By Colby Horton
Shop Site of the Month
Cockrell's Collision Repair - Lexington, Ky.
www.cockrellscollision.com
This site has a clean look and unique navigation scheme. Its list of Frequently Asked Questions is comprehensive and informative. The site also provides convenience to its customers by allowing them to check the status of their vehicle repair. The shop also offers online specials to its site visitors. The "Contact Us" form makes it easy to contact the shop or shop personnel.
Web Wise
"Mini-Y2K" to Hit This Month
Thanks to a 2005 Congressional resolution, daylight saving time arrives a little earlier this year - March 11 to be exact. And it stays a little later - Nov. 4.
And although the original plan focuses on enhanced energy savings, the result could affect everything from airline schedules to your BlackBerry.
Technology insiders are calling the possible glitch a mini-Y2K bug. If banks and other institutions, including automotive repair facilities, are not properly prepared, they could be in for some surprises.
Software created before the 2005 law mandating the change is set to automatically advance its timekeeping by one hour on the first Sunday in April, not the second Sunday in March. So if your computer software was
purchased and installed prior to that time, expect some confusion. Microsoft Corp. warns that during three weeks this March and April, users of its calendar program "should view any appointments ... as suspect until they communicate with all meeting invitees."
For people who store their appointments in Microsoft Outlook, or other desktop-based calendar programs, rather than dynamic Web-based programs such as Google calendar, the situation gets a little trickier. Patches for calendar programs are available, but appointments made before a patch is applied might still be registered one hour off.
According to the Associated Press, Microsoft advises heavy calendar users to go online and download a small program known as a Time Zone Move - tzmove - that can retrofit all previously booked appointments to the new daylight-saving time rule. Go to www.microsoft.com and enter "tzmove" into the search box in the upper right corner of the screen. Other desktop calendar vendors offer similar tools for their systems.
If you're using the new Microsoft Vista operating system, you're in the clear. But computers running anything older than the most recent version of Windows XP, known as Service Pack 2, will have to go to the control panel of their PCs and unclick the setting that tells the machine to automatically change the clock for daylight savings time.
The new rule won't just affect your computers. Some electronic gadgets such as VCRs and digital watches, may never fix the problem.
So enjoy your extra hours of daylight - just don't forget to check the time!
Net Numbers
Researchers at the University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering found that a computer is hacked every 39 seconds.
Source: University of Maryland
ASA Web Ways
Download ASA OnDemand
ASA has created a software program designed specifically for members of the association. ASA OnDemand features an interactive, up-to-date membership directory, an electronic benefits portfolio, general ASA information pieces and resource library. In addition, the software provides a gateway to several ASA Web sites. The software program, which automatically updates each month, can be downloaded from www.ASAOnDemand.com. If you have any problems installing the program, call (800) 272-7467, ext. 234.
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Net Worth is written by Colby Horton, ASA's electronic communications manager. He can be reached at (800) 272-7467, ext. 234, or by e-mail at colbyh@asashop.org.
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