsoft Access, and one of the data entry forms has several fields for dates and times.
There’s a nice Date Picker feature that shows a calendar icon, if you click in a date field text box. Click that icon, and a popup calendar appears, so you can select a date, instead of typing it.
There have been problems with Feedly this week – the site has been up and down, due to a DDoS attack.
I’m glad they’re not giving in to the ransom demands, but I miss being able to check the news stories and blog updates, throughout the day.
If you use Feedly too, you might want to download your RSS feeds list, the next time you’re in there. That way, if you have to move to a different service, you won’t have to start from scratch.
I couldn’t remember the last time that I did that, so I saved mine today. Here are the steps, using Firefox in Windows 8:
At the bottom of the Feedly window, click the three dot button, and click Organize
At the bottom of the Organize page, click the Save as OPML link.
On the OPML page, click the green button, to download your file.
Save the file – I added the date to the file name.
Then, you’ll be able to import that OPML file in a new service, if the problems continue at Feedly.
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You probably use the same replies for standard email messages that you get every day, or every week. Here’s a tip for creating copies of draft messages, that saved me some time today.
I keep a collection of draft messages in Outlook 2013, and copy and paste paragraphs from those messages, to save time when replying to email. For example, if someone says that one of my sample files doesn’t work, I can use this message, as part of my reply.
Today, I had to send a file to several people, and wanted to send each one individually. So, I created a draft message, with the subject line, file attachment, and the message body completed.
I saved that message, so it was stored in the Drafts folder. Then looked for a way to create copies, so I could send out the message several times, without a lot of copying and pasting. I just wanted to fill in the email address, and a personalized note at the top of each message.
Unfortunately, there’s no command for that, at least not that I could find, so I turned to my good friend, Google, to see what it could suggest. Fortunately, it found the MSOutlook Info site, run by MVP Robert Sparnaaij, and it had the answer.
The website confirmed my suspicious that Outlook doesn’t have a built in way to send a copy of a draft, without removing the draft.
But, there was good news – you can use the Forward feature, to send a copy. I was dubious, because I didn’t want “FW:” to appear in the subject line. That would look spammy!
I followed the instructions, and it worked just fine, with no indication that I’d used a Forward. Here’s what I did, and you can click here to see Robert’s original post, which includes instructions for other versions of Outlook.
In Outlook 2013:
I hope that helps you save some time!
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I just heard that the Start button (with a menu) will be back in Windows 8.1. Whew! Now I won’t have to reinstall an old version of Windows, to get that feature back.
Apparently it will be rolled out in an update, so I guess we’ll wake up one morning, and find the Start button back in its rightful place.
I’m running computers on three different versions of Windows:
How about you? Do you have a variety of operating systems, or just one?
Coincidentally, I was cleaning out my office bookshelves today, and found these two old manuals, for Windows 95 and 98. I guess it’s safe to throw them out now.
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I’ve been using a Logitech Wireless M305 mouse for a couple of years, and it has worked very well. The only negative thing was that it goes through batteries very quickly.
But, it fits well in my hand, is lightweight and easy to maneuver, and has a very small USB receiver, which doesn’t get in my way. (I’ll complain about my laptop later – it’s an Asus N76V, with all the USB ports at the side front, instead of the side back.)
Recently, the mouse because overly sensitive, and double-clicked when it should have clicked, which made it very difficult to work. Instead of selecting a range of cells on a worksheet, I’ve find myself in one of them, editing the cell contents.
It’s okay if I’m overly sensitive, now and then, but I need my mouse to remain calm, and click reliably. So, I switched to an old wired mouse (M-BZ105A), which still works well, but has approximately 100 feet of cord. I guess it’s designed for old desktop computers where the USB might be in a unit on the floor, a few feet away.
Finally, I got new batteries, and replaced the one in the M305, but it’s still super sensitive, and I can’t work with it. There’s nothing evident that could be causing this, so it’s time for a new mouse.
The local Staples doesn’t carry the M305 any longer, so I bought the newer M325 model and just started using it. It’s slightly lower and rounder than the old model, but feels almost the same. It’s responsive, and moves well, and not overly sensitive like that poor, overworked old mouse.
Both models are good for small hands, but you’d probably want something large if you have giant man hands. Here are all 3 lined up, and you can see how much bigger the old, wired mouse is. The new M325 is at the left – it looks pink, but it’s red. The old M305 is in the middle.
Do you have a favourite mouse? I’m always wary of changing, once I find one that I’m comfortable with, but so far, so good. And maybe it will be easier on the batteries!
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Is your new year off to a good start? Or is your head still a bit foggy after last night’s celebrations?
I usually stay home for a quiet New Year’s Eve, but last night we went out for a dinner, to a small pub within walking distance.
In the picture below, you can see the table decorations that greeted us. There were the usual New Year’s gadgets – noisemakers, horn and hat. There was also a box that advertised special cocktails – Cereal Shooters. It’s a strange way to advertise drinks for adults, but maybe I’m just too old now, to appreciate all the new fads.
Anyway, Happy New Year, and all the best in 2014.
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