TECH TIPS
with
Michael Lee Stills

Learn tips and hints to use a variety of electronic and technical equipment to enhance work with volunteers.

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 ~ July 2002 ~
  • Can the Spam
  • Take Volunteer Today on the Go
  • Web Page Printing - a Quick Tip
  • Looking for Georgean?

Can the Spam

SPAM (the lunchmeat) comes in a can and has been a source of humor for many years. Spam, also known as Junk Email, is no longer a joke, but a real source of interruption in todays busy work environment. You may never be entirely able to stop others from Spamming but here are four tips on Canning the Spam.

  1. Catch Spam with a Filter:
    Check your email program for filters or blocking. Most programs allow you to set up filters to sort your email or block unwanted addresses. Set filters to recognize objectionable language, phrases or content. The filter sorts the Spam into a folder you designate and you delete the contents. Caution: Many words like SEX and ADULT may be used legitimately.

  2. Don't Talk to your Spam:
    At the bottom of most Spam is a message assuring you that they meant no harm. In fact, they say, to be removed from their list, just reply, visit their web site, or click the link provided. DO NOT REPLY or follow their advice. You may just be letting the Spammer know you are a real person who reads your email. Even if they really do remove you from their list, many sell their lists to others. A viable address means more money for them and more Spam for you. Just Can the Spam.

  3. Set the Spam Hounds Loose.
    Check with your Email provider or Internet Service Provider (ISP) to see if they have Spam protection. Turn it on and adjust any settings for your preferences. You may also look into third party software that kills the Spam for you. Many virus protection programs also provide anti-Spam solutions.

  4. Use Another Email Address when Courting Spam.
    If you like shopping online, subscribing to newsletters, listservs, or chat rooms. Use a 'disposable' Email address. Once that email address gets overwhelmed with Spam, dump it for a new one. Many ISP's and web based email programs allow you to have multiple Email addresses. Use those for your online adventures and save your professional Email address for business.
Take Volunteer Today on the Go

If you own a Palm Pilot, Handspring Visor, or other Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), you can take Volunteer Today wherever you go. AvantGo (http://avantgo.com/frontdoor/index.html) is one of the leading providers of mobile information. You can download a free program that installs news, weather, sports and hundreds of other commercial information sites on your PDA. It even provides you the opportunity to custom load web sites like Volunteer Today.

For Volunteer Today, you will need to set the options to Include Images, increase the Channel Size to at least 400 K, and experiment with the Link Depth. I have mine set at four.

Web Page Printing - a Quick Tip

Q: Have you ever printed a lengthy article from the web and wanted to keep it in a binder or notebook only to find that your margins are too small?
A: Check you browser's Page Setup feature. You can control the margins, page orientation and other features depending on your browser. You can also copy and past the text into your word process and clean it up.

Looking for Georgean?

Georgean Johnson-Coffey has been recruited to coordinate the NEW Government Issues section of Volunteer Today (Coming to Volunteer Today Soon!). I would like to thank her and Volunteer Today for asking me to join the team. I look forward to sharing my technology skills and knowledge with all of you. - Michael

Comments, Questions or Concerns? Drop me an Email at Michael@MichaelStills.com
Copyright 2002 Nancy Macduff.
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