Computers

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) Acer Incorporated Alphamedia Altec SA Information & Communication Sys Analog Integrations Corporation Apple Computer, Inc. Aten International Co., Ltd. Aztech Systems Limited Bryant Technology Limited Candy Global Media Company Limited Catena Corporation Cgs International Inc. Chengdu Qian Feng Electric Chip Hope CO Ltd Compaq Inc. Compucase Enterprise Co., Ltd. Cybertan Technology Inc. Daheng New Epoch Technology, Inc. Daiwabo Information System Company Limited Dell Computer Corporation Denkodo Co., Ltd. Digital Lifestyles Group, Inc. Elitegroup Computer Systems Company Limited Encore Computer Everskill Technology Co., Ltd.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL COMPUTER INCORPORATED Ftec Resources Bhd Gansu Languang Science & Technology Co., Ltd. Gateway Inc. Horng Technical Enterprise Icbs International Corp. IN Win Development Inc. Insigma Technology Company Limited Inventec Corporation Ipc Archtec AG Ipc Corporation Limited JAPAN BUSINESS COMPUTER CO., LTD. Jlt Mobile Computers AB Langchao Electronic Information Co., Ltd. Lintec Information Technologies AG Maxwell Technologies, Inc. Mercury Computer Systems Inc. MILTOPE GROUP INC. Mitac International Corporation MPC Computers, LLC Neoware Systems, Inc. Network Computing Devices, Inc. Nexar Technologies Olidata Spa Onetwocom AB

PalmOne Palmone, Inc. PC Connection Inc. Power Quotient International Co., Ltd. Prostar Qinchuan Machinery Development Co., Ltd. Rikei Corporation Sapura Resources Berhad Shanghi East-China Computer Silicon Graphics Inc. Singapore Computer Systems Limited Sonic Solutions Stone Group HI-Tech Co., Ltd. Synnex Technology International Corp SysComm International Tech Data Corporation Televideo, Inc. Toyo Officemation Inc. Tpc Liquidation, Inc. Trigem Computer Incorporated Vertex Link Corporation Vitech America Xybernaut Corporation

Guide to Computer Essentials for Small Business

A simple plan will make technology work for you
By Chris Maxcer

Every small business can benefit from using computers, but choosing the right ones can be a daunting task. Do you need one computer or many? Is something big and powerful required? Or will less expensive models do. Are laptops the way to go if you plan to be mobile? What kinds of software will you be running, and will your computers be connected to things like point-of-sale equipment or a time-and-attendance system? And those are but a few of the questions you'll face.

To select the best systems for your needs, you'll need a strategy, and it starts with:

1. A quality PC
2. Internet access
3. A firewall and/or router
4. A Web site and email service
5. Business accounting software
6. A data backup and recovery plan
7. A preventative maintenance plan

You may also need specialized applications for your particular business or industry, a network server for shared applications and file storage if you have multiple employees who need simultaneous PC access, and possibly an IT manager or consultant to help as your business grows.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy a quality PC This is your business, so you don't want to cobble together a PC you picked up at a yard sale. Only buy a laptop if you need the mobility. Get a minimum of 512 MB of RAM (1 GB is better) and at least an 80 GB hard drive. Processors and their speeds in newer PCs are nearly all powerful enough for 99 percent of small business needs.

I recommend:  Buy online at Dell's Small Business Site, Apple's Store, Amazon.com's Computers Site, Office Depot or Staples.

Select a vendor that's also a technology partner It's easy to just place an order for computers online. But finding a vendor who can help you make the right computer choices from among many manufcturers is more difficult.

I recommend:  CDW has gained a reputation for working with small businesses to help them find the right technology, and then getting it in their hands quickly.

Get Internet access Internet access will help you connect with customers and use online services, like software and data backup services, which can simplify your technology challenges. Contact your local Internet Service Provider to find your availability options and rates, as well as cable and phone companies, which also usually offer Internet service.

I recommend:  Check out YELLOWPAGES.COM and CNET.com's ISP Buying Guide.

Get safe Internet access To make your Internet service safe and protect you from hackers, viruses, spyware and adware, you're going to need a software or hardware (router) firewall, and virus protection software.

I recommend:  CNET.com's Networking and Wi-Fi site covers routers, and PCMag.com has a good All-in-One Security Suite software review section.

Build a Web site and get email The ISP you choose may also have packages available to help you build a Web site and get email service, but you may want to use a dedicated Web hosting company that offers a broader range of features.

I recommend:  Buy a domain name and hosting service at Network Solutions, Yahoo! Small Business, or check out CNET.com's Web Hosting site.

Choose your business accounting software You can buy a dedicated software package to install on your PC or use an online hosted service.

I recommend:  Check out PC World's Accounting Software News and Reviews, CNET's Accounting & Taxes Software Reviews, and PC Magazine's Accounting Software Reviews.

Create a data backup and recovery plan You can burn CDs, DVDs or use a USB thumb drive to manually copy and backup data, or use a dedicated backup application that works with a separate hard drive, network drive or online backup service so you don't lose mission-critical data.

I recommend:  Check out PCMag.com's Software Backup Reviews or go with one of the top solutions in this space: Norton Save & Restore or Acronis True Image. For online service, check out Data Deposit Box or Iron Mountain's Live Vault.

Plan for preventive PC maintenance You'll need to clean, defragment and check for errors on your hard drive, as well as install patches or security updates.

I recommend:  Microsoft's "Put Your PC Maintenance Routine on Autopilot" article walks you through hard drive care, and Apple does the same in its Disk Utility and/or fsck guide. For security patches and updates, go to Microsoft Update for Windows Systems, or for Mac OSX, go to the Apple menu and select “Software Update” to check for updates, to download and to install.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Don't forget the low-tech side of computer maintenance and protection: Have a technician blow dust out of your computers with compressed air, use disk cleaning kits, turn keyboards upside down and gently knock out the junk, and plug power cords into surge suppressors.