There is no denying that the Internet (and especially online social media such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter) has brought about great change in people’s behavior—many of them for the better. These tools have allowed easier information sharing, greater collaboration, and the fostering of communities like never before. However, these tools also have a darker side, and if not used properly they can be a source of problems for you or your organization later on.

One problem is how these media can potentially misrepresent you or your organization. Online, the line between the personal and the professional can get blurry, and the moment you do something inappropriate, even during your personal or private time, whether right or wrong, it can affect how you are perceived. It’s becoming more common to screen the personal profiles of job applicants or potential business partners, and an inappropriate picture or even a little tweet can leave a damaging mark on your reputation.

Engaging in inappropriate behavior even behind the cover of anonymity can also be problematic. Examples include commenting in blogs or forums where you obviously have a vested interest. There are countless stories of unscrupulous people or businesses that clearly mislead others by posting good reviews or endorsements about their business, product, or service, only to have their real identity discovered later on. If you must do this, it’s better to be up front and honest—and disclose any vested interest so you won’t be judged poorly later on.

If you must express an opinion, weigh carefully how it relates to your work and your career. If you are identified with an organization, be clear about whether you have the authority to speak on its behalf. If you don’t, state clearly that you are speaking on your own behalf by providing a disclaimer. This can come in handy later if your employer happens to see your posts online. An example disclaimer might be a statement similar to this: The opinions expressed here are my own and don’t necessarily represent my employer’s position or opinion.

Be sure to also respect the ideas, privacy, and property of others. You would not want to be called a plagiarist or a thief. Online etiquette requires that you provide references, links, or attributions to the ideas or material you use that are not yours. When in doubt, get permission first. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

These are simple guidelines for conducting yourself and your affairs online. To share your own experiences, ideas and thoughts, or just to provide feedback or suggestions, drop us a line – we would love to hear from you!

There is no denying that the Internet (and especially online social media such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter) has brought about great change in people’s behavior—many of them for the better. These tools have allowed easier information sharing, greater collaboration, and the fostering of communities like never before. However, these tools also have a darker side, and if not used properly they can be a source of problems for you or your organization later on.

One problem is how these media can potentially misrepresent you or your organization. Online, the line between the personal and the professional can get blurry, and the moment you do something inappropriate, even during your personal or private time, whether right or wrong, it can affect how you are perceived. It’s becoming more common to screen the personal profiles of job applicants or potential business partners, and an inappropriate picture or even a little tweet can leave a damaging mark on your reputation.

Engaging in inappropriate behavior even behind the cover of anonymity can also be problematic. Examples include commenting in blogs or forums where you obviously have a vested interest. There are countless stories of unscrupulous people or businesses that clearly mislead others by posting good reviews or endorsements about their business, product, or service, only to have their real identity discovered later on. If you must do this, it’s better to be up front and honest—and disclose any vested interest so you won’t be judged poorly later on.

If you must express an opinion, weigh carefully how it relates to your work and your career. If you are identified with an organization, be clear about whether you have the authority to speak on its behalf. If you don’t, state clearly that you are speaking on your own behalf by providing a disclaimer. This can come in handy later if your employer happens to see your posts online. An example disclaimer might be a statement similar to this: The opinions expressed here are my own and don’t necessarily represent my employer’s position or opinion.

Be sure to also respect the ideas, privacy, and property of others. You would not want to be called a plagiarist or a thief. Online etiquette requires that you provide references, links, or attributions to the ideas or material you use that are not yours. When in doubt, get permission first. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

These are simple guidelines for conducting yourself and your affairs online. To share your own experiences, ideas and thoughts, or just to provide feedback or suggestions, drop us a line – we would love to hear from you!

There is no denying that the Internet (and especially online social media such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter) has brought about great change in people’s behavior—many of them for the better. These tools have allowed easier information sharing, greater collaboration, and the fostering of communities like never before. However, these tools also have a darker side, and if not used properly they can be a source of problems for you or your organization later on.

One problem is how these media can potentially misrepresent you or your organization. Online, the line between the personal and the professional can get blurry, and the moment you do something inappropriate, even during your personal or private time, whether right or wrong, it can affect how you are perceived. It’s becoming more common to screen the personal profiles of job applicants or potential business partners, and an inappropriate picture or even a little tweet can leave a damaging mark on your reputation.

Engaging in inappropriate behavior even behind the cover of anonymity can also be problematic. Examples include commenting in blogs or forums where you obviously have a vested interest. There are countless stories of unscrupulous people or businesses that clearly mislead others by posting good reviews or endorsements about their business, product, or service, only to have their real identity discovered later on. If you must do this, it’s better to be up front and honest—and disclose any vested interest so you won’t be judged poorly later on.

If you must express an opinion, weigh carefully how it relates to your work and your career. If you are identified with an organization, be clear about whether you have the authority to speak on its behalf. If you don’t, state clearly that you are speaking on your own behalf by providing a disclaimer. This can come in handy later if your employer happens to see your posts online. An example disclaimer might be a statement similar to this: The opinions expressed here are my own and don’t necessarily represent my employer’s position or opinion.

Be sure to also respect the ideas, privacy, and property of others. You would not want to be called a plagiarist or a thief. Online etiquette requires that you provide references, links, or attributions to the ideas or material you use that are not yours. When in doubt, get permission first. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

These are simple guidelines for conducting yourself and your affairs online. To share your own experiences, ideas and thoughts, or just to provide feedback or suggestions, drop us a line – we would love to hear from you!

Here’s a solution. FormSpring provides free and paid website data collection services that eliminate the need for additional programming or the purchase of additional software.

If your website includes contact or event registration forms, surveys, and the like, FormSpring provides services ranging from a basic free option to more feature-intensive offerings with custom made forms based on your unique requirements. There’s no long-term registration contract, and you may cancel at any time. FormSpring also offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

It’s worth noting that the data is stored on FormSpring’s servers, so if you have special compliance requirements for privacy or security you might want to check to ensure you remain compliant.

Overall, FormSpring is a very useful website for companies or groups that need a hassle-free way to collect data through their website. Check out their free version of the plan or use the 30-day money back guarantee to explore whether FormSpring meets your data collection needs.

This is where commoncraft.com comes in. Owned and maintained by husband and wife team Lee and Sachi LeFever from Seattle, Washington, the site’s goal is simple: to present complex concepts in a way that can be easily understood by anyone.

Presented in videos they call “__________ in Plain English”, the LeFevers illustrate seemingly intimidating subject matter with terms that are easy to grasp – layman’s language, if you will – “in plain English”. Their first video, “RSS in Plain English”, quickly became an internet hit. Now they offer several free videos that use simple analogies to aid in comprehension accompanied by equally simple visual aids and illustrations. Topics include concepts about the environment, finance, society, and technology.

The videos are completely free and do not require registration to view. Videos are kept short and sweet, cutting to the heart of the matter so that the broken down concepts are easily retained. You’ll hear no fancy words or technical jargon; everything is presented in an easy but no-nonsense manner.

Common Craft can make a custom learning video for you for a fee, which you can discuss with them. Try giving their free videos a whirl and you’ll soon find out that some subjects aren’t as complicated as you might think.

Have you ever wondered how to fix a leaking pipe or a broken light? Or how to check your car’s coolant or radiator fluid? How about maintaining a lawn, or tying a Windsor, or cooking a tasty meal for you or your kids in less than 30 minutes?

The answers to these questions and more can be found in self-help sites such as eHow and WikiHow. These sites are databases of how-to articles presented in a clear, concise, and simple manner that anyone can easily understand.

Unlike other guides that drown you (albeit unintentionally) in so much technical jargon that you end up completely lost, these sites make it a point to keep things uncomplicated – it’s all about helping you get something done right, and done fast. You can always learn the mechanics of why or how it works after you’ve gotten it done. Here, results are the primary consideration.

Both websites offer a variety of subjects to browse through. If you’re looking for a specific topic, simply enter the inquiry in the search box. Certain topics even have video tutorials and/or illustrated guides that make the learning process even easier. However, if you don’t have anything particular in mind, then you can browse through topics that are classified by category. Navigation is intuitive and user-friendly.

Another good thing about these websites is that the information is absolutely free – you don’t even have to register an account to gain access to them. And with WikiHow, if you feel like sharing a bit of your own knowledge, you can contribute your own how-to articles and become part of the WikiHow community. eHow also accepts entries that, depending on how you play your cards, can even help you earn a bit of extra money (there’s an eHow article to help you get started).

So the next time you find yourself in a spot with anything from a stubborn stain to treating a bee sting, try visiting these sites since they just might have the simple and straightforward solution you’re looking for.