Ministry IT

Texting Abuse

2012-01-14T16:17:00.000-04:00

Texting is a great communication tool, except when misused. Texting is about simple communication in real time; it is not about calendaring or task management. Here are a few examples of this kind of misuse:

I need someone to send me some information they have at their desk, and I think of it while watching my favorite evening television show, so I text them.
I want to get together with someone in a week or two, so I text them the date.
I remember that I need to give someone some info they need for a task or meeting, and I text it to them off-hours.

Sending them a text message, rather than an email or creating a task I can follow up during work hours assumes the other person A) reads their text messages at that hour and, if so, B) will remember to review their already read text messages later. It can also result in someone showing up for a meeting I never put on my calendar.

Texting in this way can also be a way of shifting the responsibility from procrastination to someone else who may or may not respond to the text. And if they don't review old text messages when they get to work, the blame for missed deadlines, etc unfairly reflects on the person who may have never seen the text at a time they could respond appropriately.

When making requests that have ramifications, always use email rather than text messaging.

How to Rename Your Kindle Device or Application

2012-01-03T13:29:00.000-04:00

I recently gave my wife a Kindle File, and she loves it! I linked it to my Kindle account so we could share books (wouldn't it be nice if Amazon let us link family accounts for sharing purposes!). The problem was that Amazon automatically named her Kindle Fire Nick's Kindle.

Renaming the device was not obvious on the Amazon website, but the steps to do so are surprisingly easy! Here they are:

Login to www.amazon.com/manageyourkindle
Click Manage Your Devices on the left side of the screen
Click the Edit link next to your registered Kindle device's name
Sync your Kindle device or application

That's it! Pretty easy, too!

New Article: Keyboard Shortcuts

2011-11-01T11:02:00.000-04:00

The Windows and Mac OSX operating systems each have built-in shortcut keystrokes that can be great time-savers. While this has always been true, I find that most computer users today have either forgotten many of them, or have never even known about them!

Click here to read this short article that will be a great help to you and your crew!

Managing Macs in Active Directory

2011-10-31T14:25:00.000-04:00

In one of the communities I'm involved in we had some discussions recently about managing Macs in Active Directory. Some are adamant that it must be done, while others (me included) don't see the value.

It takes a lot of effort to manage Macs in AD, and it's hard to find benefits that make the effort worthwhile. In a recent roundtable I asked what the benefits were, and the only response was password management, reinforcing my position that it's not worth the effort.

We already automount network volumes for Mac users, and we require that Mac users use the same username and password on their Mac that they use on the network (we set them up-- or reset them-- that way).

What do you think? Are there benefits beyond password management? Is password management enough to make it worthwhile?

Annual Church & Donor Management Software Article - 2011

2011-10-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

Church management software providers continue to improve their ability to help churches fulfill their mission! With more abilities to track and communicate with people, improved web and mobile device interfaces, and powerful database tools, this category of software is a big help and useful asset for today’s ministries in reaching many for the Gospel.

To read it click here!

Introducing MBS' New Website!

2011-10-18T12:13:00.000-04:00

We're excited to announce our new website today! Same address (www.mbsinc.com), but a major technology update!

We've completely re-written the site in WordPress (it was previously in Joomla). The benefits are greater flexibility, improved social media and SEO technology (SEO is search engine optimization), and a better way to deliver published article content.

Our webhost and designer, DigiCAL, designed a special article search engine for us that will make it very easy for site visitors to find articles I've written on the topics they want.

I invite you to check it out and to let me know what you think!

'Food Day' is in 2 Weeks!

2011-10-10T12:29:00.000-04:00

That's right! Food Day is just two weeks away! I don't know if I can survive the anticipation!

Am I the only one getting tired of all of the special days, weeks, and months that are being calendared?

Here's just part of the U.N.'s list of special days:

February 21st is Mother Language Day
March 23rd is World Meteorological Day
September 16th is the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
2nd Wednesday in October is International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction

This sounds like the 'Name A Star' scheme where you pay someone to publish a document naming a star after someone. Then, because they file a copyright claim for that document, the one charging the fee makes it sound like it's official. But the International Astronomic Union's website states:

Q: Who is legally responsible for naming objects in the sky?
A: The IAU is the internationally recognized authority for naming celestial bodies and surface features on them. And names are not sold, but assigned according to internationally accepted rules.

Q: What does this mean in practice?
A: Simply this: Names assigned by the IAU are recognized and used by scientists, space agencies, and authorities worldwide. When observing stars and planets or launching space missions to them, or reporting about them in the news, everybody needs to know exactly which location a particular name refers to. The names assigned by the IAU are those that are used. These rules are firm where claims of property could theoretically be made, i.e. primarily in the solar system (where also treaties negotiated through the United Nations apply). Terrestrial makers of international law have so far had more urgent concerns than creating rules for "buying" totally inaccessible corners of infinite space, so there is no written text that can be twisted and interpreted - just a plain and practical fact.

Q: But if I want to, can I buy the name of a star anyway?
A: Sure, there are people who will be more than happy to take your money....

Every organization seems to believe they have the right to own a calendar day and that everyone should dedicate it just for them and their cause! It's tiring, and it reduces the significance of those dates that we really should focus on a need, cause, or event.

The World Will Miss Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T11:15:00.001-04:00

That post title is a true statement, whether or not you're an Apple Fanboy. Steve Jobs did the remarkable at Apple:

He brought Apple back from the brinks of bankruptcy by giving computers to schools; a gutsy move that paid off.
He had the vision to help change the computer, smartphone, and music industries.
He helped achieve a culture in computing that is remarkable.

Steve Jobs led an inspirational life in many ways. However, it appears he missed in one way that he'll always regret. While no one knows for certain the internal personal decisions he made regarding faith and religion, the best I can turn up in my research suggests that he followed Buddhist teachings and was not a Christ follower. If that is true, he is not in a happy place now, and that is a fate we want for no one.

A colleague told me this morning that it'd be a shame if he did all those great things, but if he wasn't born again, it would all be over for him now. I don't think that's exactly how it works. The Bible says life is eternal, and that the single gate through which we can enter into a joyous eternity is belief in Jesus Christ. If Steve Jobs did not walk through that narrow gate, then The Bible says he is not in a joyous eternity today. And that is a shame. And because of that one decision, he may now be missing the world even more than the world is missing him.

The Concept of Getting to Work On Time

2011-09-28T12:32:00.000-04:00

When talking with others in management at various companies, I often hear them complaining that today's work ethic is lacking. While I agree that it has slipped among a portion of our society, I think some of the problem is that management's expectations are often not communicated very well. And from the perspective of employees, it's easy to misunderstand what getting to work on time means. Here's what I learned-- often the hard way-- when I was an employee:

Getting to work late multiple times can get you fired. Yes, I lost more than one job because I wasn't punctual enough-- twice because as few as three times late within a month! That doesn't mean an occasional 'late' because of traffic or some other unpredictable cause wasn't acceptable, but it needed to be rare and unusual (power outage, closed freeway, etc). So, for jobs I wanted to keep, I learned to make certain I arrived 10-15 minutes early on typical heavy traffic days, giving me room for those fairly rare unusual traffic days.
The concept of getting to work on time meant something different to my employers than what I originally understood it to mean. They wanted me at my desk (or whatever the job required) and working at starting time. I learned the hard way that it did not mean driving into the parking lot or walking through the door at starting time; my employers seemed to want to only pay me for time I was actually working!

I hope that helps someone! If you like your job, make sure you don't violate either of those two guidelines. In addition to fulfilling your employer's expectations, you'll be perceived as someone who is motivated and it might even bring advancement or bonuses!

Password Giggles

2011-09-27T17:24:00.000-04:00

An IT colleague shared with me today that they recently switched from passwords to passphrases (passphrases are longer passwords that are easy to remember). The staff there has really taken to it, and the IT crew enjoys watching as some people giggle when logging in!

Here are some real passphrases that can get 'em giggling:

About husband: Rick'sButtRocks!
About boss: Tim'sAjerk,lol
About ex's lawyer: use your imagination!

You get the idea. Passphrases, in addition to being fun, can improve network security!

One friend creates very long passphrases to help him memorize verses. Consider, for instance:

Heb10:24Aluchwmsoaotlagd.Heb10:24

New Article: Transitioning to VoIP -- Our Experience

2011-09-21T17:33:00.001-04:00

We decided to transition our organization to a VoIP phone system a couple of years ago. We're glad we did-- doing so saved us a lot of money and improved our work processes. We learned some things along the way that were not readily apparent, though. They may help you whether you've already implemented VoIP or are just considering doing so.

To read the article, click here!

Lion Freezes Up? Here's a Clue!

2011-08-23T14:55:00.000-04:00

Since upgrading to Lion (OS X 10.7, and then to 10.7.1), my Mac intermittently freezes up. I haven't been able to find a pattern, but the programs I usually have running are Microsoft Office 2011 and my Bria softphone.

Today when it happened (at least the fourth time) I called AppleCare to see if they had any details on it. We found a Safari plugin (I don't even use Safari!) from Leopard or Snow Leopard to be the most likely culprit!

SIMBL Agent
In my user account login items, SIMBL Agent was listed. We deleted it from that list (it's apparently known to have issues causing Lion to freeze up), but found that it still ran in the background when I restarted. Se we went hunting and found it on my hard drive under Library\LaunchAgents. Deleting it there stopped it from starting up on a restart.

New Article: The Cloud Can Simplify IT

2011-08-17T14:38:00.001-04:00

I just released a new article to publishers on how The Cloud can simplify IT-- and can save lots of cash flow in the process. If you'd like to read the article, click here!

An Ostrich View of Applied Medical Technology

2011-08-16T16:14:00.001-04:00

My HMO, Kaiser Permanente, advertises that it wants it's customers to thrive, but only using older technology.

Some Background
My knee was injured in a triathlon when in college, and has been operated on six times. It's beginning to hurt again and is making me cut back on activities, so I went in to see their lead orthopedist about it. He's ready to replace my knee, and thinks it should be done soon. I asked him for details on the technology he uses (which replacement knee), and he told me he's using the same solution that he's been using for the last 15-20 years. He confirmed that it will only last 10-12 years, and that it will quite likely not allow me to continue surfing or cycling. There are newer proven solutions available (I've paid for second opinions and done some research), but he said they stay with what they're using because it works.

So That Got Me Thinking...
What was technology like 15-20 years ago? Here's a brief list:

No cell phones, smartphones, or text messaging
No hybrid cars
No digital data & video projectors
No satellite radio
No DVDs or BlueRay
No Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, Netflix
No Internet or email
People still used/ relied heavily on:

CRT monitors & displays
Faxes & US Mail
Telephones & extension phones owned by the phone company
Dot matrix printers
VHS & Beta video players
Answering machines
Typewriters

Wake up, Kaiser, and serve us better. There's lots of good new technology available. Help us thrive.

Mac OSX 10.7 -- Lion

2011-08-03T07:36:00.005-04:00

I've been running Lion for a couple of weeks now, and think I like it! Yes, the download from the App Store takes forever, but it's worth it.

App Check
The first thing I did was check to see if all of my apps work. They do. Here's a quick list of the apps I use and rely on (all are the most current versions):

Microsoft Office 2011 (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Remote Desktop Connection)
Firefox 5
Bria 3 Softphone
VMware Fusion 3.1
TweetDeck
Mindjet MindManager
SPB Wallet
GoToMeeting 5
iLife
iWork
Kindle
Logos Bible Software 4

They all work! That's important, since it's not about the OS, but about the apps.

Network Integration
Integration with our Microsoft network is still good. We don't add our Macs to Active Directory, but do automatically mount network volumes for easy access (see prior post for easy steps to do this).

A Coupla New Features
New versions of software don't have to be better, just different! (One of our favorite sayings.) While that may be true with Lion, there are a couple of new features worth mentioning:

Mission Control
Mission Control replaces Spaces. Admittedly, I was never a fan of Spaces, primarily because I didn't like how it impacted mouse movement. Mission Control is similar in function, but better. It acts more like the multiple screens on an iPad. I like to the point where I'd say the meager $29.99 upgrade fee is worth it just for Mission Control!
Launchpad
Launchpad is a simple way to see all of your apps. It's a little like doing so on the iPad, and is convenient. Some are predicting the death of the Dock because of Launchpad... we'll have to keep watching to see what Apple does with that.

Mouse Scroll Behavior Change
Lion takes the iPad concept to the mouse too. Unfortunately, in its default setting the mouse scrolls up and down opposite to how computer users want it to. But you can go to the Mouse or Trackpad preferences and fix it by simply un-clicking the "Scroll direction: natural" box.

A Coupla Minor Bugs
There are a couple things I hope Apple decides to fix, but they're minor:

For some reason my sound setting keeps resetting itself to a very low volume setting. I haven't found a pattern yet, so am thinking it's just a bug.
When shutting down it always asks if you want it to re-open windows when logging back in. Removing the check mark (which shows up checked every time) is often ignored... another little bug.

Is Lion Worth It?
I like keeping in current operating systems when I can. This upgrade is very affordable and, I think, worth doing.

Is Chrislam Another Nigerian Phishing Scam?

2011-07-23T10:37:00.001-04:00

This week I've been introduced to a new term: Chrislam. It's an attempt to fuse Christianity and Islam. Since these two religions are seemingly irreconciliable, I decided to do some reading on it.

Chrislam was founded in Nigeria in the 1980s. Nigeria. As an IT guy, 'Nigeria' makes me think of the many phishing scams that originate there. Is Chrislam another Nigerian phishing scam? I think so! The target of this scam, however, is not your financial resources. It is your soul.

Jesus was very clear; there is no way to heaven except by his atoning sacrifice. Like oil and water, Islam and Christianity cannot blend.

Support Arrogance

2011-07-20T10:24:00.000-04:00

Everyone in IT has run into this. While it's frustrating, it also makes for great jokes and lots of laughter-- later.

Geniuses
One example is Apple's naming of their support people "Geniuses". Really? I've rarely found one who was more than entry level. I have many stories to tell of talking with Geniuses who didn't know what they were talking about.

Today: Lion
I bought Lion via the App Store this morning. It quickly accepted my purchase, then began downloading. The download was crawling, even though we have very fast connections in failover configuration. Finally, the App Store told me I lost my Internet connection. A quick check proved that I still had a robust Internet connection, so I called Apple Support.

The AppleCare Genius I spoke with insisted that I had lost my Internet connection. The problem was not Apple's. I explained that our phone lines are not traditional lines, but are SIP trunks that connect over the Internet. Thus they could not have told me our Internet connection was down in the call if it, in fact, was! That didn't matter.

I suggested that Apple was merely being overwhelmed, causing the error. I was told, after being put on hold and checking with their level two folks, that the problem was not Apple's. It was definitely my Internet connection.

I just checked again, and I have more than 20mb of free bandwidth, but the App Store says it will take another 23 days and 14 hours to complete the download.

New Article: Changing the Username on a Mac

2011-07-15T10:58:00.001-04:00

Have you ever wanted to change the username on a Mac? We need to do it fairly often, and though it's not as simple as one would think, it is easy if you know the steps. I just released an article detailing them, and you can read it by clicking here!

Changing ChMS's

2011-05-26T13:59:00.003-04:00

A church staff person emailed me this week asking about changing their ChMS (Church Management Software solution). Their team has some dissatisfaction with their current solution-- even though it is one of the top solutions available. Following is an excerpt from my response that may be helpful.

Changing ChMS's is a big undertaking, and you're currently using one of the top contenders. My goal is not to talk you into staying with your current solution, but to add to the discussion.

It's always good for ministry teams to understand that there is no 'perfect' solution. That means that no matter what ChMS you change to, there will at best be an 80-85% fit. The questions to answer as you consider your current dissatisfaction revolve around trying to identify:
The needs your current solution meets and doesn't meet, and

The extent-- preferably expressed in a percentage-- your current solution is meeting/ not meeting your needs.
You may find by going through that exercise that the percentage is such that the change will likely not improve things-- especially if you're already at 80% satisfaction or above. The cost of changing is not only the cost of the software, but also the cost of lost productivity during the transition.

Mac Malware is On The Rise

2011-05-19T10:23:00.000-04:00

For years I've been saying that the Mac is susceptible to malware attacks. In fact, I'm on record in my articles that it's the most vulnerable of modern OS's. The attacks on Macs are on the rise, and I encourage you to make certain your Macs are all protected with a solid anti-malware solution. The one we recommend is Sophos.

New Article: Copier Buying Tips

2011-05-06T08:46:00.001-04:00

While at the NACBA National Conference last year I was talking with Rob Leacock, Christ Church Fort Worth's business administrator. We were talking about his recent decision to replace their copier, and his process was impressive and effective! Especially how much money he saved!

I wrote a brief article about it; click here to read it.

Web Development & IT-- Are They the Same Thing?

2011-05-02T16:21:00.000-04:00

While at a conference last week it hit me that those who are not entrenched in IT (information technology) often don't know there's a difference between web development and IT. While the two are related (they both involve computers and data transfers), they are very different.

My Definitions

IT is the applied science of creating a data infrastructure that supports the applications a team needs to accomplish its mission. It includes engineering servers, firewalls, switches and routers, workstations, and software.
Web Development is the applied art of communicating an organization's mission to help people understand the what's, why's, who's, and how's necessary to accomplish its mission.

I'm not saying web development isn't technical-- it is! But it is very different from IT.

Today's Video Interview @ CLA

2011-04-27T16:54:00.001-04:00

I rarely get asked to do video interviews. In fact, today was only the second time!

While at CLA Dallas 2011 I was asked if I'd help Azusa Pacific's online course development team by answering a couple of questions in a video interview. Are you kidding me?!! Of course!

The two questions were IT related. Here they are along with a summary of my response:

Q: What types of internal controls should ministries make sure they have in place related to information technology?

In addition to current firewall and anti-malware solutions, their networks should be configured to lock accounts after a number of unsuccessful login attempts. This helps protect against hackers and bots.
Passwords

Contrary to popular belief, requiring that passwords be changed every 60-90 days in ministry settings actually lowers security.
Passwords should be at least 7 characters long and include at least one of each of the following:

Lowercase letter
Uppercase letter
Number
Common punctuation

Data should be organized in departmental folders that are only accessible by those with appropriate roles within the organization

Q: When should an organization consider purchasing new accounting and database software?

Most ministries change their software for the wrong reasons. A couple of the most common wrong reasons are:

The current software doesn't meet 100% of our needs. The mistake people make is believing there are 100% solutions available. That is a myth; 100% solutions do not exist. If you can find one that meets 80%, that's good!

Regarding the percent of needs not met: if possible, adapt your business practices to close the gap rather than requiring the software to close the gap. The organization will have a much higher likelihood of being happy with their software.

The solution is too complex. Investing in training, which is a lot less expensive than changing software, will likely overcome this issue.

The two most appropriate reasons to change are:

The company has gone out of business or has been bought by a company that will no longer support the solution.
The ministry has come to recognize needs their solution cannot-- and will not within a reasonable time-- meet. Before pulling this trigger, however, contact the current provider to see if they already meet the need (and you just don't know it) or if they are planning to within a reasonable timeframe.

That was fun! But was my nose too shiny?

MBS Transfers Policy & Procedure Handbook Template Series to ECFA

2011-04-21T10:32:00.000-04:00

Here's a copy of our 4/18/2011 press release on this:

MBS (Ministry Business Services) and ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) are jointly announcing the transfer of MBS' "Policy & Procedure Handbook Template" series to ECFA. ECFA will make the policies available via its website, www.ecfa.org.

"We saw the need in churches and ministries for accurate, easy-to-implement policies, and enjoyed helping them by creating this series of templates," said Nick Nicholaou, president of MBS. "The templates are used in thousands of churches and ministries throughout the U.S. and cover the management of finances, human resources, information technology and risk. We often hear from folks how fast and easy these are to implement."

Nicholaou said MBS is focusing more on information technology solutions and that ECFA would be a good steward of the company's template series.

"ECFA is the perfect fit to continue providing these policies and procedures," said Nicholaou. "The organization has a solid reputation for advancing good church and ministry management."

The policies are in the process of being reviewed by ECFA experts in the field and will be incorporated into its robust web site Knowledge Center soon.

MBS (www.mbsinc.com) is a consulting firm specializing in church and ministry IT and CPA services. In the IT area they are known for high-reliability, low-cost data networks and cloud solutions.

ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA standards pertaining to financial accountability, fundraising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, including information about accreditation and a listing of ECFA-accredited members, visit www.ecfa.org or call 1-800-323-9473.

New Article: Review of Microsoft Office 2010 & 2011

2011-04-12T11:47:00.002-04:00

Microsoft released two versions of their Office Suite last year (Windows and Mac), and folks want to know if it's worth upgrading to them. The bottom line is, yes! On either platform!

To read the article, click here!

New iPad2 -- Is It Worth Upgrading?

2011-03-29T17:44:00.000-04:00

Okay, maybe I'm turning into a fanboy (aaggghh!), but I went to our local Apple Store to talk to the geniuses about buying a new iPad2. There are some improvements and changes (it doesn't necessarily have to be better, just different!), but here's what they told me:

The processor is faster, but you won't likely notice a difference
The case is white
It has two cameras

The bottom line for me, they said, was that if I didn't need the camera, I should stay with the iPad I have. That was good advice, I think-- and it saved me about $900!

Churches & Cell Towers May Not Mix!

2011-03-01T16:40:00.001-04:00

There is a thread about cell tower panels on church roofs in a church administrators Yahoo Group I participate in. Zach Watson, the Administrative Pastor for Boulder Valley Community Church, had an awesome contribution to the discussion. Here's what he said:

"We considered allowing a cell tower on our building about 6 years ago, ultimately we decided not to. The main reason we decided not to was due to the ever-increasing adult content transmitted via cell phones. We simply did not want any part of our building be a conduit for that material."

Honestly, I had never considered that before! WTG, BV leadership team!

New Article: Security Vulnerabilities

2011-02-22T08:38:00.001-04:00

A security expert said that about 40% of church websites are vulnerable! I've just released an article to publishers of some common vulnerabilities for websites and networks and their simple fixes... it may be a 'must read'.

I hope you find it helpful.

Click here to read it!

WTG Houston CO+OP!

2011-02-17T21:52:00.000-04:00

I had the privilege of speaking at the Texas Ministry Conference today in Houston, TX. It is put on by the Houston CO+OP, and it was very impressive! With more than 600 registered attendees and over 800 total in attendance (exhibitors, volunteers, and speakers included), it's impact for The Kingdom was impressive!

WTG, Houston CO+OP!

Mac Firefox Fix: Tab Key Skips Some Fields

2011-02-11T11:36:00.000-04:00

I use and support both Mac and Windows systems. I do most of my work on a Mac, and Firefox is my favorite browser.

In Firefox, when using the Tab key to move from field to field in Firefox, it natively wants to skip over any non-text fields. For instance, when completing an online form and moving from the City field to the State field, if the state field is a pull-down option field, using the Tab key skips over it.

The fix is a simple Mac OSX Preference setting! I found it at this website (click here), but in case they remove the page, here's a screen shot of the fix:

Yup! Today's the Day!

2011-01-26T21:18:00.000-04:00

Well... it was The Day twenty-six years ago! That was the day my bride, Grace, and I took our vows and officially began our life together. She was a beautiful bride, and still is. I was a goofy groom, and still am. But we love each other and have survived by keeping God at the center of our relationship, keeping our friendship fresh, and not taking ourselves too seriously.

I love you, Grace! Thanks for putting up with me for 26 years!

Android Giggles

2011-01-21T11:50:00.000-04:00

While traveling this week I received a text message on my Droid from a CITRT colleague, but my Droid phonebook said it was from my wife! I never checked the phone number behind the text message, and believed what my Droid reported.

I responded to her, I thought, saying, "I love you sweetie, and hope you sleep well tonight."

Imagine my colleague's surprise when he got that response! He responded in kind, saying, "I love you too, Nick! I did sleep well!"

Well... it's nice to know those you work with love you...

IT People Beware!

2011-01-18T16:12:00.001-04:00

There's been a spirited discussion in one of the church Yahoo groups about a church whose team wants to change ChMS software for what appears to be all the wrong reasons. The IT Director voiced opposition to the change, and sought the advice of other church IT people.

The conversation was, indeed, high quality and spirited, and then one of the folks said that in that situation the decision should be the IT Director's, and that they would resign if it went against the IT Director's choice.

This turn in the conversation raised a caution flag in me, so I joined in and suggested differently. Here's what I said:

I have worked with many churches over the years in the IT field, and I don't know of any church IT Director who feels as strongly as you that the ChMS decision is theirs. Ultimately all decisions in a church are the pastor's or the governing board's, but this decision is usually owned by the leadership team (which may include the IT Director), and it's the IT Director's role to fully support it. Your church may be different, but if not, I hope that helps.

Some advice I have given many is to never own a hardware platform or software solution so strongly that it defines you. Technology and people change so much and so fast that doing so always puts a horizon on one's career.

His response showed his heart was in the right spot, and he's doing what's right. WTG!

What do you think of the advice I gave? Is there a software or hardware solution you're holding too tightly?

New Article: IT-- Truth or Dare!

2011-01-11T15:36:00.001-04:00

There are many misconceptions about the Internet, hardware, and software that impact the decisions people make. This article sheds a little light on them... to read it click here!

New Article: IT- 10 Years After Y2k

2010-12-11T12:11:00.001-04:00

The hysteria in the late 1990s was everywhere! Well, almost everywhere. There were a few of us helping folks understand why Y2k was not going to be the end of civilization as we knew it.

I just released an article for publication about IT ten years after Y2k-- you can read it by clicking here!

2011 IRS Standard Mileage Rates

2010-12-04T22:58:00.000-04:00

On 12/3/2010 the IRS announced the standard mileage rates for 2011. They are:

Business: $ .51
Medical & Moving: $ .19
Charitable: $ .14

Today is AWEsome!

2010-12-01T11:29:00.000-04:00

I'm in the center of Ohio, in the Appalachians, serving a client this week, and today they had their first snowfall that'll stick! I've seen a half dozen deer so far while driving this is the week, and the snow began falling this morning beautifully. While driving to work this morning I saw a boy waiting for his school bus and trying to catch a snowflake on his tongue!

For most of the country, this is not a big deal. But for this Southern California beach boy, this is an awesome sight!

Mounting Network Volumes on Macs

2010-11-23T10:48:00.000-04:00

I like having my Mac automatically attach a couple of our network volumes when I login. I've found a few ways to do this, which our clients' Mac users seem to really appreciate. Here's the best method I've landed on so far.

The Mac OS includes an application in the Utilities folder called AppleScript Editor. Open it, which will give you the ability to begin creating a script
Insert the following, including the quote marks and substituting your server name and share where indicated: mount volume "smb://[servername]/[share]"
Repeat on as many lines as necessary for as many shares as you'd like to automatically mount
Save the script, then save it as an application
In System Preferences, under Accounts, go to the user's Login Items and add the app you created in step 4, and then check the Hide box associated with that app
Restart the Mac and let it mount the apps; mine takes about 40 seconds to mount two volumes
Finally, in Finder, drag and drop the mounted volumes to the Devices section of the Sidebar to make them easily available when saving files in applications

Those seven steps are actually a quick and easy process that will help the Mac users on your network. And once you've created the script and application, you can copy it to all of your Macs!

Strategic IT Outsourcing

2010-11-13T13:16:00.001-04:00

I just released an article for publication on strategic IT outsourcing that identifies which church and ministry IT roles might be wise outsource candidates.

If you'd like to read it, click here!

The Internet Archive

2010-11-12T20:30:00.000-04:00

Today I needed to look at a website's content from years ago. Not finding what I needed, I called my friend Ross Gile who steered me to an amazing resource! You may find it as helpful as I did!

Point your browser to http://www.archive.org and put the website you're looking for in the search field. That'll take you to their Wayback Machine, and the content there will likely amaze you as much as it did me!

Thanks for your great help, as always, Ross!

Protecting IT From Disaster -- Article Update

2010-11-01T16:32:00.000-04:00

While at lunch last Friday with a good friend and IT colleague, I was challenged to look at the security section of my recent Surviving an IT Disaster article. He was right, and I've updated the article accordingly. I hope you find it helpful... click here to download a free advance copy in PDF format.

Entourage Incorrectly Flagging Email as Junk?

2010-10-28T11:09:00.000-04:00

Entourage uses the 'Junk' category to help users move classes of email into the Junk folder. Sometimes unwary users will decide to rename the Junk category and use it for some other purpose-- after all, who needs a 'Junk' category, right? The result will be that anything identified with that renamed 'Junk' category will be treated as junk!

A client had done exactly that, and then made her own contact a member of the renamed category. The result was that every email she sent was moved to the Junk folder rather than the Sent folder. The emails were sent out from her computer okay, they just didn't go to the correct folder after sending.

The fix was to rename the category she had renamed back to 'Junk', then un-categorize everything she had identified with that category.

Two New Articles on Disaster Recovery & The Cloud!

2010-10-19T17:13:00.001-04:00

Disaster recovery is thought by many IT Directors to be their most important responsibility to plan for. I've just released a new article to the publisher on this very important topic.
You can download a free PDF version of it by clicking here.

Few concepts have captured the imagination of those responsible for computer system like The Cloud. I've just released another article to the publisher on The Cloud and my thoughts from the recent VMworld conference in San Francisco.
You can download a free PDF version of it by clicking here

My Kindle Love/Hate Relationship

2010-10-12T12:34:00.000-04:00

Stephen King may love his Kindle, but I'm beginning to have doubts.

I Love the Kindle!
I love being able to read books on my iPad and Droid smartphone. The convenience is terrific, and the technology works well. And with the ability to tell the devices what font size I want, it makes reading pretty comfy!

I Also Hate the Kindle!
My wife wants to read one of the books I just read, but I have no way of sharing it with her unless I change her device registration to my account. If she has her own account, with her own settings and preferences, doing so will make her very unhappy. Also, a friend just asked me if I have a good book she can read while traveling cross country later this week. Same problem: there's no way to share a book!

Solutions
If Amazon wants this technology to become pervasive, rather than just a novelty, it's going to have to find a way to let people share a book among family members or give a book away. Here a couple ways they might be able to accomplish that:

Let people identify family members by linking to those who have the same home address.
Let people transfer their book for a small fee, maybe half of the purchase with a maximum of $3.00

Those solutions seem pretty easy and sensible. People share printed books all the time, so this isn't really a potential revenue loss if strategically managed. And coming up with a reasonable solution can make this technology truly pervasive.

Tech Support -- A Love Story

2010-09-28T09:44:00.001-04:00

A user at one of our clients called HP's printer tech support last week because a roller in her printer wasn't working. The technician did some diagnostics and quickly determined the problem was her computer, and after a few "fixes" determined it had viruses and she needed to buy a product they sell. The result was that she had a totally unusable computer-- and a printer whose paper feed roller still didn't work.

We had to re-image the computer to make it useful again, and HP still had to replace the printer's roller.

Tech support is definitely the worst part of the computer user's experience. Most who answer the tech support line do their best; but support person and user lack of knowledge, conversation trees, and knowledge bases often exasperate people and can even lead to incorrect conclusions! There's no easy answer to the problem, but it is a problem.

Bank Security Fail

2010-09-24T20:05:00.000-04:00

Banks don't get it. I called my bank to ask about an error they made on my account, and to protect my identity they asked my name, address, and birthdate. Those are all easily available on the Internet. Very unimpressive security.

VMware Fusion Rocks! Again!

2010-09-23T14:24:00.000-04:00

I run Windows 7 64-bit on my Mac in VMware Fusion. When installing Windows 7, I set hard drive to 60gb. But I've recently been running short on space and was NOT looking forward to re-installing Windows 7 just because I needed a larger hard drive.

Figuring I had nothing to lose, I told Fusion to increase the Windows 7 hard drive to 100gb in its Settings. It accepted the change, then took a little time to rebuild the hard drive. When it was done, I started Windows 7, went to Computer Management, and told Windows 7 to expand the C drive to maximum. Within moments I had a working-- perfectly!-- Windows 7 machine with a 100gb hard drive. Sweet!

Once again, Fusion proved to me that it totally rocks!

Our Daughter's Gone to College

2010-09-21T16:30:00.001-04:00

I never understood what friends were going through when their kids went off to college-- until now. It's a basketful of thoughts and feelings that, for me, add up to joy... but that doesn't mean it's without some sadness.

I'm very excited for her! Our daughter is in place a great spiritually, psychologically, morally, physically... she's terrific! I believe she's ready for the university experience and will do well.

I'm also scared for her. There will be many who will try to hurt her while they pursue their selfish desires. That includes her fellow students, professors, and others she'll be with. You can believe that my prayers for her will not decrease during this phase of her life.

I also miss her, even though we said goodbye at her dorm just last night. She brings me and my wife so much joy! Her absence can definitely be felt, and it's underscored by us knowing she won't be home later today to share her day's adventures.

I know she'll continue to mature into the woman God has in mind for her to be, and will impact many around her positively and draw some closer to Christ. That's all great stuff! But I miss her...

"I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!"

2010-09-09T11:39:00.001-04:00

That quote from The A-Team's Hannibal Smith sums up well our flirt with an IT disaster last week. Here's what our lead engineer, Gary Messmer, wrote:

Monday one of our virtual hosts' RAID array disks entered "predictive failure". Should be 'no worries', after all it's RAID 5 and you can lose a disk without losing the data-- or so the theory goes.

However, server performance got bad when the disk failed and all the services on the virtual servers on that host became extremely unresponsive. Since we have multiple churches and ministries from around the country hosted in our rack, we needed to restore high performance quickly.

In the 'old days', without virtualization, restoring a server with a failing hard drive required physically replacing the drive-- making that server unusable while doing so. Our replacement drive arrived the next day, and then we had to install it and let the RAID array rebuild, too much downtime (about 36 hours of 'really slow' processing time) for our liking-- and our clients!

Thanks to virtualization, it was just a matter of minutes. We stopped the essential virtual servers, copied them to another host, and then restarted them. Everyone was working again in minutes! This even while we waited for the replacement drive to fully restore the affected host!

When disaster strikes, virtual guests (the servers running on a virtual host) can be quickly moved to another host in a matter of minutes-- it’s just like copying files.

Well said, Gary! The benefits of virtualization are huge! And the cost of the software that makes it possible is free for most churches and ministries.

VMworld 2010

2010-09-07T19:20:00.000-04:00

I got to attend VMworld in San Francisco last week, and it was great! There were more than 17,000 of us geeks enjoying the free-floating electrons in the air.

One of my conclusions is that The Cloud is here, and it's going to take over. Whether the best solution for you is a private cloud or a public cloud, that is the immediate future of computing.

I'm working on a brief article explaining exactly what that means and how it applies... keep your eyes open for it in the next week or two.

Getting the Most Out of Your Church Management Software

2010-08-15T20:25:00.001-04:00

I just published a new article that's my attempt to put my finger on the reason so many churches and ministries are dissatisfied with their church management software. The blame rests on the CMS providers and on the churches and ministries; and I offer suggestions on how each can help improve the situation.

You can download a free PDF preview of the article by clicking here!

Yup! I Bought Another Mac!

2010-08-11T20:08:00.000-04:00

I may be one of the most misunderstood people in IT:

Since mid-2008 I have been using a MacBook Pro. Most of my colleagues are still getting over that, not sure if I'm going through midlife crisis and trying to look cool, or if I've 'gone over to the dark side' (their words exactly!).
I've written a number of articles objectively analyzing the Mac, and because I don't wholeheartedly love it, many Mac evangelists hate me and write long documents trying to prove I am its enemy.

But in an article earlier this year I said I like the Mac! I just haven't drank the Kool-Aid! Here's exactly what I said:

Would I Buy Another Mac?

I'm asked that question a lot! Because of the job I have, the answer is yes. I could not support our clients' Mac users without one. If I were buying a personal computer, the answer is probably yes. Because they are nice to look at, if I had the extra cash to do so, I probably would!

When asked that question, I tell people the objective facts as I've explained them [in this article]. When I ask them if that matches the perception they had of the Mac, they always say no! My next question is usually, "And what other commercials and marketing hype do you totally believe?"

Well, this month was the time for me to get a new computer, and I bought another Mac!

Yeah... I'm Braggin'...

2010-07-29T13:51:00.000-04:00

I have good reason to brag... not because of something I've done, but because of someone I know! Amanda & Charles (our daughter and her boyfriend) did something noteworthy yesterday, and I'm honestly proud to know them!

They started cookin' up a storm mid-afternoon, making nine dishes to give to homeless folks in Huntington Beach. They made chicken, broccoli, and rice, then they packaged them up in an attractive presentation and went driving looking for homeless people who were hungry. Isn't that great?!!

James 1:27 talks about religious devotion the Father accepts as pure and faultless: "looking after orphans and widows in their distress" and Jesus says in Matthew 25:31-40 that when we feed the hungry, we are feeding him. My bragging then, is for good reason! I know those who, in purity of heart, serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords-- even when it seems no one is looking. How cool is that?!!

Always Reconcile Your Credit Card Statement!

2010-07-13T13:03:00.000-04:00

Like many Westerners, we make most of our purchases throughout the month on our credit cards to earn points we can use towards vacations, etc. It's a wise stewardship decision, as long-- and only if-- we pay our credit card statement in full every month.

Troubling Trends
We've noticed over the last couple of years a couple of trends that are very troubling:

Almost every other month we find fraudulent charges on our statements. These are not due to our carelessness; we are careful to only make online purchases on secure websites and we shred all of our receipts when we're done with them along with all other potential-identity-theft trash. These fraudulent charges are usually for less than $10, so they'd be easy to miss (think the thieves are doing it that way on purpose?); it's rare to see one for more than $10.
Merchants have begun asking if we want our receipt when we make purchases. They're probably wanting to be ecologically sensitive or just trying to be courteous, but their question suggests that many say they don't want their receipt! Without a receipt, how can one verify the charges on their monthly credit card statements?

If we didn't reconcile our monthly statements (the process of matching every charge on our statement with a receipt), we would throw a lot of money into theives' pockets-- money we are trying to manage well. Is that what you're doing?

My Recommendation

I strongly recommend you get a receipt for every credit card and debit card purchase, and reconcile those receipts against your monthly statements. Our family averages about 90 receipts per month, and reconciliation takes me 10-15 minutes. If you make fewer purchases, it'll take you much less time. And it will save you money when you catch those charges that are wrong or shouldn't be on your statement!

My Favorite Mobile Apps

2010-07-06T18:45:00.000-04:00

I travel a lot and rely on a number of mobile technologies to help me stay productive while on the road. Whether you travel a lot or not, mobile technology can help you in your personal and professional life. I just released a brief article for publication that lists my favorite mobile apps... click here to get a free copy in PDF format!

Healthcare Makes Me Sick!

2010-06-30T19:38:00.000-04:00

Our healthcare insurance carrier is conducting themselves in a manner that is changing my perception of their industry-- for the worse! Their industry is under a lot of scrutiny these days, and I'm beginning to believe they deserve it.

My Perspective To-Date
I run a small business and am sympathetic to the plight of the small businessman (or woman). Our taxes and fees are increasing, and doing business-- especially in California, is challenging.

But I have always defended the insurance industry as I would any legitimate business. They provide a service, and they have a right to do so profitably.

Our Situation
Without going into specifics, our health insurance company made fast changes to their plans that cost us and our team members thousands in the last year. These were done without warning, and they were entirely unsympathetic to our plight.

The person in our office responsible for dealing with them was under so much stress from them that I personally took on the responsibility earlier this month. I've been working with them for three weeks, and now I understand why she was nearly at tears. They have been insensitive, uncaring, and unresponsive.

Big Isn't Always Better
Before starting our small business in the mid-1980s I was in executive service for General Motors. They had pirated me from a similar role in Ford Motor Company. I understand working in a large corporation, and know that sometimes they can be difficult to navigate. Sometimes their personnel can be unsympathetic to customers' needs. But an objective and caring manager can create a culture where the customer is king (or queen) and reasonable needs are met. The best part is that everyone wins in that scenario!

My New Perspective
I'm beginning to believe that those who hate the healthcare insurance industry are justified. I can't believe I'm saying that, but after trying to deal with them for three weeks, they have completely turned me around!

I spoke with their CEO's office, and they are trying to navigate the corporate culture to resolve our issue. Unfortunately, the first person I was referred to had the sole responsibility of defending and explaining their plan. Not helpful. Next is that person's manager and the national VP. I hope I will be writing a follow-up post that says they made everything right, and that my original position (that of defending their right to do business and to do it profitably) is still in tact.

The Basics

2010-06-23T22:09:00.000-04:00

I love baked potatoes-- especially with steak! My wife makes the best I've had... she puts a rub on them that makes even their skin taste good. Mmm...

Restaurants rarely serve them steaming hot these days. I'm not sure why-- maybe a lawsuit someone won, or maybe they just don't care. This has even been true at some of the finest steakhouses around, so it has been surprising!

Last night We went to a steakhouse (The Hitching Post in Buelton, CA) to celebrate my birthday. I was so happy to see that the potato was steaming hot! The steak was excellent too... It was a great dinner.

What's Your Potato?
Serving baked potatoes hot seems pretty basic. It's a 'no brainer'! But we all have baked potatoes in our lives-- areas where we may have gotten a little lazy or stopped putting in that 'little extra' that makes what we do special.

I confess that I've been focusing on my baked potato for the last year. The Lord reminded me that an aspect of what he wants me to do as I serve others was a little off. My heart had gotten kind of lazy. I was still doing all the right things, but I wasn't doing them for the right reason. I've been working on that, and am enjoying the fruit of it.

The Reward
The best part, I think, of doing the right things for the right reason is that it brings an extra element of joy! Proof again that good is better, and serving well is worth it!

So... what's your potato?

CITRT is Awesome!

2010-05-26T11:12:00.001-04:00

The Church Information Technology Round Table continues to meet the needs of many in IT ministry. Yesterday I attended my third roundtable event this year-- this one hosted by ACS Technologies, and was again challenged and encouraged. Next month I'm attending one hosted by Shelby Systems, and already I can't wait!

If you or someone you know serves a church or ministry by helping with their computer systems, these grassroots events are a 'must attend'!

What Is a Roundtable Meeting Like?
The meeting usually begins with brief introductions by everyone attending, then goes into the listing of topics attendees would like to discuss. Those items are then prioritized by the attendees, and then the fun begins! We all share... we're all helping each other!

It's a great opportunity to meet peers, be encouraged, get answers, and help others. Get to know this group!

Mac's Amazing Reputation

2010-05-08T12:20:00.001-04:00

The Mac has an amazing reputation. If I could sum it up in one sentence:

The Mac is a beautifully crafted computer whose operating system is so well engineered that it is not susceptible to malware attacks nor does it ever have problems, and it is comparable in price when compared to Windows computers, in part, because it is so trouble free.

I agree with the first part: it is beautifully crafted. From a look and feel perspective, it is the nicest computer I have ever worked on. In fact, I probably love working on it because of how nice it is to sit in front of!

But the other parts of its reputation are pure myth. I'm sorry, that is just the truth.

Operating System
As I wrote in a 2008 article, the operating system is easy to completely trash. I had another near call this week when I needed to delete some large reference files on my hard drive to make room for some I needed while serving a client. After deleting nearly 90gb of files to make room for the 110gb of files I needed to temporarily put on the desktop, my MacBook Pro started behaving poorly.

I've gone through Mac OS issues enough times now to suspect that the hard drive had a bad set of permissions. So I ran the Disk Utility and told it to repair my permissions on the hard drive, and it had hundreds to repair. I can honestly say that I have never had a similar issue on a Windows hard drive, but this is the fifth or sixth time I've experienced it on the Mac.

Susceptibility to Malware
While speaking to a church's staff this week, I was asked about this; it is a common myth. The issue is that those who write malware (viruses, trojans, keystroke trackers, etc) do so to make a name for themselves in the hacker subculture, and Macs don't have enough market share to let one have much of an impact on the worldwide computing public. In addition, Macs are an easy target, so again, writing malware for them wouldn't do much to bolster one's reputation. Thus, there just isn't much malware that is written for the Mac, which makes the unassuming public believe they are impervious to attack!

Price
Macs cost more than similarly equipped Windows computers; usually 75% to 125% more. That's the plain and simple truth.

Perception is Everything!
Most Mac users are very forgiving of Apple when they encounter a flaw, saying things like, "Oh, Apple will fix that in the next update." But when they see a flaw in Windows, they are quick to point out how bad Microsoft is, as though it were the Evil Empire.

This is true of people in most aspects of life. If someone makes a serious mistake due to poor judgment, others will typically have one of two responses:

If they like the person, they'll say, "Oh, everyone's entitled to make a mistake now and then."
If they don't like the person, they'll say, "It was just a matter of time before they really blew it!"

It's just human nature! Like 1 Corinthians 13:5 & 7 says, "love keeps no record of wrongs... always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (NIV)

Would I Buy Another Mac?
I'm asked that question a lot! Because of the job I have, the answer is yes. I could not support our clients' Mac users without one. If I were buying a personal computer, the answer is probably yes. Because they are nice to look at, if I had the extra cash to do so, I probably would!

When asked that question, I tell people the objective facts as I've explained them here. When I ask them if that matches the perception they had of the Mac, they always say no! My next question is usually, "And what other commercials and marketing hype do you totally believe?"

2010's Hot Technology

2010-04-26T11:23:00.000-04:00

A few times each year Steve Hewitt, Christian Computing Magazine's Editor in Chief and I have the privilege of speaking at conferences about what's happening in technology. We talk about the trends and products we think are hot and those that are not hot. I've just released an article recap of what I shared at a recent conference... click here to download a free PDF of it!

McAfee Causing Corporate Meltdown -- The Fix

2010-04-22T13:07:00.000-04:00

Yesterday McAfee caused havoc in corporate America by telling Windows XP workstations that a necessary file was a worm! If you’re running McAfee for anti-virus protection, at least some of your workstations may have been affected. The symptoms are constant rebooting and/ or inability to do any work on them.

McAfee apologized by posting a fixed SuperDAT. If your systems are unable to connect, click here to download it directly.

McAfee posted instructions on how to replace the file it deleted manually on their website... click here to access it.

In December last year we announced that we moved our anti-virus spec from McAfee to Sophos because of Sophos' ability to protect systems better in today's computing environment.

Great Fundraising Idea!

2010-04-14T13:27:00.000-04:00

While at the CITRT Spring gathering last month at Saddleback Church, I was impressed by Saddleback's recycling program. In the picture you'll notice they have trash cans with a lable on them stating their recycling ministry is able to provide a Bible for every 10 cans or bottles collected.

Turning trash into Bibles is a GREAT way to motivate me to recycle! Sure, I care about the planet; but I care much more for the lost souls on the planet!

The Inseparable Bond of Technology & Mission

2010-03-22T13:16:00.001-04:00

I was honored when the Lausanne World Pulse recently asked me to write an article for them about how technology is impacting the mission of The Church. My opening paragraph says:

In a recent conference about technology in church ministry, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, CA) said, "Every time there is an advance in technology, The Kingdom advances." Technology has a huge impact on our mission-- not the 'what' of our mission, but the 'how'.

Click here to download a free PDF of the article!

I'm Shocked! Again...

2010-03-15T14:24:00.001-04:00

In April, 2009 I was asked by a client to update their database software. I was surprised to learn they were running on such an old operating system that it could not be updated! I gave them the minimum specs of what they needed, which they passed on to their 'computer support guy'.

Now, twelve months later (March, 2010), I am on-site to update their database. Their computer guy finally got them a free Windows 7 computer with, unfortunately, all the usual junkware on it (stuff that gets included on Compaq consumer models). I was surprised to see, however, that he didn't update the system for them! There were 42 updates to be installed!

In addition, Office 2007 is unlicensed. He told them to just ignore the license key entry window when they start up. Even though charity licensing is only about $70!

I am shocked at what so many are willing to live with when it comes to computer support. And, considering that those we are honored to serve have the most important mission on earth-- the spreading of The Gospel, I'm glad we provide such a high-quality level of support. Nonetheless, I am-- once again-- shocked.

Mac Office 2008 Critical Update Released Today-- CAUTION!!

2010-03-09T19:30:00.000-04:00

Today Microsoft released a critical update for Mac Office 2008. If you run the Web Services Edition (Version 13.0.3-- click the Entourage menu option and About Entourage to find out), DO NOT RUN THE UPDATE!

Because it was critical, I ran it, then spent the next few hours bonding with my friends in Microsoft's India support facility as we reset things back to where they were before I ran the install. They will test it (don't you think they shoulda done that before releasing it?) and let me know tomorrow what they find.

In the meantime: STOP!

Discouragement

2010-03-02T12:07:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was probably the most discouraging day I can remember. It had its victories and accomplishments-- and a couple of great conversations, but a couple of issues were so overpowering that I truly felt like I wanted to quit-- my job, my family, everything!

Coincidence?
Just the day before our pastor spoke about how one of Satan's schemes is getting us to the point of wanting to quit and how to deal with it. I sat there thinking, "I've never wanted to quit... that must be as low a feeling as there is. I'm glad I've never felt that!" Little did I know what I would deal with the next day!

I was so overwhelmed with the feeling that I didn't want to spend time or talk with anyone. I kept to myself. I took myself out for a meager dinner-- alone. I came home and read, then went to bed at 8.

Today I hope to keep in mind whose team I'm on (the Lord's) and get over it. I work for him, live for him, and love for him. And really, he has blessed me so big! That feeling was way out of line!

The Bible says "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the ...spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:12, NIV) When things seem that overpowering, recognize they may not be from your own thoughts or feelings... they may be from unseen dark spiritual forces.

For those who deal with that level of discouragement, now I get it. I'm so sorry you deal with that. God loves you; he loves me. He has great things in store for us! And even though there are situations in our lives we wish were different, he cares. The key, I think, is to remember that, and to press on.

New Article on Computer Data Cleanup

2010-02-16T17:35:00.000-04:00

It's Spring, and to many of us that means "Spring Cleaning". Computer data is one of those areas that needs constant grooming, and the payoff is big! But to some just thinking of it feels like a chore. In this article I'll help you organize your data and delete unnecessary files easily.

Cloud Computing Reflections

2010-02-04T14:11:00.000-04:00

In November I posted an entry about an article I wrote about Cloud Computing; that it proves Solomon was right that there's nothing new under the sun. As I've been thinking about Cloud Computing and what it's evolving to mean (server-based computing to minimize traffic and hardware requirements), the following struck me as... interesting!

When engineering Novell Netware networks in the mid-1980s using programs like WordPerfect, we engineered them so all software ran from the server where the data also resided. Microsoft decided to enter the word processing game and did so in a big way, eclipsing Word Perfect. But their solution, Word, was so inefficient they recommended running it from the local hard drive.
Microsoft decided to enter the network game and did so in a big way too, eclipsing Novell. They did their best to achieve Netware's reliability, even adopting Novell's strategy of using a database called a directory to manage the network. But things were often unstable and services conflicted with each other, so they developed the strategy of running many servers to minimize service conflicts and to further distribute the network, pushing as much data and programs as possible to the workstation. With today's hypervisor technology we're finally able to engineer Microsoft networks with very few server 'hosts'-- part of Cloud Computing architecture.

So, more than a dozen years later we're finally able to do with Microsoft Windows networks most of what we were able to do with Novell Networks. Congrats to Microsoft!

Airport Security FAIL

2010-01-25T15:05:00.000-04:00

There's a lot about U.S. airport security that doesn't make sense to me. Today I was put in a holding cell to await a 'pat down' because, they said, I was wearing a long sleeve shirt over a t-shirt. They didn't require others with two shirts to go through a pat down. I just got lucky, I guess.

Political Landscape Shifts Again!

2010-01-20T10:38:00.000-04:00

Yesterday political history was made again when Scott Brown, a Republican, won the Massachusetts Senate seat vacated by the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy. Senator Brown won by 5 percentage points, or 120,000 votes. Former Massachusetts Republican Governor Mitt Romney told Fox News, "To have a Republican senator, that's unheard of. ... This is monumental. This is epic."

37% of Massachusetts voters are Democrats, compared to just 12% who are Republicans! And President Obama carried the state by 26% in his 2008 election! This marks a definite swing.

On 7/19/2009 I posted a blog entry about why I needed to stop following the news: the direction of politics and the way they are running the country was making me so angry. I think many Americans feel like me, that most in the two main political parties are watching out for their self-interests and those of large contributors; they are not watching out for the American people and doing what is best for our country.

The mainstream media likewise seems to have an agenda, and it's not about what is best for the United States of America. Rather, it's about what they'd like to see happen in the U.S. to correct wrongs-- whether accurate or not-- against the environment, less fortunate countries in the world, minorities, and special interest groups.

The American people are starting to revolt! And it's about time. We want our country back! We want it back so we can fix the wrongs recently done by politicians and make this country a true world leader again! It's time to take back the power we've given to lawyers and news agencies... those that look with disdain on the citizens of this country who are speaking out against the current tide of political elitism.

Yesterday's election in Massachusetts gave me hope. I think that's true for many. I pray that the U.S.A. will again become the world's beacon of hope; a place where all are equal and where the government and the press respects citizen's rights and perspectives.

Die Hards are Christmas Movies!

2009-12-22T16:17:00.001-04:00

The first three movies in Bruce Willis' Die Hard series take place at Christmas, just like the Home Alone series. People feel comfy identifying the Home Alone series as Christmas movies, but not the Die Hard series! Why? What's wrong with Christmas movies guys love to watch!

MBS Has Job Openings!

2009-12-22T11:48:00.000-04:00

We're expanding our team as we grow in our ministry opportunities, and so we have some part-time job openings! Do you know anyone in Southern California that would be a good candidate? Click here to see our current openings!

Please help us! Our growing client base needs us to add to our team!

Gift Recommendation for Your Mac Users

2009-12-21T20:11:00.000-04:00

I've been using Apple's Magic Mouse for less than a week and already love it!

I've tried many bluetooh mice over the years, and this is the first I'm willing to trade my wired mouse for! It tracks smoothly and works terrifically! It's surface is like a notebook touchpad that can read gestures; very nice for scrolling and zooming.

You can get one from the Apple Store for about $69 by clicking here!

Visio Helps Make Sweet IT Documentation!

2009-12-21T18:27:00.000-04:00

While working on a project earlier this month we developed this one-page Visio diagram that tells almost everything someone would need to quickly know to get a sense of how the network works!

New Article About IT Policies

2009-12-21T18:22:00.000-04:00

Computer technology’s effect on our lives has grown so big and so fast! To keep folks from getting hurt by technology, our government is busy adding laws and regulations, and we need some policies to ensure we’re in compliance. We also need policies to help us get the most reliability and service from our systems!

Click here for a free download of my article on IT Policies in PDF format!

IRS Announces 2010 Standard Mileage Rates for 2010

2009-12-03T14:29:00.004-04:00

Today the IRS announced the 2010 optional standard mileage rates in bulletin ir-2009-111.

They are:

Business Mileage: $ .50
Medical & Moving Mileage: $ .165
Charitable Mileage: $ .14

The IRS sets business, medical, and moving mileage reimbursement rates; the charitable mileage reimbursement rate is set by Congress who has not acted to increase the rate for years.

MBS' Major Network Revamp

2009-12-02T14:52:00.006-04:00

The Sunday afternoon before Thanksgiving we began a 2.5 day project to completely revamp our network. Though our staff is small, we serve and provide services to church and ministry clients nationwide, so our network needs are much larger than they might be for a company our size.

Here's what we did:

After shuffling our data off our Dell PowerEdge 2950 servers (one was an ESXi host) we erased their drives and installed VMware vSphere (ESX 4 Enterprise) on both, naming them vh1 and vh2 (virtual hosts 1 and 2).
We created two RAID5 datastores on vh1, and one on vh2, then created our servers that run as guests on the hosts: 2 domain controllers, 2 terminal servers, a mail server (we upgraded to Exchange 2010), an SQL server, a secure IM server runing OpenFire, a print server, an endpoint security server running Sophos, a WSUS server, and an ftp server our clients use to send us backups of their databases nightly.
We still have three hardware servers (Asterisk VoIP, database which will be converted to our new SQL server, and backup), but will soon have two of those (Asterisk and database) virtualized.
We started with seven servers on five boxes, and now have fourteen servers soon to be running on just three boxes!
Our servers are all Windows 2008r2 and 2003r2 (due to license counts). Of our two terminal servers: one is 2003r2 and one is 2008r2.
We upgraded our electrical protection to an APC unit with a network card so we can properly shut down our virtual servers. We have more than an hour of blackout runtime, and we have a generator that can easily power the network for an expended outage.
Our network also has two Internet connections to entirely different backbones (Verizon FiOS and TimeWarner Cable) to ensure our hosting of SPAM Firewall services remains up at all times.

The best part was that we accomplished all that with less than two hours of downtime to the team, and less than ten minutes of downtime on the SPAM Filtering service! The month before we upgraded all of our desktops and notebooks to Windows 7 Pro and my Mac to Snow Leopard, so it's been a fun couple of months around here!

Cute Resume & Cover Letter!

2009-12-02T12:17:00.004-04:00

In these more challenging economic times and high unemployment rates, we all get some interesting resumes! We have an open position for a part-time assistant bookkeeper, and received a cute email and resume yesterday. Reading through the resume I didn't see any bookkeeping experience, so I went back to the cover letter email and enjoyed the cute innocence of what she said.

Hello, my name is Rosie [changed name] and I would like to apply for the Assistant Book Keeper Position. I've always wanted to work in a book store because I think it is a great place for me to work for a few reasons. I love to read and usually spend my free time reading, and since I would be working in a bookstore it would be a quieter environment and I'd actually be able to hear while I'm working. Also I would love to be in a position where I am helping/serving God in a way that I can.

Rosie's cute, and I loved her spirit! You can be sure I sent her a very kind email.

New Article: Five Things To Do This Month

2009-11-16T14:10:00.003-04:00

I’m asked to write a ‘five things to do this month’ annually for The Clergy Journal. Click here to download a free PDF copy of the quick sidebar article... I hope you find it helpful!

New Article: Annual Church & Donor Management Software List & Feature Chart

2009-11-13T13:48:00.005-04:00

I get the privilege of publishing an annual article listing those leading the field of church and donor management software and their product's features. We found 62 software companies focusing on the church and ministry management market this year, but only 34 qualified to be included in the article (remember, these are supposed to be market leaders, so we qualify them three ways: actively marketing, minimum growth, and an update released in the last two years).

You can get a free advance copy in PDF format by clicking here!

IT Proves King Solomon Was Right!

2009-11-10T16:16:00.002-04:00

"Cloud computing" is the latest concept to capture Information Technology (IT)’s minds and imagination. Many are embracing it even though it is still in development; others are looking at it cautiously and with concern. Over the next few years we will all be basing our IT strategies on cloud computing. But what is it, and what does it have to do with Israel's third king who lived nearly 3000 years ago?

Click here to download a PDF of the article!

MBS' Press Release on Windows 7

2009-10-20T10:29:00.003-04:00

We took a position on Windows 7 that has surprised many!

Get a free PDF download of the one-page press release by clicking here!

Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac

2009-10-13T11:22:00.004-04:00

I've written a number of posts about Office 2008, and thought it could be helpful to list them for easy reference. Here are their links (I suggest right-clicking and opening them in separate tabs or windows):

Happy reading!

Amazing 1-1/4 Minute Video Worth Watching

2009-10-02T15:38:00.005-04:00

We know that the media is distorting our perspectives in a lot of areas. This short video is a must see!

Click here to watch it.

New Article About Twitter-- Should Your Church Use It?

2009-09-29T15:59:00.002-04:00

I just released a new article for publication on whether churches should be on Twitter. Click here for a free PDF download!

Gmail Hacked!

2009-09-29T13:55:00.004-04:00

This morning I got an email from a church administrator forum I monitor. The email said it was from a church administrator that is traveling in England who got robbed at gun point and needs some money to satisfy his hotel bill and get home.

It was SPAM.

An email just came from the church administrator saying his Gmail account had been hacked by someone in Nigeria and the phishing SPAM was sent to everyone in his contact list.

I did a little research and found there are many articles and tools available to help people hack into Gmail accounts. My guess is that the same exist for Yahoo, AOL, and others. A word to the wise: be cautious about using online or hosted email systems! Check their website to see what you can do to protect your account with high-quality passwords and security.

Entourage EWS Attachment Limits

2009-08-26T15:27:00.009-04:00

We've been wrestling through an Entourage attachment-size issue that's been maddening. Today we finally got to work with Microsoft's Product Support Services technical lead. He and his colleague were helpful, and we got through it, but it took more than an hour! It was about as straight-forward as San Francisco's Lombard Street, but here's what we learned:

Entourage file attachment limitations are managed by the Exchange 2007 server in the EWS folder.
There's no easy-to-use checkbox to say someone has no limitation on attachment file size.
Assuming that when you don't impose an attachment size limitation on a user-- presumably because you don't want there to be a limitation on their attachment sizes-- is enough won't work. Exchange applies its default limitation of 5mb!
When setting a higher limit to allow someone to send attachments larger than 5mb, don't base the new limit on the actual size of the attachment files. Mime will expand attachments about 1/3 larger than their original file size. But don't base the new limit on that size either, because Exchange expands the attachments even larger! Set the limit to about double the original attachments' file size.

Many Mac users work on media files. While email isn't the best way to send large files, some will want to quickly send large (25-50mb) attachments. Microsoft will be wise to simplify this process.

SmartPhone Bondage

2009-08-22T11:34:00.005-04:00

A friend recently posted on his Facebook that his iPhone being broken that day was, "probably the single most liberating experience [he's] had in the last 5 years. Serious!"

That's not an uncommon comment! The reason, I think, is because we allow those SmartPhones to keep us over-connected, resulting in less time to focus on those around us or ourselves! It's a real problem! Those little devices that are supposed to make our lives better and more productive are sometimes more like a virtual leash! When I posted that as a comment on his Facebook, he responded, "They are more a bondage than freedom." He's right.

Who's In Charge?
My approach to technology has always been a little different than most. Just because technology can do something doesn't necessarily mean I want it to. So I rarely use every "feature", choosing instead to manage technology.

If we don't manage technology, it will manage us.

For Example
I don't turn on email synchronization on my SmartPhone. I can hear some reading this gasping for air at that thought, but it's true! So I am less interrupted and better able to focus on those who I'm with or on personal time.

I can still get to my email via the browser if I want to (me being in charge of the technology), but rarely do. If it's that important, I'll get a call soon enough.

Also, I don't run a Twitter client on my SmartPhone. (Those previously gasping for air may want to dial 911 for help). I only have Twitter notify me of direct messages. The rest I'll see when I check my Twitter 2-4 times daily... usually enough to keep current with my relationships there while still allowing me to have a life.

Encouragement
So let me encourage you to manage your use of technology in a different way too! If you're not sure whether this is a need, ask those closest to you how they feel when you're reaching for your SmartPhone to read email or Twitter. Relationships are important, and those God has given us that are closest to us (spouse, kids, neighbors) want our full attention. It might even make the difference in their sense of how God prioritizes them!

New Article on Mac Software Recommendations

2009-08-19T11:54:00.007-04:00

In 2007 I began using a Mac for a research project. When that project was finished I decided to stay on the Mac! Some say if you try a Mac you’ll never go back; I stayed with it because it helps us support many of our clients who use them. The switchover has been a little challenging, however, because I’m used to using business-class software. In this article I’ll share what software I use to keep me as productive as I was on the Windows platform, which may help the Mac users on your team.

Download the article (updated on 8/25/2009) here for free in PDF format!

I'm a CTI Your Church Contributing Editor!

2009-08-14T16:18:00.004-04:00

The folks at Christianity Today's Your Church magazine and I have been talking for a couple of months about something they officially announced today! I have joined their team of contributing editors, and am very excited about it! I have had great respect for the Christianity Today family of magazines since the late-1970s.

This doesn't change my contributing editor commitment for Christian Computing Magazine or The Clergy Journal, but gives me the opportunity to help/ serve more churches and ministries.

Mac Office Gets Essential Entourage Update

2009-08-13T16:50:00.003-04:00

Microsoft announced today they have decided the next release of Office for Mac will include Outlook instead of Entourage! That's great news for enterprise Mac users whose companies use Microsoft Exchange for their mail server!

There are many who are mis-stating that info, though, as though the new version's release is imminent. It is not! My sources at Microsoft tell me it will be released in late 2010 or early 2011. So, what should those Mac users do in the meantime?

Microsoft released today the next update for Entourage that includes EWS (Exchange Web Services). It's a free upgrade for Entourage 2008 users (make sure your Entourage 2008 is currently patched before installing!), and it delivers vastly improved Exchange integration for the Mac. This is also very good news for Mac users and should not be put off while waiting for the next release of Office for Mac in a year or two.

You can download the free upgrade to Entourage 2008 EWS right here:
www.microsoft.com/mac/itpros/entourage-ews.mspx

Kid's Allowance w/an Impact

2009-08-12T13:36:00.005-04:00

We started giving our daughter an allowance when she was seven years old. We wanted to accomplish a few things with it:
1. Teach her about being responsible to contribute to the household.
2. Give her the satisfaction of earning her own money.
3. Teach her how to handle money.
4. Build a foundation for success in a capitalistic system.

The image to the left is her checklist from when she was eleven. Looking at it, you'll notice a few things:

There were a a total of 38 possible checks
We set "Good Achievement", which earned "Full Allowance"-- 76%, which is a C in schoolwork. In other words, she earned her full allowance if she was average. We wanted her to know that we neither demanded nor expected perfection.
We allowed her to perform at a higher level if she wanted to bonus up! She could earn as much as 50% more if she was willing to do better than average.

Our daughter has learned that working harder brings more rewards, whether at home or school or work. Though sometimes she only earns a hug (we always accept and love her), she often earns a bonus!

Is Your Church on The Internet?

2009-08-06T13:06:00.004-04:00

While cleaning out some old files this morning I ran across my 51-slide PowerPoint (before its ability to build slides line by line) of a workshop I presented at many national and regional conferences in 1995 - 1997 called Should Your Ministry Be On The Internet? My, how far we've come! Some of my slides titles were:

What Is The Internet?
What Is Email?
What Is A Web Page?
Online Service (AOL, CompuServe, Prodigy) vs ISP
To Host-- Or Not To Host

So... is your church on the Internet? ;~)

New Article: Nick's Software Picks

2009-07-28T13:03:00.006-04:00

Our team has had the privilege of serving many hundreds of ministries nationwide as network engineers and consultants. In those roles we have found that some software works better in church and ministry offices than others. We have also found that some software seems to be more trouble-free than others. It is with that perspective that we make the recommendations in this article.

Click here for a free PDF download!

Office 2008 12.2.0 Update Problem

2009-07-21T18:20:00.003-04:00

Entourage will not run on some Macs after installing the Office 2008 12.2.0 update. Microsoft has not yet acknowledged or addressed the problem. All of the other Office programs run, just not Entourage. (This is not due to running the EWS beta; it was not installed.)

To get back up and running, I had to restore the MS Office application folder from Time Machine. After doing so I tried running the update installation again and had the exact same problem, so restored 12.1.9 again. I think I'll stay there until MS figures this one out.

A thread has begun in the Mactopia forum, click here to access or add to it.

Solar Power Bummer!

2009-07-13T14:11:00.005-04:00

Primarily to save money on power, but also because it's a good thing to do, we contracted with SolarCity to install a solar power generating system on our roof. We contracted for a fairly large system: 5.25kw! It was to be installed by the end of this summer.

SolarCity's engineer came to do his field work in preparation for drawing up the plans for the city permit. While here he observed that our roof-- which is in great condition and has many years of life left-- was installed on top of the previous roof. Because the previous roof was wood shingles, SolarCity later told us that unless we re-roof, they won't install a system for us. The engineer told us this is a new company policy that was set in place after we signed our contract.

Our choice was to re-roof, or cancel our contract with them.

Our roof is not uneven or wavy... it is very flat. In fact, we didn't even know that the asphalt shingles are on top of the old wood shingles! Buyer beware! This felt like an up-sale, we felt ripped off.

Tired of Bein' Angry

2009-07-09T17:54:00.008-04:00

Our church began a new series last night, and the first topic was Managing Your Emotions, taught by Harold Bullock. It was very good (thanks, Harold!).

Even before it began I realized that I'd been angry for awhile. As I thought it through, I identified two primary things that were getting me so mad: the economy and recent directions made by our federal government.

The economy is hurting most of us. Blame whomever you'd like; it doesn't matter: most of us are feeling it and making changes in our lives to accommodate less cash flow. I've been going out to eat much less, putting off buying a replacement pair of Levi's, checking books out from the library instead of buying them, riding my bike as much as possible, etc. These are all good things, and I'm not complaining... but changes in lifestyle always meet emotional resistance, and are thus not comfortable.

Our country is spending like there's no end to the money supply (something that's true if you can print as much as you need, I guess), and nearly all of what they've spent has been benefiting a few rather than stimulating the economy. As I've researched the issues, I'm astounded at what the truth is in what they're doing, and I believe it is really hurting the U.S.' future. In fact, I don't believe we'll ever be able to recover; that's how bad what they're doing is.

Both of these combined to make me a very unhappy guy. And that meant my anger was always barely below the surface of my heart. Trust me: that is exhausting! Exhausting to me, and to everyone who has spent much time with me recently.

So I've changed a couple of things:

Regarding the economy: I decided to focus on God's provision and manage positively rather than focus on the negative economy. I can already feel the difference that decision is making.
regarding politics: I decided to stop focusing so much on politics. If I'm going to be an activist on behalf of my citizenship, I'll do so based on my heavenly citizenship rather than on my U.S. citizenship. That doesn't mean I won't be a good U.S. citizen... it's just not going to be my driving focus.

Decisions like that need to be put into practice as soon as possible. So today while on a short bike ride I picked up a couple of small I love you gifts for my wife and daughter-- the two ladies in my life. It felt good to prime the pump! Maybe I'll even get that pair of Levi's!

Working in Paradise

2009-07-07T19:05:00.006-04:00

Our family often finds itself amazed that God chose to plant us in such a fun place as Huntington Beach, CA. It's a hugely unchurched community, so the ministry opportunities are big. But it's also a fun place to live!

This morning I had to wrestle through some challenging work/ management issues. When I was done, I desperately needed to clear my head. So I hopped on my bike and headed out for a ride-- first to church to help our pastor with something, then to our downtown library and lunch.

One of my favorite lunches is on Main Street at Pacific Coast Highway. I like to get a couple of Wahoo's fish tacos and a Jamba Juice smoothie. Today I also had my notebook computer with me, so I checked my email while eating outside just yards from the beach. I answered some emails, made some client phone calls, said hi to some of my favorite locals, and IM'd with my team. All in all, it was a productive time down there at the beach on a perfect day!

Working in paradise is cool. It's also a privilege to be part of a church leadership team that is heavily focused on reaching the unchurched in our community. Thank you, Lord!

New Nicholaou.com Website!

2009-07-02T11:41:00.002-04:00

We've had a family website since the late 1990s, but it hadn't been updated in sometime and was built on very dated technology. Today I re-published the site and think I like it! It still has some polishing to do (like the picture files are a bit too large), but it's up! Let me know what you think!

Click here: Nicholaou.com

Economy May Help Churches?

2009-06-26T14:31:00.004-04:00

A colleague, Mark Willie, shared a thought about one the effects of the current economy that could be helpful for young churches. He observed that the closing of many automobile dealerships may provide an opportunity for churches looking for new facilities! He suggested a few reasons why closed automobile dealership locations may be good for churches to consider:

They are currently well priced for lease or purchase
Lots of parking
Large building for services
Offices above the open space for church staff
Well located near freeways
Typically on a busy street with good visibility for evangelism

Those are all great reasons! A few observations I would add:

Most dealerships are in areas that are zoned in such a way to make it easy for churches to qualify for use without running into lots of neighborhood opposition
Be cautious about the zoning requirements that may require significant building upgrades to qualify for assembly usage
Be sure to check for soil contamination that could be costly to resolve

Maybe, as Mark said, this is a gift from God that can help many newer churches!