Managing Technology
Wasn't life easier before computers? Well maybe, maybe not; but there's no looking back now. In order to survive professionally, and maintain our sanity, we must all learn to manage technology instead of having it manage us. This page is divided into 3 sections. In order to stay current, you might need "ready reference" sources for your technology questions. All too quickly, managing technology evolves into policy issues. Finally, there's no getting away from technology itself.

• Web Savvy is from the Cybrarians' Rest Stop. This site contains links to "Essential E-Newsletters, Indispensible Updates, Announcing...!, E-publications, Savvy About Search Tools, "Power Tools", News Services, and Web Current Awareness Sites."
  URL: http://www.thelearningsite.net/cyberlibrarian/elibraries/cybecurr.html
  
  
• Webopedia the Online Computer Dictionary for Internet Terms and Technical Support.
  URL: http://www.webopedia.com/
  
  
• Is there a tool, operating system, programming language, whatever that you need to know about? Try John December's Internet Tools Summary.
  URL: http://www.december.com/net/tools/
  
  
• Don't know the answer, ask Your Personal Tech Support Resource, from NoWonder, Inc. "Users can choose between working online with a live expert, or submitting a question through e-mail for a response within 24 hours." Get it while it's free!
  URL: http://www.nowonder.com/nowonder.jsp
  
  
• The EdWeb Dictionary by Andy Carvin provides a pleasing format for wading through the technology acronym soup. Don't miss the other good stuff on his website!
  URL: http://edweb.gsn.org/dic.html
  
  
• Computer Topics from the Librarian's Index to the Internet will provide good resources on a variety of topics including Buying Computers, Computer Recycling, Repetitive Stress Injuries, Type Faces (Fonts), and Viruses.
  URL: http://lii.org/search/file/computers

Forget trying to remember how fast a T1 line is... Check out this Bandwidth Comparison Chart.

• Policy Collection from Cornell's Computer Policy and Law Program covers twelve categories or types of policies and addresses a range of audiences/users. The categories are Acceptable/Responsible Use, Access, Computer Use/Abuse, Conditions/Guidelines for Use, Dial-In, E-mail, Ethics, Privacy, Security, World Wide Web, General/Multiple-topic, and Other. The intended audience/users range from Corporations/Companies, College/Universities, Municipalities, and K-12 Schools/Districts.
  URL: http://www.cuinfo.cornell.edu/CPL/Policies/
  
  
• 30 Ways to Stay Safe Online from Microsoft Encarta.
  URL: http://encarta.msn.com/schoolhouse/safety.asp
  
  
• Filtering Products a comparison chart from (dated 1999).
  URL: http://www.bluehighways.com/tifap/products.html
  
  
• CyberNetiquette from Disney.
  URL: http://disney.go.com/cybernetiquette/
  
  
• Keeping Kids Safe! by our own, Linda W. Uhrenholt, covers Online Safety Guides | Libraries and the Internet | Filtering, Blocking & Monitoring | Search Engines for Kids & Offline Solutions.
  URL: http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listkeepingki.html
  
  
• Hoaxes and Urban Legends: How to Hoax-Proof Yourself by Walt Howe. A ton of other good things at this site!
  URL: http://www0.delphi.com/navnet/legends/legends.html
  
  
• Computer Ethics, a ThinkQuest activity. Check out the Table of Contents for starters. "The ThinkQuest Internet Challenge is an international program for students ages 12 through 19 that encourages them to use the Internet to create information-rich Web-based educational tools and materials."
  URL: http://library.thinkquest.org/26658/

Bet you were wondering what the Top 10 Downloads of 1999 were at Download.com.

• Do It! from Web Developer Library. If you are asking yourself "How do I get started with ..." HTML, Java, Design/Graphics, Multimedia, Servers and Server Tools, VRML, Site Management, Intranet, Javascript, or CGI; this is a good place for you.
  URL: http://www.webdeveloper.com/library/doit.html
  
  
• Computing.Net "is devoted to centralizing technical support for all operating systems and all computer types in one location, making it very easy to get technical support." What you get for your mouseclick is access to Support Forums (Windows, Novell, DOS, Unix, Mac, OS/2); Drivers for every type of hardware you could imagine; Weekly E-mail Tip; Ask Computing.Net Search allows you to ask a question or enter a search phrase; Software Search and How-Tos.
  URL: http://computing.net/
  
  
• Downloads from CNET.com provides access to the tools and software you sometimes need to do your job. Operating systems included are PC, Mac, Linux, PalmPilot, and Windows CE. I can't live without my WS-FTP, WinZip, Snag-It, GifWeb, Mapedit, Eudora Email, Aladdin Dropstuff and Expander, and Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  URL: http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10000.html?tag=st.cn.10001-ron.bc.gp
  
  
• Not sure what software you need? This page, Software Downloads, provides links to some of the most common softwares used on the average Internet workstation. From the Department of Media Services, Eastern Illinois University.
  URL: http://www.eiu.edu/~mediasrv/downloads.html
  
  
• SysOpt hardware and productivity guide for IT pros and PC enthusiasts includes hardware and software reviews as well as articles on issues such as security, Windows2000, links to other high tech sites...
  URL: http://www.sysopt.com/
  
  
• Net EZ-User from Yahoo Internet Life contains several brief tutorials to help you manage technology. This one is on Plug-ins. Other lessons include Communicating Online, Viewing Pictures, and Listening to Sounds.
  URL: http://www.zdnet.com/yil/content/surfschool/howto/plugin/plugintoc.html
  
  
• Strategic Information Resources by Nathan J. Miller, provides great essays on topics such as "Fundamentals of Data Communications," "Is Video-on-Demand Ready for Prime Time?", "Introduction to 10Base-T Ethernet," and "Introduction to Java: What's In This Brew Anyway?"
  URL: http://www.ddx.com/index.shtml

What's your favorite Windows gripe? See if your's is here along with solutions--Windows95 Annoyances.