Cookies

Cookies are essentially what allow websites to identify you when you revisit them. By allowing cookies, you are allowing your web browser to give the website information such as your username, password and preferences. They can save you a substantial amount of time by preventing you from reentering your information over and over again.

Although cookies are incredibly convenient, some see them as a privacy issue. They store your information and track your activity, which can make it easier for others to access your information. Most experts agree, however, that limiting the amount of cookies you use is sufficient for protecting your online identity.

URL

A URL, or uniform resource locator, is just a web address. It is what you type into the address bar of your browser, usually beginning with “http,” that takes you to the website you wish to visit.

Cloud

Cloud is one of the most used terms in tech these days yet it still has quite a few people scratching their heads. The cloud is made up of web-based services that you can use on any computer without purchasing hardware or installing software. Google Docs and Facebook are among the most popular cloud services today.

Flash

Flash is an Adobe Systems-owned platform that allows for great web interactivity. Installing a Flash plug-in on your browser enables you to view animations, certain displays and videos. Although Flash has been the longtime standard, HTML5 is emerging as a valid competitor.

Understanding the basics of tech terminology is a great way to better understand the technology we interact with.

For more tech terms and their meanings, check out this glossary.

What it is

IPv6 is the latest version of Internet Protocol (IP), which is the method by which data is sent from a computer over the Internet. Until now, we have been using IPv4, which will soon be running out of addresses, which prompted the development of IPv6.

IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses as opposed to the 32-bit addresses used by IPv4. The longer number strings allow for more addresses because there are a greater number of possible combinations.

How the transition may affect you

The biggest issues relating to IPv6 will probably occur during the initial transition. Whether or not you will have a problem accessing a page will depend on your browser and the Web server of that domain. Potential problems include:

• If you’re using IPv6 and you try to access an IPv4 site, you may receive a “404” error.
• If you are on a network that only supports IPv4, you may not be able to access IPv6 sites – you can reconfigure your network in order to fix this.

Despite these minor problems, many people agree that you will most likely still be able to access any site.

How to avoid IPv6-related problems

There are several resources that can warn you about any issues you may run into during the transition to IPv6. Websites like http://omgipv6day.com/ and http://test-ipv6.com/ will tell you if you will be able to access most sites. They will also tell you where your problems will stem from, if you experience any.

Overall, IPv6 will be a much-needed change that will allow for a greater volume of information and activity on the Internet.

Keep it simple

Simplicity is essential when it comes to online searches. It’s typically in your best interest to use only a few words or phrases if the search is not too complicated. If you’re looking for a type of business in your area, you can type in that business type along with the name of your town or your zip code. That should garner results that are both accurate and relevant to you.

Learn about Boolean

Whether you know it or not, you are most likely familiar with Boolean searches. This simply refers to using terms like “and,” “not” and “or” in your online searches. This is a good thing to do when you are more informed about what you’re searching for and know which terms you would like to include or exclude.

You can also have the same effect by using simple pluses and minuses in your searches. If you wish to include a term in your query simply put a “ ” right before it in the search box. If you want to guarantee that a certain term does not pop up in your results, place a “-“ before that word or phrase.

Be precise

Preciseness can instantly eliminate a great deal of the irrelevant and confusing search results. If the search terms you use are too broad, you are often left with thousands of results that have nothing to do with what you’re looking for.

Quotation marks are often the international search engine symbol to search for an exact phrase. If you are looking for something specific, using quotation marks can help guarantee that your results are more relevant.

These three strategies can make quite the difference when it comes to relevance of search results. Applying them can almost guarantee that you will spend much less time sifting through results you don’t want.

If you’d like even more tips on performing online searches, take a look at this article.

Avoiding burnout

• Have fun – Making room for fun can reduce some stress and help to keep employees inspired when they are on the brink of burnout.
• Switch it up – Let employees work on new projects or teams when they’ve been focusing on one thing for a long time, like Facebook is doing with Hackamonth.
• Encourage breaks – It’s fantastic to have employees that don’t want to quit working until they get things finished. Sadly, those are the people that are certain to burn out quickest. If you have employees like this, encourage them to take walks or go on a coffee run – anything to keep them from going stir crazy.

Occasionally burnout is simply inevitable. When it’s already happened, there are a few simple ways to ensure that it doesn’t overwhelm your employees.

How to deal with burnout

• Accept it – Burnout isn’t always preventable so it’s essential to be conscious of the signs such as lethargy, decreased socializing or irritability.
• Communicate – Growing businesses often go through transformations that leave employees frustrated. Making sure your employees know that they can talk to you is a great way to stop burnout before it gets out of control.

Although employee burnout isn’t always avoidable, it’s critical to know what steps you can take to make it less damaging to your employees and your business. These simple tips can help reduce the effects of burnout and even prevent it when possible.

If you’d like to check out more burnout prevention tips take a look at this article.

1. Be positive

It may seem obvious or even obtuse, but staying positive is of great importance. Studies show that workers who praise others in the office, set realistic goals and practice being grateful for even small accomplishments are the ones that get ahead. Being pessimistic sets a personal expectation for failure and can lead to a lack of success. To learn more, please read this article.

2. Think assertively without being aggressive

Assertiveness is probably the top traits of those successful in business, however it is often coupled with aggressiveness. The most important thing when attempting to be assertive without being aggressive is communication. When asserting yourself in the office, allow other people as much time to describe their needs as you’ve allowed yourself. When they are articulating their needs, try not to devalue their perspectives; doing so will help you stay open to meeting them halfway.

Taking the time to listen to your coworkers will make you a team player, and team players are often those who advance most. For more advice on acting assertively, read this article.

3. Be compassionate when dealing with conflict

Interpersonal conflict is an unavoidable part of every work culture. Try approaching resolution with compassion if and when you are at odds with a coworker. Stepping into conflict resolution with an open mind instead of defensiveness will usually result in a more positive outcome. Adding compassion to your business attitude will improve your skills at resolving conflict. If you’d like to read more about being compassionate at work, take a look at this article.

Every successful businessperson has a well-cultivated and implemented business attitude. Professional advancement is dependent on your ability to deal with other people, because all businesses readily involve personal interaction to some degree. These tips and bits of advice will be helpful when evaluating and improving your business attitude, making success even more obtainable. Keep in mind: having a good business attitude takes work. Don’t forget that a good personality is an essential business skill.