Small Business Computing Staff

By Karen J. Bannan So instead Cothern, director of information technology for Mabry & McClelland LLP, a law firm in Atlanta, simply blocks them. A program from Telemate Software lets his company’s 45 employees do research that they need for cases but keeps them from wasting time on frivolous pursuits such as gambling or games. […]

By Joanne Cleaver Neutral Posture Inc. knows that keeping all its customers happy can be a real pain in the neck. That hasn’t stopped the company from garnering $18 million in sales annually. Based in Bryan, Tex., Neutral manufactures high-tech, semi-custom office chairs. Customers can order the style, size, options, and finish of the chairs […]

By W.C.G. Microsoft is in upgrade mode again, and businesses must evaluate whether they need the software behemoth’s latest offerings. In May, Microsoft introduced Office XP, and at the end of October, the company will unveil its latest operating system, Windows XP. Microsoft is making a big push to encourage businesses to upgrade to these […]

William C. Gillis Beware of the watchdog. The Business Software Alliance, the non-profit group that represents software-maker giants such as Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Microsoft, and Symantec, has targeted businesses that pirate computer software. A software pirate is anyone, or any organization, that copies, distributes, or installs software in ways that its license prohibits. In 2000, […]

by Gwen Moran The instructor must have thought that David Warford was goofing off in class. It’s not what you would expect from the president and CEO of a technology company like XLTEC. 8In fact, Warford was listening to the lesson. He was also scoping out several sites through his Internet connection, occasionally clicking on […]

by Mike Langberg New tools for protecting online privacy could save

by Krista Fedor When you’re ready to disengage from unnecessary office clutter or if you’re anxious to purchase a new high-tech gadget, consider looking into the latest in multifunctional printers (MFPs). These all-in-one products are capable of scanning, copying, faxing, and, of course, printing. Today, reasonably priced MFPs abound, providing economy of scale and virtually […]

by Robert J. Wagman and William C. Gillis WHEN PRESIDENT BUSH unveiled his budget proposal for the 2002 fiscal year in March, small-business advocates and lobbyists immediately denounced his plan to cut the Small Business Administration’s overall budget by about 40 percent, from $899.5 billion to $539 billion. Under Bush’s budget blueprint, SBA programs such […]

by Mike Langberg Small businesses venturing into the treacherous realm of e-commerce must decide between two distinctly different approaches: Go it alone, bearing all the expense and effort of setting up a Web site, but keeping all the revenue. Or set up shop through a bigger site, making it easy to get started, but surrendering […]

by David J Wallace Less is more to Fred Hann and the eight road-weary employees who have shifted from laptop computers to Handspring Visor handhelds and cellular phones. “Getting rid of our laptops got rid of a lot of headaches,” says Hann, chief auditing officer at Recovered Capital Inc. in Columbus, Ohio, which reviews phone […]

by John Frederick Moore For a small business, perhaps the most difficult aspect of setting up a site is getting potential customers to realize that you exist. Ichiro Kawasaki certainly knows this. As director of marketing and business development for Mr. Green Tea, a Washington Township, N.J.-based distributor of food seasonings, Kawasaki’s budget doesn’t allow […]

by William C. Gillis IMAGINE BEING ABLE to plug in your laptop on your next flight, connect to the Internet, and stay working. The idea’s not so far-fetched. In June, American, Delta, and United Airlines, along with airplane-maker Boeing, announced a partnership to offer broadband Internet service to air travelers. Connexion by Boeing plans to […]