Homeowner's Associations

PC Recommendations, a new Squidoo lens

2006-07-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

Heath and others at Squidoo are often exhorting lensmasters to make specific recommendations to make the lens more useful and effective. I’ve been attempting to do that and decided to go the whole way and make some lenses that are just about recommendations.

My first is at www.Squidoo.com/pcrecommendations/

Since I’m a computer consultant it’s natural that I have good experiences (as well as bad) and some favorite products and services. In the PC Recommendations lens, I’ve started with PC memory and some end user utilities like spam control. I’ve described my experience and/or impression of the product and provided a link. Some are affiliate links, so I’m especially hopeful for them. Interesting that one of my recommendations is for Crucial Technologies, a major memory chip company with a huge on-line presence. They seem to show up on the lens as an advertiser all the time, so they are getting lots of value from my lens!

Web forms that don't have spell checking, oh my . . .

2006-05-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

I rely on spell checkers to cover me on my poor typing and spelling skills! Most apps that need them have the capability built in. This is not true of many web based text typing situations.

I was working with one of the residents to install a web browser based news posting application on the staff PC's at one of our associations. Phil J, who is very computer experienced and proficient, suggested I check into ieSpell.

I tested it and liked it well enough to install in my IE browser. When you are in a text box you can simply right click and select spell checking. It seems to have a good dictionary, works quickly and, so far no hang ups!

No Mozilla version - yet. Free for individual use. Inexpensive license for corporate use. Download and install is quick and painless.

Checkout ieSpell here.

Kiosk for resident access to association website

2006-04-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

One of our association clients recently setup a website for external as well as internal use. For external viewers there is some basic information about the community. Residents can login and access facilities schedules and make reservations in classes and to use facilities. We set up a kiosk in the lobby to allow residents to walk up and check schedules and make reservations. This way staff can assist those residents that need a little assistance either with the site, or with PC's and the web browser in general. The manager wanted to restrict access to the Internet to just the association site, so we installed FilterGate and set it up to block all sites but one.

Software and services that I use and can recommend . . .: Internet access filters - can you limit surfing activity?

Do you restrict or filter Internet access?

2005-08-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

Most large organizations have strict controls on Internet access, using proxy servers, filters and monitoring software. This can represent a large overhead in capital and support costs. Accordingly most small organizations don't bother.

Many association managers have asked about controlling Internet access to prevent wasted time. Most recognize the inevitability of employee use of the office Internet for personal use such as checking private Email, doing a little research, etc. The concern is more for the employee that goes surfing and gets lost. Add to that, the fact that wide open surfing is a major cause of spyware events.

The first step is to set an expectation level, and then document it. Create a policy statement for the association policy and procedure manual. State clearly that the office computers and network is for business purposes. Characterize association data and information as priviledged and the property of the association. Define your limits on PC and Internet for personal use. If it's not allowed, then say so. If it's ok on a very limited basis, then say so, and warn the employee that excessive use is forbidden and could result in sanctions. Personal use can be restricted to break and lunch time, or you can say that it would be preferred. Take a position on playing games on the computer: not allowed, allowed during lunch hour, or allowed when idle. If you have to caution an employee about inapropriate use, then document this warning.

If you find that too much time is spent at innapropriate Internet sites and it's not easy for you to monitor, consider installing a software filter to do the job. We found one, FilteGate, that is very effective, quite reasonable in cost, and doesn't require a lot of administration. Once the software filter is in place, then the controls become part of the process, rather than a supervision chore.

Software and services that I use and can recommend . . .: Internet access filters - can you limit surfing activity?

Why do good computers go bad?

2005-07-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

I was invited to speak before a large and active computer club at one of our clients, Leisure World Community Association. Since so many home computers I see are riddled with problems, I gave them an overview of why this can happen. This was over a year ago, but the conditions faced by home computer users are generally the same!

"Why Good Computers Go Bad" presented to LWCA Computer Club

Have you noticed your computer being slower than it was, and wondering why?

Exchanging large files, when Email isn't enough

2005-07-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Most ISP's and free Email providers like Yahoo, MSN and Google have liberalized their file size policies and allow files of 10 MB or so. This makes it easier to send large documents, but still isn't enough when there are several, large pictures or files that have to get to somebody quickly.

Here is an overview of alternatives to handle the problems of moving large files, within your association, and with outside contacts:

Zip - most PC's have the software ability to compress files to a smaller size (zip), and to de-compress or unzip them. Try zipping your file(s) and see if you can get under the file size limitation. Email the Zipped (smaller) file.
Thumb drives - these little devices fit on your key ring and can hold 32 MB and more. I use one that holds 1 GB. Simply copy the file to a thumb drive and send/carry it to the desired recipient. They insert the Thumb drive into a USB port and copy the file(s) using any windows programs.
CD - burn a CD that can be mailed/expressed/carried to your recipient. Tip - use write-once CD's instead of rewritable CD's, to minimize compatibility issues between PC's.
File Exchange Services - In the "Software I Like" blog, I profiled the YouSendIt service that has worked well for me: Software I Like (Emailing very large files) You upload the file to the service; they email your recipient; your recipient links to and downloads the file.
File Split programs - These utilities will chop a large file into smaller chunks to beat the attachment size limits. The recipient must have the same utility to rejoin the chunks into the original file. Works well but is a little too technical and involved for casual transfers.
FTP - FTP (file transfer protocol) is a quick way to exchange files, at Internet up/download speeds. FTP is fine, if you have an FTP server that can house the files, and if you and the recipient have ftp clients and know how to use them (all big ifs).
Connect your two PC's over the Internet - and then transfer files. I've used PCAnywhere (requires software on each PC, and setup), and GoToMyPC (pay for connection, and download software to link up).
Peer-to-peer file transfer networks - these nets (names like KaZaA, Napster, Gnutella) are usually associated, in a negative way, with freely swapping music and videos. The process is just a way for two PC's to hook up over the Internet and exchange files - even works for business purposes! Not for the faint of heart because both ends have to install special software, open up their hard drives somewhat, and dodge malware.

How have you handled files that are too big to send as Email attachments?

Wireless networking can reach those hidden corners

2005-07-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Real Estate Department of one of our HOA clients is housed in an irregularly shaped building with lots of glass walls. Some of the real estate agents offices are not reachable with network wire in a clean manner; there would be wire moldings on some walls, which the Broker wanted to avoid.

Wireless networking allows you to quickly set up a computer in a spot where there is no wired connection, or where wires are not easily run. This can be a quick fix or a semi-permanent setup. You need a wireless access point device connected by wire to a network switch. Then a wireless-capable PC can access the network as long as it is within range.

We setup a wireless access point as close to the center point as we could get a wire. We used wireless network cards, USB connected wireless devices and in some cases wireless bridges to connect PC’s to the network. We had some intermittent connectivity issues until we added a wireless signal booster to the access point. Now we can easily accommodate changes as desks are moved and offices are reassigned.

The wireless access point is secured to prevent drive-by or neighborhood connections to the office network. Is your wireless network secure? Take four steps to safety.

Have you used wireless connections, and if so, where?

PC safety, steps to take when setting up a new PC

2005-06-24T06:02:00.000-07:00

In the good old days, we worried about equipment failures, and the occasional operator error that could trash a PC, most notably the hard drive. The applications were simple, mostly forms of word processing. So the best safety net was a good backup.

Times are different now. Applications are more diverse, often involving multiple backup strategies. Operating systems and applications are more complicated, requiring more technical labor to setup the PC, applications, network connections, etc. The threats are more serious. Virus and malware can cripple a system, and force you to reformat, reinstall and start over.

When we setup a PC, we take three protection steps, that are paying off big time when there is a hard drive or system crash:
1. Separate data from the operating system – Data should be stored on a network server, wherever possible, instead of the users hard drive. In addition, I order each PC with a second hard drive (inexpensive these days), or partition the single hard drive to add a second drive volume. Move all data to the second drive: the My Documents folder, Email data and settings, and any other data folders. This way the operating system and applications are on the first drive, and the data is separated and somewhat protected on the second. Now if the PC system drive gets whacked and has to be rebuilt, the data probably doesn’t have to be dealt with at all.
2. Security software – each PC is set up with: virus protection, a spyware guard, and a local firewall. All are setup to be updated regularly.
3. Image the operating system drive – this is the silver bullet. After I get the operating system drive setup and all applications working, I create an image file of that drive. I store a copy of the image on the second drive, and a second copy on a portable drive or a network drive setup for backups.

The value of this was shown just last week. The hard drive on a client’s manager’s PC died. We replaced the hard drive, re-imaged the system, did a little clean up, and finished in 45 minutes. Normally reinstalling the operating system and applications and doing all the updates can take hours.

Click here for specific product recommendations . . .

Have you ever lost everything? Have a horror story to share?

Landscaping Department use of computers

2005-06-17T07:02:00.000-07:00

The computer can be a significant aid in the administration and management of the landscaping operations in a homeowner’s association:
· Work Orders – track work orders from initiation by a resident or employee, through completion. Enter the date, time, location, and problem. Then enter the assignment information and print for the fieldwork. Then enter the completion date, time and any notes. Print to save in residents file. Print reports to manage work orders and employees.
· Time management – track employee’s regular and overtime for payroll, employee and budget management.
· Email – receive resident requests for work. Communicate with departments and other associates. Receive notifications such as Arizona’s Blue Stake.
· Web – research for issues like West Nile Virus control, vendors, products, plant choices and management, etc. Deal with agencies re licenses, etc.
· Desktop publishing – memos, letters, spreadsheets, flyers, etc.

What am I missing? Do you track other information for landscaping and property operations?

Forms – get data more easily. Try PDF

2005-06-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

HOA’s, like most other organizations, make use of forms to get information from residents and employees into the proper administrative hands. There are several alternatives to create and use custom forms:

Word, Excel, etc. – using your Word Processing program to create a custom form can get the job done for simple forms. When the formatting gets complex, it can turn into a major editing task. This works for preparing a printed form, but not well as an on-line form since entering data can mess up the form. We’ve made custom letterheads, fax forms etc, that hold their form for users entering data, but it’s not a simple word processing task.
Forms generation programs – there are software packages for most office activities, and some work better than others.
PDF Forms – Adobe has done a great job getting their Portable Document Format (PDF) generally accepted. Most computers have the Adobe Reader to read PDF files. Taking advantage of this we have been making HOA forms as PDF files. This way they can be printed, Emailed, and made available on the HOA web site. This makes office forms available on multiple computers in the HOA office and offers forms options to residents with computers.

The PDF approach opens the door to scanning, revising, and creating professional looking forms that are easy to complete. Be aware of copyright issues as not everybody allows free use of their forms. In that case, create your own! Simple forms can be converted from Word doc’s to PDF with Word Add-ons. More involved and more highly formatted forms might be better produced using Adobe’s programs; this is what we do. That adds a cost and training issue for a smaller office.

Some examples of forms that we’ve created in PDF: employee evaluations, new resident data, real estate sales, leasing, event and room scheduling, vehicle tracking, library, and compliance. We’ve even created a form that is available on the network that is progressively filled out by different departments, saved in electronic draft form (requires some special software) and printed for signatures and filing after the final step.

How do you handle forms in your association?

Community Associations Institute

2005-06-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

Community Associations Institute

A link to the national organization of Community Associations Institute.

CAI-Arizona

2005-06-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

CAI-Arizona

A link to the Central Arizona chapter of the Community Associations Institute, for you fellow residents of Arizona.

Have a spot to put a PC, no easy way to wire it, too far for wireless?

2005-06-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

One of our HOA clients is a gated community with three staffed gates. All three share a common database of residents and guest permissions. The main gate hosts the server with the database and a local network so there is direct access. The outlying gates, however, are remote and not feasibly connected by standard hard wiring or wireless options. We had connected these remote gates with modem connections – slow and not very stable. When we installed broadband capability to the HOA, we opened up other possibilities.

We created a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This is done with special routers and essentially creates a private connection between any two points, called a VPN tunnel. We use the Internet to connect the remote gates to the main gate. It is secure, faster and more stable than modems. A VPN is a good way to connect two or more remote points that can’t be easily wired. While not as stable and fast as a wired network connection, it is secure and does the job. It can serve as a temporary setup until the wiring infrastructure can be extended., or as a long term solution.

We have subsequently used the same technique to connect golf course clubhouses so they can share a POS system. We have been experimenting with use of a VPN to connect a remote camera to a CATV monitoring system. The VPN costs are the monthly fees for broadband connections, routers, and the hardware/software setup.

Have you used any unusual methods to conect computers and users?

Computers and Home Owner's Associations

2005-06-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

One of the vertical markets for our computer consulting services is Homeowner's Associations. We do Information Technology for these associations. We act as their IT Manager, as their IT Department. Homeowner Associations (HOA's) handle the common administrative and operational tasks for a group of homeowners. An HOA may service a few homes, and apartment/condo complex, or a very large gated community.

This site is about HOA's and their use of technology. The information provided here is free to use. If you have relevant comments, please share them. If you have questions, please ask. If you need professional services, you can Email me (jstankevicz@saiaz.net) or visit our web site at www.saiaz.net.

Here are other focused blogs that may be of interest:

http://softwareilike.blogspot.com/

http://dealingwithspyware.blogspot.com/