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We've learned most of these
tips the hard way; setting
up in a hotel room, ready
to check email, and the 32-bit
application we just loaded
before departing won't run
over the 16-bit operating
system. We've had computer
crashes at important meetings.
We've had batteries bail out
just minutes into the second
leg of a long flight when
we could have charged batteries
during a boring layover. We've
seen portables bring home
nasty viruses to the home
and office. We've forgotten
passwords that were so unmemorable
and unhackable that we ourselves
couldn't figure them out.
We offer the following tips
that others might learn from
our trials and tribulations.
1. Create and bring setup
and boot disks
A member of the IT staff learned
this the hard way recently;
bring setup and boot disks,
as well as any necessary registration
numbers for re-installs and
downloads. Boot disks, or
startup disks, is a floppy
disk which contains all of
the system files necessary
to get your computer started.
To do this in Windows 95/98,
go to Settings under the Start
Menu, choose Control Panel,
then Add/Remove Programs.
Choose the option labeled
Startup Disk.
2. Load your virus protection
Many people load their virus
protection on their home computer,
but forget to do so on their
portable computer. A virus
is a virus is a virus, no
matter where you get it.
3. Review your work habits,
and make sure you have all
the software and frequently-used
files you use while working
at the office.
This will keep you from getting
caught on the road without
a rarely-used, but essential,
piece of software or file.
For tasks or files you use
often, creating template files
can save you tedious reconstruction
of document structures, for
example, and maintain consistency
in the look and feel of documents
created or modified on the
road.
4. Use the same software,
even the same versions, at
the office and on the road.
While on the road, comfortable
work habits are already difficult
to maintain; you don't need
the added frustration of changing
your routines for a different
version, or, worse, different
brand, of software, especially
for high-volume tasks like
word-processing and email.
5. Test any new software before
you leave.
The intro says it all; make
sure there are no conflicts
in your software and operating
systems; check that that easy
install actually results in
easy use.
6. Bring contact numbers for
technical support.
Bring phone numbers, and bookmark
Web sites, for companies from
which you may need technical
support or downloads during
your trip. As with passwords,
it might be best to write
these down in an appointment
book, or somewhere else that
will always be with you, so
you don't have to travel with
countless slips of paper.
7. Check ahead for any unusual
connector requirements.
Ask when making your reservations
if you can plug into their
phone system with a modem.
8. Write down any necessary
passwords.
If you tend to save passwords
instead of retyping them every
time you log on to an online
service, Web site, or software
package, you'll need to either
to load them or your computer
or write them down somewhere.
9. Load up the carry-on bag.
Pack your phone cord and extra
battery, in your carry-on
computer case. Airports, and
even airplane seats, now have
phone jacks, and, in some
cases, direct Internet connections,
on pay phones. To have the
connection, when the connectors
are in the cargo area of the
plane, can be a very frustrating
experience.
10. Work, and/or recharge
your battery, during layovers.
Most airport gates have an
outlet nearby, if for nothing
else than vacuuming the area.
You can often plug in your
computer to do work without
running batteries down, or
recharge your batteries for
work during the next flight.
11. When you return, copy
any important or changed files
to your desktop computer.
When you make small changes
to documents on the road,
you can easily use an older
version when you return without
noticing it. If you immediately
copy all of the new or altered
files back onto your desktop,
and perhaps even delete the
files from your portable after
the transfer, you can eliminate
confusion and version conflicts
later on.
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