New Article on Improving System Security with KnowBe4

While speaking at a conference recently, a cybersecurity expert whose company offers email user testing and training stated that KnowBe4.com‘s solution was the best they’d ever seen. Little did they know I was in negotiations on The Church’s behalf with KnowBe4!

Click here to read my brief article on the details!

New Article: Helpful Computer Hacks

A hack is no longer an inept person, but a helpful way of doing things that increases effectiveness and efficiency! Who knew!

I released an article to the publisher of some helpful computer hacks that will likely help every computer user. You can get to a free copy posted on my firm's website by clicking here.

How NOT to Do Tech Support

Today's call to support of an app is a perfect example. Because I've probably been just as guilty, the company name will not be mentioned.

• MBS: Since upgrading our Macs to MacOS Sierra, your app crashes a few times throughout the day with no identifiable pattern. Is it because of Sierra?
• App Support: Let's have you uninstall the app, delete a bunch of hidden files and folders in the system library, then restart and reinstall the app.
• MBS: Okay, we did all that. It still crashes.
• App Support: That's because the current release isn't compatible with MacOS Sierra. We'll be releasing an update in a few weeks.

Two thoughts:

1. Wouldn't it have been better to tell us of the incompatibility up front and encourage us to wait for the coming update? (Their website still doesn't warn of MacOS Sierra incompatibility...)
2. Three weeks? Really? Did the MacOS update catch them by surprise? Perhaps they're appropriately embarrassed and that's why they had us do a bunch of things most wouldn't do (deleting hidden files and folders in the system library). Or, at least, they should be.

We Finally Moved Our Last Netware Client to Microsoft

There's no doubt that everyone in IT owes a debt of thanks to Novell. They standardized networking with their core product, Netware. Eventually Microsoft saw the opportunity and won the battle, but Netware was a terrific Network Operating System.

This week we finally got to move our last client who was using Novell Netware to a Microsoft Windows Server network! They had been using their most recent version of Novell Netware for over a decade, and it just kept working! 3-4 years ago we moved them from Novell GroupWise to Microsoft Exchange. And this week we finally got to move them to Novell Netware to Microsoft Windows Server.

Thank you, Novell, for helping to get IT moving in such a good direction! You served well... rest in peace...

Update:
We just received this pic from the client...

Microsoft Resolves O365 Charity Licensing Issue for Churches!

I just released an article to the publisher announcing that Microsoft has resolved the non-discrimination language in its O365 charity licensing agreement. The Lord used MBS in that process, and we are excited to announce it!

Click here if you’d like to read a free pre-release of the article via the MBS website!

New Article on Improving IT Support

True confession: My greatest IT challenge is not keeping up with technology! It's not budgeting the next upgrade! It is keeping my tone as warm and human as possible. And I think I may have a lot of company, so I wrote an article about it! Here's the link: http://www.mbsinc.com/keep-personal/.


I hope you find it helpful!

New Article about CITRT - The Community of Church IT People

Most people who work at churches and ministries are in behind-the-scenes positions. There is a group of these modern day heroes of The Faith who focus on IT that began gathering as peers in 2006 to and encourage each other. They have formed the Church IT Network, and their impact is huge!

If you'd like to read this article, click here!

Church IT Network & Apple

The Church IT Network, sponsor of the Church IT Roundtable (#CITRT), has apparently caught the attention of Apple! In a demonstration of the growing importance of this effective group of church IT people and the indirect impact they are having on people's lives, Apple has decided that all iOS upgrades will now launch ONLY when CITRT events are happening!

Welcome aboard, Apple! Microsoft? Google? We're waiting!

New Article on Why Churches Change ChMS Solutions

Churches and ministries change database and accounting solutions at a surprisingly high rate. There are reasons why, and this new articles addresses them and how to improve the future.

Click here if you'd like to read it now for free on the MBS website!

How to Set an Early End to Your IT Career

While at a conference this week I spoke with a church about needs their current IT vendor weren't meeting. The main issue was that the vendor will not support any workstation platforms other than Windows. I suggested they talk with the president of that firm before making a change in case they were working on a solution they hadn't yet announced.

One of the key issues those of us in IT focus on is the rapid change of technology. But we cannot limit ourselves to any single platform or software solution for very long if we want our opportunities to serve to grow. We must constantly look for trends that are meaningful to our clients and, anticipating them, have solutions ready when our clients request them.

I have said many times when speaking to IT groups that restricting oneself to a platform or software solution is a sure way to put a horizon on one's career.

My path went from DOS to Windows to Mac; from landlines to cellular to Palm PDAs to Blackberry to Android and iOS; from Everex to Compaq to HP to Compaq (which HP then bought) to Dell and Apple; from AmiPro to WordPerfect and Lotus 123 to Word; from standalone computers to Novell NetWare to Windows Server to our private cloud. You get the idea.

If you're in IT, I encourage you to look at your client base, get a pulse on where they're headed, and begin researching and testing solutions they'll be asking for so that when they do, you'll already have expertise in that space.

Church IT Round Table was Awesome!

Every time I attend a CITRT event I am so thankful!  Last week was the national event in Phoenix, hosted by Christ's Church of the Valley (in Peoria, actually); here are some of my takeaways:

• Incredible relationship building with peers.
• Great opportunity to serve my peers by sharing information, processes, and encouragement.
• Solid time of learning hi-tech details that will help on some items on our project board.
• Terrific times of worship and challenge from CCV staff.

The next national event is October 21st - 23rd this fall at Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City, KS (actually in Leawood, KS), and I strongly encourage you to go if you are involved in church and/ or ministry IT at any level.

The event to watch is http://www.churchitnetwork.com/, and the Twitter hashtag is #citrt.

2013 IT Task List Article

New year, new beginnings, and new task lists! Are there some things that should be on your IT task list for early 2013?

Click here to see my quick article that can help!

An Unlikely Victim of Sandy

I was all set to fly this morning from Long Beach, California to San Francisco on a direct flight so I could attend and help lead the regional CITRT meeting there.  My flight was at 7am, and I got up at 4:30 so I could get through security with plenty of time.

I arrived there as planned, parked, checked in, went through a security pat-down, and waited to board my flight.  After boarding I took my seat and waited as the plane filled, then they closed the door and pulled the ramp back.

A few minutes later the pilot greeted us over the PA system, and let us know that communications with their operations had just been lost.  I was on a JetBlue flight, and their operations are all done at JFK.  Apparently they are unable to access their system from any other location, so the entire JetBlue fleet was grounded until communications were resumed.

In today's Cloud technology era, there is no excuse for this!  They should be able to take a few notebook computers to anywhere there is a secure Internet connection (or simply do this at another airport), login, and do their work!  Instead, I missed the CITRT meeting and now have a JetBlue credit to manage.  And a parking expense because the airport isn't responsible.

So, as a west coast resident and traveler today, I was a victim of Sandy-- albeit an unlikely one.

IT & WebDev Are Not The Same Thing!

I attended the 2012 CITRT event last week-- which was great, btw. Another attendee who is focused on web development (WebDev) briefly blogged his thoughts about the event and did a good job from the WebDev side of contrasting the two disciplines.  They really are different disciplines!

BTW... click here to go to a previous post on this topic that goes into more detail.

Annual Church & Donor Management Software Article - 2011

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!

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!

New Article: The Cloud Can Simplify IT

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!

Mac Malware is On The Rise

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.

Churches & Cell Towers May Not Mix!

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!

Android Giggles

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...