UNHCE Information Technology & Distance Education Blog: June 2004 Archives

Weblogs as a Disruptive Technology for Extension (Deborah Coates, IT Specialist at Iowa State University Extension, Journal of Extension, June 2004)

Professional weblogs must be professional. But they must also be individual. And it's this combination that is both truly disruptive and a reflection of things that Extension has always done well. One of Extension's strengths has always resided in its local presence and in building trusted relationships. We don't speak with one voice in our program meetings, in our newspaper columns, or in our radio shows. We need not speak with one voice on the Internet, either.

The Web is about conversation, and the conversation is going on now. The conversation is only momentarily interested in static Web pages and online forms. People want to ask us questions, tell us who they are, find out who we are in turn, and learn new things. We can choose to participate in the conversation or not, but if we don't participate as individuals, the conversation will go on without us.

Overwhelmed with all that email? Does your Inbox have over 50 messages in it? Do you know how to label your email? Filter it?

I've put together a class on managing email using Eudora. The class should take about two hours, and I'm willing to conduct it for any group of six or more staff (at your site.) This probably won't be a hands-on class, but more of a lecture/demonstration. If held at your site, I can be available for personalized assistance after the class.

If you are interested, please form your group and then contact me (stephen.judd@unh.edu) with a few available dates and times.

Here's a tentative outline of the material to be covered:

Email Management Class

• Messages received by UNH email server and scanned ( Durham)
• Messages received by ceunh (Taylor Hall)
• Messages retrieved by email client (Eudora, WebMail, etc)
• Leave mail on server?

• Installed by Extension to c:\Eudora
• Important sub-folders: Attach, Nickname, Sigs, “.fol” folders
• Tools > Options
• Checking mail
• Check for mail every ____ minutes
• Save password
• Incoming mail
• Leave mail on server
• Delete from server after ___ days
• Delete from server when emptied from trash
• Skip messages over ____ k
• Sending mail
• SMTP server (may need to use home ISP)
• Composing Mail
• Signature
• Attachments
• Attachment directory
• Delete attachments when emptying trash
• Mailboxes
• Mailbox columns
• Labels
• Using labels
• Sorting messages
• Composing messages
• Choose your signature
• The signature tab
• Mailboxes
• Mailbox pane
• Docking vs. float
• Folders vs. mailboxes
• Messages go in mailboxes, mailboxes go in folders
• Moving a mailbox to another computer
• .fol equals Folders
• .mbx and .toc equal Mailbox
• Moving a message to a mailbox
• Addresses
• Nicknames vs. Address books
• Email addresses go in nicknames, nicknames go in addressbooks
• Using one nickname for a mailing list (multiple addresses)
• Fill in the name field on the info tab!
• Updating the address book
• Don’t add addresses to Staff Listing or Distribution Lists address books
• Download .exe file
• Execute file
• Transferring addresses to another computer
• C:\eudora\nickname
• .toc and .txt files for each address book
• Filters
• Move messages as they arrive or when you want
• Change message status
• Filter for spam (X-MailScanner-SpamScore)
• Filtering options
• Incoming, Outgoing, Manual
• Base on any header information (to, from, subject, etc.)
• Action
• Searching
• Criteria
• Mailboxes

• Access from anywhere
• See mail that’s on server
• Send mail
• Address books
• Must use Internet Explorer
• Only use WebMail Professional with high-speed connection (otherwise choose Express)

• Over 80% of email in the U.S. is spam!
• Use spam filter
• Don’t reply to spam
• Keep anti-virus definitions up-to-date
• Treat all attachments warily

A few months ago we posted information about "USB Keydrives." These little devices seem to be getting more and more popular. Here's a link to additional information about these USB drives:

Langa Letter: What's Behind The USB Drive Revolution

Though not typically used on your work computers, I thought you might be interested in information on security and the use of instant messaging and chat software. This might be useful for your kids at home, 4-H groups, etc.:

Using Instant Messaging and Chat Rooms Safely - from the United States Computer Emergency Response Team

The ITDE Team operates the Computer Support Line (affectionately called the Hot Seat) at 862-0351. With the departure of our administrative assistant, Jennifer, the Hot Seat line will be forwarded, each day, directly to the ITDE Team member providing coverage.

In the past, we had a problem with the phone continually ringing and never going to voice mail if the staff member was on another line or away from their desk. We have resolved this problem with UNH Telecomm, so that if the phone is not answered, it will go to voicemail. The ITDE member providing coverage will be picking up the Hot Seat voicemail regularly during the day.

As always, please only use the Hot Seat for support of an urgent nature. For all other request, please use the on-line computer support request form, which we regularly check. Before requesting support, please reboot your computer and make sure the problem persists (unless you are afraid of losing unsaved changes.)

It used to be that we just complained about all that unwanted spam filling our Inbox. Now, we are seeing an increase in the proliferation of spyware (or adware.) If your homepage has suddenly changed, you get flooded with pop-up windows on the Internet, your search engine doesn’t come up right, or you have strange system performance problems, your computer may be infected with spyware.

At its worst, spyware can send sensitive information from your computer (e.g., passwords, credit card numbers, etc.) to a remote computer without your knowledge. At its best, spyware is a huge annoyance and drain on system resources.

So how does it get on your system? Spyware is not a virus or a worm; it is typically installed as part of another application. These applications are usually free downloads from the Internet that promise to personalize systems with American flags, add smiley faces as the mouse pointer, share files, customize the desktop, etc. When you agree to install one of these programs, you may also be agreeing to install spyware on your machine.

How to keep it off: Do not install any software on your Extension computer unless approved by, or at the direction of, an ITDE staff member. Be careful when presented with pop-up advertising; often the cancel or no button being displayed will actually install a program (use the X in the upper right hand corner to close the window instead.)

What if you’re infected? Fill out the on-line Computer Support Request form, and someone from the ITDE staff will contact you with instructions for removing the offending programs. Spyware can be difficult to remove, and may require a visit from an ITDE staff member to fully resolve the problem.

What about your home PC? Some of the biggest offenders of distributing spyware are music-sharing programs like KaZaa. Don't install free downloaded software, unless your sure it isn't carrying spyware. There are free utilities that will detect and remove spyware; CNET labs recently reviewed several.