If youʼve never used Twitter, itʼs like the headline scrawl across the bottom of your favorite news channel, except that these headlines are written by you and me. Follow someone on Twitter and youʼll receive their latest mini-messages, and you can send mini-messages of your own.

Businesses are using Twitter to keep in contact with customers, advertise events, promote special offers, and grow relationships. Skeptics might doubt that one can do business via Twitter, but my direct experience says it works.

Here’s how you can start using Twitter in just a few easy steps.

1. Sign up for Twitter
Your Twitter name is your identity, so choose wisely. Also make sure you are using strong passwords that are not in use on any other site (especially financial sites or other social media sites like Facebook). Twitter has some nice resources to get you started including Twitter Basics for beginners.

2. Find people to follow
What are you interested in? Most news outlets have Twitter feeds, as do many newspapers, periodicals, television channels… anyone who offers content is offering it on Twitter. Some of your friends and colleagues are using it, too. As you start using Twitter, you’ll gravitate toward people with like interests. For example, a news outlet might retweet a link you like from a blogger, and you might decide to follow the blogger on Twitter for more of the same kind of content. To follow someone, go to their Twitter page and click the Follow button.

3. Send your first tweet
Remember: relevant, concise, and interesting. When in doubt a good quote always works. Retweets that you find interesting also work, but remember, posting too often is as bad as not posting often enough.

Some examples of tweets (sent by yours truly):

4. Invite people to follow you

Start with people you know personally, then the people they are following. You’re most likely to get followers in small trickles rather than big waves. And don’t forget to interact with your followers! Twitter isn’t just headlines, but a multi-way conversation. A conversation might go like this:

5. More Help With Twitter
Here are some additional resources if you need help with Twitter.

Tech Tips articles on Twitter
Search for keyword Twitter and you’ll find my previous articles on the topic.

Twitter Help Center

Chris Brogan: 50 Ideas On Using Twitter For Business

How are you using Twitter for your business? Share in the comments!

Cybercriminals, as I’ve discussed before, use innocent victims to do their dirty work. They write viruses that commandeer your computer, create malicious lookalike Web sites that harvest your passwords, and hijack your accounts so they can send crud to all your contacts. It’s one area of the economy that’s, sadly, thriving. And the only person who can protect you is you. (Well, I’ll help, but you have to do your part.)

You know the drill: use good security software, keep your passwords strong and your software updated. But there’s something else you can do: educate your family, friends, neighbors, casual acquaintances, even complete strangers about the need for computer security.

The biggest problem consumers and small businesses face is not lack of information about computer security, but lack of usable information. You’ll hear plenty of news stories about viruses or cyber attacks. Some of them even include a few tidbits about what you can do to protect yourself, but few explain that computer security is a mindset. Just as you have to be aware of your surroundings when you walk down the street, you have to be aware of Internet threats and take action to avoid them.

Why not start today by asking a friend to join you in a conscious effort to become more security-aware? You’ll appreciate the results.

NEW! Grow Your Business With Social Networking
Power Partners Of Cary Grove
Thursday, May 19, 2011, 8am-9am
Century 21 Sketchbook, 20 Northwest Hwy (Rt 14), Cary IL

What’s the best way to use LinkedIn? Should you market your business on Facebook? In this seminar we’ll discuss how you can use social networking to grow your business. Guests welcome! Power Partners of Cary Grove meets at Century 21 Sketchbook in Cary, Illinois.

Leveraging LinkedIn
Cary Grove Chamber Of Commerce
Thursday, May 26, 2011, 12pm-1:30pm
Fox River Grove Village Hall, 305 Illinois St., Fox River Grove IL

Discover how to get the most out of LinkedIn. We’ll explore the features of LinkedIn and how you can best use them to market yourself or your business. To register, contact the Cary Grove Chamber Of Commerce at 847-639-2800.

Coming this summer…

Advanced Blogs For Business
Expanding Your Online Presence With Social Media

..and more! You can always find my latest schedule in the Upcoming Events section of my web site, or subscribe to Tech Tips by email. Hope to see you there!

1. Make sure it’s free of viruses. Infection is the number one reason computers slow down. Use a good security suite, scan often for viruses, and follow best security practices to keep your computer clean.
2. Reboot regularly. Restarting your computer forces it to refresh its memory, which will often speed things up. Turning your computer off and on is more effective than simply using the Restart command.
3. Use bona fide computer cleaning software. This can be trickier than it sounds, because just as there are fake antivirus programs, there are also fake computer cleaners. I recommend CCleaner for Windows and Snow Leopard Cache Cleaner for Mac.
4. Remove files and folders from your desktop. Aliases (aka shortcuts) are fine, because they are merely links. But if you are storing the majority of your documents on your desktop, your computer will be correspondingly slower.
5. Remove unnecessary startup programs. In Windows, go to Run under the Start menu (or Start, Search Programs And Files in Vista and Windows 7), then type the command MSCONFIG. The Startup tab will show you what’s running, and you can remove anything you no longer use. On a Mac, go to the Apple Menu, System Preferences, Accounts, Login Options and select the Login Items tab for your account.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

Guidry Consulting, Inc. provides computer services for business and home. On-site service is available in the northwest Chicago suburbs.

• Tech support for PC and Mac
• Networks, servers, and security
• Web design (see my portfolio)
• Computer classes (see my schedule)
• Blogs
• Social networking including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter
• …and much more!

But don’t take my word for it. Find out what my customers are saying, then learn how I can help with your computer needs.

Your free email subscription to Tech Tips includes bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Through January 31, 2010, new subscibers will also receive a special gift: my IT Business Continuity Checklist. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to assist with your computer needs. I hope to work with you in the new year!

If you use Windows, you’ll have to upgrade eventually, especially if you haven’t already made the leap to Vista. Many people have delayed this either because they don’t like the changes to the Windows look-and-feel, or because they have software that isn’t compatible. But, as I said in a previous article:

It’s sad to say, but our decisions to upgrade have become less about whether we need it for productivity and more about whether our computers can remain functional against the continual onslaught of cyber-attacks. Remember, Windows XP is 8 years old. These attacks are sneaking through despite our best defenses. Windows Vista is no panacea, but its improvements in security offer better protection.

This is even more true of Windows 7, which improves on Vista’s security while eliminating some of the headaches that slowed Vista adoption, notably incompatibility with drivers. In the past most of us have chosen to hold off until the first Service Pack comes out, but in this case we may not have that luxury. Hardware makers aren’t likely to support three versions of Windows, so they will be eager to get everyone off XP as soon as possible by making new equipment Vista- and Windows 7-compatible only. Between that, the Internet threat risk and Microsoft’s lifecycle policy, XP’s days are numbered.

The good news is, Windows 7 is supposed to be more stable than Vista, so waiting for the first Service Pack isn’t a necessity. Also Windows 7 comes with a compatibility mode for XP, which may make migrating your applications easier.

If you have an older computer and are considering an upgrade anyway, Windows 7 is a wise choice. If your computer is less than three years old and doing what you want it to do, you don’t have to move to Windows 7 right away. But plan for the future, knowing you will eventually have to make that leap even if you’re not fond of Windows 7′s Vista-like look.

Are you planning to move to Windows 7? Why or why not? Click Comments to discuss.

Through November 1st, 2009, new subscribers to the free email version of Tech Tips will receive a special tip sheet on Four Easy Ways To Protect Your Computer. Just click here to sign up.

Have you been asked to get LinkedIn? Can you make business contacts through Facebook or MySpace? Should you Twitter your business? Join us for this computer series workshop on using social networking to market your business. Registration is required. To register, contact the Cary Grove Chamber at (847) 639-2800.

For a full list of my computer classes for PC and Mac, please see my events calendar.

Subscribe FREE to the email version of Tech Tips between now and October 14, 2009 and I’ll send your special gift: a tip sheet on Computer Housekeeping for PC and Mac.

Old versions of Flash are problematic because they can be used to infect your computer with viruses and other malware. It’s not always easy to tell which version you’re running, and Flash often goes under the radar screen because it’s a plug-in, not a program you run directly by clicking an icon.

Mozilla reports that 99% of Firefox users have Flash. Of the six million users who upgraded Firefox after last week’s upgrade, half of them had unsafe versions of Flash.

Firefox can’t run the Flash upgrade for you; you have to do it yourself by clicking the link to visit the Adobe site. When I visited, Adobe tried to lump some free McAfee antivirus software with the Flash upgrade; you can de-select that. You may need to approve the Adobe Download Manager (look for the yellow bar at the top of your Firefox window). Once Download Manager completes, Firefox needs to restart. A new window will appear, downloading the latest version of Flash. Finally, close Adobe Download Manager by clicking the orange button. (With all these steps, is it any wonder people don’t upgrade Flash more often?)

While the new version of Firefox 3.0 (3.0.14) also includes this Flash check, I encourage you to upgrade to 3.5.3 for greatest security.

Subscribe FREE to the email version of Tech Tips between now and October 14, 2009 and I’ll send your special gift: a tip sheet on Computer Housekeeping for PC and Mac.

Please note that the address for this site is http://www.guidryconsulting.com/techtips. If you’ve bookmarked the direct link to the old version on Blogger (blogspot), be sure to note the correct address. I’ve been linking to the Guidry Consulting version all along in my newsletters and posts, so for the most part there should be no change. However, some article links may be different. If you are looking for something but can’t find it, please contact me or check the Archives and Categories in the right-hand sidebar.

You’ll find updated resources for PC and Mac in the right-hand sidebar, plus new functionality in a beautiful new format based upon feedback from my readers. All of my original articles plus comments remain available for your convenience.

So come on over and post your comments and questions!

And don’t forget about your FREE email subscription to Tech Tips. Email subscribers receive my monthly newsletter, plus notice of new Tech Tips blog posts, bonus tips, product reviews and more. You can sign up here.

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It’s important to think of the Internet as one of many tools in your job search arsenal. To that end, you’ll want to think of yourself as a brand, like Coca-Cola or CNN. What are your strengths? What are your skills? What sets you apart from other applicants? Write your mission statement on an index card (“I am a computer expert specializing in tech support, web design and training”) and tape it to the top of your monitor. This will help you stay focused as you visit various job sites.

Next, decide which technologies you want to incorporate into your search. Web 2.0 refers to collaborative web sites, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed if you try to be on LinkedIn, Twitter, MySpace, and FaceBook all at once. Some people choose to forgo a web site in favor of a blog, for example, or elect to participate in only one or two social networking sites.

Speaking of networking, it’s hard to succeed by computer alone. Meeting people face-to-face remains the best way to find employment. Create a business card for yourself with links to your online profiles. When you meet people, get their cards and send a follow-up email asking them to network with you online. And be sure to put your newly-honed Web 2.0 skills on your resume!

If you’re interested, I’ll be teaching a class on Web 2.0 For Job Search for the Cary (Illinois) Park District on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 from 9:30am-11:30am and again from 6pm-8pm. You can find registration details on my web site. I hope to see you there!

Don’t forget to subscribe to Tech Tips for the latest computer news. Next month, just in time for Hallowe’en, I’ll frighten you with Bride Of The Computer Zombies. If you have any computer questions, let me know.