As much as we all would love to know about encryption, it is a very scary and cumbersome topic for us common folk. But thanks to one of my favorite programs True Crypt, it’s easy to hide and encrypt any data you want without even being somewhat of an expert on encryption.

I’ve seen many a church accountant backup their Quick Books files on a thumb drive without ever encrypting their data. This could be bad for a company or a church if that data gets into the wrong hands. So, in order to help you protect your files, I’ve put together this simple screencast to show you how to use True Crypt. You’ll be up and running within 5 minutes!

True Crypt runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux! Woo Hoo!

Download True Crypt

Go To ShowMeWhatsWrong.com

1. Download the replacement DLL (zip container) here.
2. Open an explorer window and go to C:\windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\
3. Rename the NPSWF32.dll file to NPSWF32.dll.txt to save as a backup in case the hack doesn’t work
4. Copy the new NPSWF32.dll from the zip container to the folder.
5. Restart your browser and viola! It should work beautifully.
6. If for some reason your Flash player breaks, go back to the directory and delete NPSWF32.dll, then rename NPSWF32.dll.txt back to its original file name.

Pressing escape will minimize the Flash player once it’s been hacked.

(via Lifehacker)

This Saturday the much anticipated iPad will be released to the public. I have several friends who are cult followers of Apple who plan on standing in line for hours to get their hands on this new digital treasure. The iPad is certainly worthy of buzz, but is it really worth taking an entire day to make one purchase?

I’ve been thinking a lot about the response to the iPad. The day it was revealed, the sun stood still for techies. It was said to be the death sentence for netbooks and a new era of gadgetry. I voiced/tweeted a skeptical opinion and was sharply rebuked by a couple of passionate Apple junkies. Later that day, someone posted that Steve Jobs has a way of creating things we didn’t know we needed. Three things in short happened that day across the US:

1. Mass hysteria over a new toy
2. Rejection of those who didn’t drink the Keynote Koolaid
3. Amenity was cast as necessity

Mass Hysteria

Companies like Apple love this because it drives sales. I watched people drunken with iPad glee the day of the keynote. I have scratched my head at mega lines of people outside stores to get their hands on the iPhone. Not to be offensive, but to me, it speaks of greed that so many have to be the first to get their hands on a product. The question that screams in my brain is, “Why can’t you wait until next week when there will be no line and you don’t have to look like a fool sleeping on the sidewalk to get a new phone?”

Whenever I see mass hysteria about a product, I refuse to buy the product for at least six months. This saves me money and helps me get a clearer perspective about the technology.  Another reason I refuse to purchase immediately is that I don’t want to get caught up in technological classism.

Techno Classism

There’s a reason I don’t carry an iPhone. It’s not because I can’t afford it, it’s because I won’t afford it. I did a cost analysis of carrying an iPhone and it wasn’t worth the extra dough for me. However, I love the applications on the iPhone so I chose to go with a significantly cheaper refurbished iPod Touch. One thing that frustrates me about Apple is that they fuel techno classism. Their commercials are funny and extremely effective, but at the core are demeaning to millions of PC users who can’t afford the latest Apple fashion.

I see this type of demeaning classism bleed into the consumers. I have had people shocked that I, Mister Nifty didn’t have an iPhone. Though words never express the superiority complex that a percentage of iPhone consumers have, it certainly is felt by those who don’t carry one. I have been made fun of so many times because I still work on a PC. It’s humorous to me that those same people call me asking for help to navigate their Mac or make the keyboard and mouse feel more like a PC.

My point is, Apple has created a culture of trendy tech. I can do the same things on a PC that you can do on a Mac, but for less money and maybe my computer doesn’t look as pretty. I know I know….Macs don’t have viruses. Yes, they do, and they will have more and more in the next few years as Apple takes more of the desktop market share.

For me, I don’t do trendy. I don’t have to define myself by my gadgets and electronics. At the end of the day, the iPad is another toy. Sure, there are legitimate uses for it in the medical field and elsewhere, but the majority of people who buy will use it as a toy. Just because you buy the iPad this Saturday does not make you a superior human being. It just means you spent $500 bucks on an electronic amenity.

To all the Apple elitists: Why is it such a bad thing that I think the Android platform has huge possibilities?  Why can’t I think other smart phones are cool without being branded as a nobody? Why can’t I speak freely about Apple’s prohibitive app store policies and share ideas of a freer app market? Why should I be shunned because I have a phone that can’t do my laundry? At the end of the day, our gadget batteries all go dead and we’re still human beings.

Amenity == Necessity ?

The iPad is an amenity. It’s a comfort electronic. When I read that Steve Jobs creates things we didn’t know we needed, I take a huge step back. This sounds an awful lot like brainwashing or really good marketing. What if we said the same statement about the government and politicians. That logic would be rejected.  I’m not being conspiratorial at all, I’m just being real about the hype. When amenities are cast as necessity, people need a reality check.

You don’t need an iPad, you want an iPad. You breathed in and out before you bought your first Apple product, and you will still be kicking after Apple is long gone decades from now. The more you think that an electronic is a necessity, the more  you will spend your money on first generation gadgets. I prefer to wait patiently, let the hysterical crowd work out the bugs, and then buy either a used or a second generation gadget at a much lower price. If tomorrow, I drop my iPod and the screen cracks, my identity will still be intact.

I like Apple AND PC Products

If you think I hate Apple products, I don’t. I just hate the aura that sometimes surrounds them in our culture. I will buy an iPad, but I won’t spend as much as the people on Saturday. I will probably buy an iPhone when they offer it with carriers which will drive down the prices  (not a fan of ATT). I will buy an iMac next year for my web development business, not because it’s pretty or a status symbol, but because Apple makes excellent, quality products and there is some killer web dev software for Macs.

I will also continue to use PC because I can. When my PC crashes, I will reformat and start again, because I can.

Reality Check

1. Do you buy electronics because everyone else is buying it?
2. Do you judge electronics by appearance rather than function?
3. Do you have to have the latest and greatest brand name?
4. Do you research other options on the market before you buy?
5. Do you always have to buy first generation?

Go To Font Squirrel

Go To Look In My PC

via Lifehacker

1. Pay an iPhone developer anywhere from $5,000-$10,000 to have a completely custom solution.
2. Create an iPhone friendly website.  This also costs a bit of money to hire a web developer.
3. Use a service like Mobile Roadie that keeps the cost down with an app template. – $500 setup fee – $29.00/month

If I were undertaking this project, I would go with option 3. I have never used Mobile Roadie, however I’ve looked into their site extensively and it appears to service all the needs a church might have in an app. It’s originally created for bands, but it can be morphed into a pretty feature-rich digital church app.   Here are some of the features that caught my eye:

• Videos
• Music (Sermons)
• Photos
• Events
• Fan Wall (Member Interactivity)
• Blog/News/Updates
• Social Sharing

They also offer custom functionality for additional cost.  Check out all the features here.

Go to Mobile Roadie

Also check out:

Right Brain Media

Truthcasting

AppChurch

And via Paul Povolni from Head Snacks:

AppMii

AppMakr

Photoshop is a funny thing in churches.  First of all is the cardiac exercise when pastors and and administrators fall out on the floor twitching when they  see the price tag of $699.00.   Next, it seems to be a craved badge of honor to say you have Photoshop on your computer especially when the bragger has no clue how to use it.  And of course there are those who think a happy cloud will fly over their head and all their design dreams will come try by installing Photoshop.   It’s um funny, hilarious, entertaining to see a person who has never touched the program, ready to conquer the world, take one look of defeat at the interface and immediately quit.  Ok, so I’m just having fun here, but Photoshop really is a quirky subject in churches.

The raging event engines of churches have to have design fuel and we need the latest and greatest version of Photoshop to design, or do we?  This crazy preconception that in order to make great art you have to have a full-blown version of Photoshop is rampant.  I get asked so many times by church workers how to get a copy of Photoshop thinking that it’s the magic tool that will cause creativity to flow.   Driven by this silly notion that you have to have a $700 program to accomplish the task, volunteers and support staff are usually left to their own devices to pirate a copy of Photoshop if the finance ministry says there is no budget.

I am against pirated software.  That’s why I am a firm believer in open source software.  It’s free, you get free upgrades, and there usually is a support community built around a good software.  There is no need to steal Photoshop these days.   You can do everything you need to do using a few cheaper and free alternatives.

• Photoshop Elements - If you are dying to have Photoshop, pick up a copy of PSE. The cost is 10-15% of what the full-fledged version costs.  PSE sports many of the awesome features of Photoshop like layers, filters, masking, and much more.  It is much more user friendly than the full version.  So, if you aren’t familiar with design, this is the product for you.  It has a huge community out there.  You can search for PSE tutorials and a ton will come up.  Grab a copy here: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelwin/
• Gimp – This is an open source version of Photoshop.  If you run on a Mac, you probably will be annoyed (like my friend Ryan Loyd who voiced this over lunch last week) at Gimps gimpy window interface.  It’s not so bad on a Windows machine.  There are tons of tutorials out there to learn Gimp, and the best part is it is free. http://gimp.org/
• Pixelator – MAC ONLY – This is a great full-featured photo editing/design program for $59.00.  I checked out their beta version last year and I loved using the program.  Their sleek design will make you feel like a design ninja the moment you click File>New  http://www.pixelmator.com/
• Photoshop Online - This is a simple version of Photoshop that can be accessed online.  It’s completely free to use and has some basic features.  http://photoshop.com
• Piknik – Another free online photo editing application with some awesome effects, fonts, and many more great features.  You can purchase a year’s premium subscription for a mere $25 bucks.  http://www.picnik.com
• Aviary – This is a great suite of online photo editing applications.  The Phoenix image editor is amazing and sports layers, filters, layer blending modes,  and much more.  This is about as close to the basic Photoshop functions as you can get.  The best part is it’s FREE!  http://aviary.com/
• Paint.NET - This is a free Windows based software that sports Photoshop-like features.  I’ve never personally used this, but it appears to be liked on the net.  You can check out screen shots and download a free copy at: http://www.getpaint.net/features.html
• Educational Discounts – If your church has a private school, take advantage of deep discounts provided by Adobe.  You can ask for these discounts at local retailers, however the best way is through the internet.  I personally have used JourneyEd for all my software needs at church.  Since I designed for our school, it fell under the usage agreement.  Check out all the software at: http://www.journeyed.com You can also view Adobe’s educational price list here: http://www.adobe.com/education/purchasing/education_pricing.html
• Ebay – When people upgrade to newer versions, they sell their older versions on eBay.  Do a search for CS3 or CS2 to find a good price for the whole creative suite.  Be careful to only bid on items that have actual photos of the product.  There are unscrupulous sellers that will sell you a pirated copy.  Make sure the deal is legit.  I saw a copy of the entire CS3 suite for $250.00 today.

Well, that about wraps it up for now.  There are great ways to get around dropping $700 buckaroos on PSCS4.  The creativity is in you, not the program.  If you don’t have the budget for a legal copy, let your creativity ooze through these cheaper tools and make some awesome stuff for your church.

• Logmein FREE version LogMeIn.com offers a free service that gives you access to your remote computer as if you are sitting in front of it. It’s a great way to work remotely from home or on the road.  Some of the beefy features of their paid versions include printer sharing, and easy file transferring.  However, LogMeIn FREE is all you need to get you started.  This is also a great way to work on other computers at the office without ever leaving your desk.  Seriously, stop paying for these bloated web services that make you pay for what is FREE.
• DropBox DropBox has been one of my favorite and most productive tools I’ve ever used.  Basically, DropBox sets up a folder one multiple computers of your choice, and whatever you place in that folder, it syncs it to all computers.  If you are working on a file at the office, simply save it to your DropBox and then pick up where you left off at home.  You can also grab your files from the website.  It’s so simple and hassle-free.  And it’s free!
• Lacie Big Disk Network I’m a huge fan of Lacie network drives.  You can now get a 2 Terabyte drive for under $400.00.  It plugs into your network and withing a few configuration steps, you have a pretty complex file server.  It allows you to create users and share folders for each user/department.  Users can be restricted to viewing only certain file.  The great thing about this new Lacie is that you can backup your files to an external hard drive with built-in backup features.  It also comes with an FTP (file transfer protocol) server for you to access your files remotely from any FTP client.  Alternatively, it comes with it’s own web interface that can be access from any browser that takes zero configuration.   I highly recommend you getting one of these immediately to centralize your data and give you access to your important documents on the fly.
• Filezilla This is a great free FTP server that can be installed on any of your computers.  This is a software for the more advanced tech.  It requires opening up ports on your firewall, port-forwarding on your router and configuring your passive-mode settings.  The cool thing is you can create users to access certain folders.  This is great if you have a dedicated server on-site.  You can use it locally to share files with others while in the office or remotely (if you choose) to access files from anywhere.  Take a look at the instructions for installation.
• Abyss Web Server Setting up a web server is as easy as installing some software and making a couple changes on your router.  This is a great way to create an intranet site for your church employees.  Aprelium has great documentation to get you started.  By setting up port-forwarding, you can access your Intranet site remotely.  (Forward port 80 to the static Local IP of the computer where your web server is installed  — Example: 192.168.1.200).  You can even mask it with a domain from DynDNS.org with their dynamic ip service.  This part is not for the faint-hearted.  You need to dig in and learn about IPs and how they work.  Basically, if you have a simple internet service, your IP changes every week, or every other week.  This is called a dynamic IP.   This means to find your network from an external browser can become a nightmare.  DynDNS tracks your IP via a little program that runs on your computer.  It then gives you a domain that’s easy to remember and takes care of the hard part.   If you have a service that gives you a static IP (one that never changes), then all you have to do is update the DynDNS.org website one time and you’re set.

We’re living in the digital age.  There’s no reason your frequently-used files have to stay locked away on your church computers.  Figure out a good solution to help your staff be more productive in and out of the office.  You’ll be a tech hero!

Keep in mind, the more Google products you have, you become a greater part of their audience for marketing.  One of my main concerns is how Google will use their own browser for ad sales.  One of their core features is the smart URL box that gives you suggestions for sites based on keywords.  I can see Google using Adwords to sell spots that will have greater relevance in the URL box.  I’m not too thrilled about that. Also, Google is trying to recapture third-party searches, so they don’t have to pay people like Mozilla or Apple for sending searches their way. (That cute little search screen that says firefox and google, or the browser search bar costs Google money millions of affiliate fees every year!)  The motivation behind this project is all about the benjamins.

My last concern is regarding their “incognito” browsing window.  Basically, a web user can open a ’secret’ window and surf anywhere without leaving a trail in the browser.  Once the window is closed, there is no local footprint of that session.  Parents who download this browser need to make sure their children are not surfing “incognito”.  It presents an easier way to view mature content without being tracked.  Typically, a user has to clear the history, form data, cookies etc. to cover inappropriate content usage.  This also leaves a distinct empty footprint.  With the “incognito” feature, a user will never have to clear history, cookies, etc.  They can browse whatever they wish, and then close the window without ever being detected.  Google, in my opinion has broken down yet another barrier to pornography in the home with this specific feature. If you use Chrome, please make sure you have an adequate content filtering system that will keep your users safe from mature content.

I am an avid Firefox user.  I have used it for years and I have it loaded with all of my favorite add-ons, userstyles, and Greasemonkey scripts to make my web experience more enjoyable.   I personally am not switching to Chrome as it is a first generation product.  I can see where Chrome could overtake the market in the future with it’s core processing features.  Other browsers will certainly have to come on board with this new technique.  (Side note: this is not new technology, it’s new programming technique built on the platform that Safari was created on).  All-in-all, Chrome presents a minimalistic experience that is clean and somewhat elementary in appearance.  It is made to be lightweight, very fast, dummyproof, and they are testing millions of sites on it every month to make it more stable and secure.    You can download your free copy of Chrome here and see for yourself.  I’m interested in your take on Chrome.  Leave a comment and tell us your opinion.

Check out this video for more features and a quick tour from my friend Ray Deck over at MinistryLife.org.  (If you can’t see the video here, use this link http://www.vimeo.com/1660881)

Click here to view the embedded video.