Small Business Computing Staff

by David G. Propson In early march, the fbi reported that a group of Eastern European hackers had stolen customer data from more than 40 Web sites over the past year, and nabbed more than a million credit-card numbers. Then, in a move reminiscent of classic protection rackets, they threatened to expose these weaknesses to […]

by Christina Gair There’s nothing like a series of denial of service attacks to bring longtime foes closer. Nineteen information technology companies, including Microsoft, IBM, AT&T, Cisco Systems, Computer Associates, Intel, Oracle, and Symantec, founded the Information Sharing and Analysis Center for Information Technology (IT-ISAC), a not-for-profit corporation, which facilitates the exchange of information on […]

by Abigail Stahl Last Year, The Only Business Stroy that could compete with the twilight of the dot-coms was the sudden struggles of the U.S. auto industry. In February, the Big Three car companies, long derided as oversized, slow, and inefficient, seemed to be ready to jump on the New Economy bandwagon. They announced an […]

by Amy H. Blankstein Sure, the shadow knows what evil lurks in the heart of man, but many an e-merchant have also seen it in the form of credit-card fraud. E-commerce fraud is an expensive problem for any business. According to a study conducted by Celent Communications, an e-commerce research and consulting group, online merchants […]

by Douglas Gantenbein When Evelyn Levin started a Web site last year, she hardly knew what she was in for. Launching a new career after years in health-care administration, Levin planned to build a site that would connect collectibles sellers and buyers — “like eBay, but without the bidding,” Levin says. “People would post a […]

by Michele Marrinan Plugging in away from the office has never been that convenient, but technology companies are working to make connecting on the fly an easier proposition. Two recently announced approaches may have an impact on the restless businessman, or not. PowerPhone Network Limited, a Hong Kong-based developer of multimedia, interactive payphones, has already […]

by Angela R. Garber In the days before e-mail, there were limited options for sending information from one office to another. Businesses either faxed small missives or sent huge packages from one side of the country to the other overnight. Now, there are a host of software-based and Web-enabled document collaboration applications that will connect […]

by Abigail Stahl Mouse TrapMany PC users are familiar with the aches and pains that come along with technology. Here we explore some different options of peripherals, more specifically mice. We chose four products that range from basic mouse options to wireless capability and sophisticated track balls. U-Match MouseAiding in network security, the U-Match mouse […]

by Tom GiNome In February President Bush presented a $1.6 trillion-dollar tax cut plan. Two features that received high marks from small business advocacy groups, are marginal rate reductions and the repeal of the death tax. “When you cut marginal rates, you increase capital for a company, and that can be used for investments in […]

by John Fredrick Moore Mike Foster felt helpless. Just about everyone has had the nightmare of standing naked in front of a classroom, but Foster was in a worse situation. He was somewhere in Maryland, presenting a seminar on Internet strategy to an audience of county government officials who expected to be dazzled by his […]

by Robert S. Anthony “Modem Envy” causes loving family members to engage in impromptu wrestling matches for control of the one home computer connected to a DSL or cable modem. With four computers, a wife, and 12- and 14-year-old daughters, Scott Thompson of Houston, Tex., knew that keeping everyone happy with their Internet access was […]

by Chuck Gajeway There are half a dozen ways to connect with a company LAN and/or the Internet. Choosing the right one depends on a balance of speed, availability, and cost. As is usually the case, analyzing your needs is a crucial first step in picking the right technology (sort of like measuring your office […]