Challenges facing Rohnert Park
By Amy Ahanotu, Chairman of the Board
This has been a difficult year for many.I would like to say thank you for those businesses that have joined the Chamber this year and for those who have invested in the Chamber over the years. We appreciate your investment and support.The Chamber moved from its previous location to a more prominent area that is more accessible to visitors and businesses. Our new location is more inviting and has a 25 foot slat wall space for displaying Chamber member’s literature. This location also allows us to once again function as a visitor center to the many visitors and businesses coming into our community.
This past year, we had our first Annual Chamber Luncheon where we discussed the challenges facing the business community and new directions for the Chamber to help and support its members. began our first customer service program last year, We CARE; customers always receive excellent service from Chamber businesses. This program is part of our Buy in Rohnert Park Campaign that will begin in January, 2010.
Our goals are to provide you with even more and better services and products next year. Beginning in January, our new website will be up and ready for you to use. The Chamber is moving into the social media marketing with the concept of connecting businesses by using the internet. Our goal is to have more and better networking available for chamber businesses.
The Chamber has also accepted its responsibility as the business leader and advocate for businesses. Therefore, the Chamber will leverage the talents and resources of its member businesses to improve the economic opportunities for all with the expansion of Board committees. This role demands, not so much a political approach, but one of winning people over to better approaches and solutions in governance and economic growth for the community. It demands that the Chamber work with good communication, harmony and cooperation in all of its individual relationships and alliances with the focus of building a strong local economy for the community.
Today, as businesses and communities are more dependent upon each other for their success, the Chamber’s role is evolving. The Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce is committed to building a stronger business community by keeping its membership focused and involved in top business, civic and social issues and priorities in the community.
Again we also want to thank all of the Chamber members for their investment in the Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce and our community. It takes many hands to make a difference. We feel that with your help and support, this can happen.
The Chamber wishes everyone Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year.
Avoiding Spyware And Malware Attacks
Spyware and other types of malware are more than just a pain in the neck - they can cause other programs to malfunction and even make your computer unstable. And of course there's all the privacy issues that go along with it.
This type of software is often installed without a user's consent and often can't be uninstalled without special tools. When distributors use tricks and deception to install uninvited software, trust is destroyed.
Your first line of defense is common sense. Be careful when you install new software. Only install software from trusted websites, and always read the license agreement. Some companies disclose that they install extra things with their software, but most people don't read the license and never know it.
Check for a guarantee that the software is spyware free. This won't protect you 100%, but it is a good step towards being able to trust a website.
What are the signs of a spyware infection? Odd pop-up advertising, a new homepage when you didn't change it, new toolbars that you didn't install or your computer is responding slowly or rebooting randomly all of a sudden, to name a few.
If you find your system bogged down with spyware, don't give up hope. There are several utilities specifically designed for removing spyware from your computer. They rely on frequently updated databases which contain signature files of all known spyware and adware. They scan all the files on your hard drive and alert you if 'uninvited guests' are found.
Some of these scanning programs are available for free, while others will cost you money. The ones you pay for generally have extra features, such as the ability to schedule automatic scans. They're never completely foolproof however, so it's always a good idea to run two or more of them.
Some types of spyware are exceptionally hard to get rid of. They can make changes to settings on your computer that help to "protect" the spyware from being removed. In some cases, you need to manually delete the files to get rid of them for sure.
This is obviously not something you should undertake unless you're quite familiar with Windows and working with system files. You wouldn't want to delete something that renders Windows inoperable.
Once the spyware has been removed from your system, you should run scans on a regular basis to keep it clean. Whether you do this manually or use a program that does it automatically on a schedule is up to you (and your pocketbook).
Of course, you need to always be wary of anything you download. You never know when there is going to be a significant cost to that free software that looks so cool.
Written by: Josh Joyce
For more information, contact the California Business Development Center
707 664-6464 consultants@californiabusinessdevelopment.com
Mr. Josh Joyce has over ten years in the computer service industry, covering all of Sonoma County. He specializes in providing management level responsibility for all the technology in your business.
