Microsoft Security Essentials is the spiritual successor of Windows Defender, the now old ad-ware and spyware blocker that came default on Windows based operating systems. They took what made Windows Defender good, which was basically the low resource usage and fairly high accuracy when scanning, and made it better. The best part about this is that it’s free to anyone who has a genuine Windows system.
For business use the most common way for a work computer to get a virus or ad-ware is through email. Email attachments are scanning upon receiving them and is completed before the user is allowed to do anything with the attachment. Thankfully this is very fast so you will never notice it scanning before you are allowed to open an attachment. One way a lot of viruses used to get through this scanning was by sending an archived file, Microsoft Security Essentials gets by this by decompressing then scanning before you decompress it yourself. This way if there is a virus hiding in there it will warn you before you let it loose in your computer.
One huge advantage for everyone that has Microsoft Security Essentials is its low resource usage and fast scanning. This means that you can multitask with the scan running with minimal to no slowdown on your computer. So your employees can continue to work while it is scanning or even let it scan over their break and it will be done by the time they get back. This leads to another feature that isn’t new to the anti-virus world and that is scheduled scanning. If setup properly you could have it scan while everyone is out to lunch and they wouldn’t even have to know it scanned their computer, unless of course something was found in which case they could call the IT guys over.
One of the biggest downfalls of Microsoft Security Essentials is that it lacks centralized management features. This means that your IT guys might take a little bit longer than usual making sure everything is running fine on everyone’s computers. This also means that they will not be alerted in real time of any potential threats to the network from their desk. This could pose some problems for some of the larger companies, but if you are a smaller company then this shouldn’t be too big of a deal breaker.
All in all Microsoft Security Essentials is a very good piece of software, but doesn’t come with all the features most business’s require. If you talk with your IT guys and they can work around the downfall of no centralized management and you use Windows on your PC’s then this is a completely free option. Since antivirus’s cost quite a bit for big business this might be the answer to saving a couple of bucks while still providing rock solid protection to your work computers.
The importance of backing up your files
Having important business files on your computer is certainly something that every business owner does but it seems like most do not know how to take care of them. You will find that most business owners will rarely back their computers up and then go through the pain and stress of losing all of their files. This is something that most people ignore yet they complain once it happens to them. There are several reasons why it is crucial to backup your files and to make sure that you always have a copy.Why Backup?• Loss Of Profits
When your computer crashes, this can lead to a big loss in income. The majority of your files will be about income and all the numbers for your business and so it can be the end of your company if all of these files were lost. A lot of businesses have ended because hard drives crashed and they were not able to save all the important files.
• Emergencies
You must understand that you never know when your computer will simply give up. Whether you have a brand new Mac or an old PC, the computer can somehow crash. This is something that can happen at anytime and so you need to be aware of this. Backing up your files should become a habit that you do on a weekly or even daily basis, depending on how much work you do.
• Need Copies
Sometimes you might not have your computer with you but you need your files. This is why it is a good idea to always have an external hard drive. When you have an external hard drive, you practically have your computer with you at all times. This is certainly something that student or businessman would need to ensure that they have all of their files safe in one place.
• Convenience
It is very convenient to have your whole computer on a single hard drive. You can find hard drives that are very affordable and you don’t have to buy one that is too big. Simply buy a hard drive that is enough for the files that you have but always make room for some extra files. Remember that video files can be very space consuming and so you should always keep this in mind when looking to buy an external hard drive.
If you want to be sure that your business will be running smoothly, do not overlook the importance of backing your files up on a daily basis. This is very important and you will need to find a good hard drive that will save everything safely. Keep this in mind and you will be able to avoid any future problems
When your computer crashes, this can lead to a big loss in income. The majority of your files will be about income and all the numbers for your business and so it can be the end of your company if all of these files were lost. A lot of businesses have ended because hard drives crashed and they were not able to save all the important files.
• Emergencies
You must understand that you never know when your computer will simply give up. Whether you have a brand new Mac or an old PC, the computer can somehow crash. This is something that can happen at anytime and so you need to be aware of this. Backing up your files should become a habit that you do on a weekly or even daily basis, depending on how much work you do.
• Need Copies
Sometimes you might not have your computer with you but you need your files. This is why it is a good idea to always have an external hard drive. When you have an external hard drive, you practically have your computer with you at all times. This is certainly something that student or businessman would need to ensure that they have all of their files safe in one place.
• Convenience
It is very convenient to have your whole computer on a single hard drive. You can find hard drives that are very affordable and you don’t have to buy one that is too big. Simply buy a hard drive that is enough for the files that you have but always make room for some extra files. Remember that video files can be very space consuming and so you should always keep this in mind when looking to buy an external hard drive.
If you want to be sure that your business will be running smoothly, do not overlook the importance of backing your files up on a daily basis. This is very important and you will need to find a good hard drive that will save everything safely. Keep this in mind and you will be able to avoid any future problems
Every business owner has it: the ubiquitous to-do list. It never quite goes away, especially when business is booming or improvements are being made. There are always things that have to be done to keep a business running. Picking up new stock items, checking inventory, filing through applications, checking email and responding to them, and making conference calls are just some of the many duties that need to be juggled. With all of that to do, it’s a wonder a business owner can even remember to eat lunch. Also, keeping up with a list of tasks is never easy when one booklet or spiral can get lost in endless business papers, torn, or ruined by liquids. With the average business owner in mind, Google has created Google Tasks.
Google Tasks is a new service put out by the ever-popular web giant in the hopes of reeling in more business customers. It all revolves around the simplest thing every business owner uses, a to-do list. This to-do list, though, is digital. Google created Tasks so that the list can be transferred from the web to a phone for on-the-go purposes. It even swaps between Google services, and can be used in Calendar or iGoogle. Like any classic to-do list, though, each task or errand gets checked off. Due dates and other memos can be added to each item, and no matter where the list is accessed, it’s always up to date.Google really went above and beyond for this one. Just adding a date before an item, for example, automatically adds it to Google Calendar in the exact spot it should be. If the item is dragged in Calendar to a different date or time, then that item gets updated in all locations it’s held.
Another highly useful addition that really helps is the printing feature. Google Tasks allows for the printing of the list from the web if in need of another copy or in need of the list on paper– no more scribbles and messy handwriting. Tasks also allows for the creation of multiple lists for different duties, in case the user is multitasking and needs to pick up tomatoes for dinner while he is out getting office supplies for his desk, for example.
With this in mind, web users and business owners alike have been socially engineered to look for the newest gadget to help them in their quest for success. It’s best that a business owner does not use this service unless it’s a necessity, as using an unneeded service only contributes to the clutter and confusion. But in most cases, Tasks really does seem like the right choice. It is perfect for forgetful or harried businessmen who really need a hand in keeping track of all the little odds and ends that need to be kept track of.
Tasks, overall, is simple and easy to use. There’s no room for clutter, no clunky features, no overwhelming list of options or the like. It is a service that is exactly what it says on the tin.
Another highly useful addition that really helps is the printing feature. Google Tasks allows for the printing of the list from the web if in need of another copy or in need of the list on paper– no more scribbles and messy handwriting. Tasks also allows for the creation of multiple lists for different duties, in case the user is multitasking and needs to pick up tomatoes for dinner while he is out getting office supplies for his desk, for example.
With this in mind, web users and business owners alike have been socially engineered to look for the newest gadget to help them in their quest for success. It’s best that a business owner does not use this service unless it’s a necessity, as using an unneeded service only contributes to the clutter and confusion. But in most cases, Tasks really does seem like the right choice. It is perfect for forgetful or harried businessmen who really need a hand in keeping track of all the little odds and ends that need to be kept track of.
Tasks, overall, is simple and easy to use. There’s no room for clutter, no clunky features, no overwhelming list of options or the like. It is a service that is exactly what it says on the tin.