Flash Drives, USB’s, or Thumb Drives

Regardless of what you call them, the small portable memory that anyone can afford can be used for many things.  As an introduction to the possibilities, I would like to direct Masonic Technology readers to the article 10 cool things you can do with a USB flash drive by Greg Shultz over at TechRepublic.

In his article, Mr. Shultz touches upon usages ranging from using the drive as an MP3 player, to locking your computer.

Overall, the article does an outstanding job of introducing the versatility of portable drives, but do not limit yourself only to the article. A quick search on google will provide many other sites and articles that may just have the thing you were looking for all along.  I, personally, did a search using only the terms portable apps and found an outstanding resource on makeuseof.com entitled 100 Portable Apps for your USB Stick (Mac and Win).

You can purchase a flash drive from any electronics store, Wal-Mart, or through online stores such as ComputerGeeks.com or NewEgg.com.

Happy reading.

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

Lodge Twittering…

It may come as no surprise to many of you but I, being a techie person, do use Twitter.  Surprise, surprise!!!

Many people ask me why I use twitter.  For the longest time I couldn’t figure it out.  I enjoy it and learn from it but I couldn’t figure out how to explain it’s value.  Well let me explain now.  I enjoy technology and I enjoy being one of the first to experience just about everything.  With Twitter you have instant access to the pulse of the global news or even the news from the block over.  You can get a glimpse of what people find important, by the links they share.  But most important to me, I get to see first-hand what early adopters of technology are looking at and trying out.  That’s where I want to be.  I want to know what is coming and how they intend to use it.

OK let’s bring this full circle back to masonry.  Hmmmm… Ummmmm…. hmmmmm… Well there was that Masonic twitter group I started a few months back.  Just look up #mason in your twitter search and you will find it.  Oh and of course there is the @masoniccentral twitter account that is tweeting our podcast start times and regular posts from this website.

Can you see my challenge yet?  I’m looking for useful ways to use Twitter in a lodge or Grand Lodge environment.  Now I do have a few more ideas but I really want to challenge you the readers to send me some ideas.  Comment on this post and let me know what your genius idea is for twittering that will benefit lodge in some way.

In the meantime, follow me on Twitter… @dbk  If I don’t follow you back then please let me know your a mason or a reader/listening fan of mine.  I’ll return the favor.

Don’t forget to post your ideas for Twitter as a comment to this post…

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

Potential Answer to Lodge Dues Administration? Part 2

It has occurred to me since writing the post entitled “Potential Answer to Lodge Dues Administration? FreshBooks” that perhaps I did not touch on various issues.  I know I only posted that last post this morning but it’s been a long day in my mental head-space.

The number one thing people will say is, “well we only collect money from everyone once a year;  We don’t need a system like this”.  My response is simple.  If you don’t need this system then good for your lodge, you should pat yourself on the back.  Many lodges are constantly after their lodge members to pay dues and follow-up on them.  An online system such as FreshBooks or the even more comprehensive MORI system Mark is considering for individual lodges, would automate much of the work and not allow for as many dropped balls.  It would make the job of tracking dues and other invoice-able requests less of a nightmare and more like “fun”. (Yes, I put fun in quotations as it may not be everyone’s definition of fun.)

Furthermore, these online solutions allow lodges to link up dues payments with paypal or other payment gateways and allow members to pay online from their bank accounts or even from their credit cards.  No postage stamps or printing at all.  Insteaad of looking at the cost of the software, imagine the savings in printing and postage, not to mention quicker collections and less fuss.  Take the Secretary out of the collections business and treat him with a program that will do it for him, equitably and systematically.

Give your secretary a break… Hire a computer program to help them.  How much do you pay them anyway?  Don’t they deserve it?  Just asking…

Next week, I will review computer programs to automate the Tyler position.  (Joking!  Just checking if you were still reading and paying attention.) Although a lodge computer tracking membership status across the jurisdiction, in the hands of a Tyler, would be useful wouldn’t it? Hmmm…..

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

Potential Answer to Lodge Dues Administration? FreshBooks

I started using this new invoicing tool for my business and truly believe it would have fantastic practical uses for lodge administration.  It will require you to look at it and review it against your needs, but I strongly believe it has potential and a lodge leader would do well to look at it.

The solution I found is a refreshing program called FreshBooks.  There are various advantages and disadvantages when using this product.  But in my mind the advantages greatly exceed the disadvantages.  After realizing that one of the most typical downfalls of a lodge is either administration of, collection of and/or members then paying their dues, I think a service such as this is timely.  It makes the jobs of secretary and treasurer easier, creates a papertrail for audit and prevents people from falling through the cracks, among other things…

Here is my quick analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the product…

Advantages:

• Automate Dues collection: Streamline your lodge through recurring invoices that automatically send out dues reminders by email and allow them to remit cheques, or even online payment.   Optional: Set up auto-billing to automatically charge your members credit card (available but not suggested for lodges, might be good for your business though)
• Impress your members: Look like a pro-secretary and impress your members by giving your members online access to their invoices and account history (i.e. dues payment history and any other items you collect for in lodge such as initiation fees and charitable gifts).  Then they will know if they are behind on their dues and pay accordingly.  Instead of forgetting month over month, or never paying at all.  The worst case in lodge finances is a brother who fails to pay and lapses.  If we can prevent that from happening more frequently then this is worth it right there.
• Option to collect online payments: According to Freshbooks 2007 User Survey their users get paid on average 14 days faster after starting to use FreshBooks. How do they do that? By allowing clients to view and pay invoices online without any hassle.  Now you can let your lodge members do the same.  They will no longer have the excuse, valid or not, that they keep forgetting their checkbook at home.
• Stop stuffing envelopes!: For a nominal fee send snail mail invoices straight to your members.  Each invoice is printed with your lodge logo and includes a return envelope for the members convenience.  So you flag the members who are not on e-mail or prefer regular mail and have FreshBooks do all the work.  And yes the Return envelope is included with a tear-away payment stub for your records and their convenience.  So there is a potential cost savings here as well as you can choose to email many people and they can print off PDF records as they wish, but the rest will get their dues notices as per normal in the mail.   This will be automated!
• Follow-ups:  No need to send out reminders to pay dues again… This system can be customized quickly and easily to do this for you.  I set mine to send out reminders at 15, 30 and 60 days after due as an example.  The default is 30, 60 and 90….
• Your data is backed up and secure: Your data is backed up in real time to three sources in two different locations, and backed-up to tape at an off-site location nightly. All facilities are SAS 70 compliant. All data is transmitted using 256-bit SSL encryption and stored behind firewalls.  So yes it may be more secure than your lodge filing cabinet in case someone is worried about confidentiality and security.
• No files to hand over:  With lodge officers changing, sometimes files get lost in transition.  This product would entail just sharing the login info and the new person just changes the password.  Even good if someone is heading out for an extended vacation and needs someone else just to watch over the finances of the lodge.
• Track Expenses:  The program also can track expenses but I have not used that functionality.
• Free Updates:  Unlike other software, this one get’s updated automatically as FreshBooks improves their product.
• Downloadable to Major Accounting Software:  The program can download it’s data directly to most major accounting softwares, such as Simply Accounting.
• Awesome Support:  I’ll only say this… They Pick-up the PHONE!!! As old-fashioned as that sounds.  You actually get a human.  That’s right… so far no big automated phone tree to surf through.  You call their toll-free number and an english-speaking North American-based staff member answers the phone to help you.

Disadvantages:

• Banking charges:  Yes it is true if members pay via credit card or paypal there may be a cost.  We call this a banking fee.  In business we look at these fees and consider them against not getting paid at all and getting paid much faster.  You can allow or disallow paypal as an option on your settings if you do not wish to assume that extra cost.
• Cost of FreshBooks: Anytime something costs money our members fret.  To alleviate this I have already contacted FreshBooks and negotiated a better deal for all lodges!  But let me remind you to also offset this cost with more timely dues payment, potential savings on mailing and printing expenses and potential for greater membership retention.

The Lodge Deal! (50% off on top-ups and a recommended package)

Anyone who knows me knows I like to negotiate the price of a toothpick.  Well in this case I negotiated a deal for all lodges, wherever they may be, that might be interested in this software.  They would have to sign up for the basic $14/month “Shuttle Bus” plan.  This gives them 1 user and 25 clients.  the 25 clients would be your “lodge members”.  Obviously lodges typically have more than 25 members.  You can add in an extra 500 clients for only $10/month (that’s 50% off) or 250 members for only $5/month.  These rates are half off the regular with our specific needs in mind.

It’s a simple 2-step process to get the Lodge Deal.

1. Sign-up (even just try it out first on the FREE version if you would like…)
2. Email me telling me you want the account set-up with “special lodge pricing”.  Please give me enough info so I can find your account.  PS- Yes, Special Grand Lodge and equivalent pricing is available as well, if interested.

I will contact Freshbooks from there and “make it happen”.

OR

Sign-up for a free account just to try it out and see if you like it. They give you enough room to try it out and set-up three clients with full functionality.  That’s how I started…

Full disclosure: I use FreshBooks for my business and have built a strong relationship with their team which is how I’m able to offer this rate to you.

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

Masonic Technology or Technologist?

Masonic Technology has become….well…Masonic Technologist. The technology staff has been hard at work creating, preparing, and testing the next generation of technology to be sponsored by Freemason Information. Although I cannot reveal as of yet this new project, I do, however, want to take this opportunity to assure the readers of Masonic Technology that the articles will continue to be published shortly.

In the next edition of Masonic Technology, I will provide a basic tutorial, including files to be downloaded and used, on using OpenOffice to create form letters utilizing a database. This skill, once mastered, will save officers, and members alike, time and energy by filling in core information in a word document giving letters a personalized feel. Instead of, “Dear Brother,” impress your members by using their name without the tedious task of re-typing the salutation over and over.

As always, if you have any suggestions, comments, or requests give me an email at shane@deltalodge207.com and stay tuned to this site and the Masonic Central Podcast for announcements on the new project.

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

Wordprocessing and more….FREE

Who doesn’t have a need to type, or organize, information in a digital form? The problem for many is that the most popular wordprocessing suite (wordprocessing, database, and spreadsheet) is Microsoft’s Office. Office, however, comes with a lofty price tag of $125 or more. For this reason, I recommend Open Office Suite, “the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more.” Open Office can not only do everything Microsoft can do, but it can also read most of the other office software formats, and of course best of all…it is FREE. In this article, I wish to provide to you the tools needed to install and begin using this outstanding software.

First, you can download the software HERE. Installation is simple, and the program itself does a nice job of walking you through the process. However, you can use this Step-by-Step Installation, to help along the way. Please note that although the process in the Step-by-Step is for version 2.4.1, the process is the same for the newest version.

Once the software is installed it operates like most any other wordprocessing program you may have already used. The following is a list of basic tutorials found on the Tutorials for OpenOffice website, which is a good starting point for those brothers who have little to no experience with wordprocessing.

• Writer (similar to Microsoft Word)
• Calc (similar to Microsoft Excel)
• Impress (similar to Microsoft PowerPoint)
• Draw
• Base (similar to Microsoft Access) —THIS IS NOT FOR THE BEGINNING COMPUTER USER!!

OpenOffice can be used by any Mason, or Lodge, to easily and freely document, organize, and edit any information needed by the craft. It’s usage can range from simple printouts of notices to more complex mail merges.  Create labels, fliers, and envelopes all while having the computer automatically fill in pertinent information such as name and address.

The overall rating for OpenOffice — 5 out of 5 stars (basic functions)/3 out of 5 stars (complex functions)

• 5 out of 5 stars for Masonic usefulness (basic and complex functions)
• 5 out of 5 stars (basic functions) / 2 out of 5 stars (complex functions) for ease of use for those brothers with less technology experience but willing to try

Please watch for future articles that will utilize OpenOffice. First of which will contain directions and files for merging of Base (database) and Writer (word processor) for pre-formatted letters.

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

Easy Masonic Reading

Do you visit many different Masonic blogs, news sites, or information  repositories? Today’s article can save you some time and energy. As we all know there are thousands of Freemason websites on the internet, some good some not, and visiting our favorites can become very time consuming. Thus, I would like to discuss the use of RSS in bringing all of the article feeds into one centralized place for your review.

Really Simple Syndication, or RSS, is a feed friendly format that bloggers, news organizations, or webmasters can utilize that allows their readers to “pull” their content into one place. This technology can be used to see which of your favorite authors have updated their site, letting you know which ones to visit on any given day. It is important that I state that I am not advocating using only RSS to do your reading, instead I believe it should be used as a starting point only. Afterall, your favorite sites need your traffic for search engine data and advertising revenue.

There are many RSS readers available both purchased and for free. They consist of locally installed software and also online services that require no downloads or installations. Most people already have a RSS reader on their computer and may not even be aware. Programs such as Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Firefox, as well as other email and web browsing programs, all contain the ability to subscribe to RSS.  Online, and free, services are plentiful, but some of the most popular are NetVibes, Pageflakes, Yahoo! (although I do not recommend Yahoo! for beginning technology users), and Google Reader.

To get started with RSS a person needs simply to enter in the URL (the web address) of the RSS feed of the site they wish to read into their reader of choice. I personally use Google Reader, so included in this article is a basic tutorial of using the service. If you choose to use a different reader, fear not, because the process is extremely simple, and by following the directions of your service you will be up and running in no time.

In our ever continuing desire to provide Masons with tools that can be used to further their Masonic growth, I have provided a pre-made list of a few Masonic RSS feeds that you can import into your reader. This list is for starting purposes, and Freemason Information does not officially endorse any of those sites included in the file.

To import the file please see your reader help section if needed. Most services have an import function that will take the file from your computer and convert it to a working feed.

1. Step one: download this file–masonic-rss-subscriptions. Do not forget where you save the file, because it is needed to complete the import.
2. Step two: follow the directions in your reader’s help section, or if using Google Reader follow the steps in the tutorial below.

RSS can be used by any Mason, or Lodge, to easily and freely keep up on Freemason information found on the internet. A lodge, or brother, can setup a public RSS account, and share educational pieces.

The overall rating for RSS — 4.25 out of 5 stars

• 5 out of 5 stars for Masonic usefulness
• 3.5 out of 5 stars for ease of use for those brothers with less technology experience but willing to try

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

Masonic Central on BTR Basics

Masonic Central can now be found on Blog Talk Radio, but unfortunately with any “new” technology there will be some minor glitches along the way, but rest assured that behind the scenes Dean and Greg are working diligently to give their listeners what they desire. Please feel free to contact either with questions, comments, or concerns.

However, since the user interface is somewhat different at Blog Talk Radio than at TalkShoe, we here at FreemasonInformation would like to provide to our users a tutorial on the basics of listening via the new technology.

You can find Masonic Central on Blog Talk Radio by either entering in http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Masonic-Central in your web browser, typing masonic central in the search feature on the Blog Talk Radio website, or following the link found on FreemasonInformation.

To insert the player into your own site, copy and paste the following code where you want the player to show.

<code language="actionscript">Copy all of the EMBED code below the ----- and paste it within the code of your site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<embed src='http://www.blogtalkradio.com/BTRPlayer.swf?displayheight=&file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2fMasonic-Central%2fplay_list.xml&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=105&volume=80&corner=rounded' width='210' height='105' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' quality='high' wmode='transparent' menu='false'></embed>

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

How-to: Gmail for Beginners

In this installment of Masonic Technology, I have chosen to look at the most basic of web tools. Email. Realizing that all of the online tools presented thus far require an email, I began to think to myself, “what if someone who doesn’t have, or understand, email comes to Freemason Information?” Afterall, browsing the internet, or following a link that a brother has provided, is fairly simple. There are many free email services on the internet, Hotmail and Yahoo for example, but my service of choice is GMail.

Thus was born the idea to provide a very basic tutorial of registration, login, and use of Google’s free email service GMail.   Please be warned that if you are an experienced user, this two part tutorial is not for you! However, please feel free to watch and respond with criticism and suggestions.

GMail can be used by any Mason, or Lodge, to easily and freely create and use an email account. If your lodge does not have it’s own website, but has a need for a contact email, GMail is the perfect solution.

The overall rating for GMail — 5 out of 5 stars

• 5 out of 5 stars for Masonic usefulness
• 5 out of 5 stars for ease of use for those brothers with less technology experience but willing to try

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

Easy Computer Back-ups

I have been recommending Mozy to people for some time now.  I have people ask me quite frequently how to back-up their computer.  With external hard drives? It works but people forget and it still leaves data prone to theft, fire and other things.  More often than not my recommendation goes to the Mozy product.  Quite simply… It’s easy to install… You don’t have to remember to download because you schedule it, and it saves all data remotely with 128-bit SSL encryption and stored with 448-bit Blowfish encryption, so your data is protected from theft, fire and computer malfunction.  Just sign-up, install and follow the initial directions. It works for Macs also…

I recommended this to my father over a year ago and he loves it.  It never occured to me until the other day when he was asking me about it… Every morning he get’s up and goes to the computer.  A message is waiting for him telling him his files have been backed-up.  He is reassured that if somethign goes wrong that day he has the manner to get just about everything back.  At under $5 a month he thought it was a steal and I was happy because he doesn’t call me every night asking how to back-up the computer. That doesn’t get me off on all Tech service calls to my parents house but it’s progress.

It would work to back-up lodge files also…

If your interested here is the sign-up page.

The overall rating for Mozy Unlimited — 4 out of 5 stars

• 4 out of 5 stars for Masonic usefulness
• 4 out of 5 stars for ease of use for those brothers with less technology experience but willing to try

Free eBook – What is Freemasonry? Available Now!

Have you…
visited the Freemason Information Book Store?
visited the FmI Gift Store?
listened to the Masonic Central Podcast?

Next Page »