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Return on Technology columnist

Altom is a third-generation Hoosier who has been a zookeeper, electronics technician, technical writer, small-business manager, information architect, author, analyst and consultant. He has written on subjects as diverse as the appeal of big words and usability as a risk/benefit analysis. He has both an undergraduate and a master's degree from IUPUI, the latter in human-computer interaction, and has a green belt in Six Sigma. Altom teaches human-computer interaction and statistics for IUPUI. He is not a first adopter, but might eventually condescend to employ new technologies in his everyday business life, although he’s likely to remain happily grumpy about it.

E-mail: taltom@ibj.com

Follow Tim on Twitter: www.twitter.com/taltom

ALTOM: When it comes to big purchases, don’t follow the crowd

May 18, 2013

The most popular tech product isn't necessarily the one that is best for your business.

ALTOM: The closing words in most emails aren't worth the trouble

May 4, 2013

Electronic communication isn't the same as a hand-written letter, so traditional sign-offs don't usually work.

ALTOM: CIOs are hard to find, so mentor promising candidates

April 6, 2013

A CIO has to blend business and technical skills in ways that aren’t taught to technicians.

ALTOM: Google disregards consequences, kills another product

March 23, 2013

Years ago, the high-tech company that drove me closest to the edge of madness was Microsoft. That firm treated its customers as if they were lucky to have computers. But for sheer frustration, I think Google tops Microsoft.

ALTOM: Hire a chief information officer before it's too late

March 9, 2013

The position is meant to be more than a glorified tech support desk. It should be the office where infrastructure growth is planned and merged with the company’s overall goals.

ALTOM: How safe is your storage on the cloud? Not very

February 23, 2013

The cloud is what we call the storage areas we never see except in our browsers—that online, cyberspace world that holds our files and often our working applications.

ALTOM: Technology takes (some) jobs but also creates them

February 9, 2013

In the aftermath of the Great Recession, the economy continues to grow, but it’s becoming obvious that unemployment isn’t going to nosedive the way it has after previous recessions.

ALTOM: Firms must think carefully about policies on devices

January 26, 2013

“BYOD” is tech-speak for “bring your own device,” and it refers to whether you want to allow employees to transact your business using their own laptops, notebooks or smartphones, or if you want to impose your own standards and supply what you think they should have so you keep control of the technology.

ALTOM: Being present at work doesn't have to mean being there

January 12, 2013

Employers have to contend with a new generation of workers who expect to work from home at least part of the time, and entirely from home when feasible.

ALTOM: Just because it's new doesn't make it worth buying

December 29, 2012

If you’re one of those businessfolk who buy new gadgets just because you can, you might want to move on to the food reviews now. I’m going to be talking today about when to upgrade devices or software.

ALTOM: Blessed are the tech-sector risk-takers who make the leap

December 15, 2012

This is the last column before Christmas, and in keeping with long tradition, I’m writing a year-end column about screw-ups and techno-pratfalls that should make you glad you’re not in the hottest of hot seats.

ALTOM: Passwords are passe, but there's no good alternative

December 1, 2012

Even the most supposedly secure password is toast from the time you first use it, because today’s hackers have a veritable arsenal of ways to get through or around any password scheme.

ALTOM: It's easy to fill gaps in business knowledge online

November 17, 2012

The online world is blossoming with education, both good and questionable. It was one of the first uses for the Web. The Web brought technical people together to share information, and often it was in the form of a tutorial to answer the question, “How do I get this to do that?”

ALTOM: Whether you're a Mac or PC person says a lot about you

November 3, 2012

Today, the two worlds cross over almost effortlessly, but the divisions between them have spawned entirely different design and usage paradigms.

ALTOM: 'Mechanical Turk' puts humans to work

October 20, 2012

Most repetitive tasks can be done by computer nowadays, but many can’t.

ALTOM: Excel can be used as database in a pinch

October 6, 2012

Microsoft Excel has features that are reminiscent of a database, although it’s not a database application and never will be.

ALTOM: What employees need to know in today's office

September 22, 2012

I’m willing to irritate my colleagues in human resources and bet that they aren’t asking all the questions they should ask of candidates.

ALTOM: Who owns your data? The answer might surprise you

September 8, 2012

When you reveal information about yourself, do you still own or control it? And if you reveal something about someone else, who owns it then?

ALTOM: A reminder that offices are full of low-tech hazards

August 25, 2012

Even laser pointers can be hazardous if they’re pointed right into an unprotected retina.

ALTOM: Death of paper has been greatly exaggerated

August 11, 2012

When I was a kid, eager futurists predicted what wonderful technologies we’d all have someday.

ALTOM: Web begs you to take time to waste time

July 28, 2012

I have to confess that I sometimes use technology in a way that is the exact opposite of productivity. I waste good daylight hours using it for short bursts of enjoyment.

ALTOM: Online detective work can amaze and find new markets

July 14, 2012

Google Earth is one of Google’s odder and spottier applications. It started life as Keyhole, a 3-D mapping program originally paid for by the CIA and subsequently purchased by Google in 2004.

ALTOM: Tips for starting an office on a shoestring

June 30, 2012

First, you’ll need good hardware. Don’t skimp here, because reliability trumps economy.

ALTOM: LinkedIn hacking case holds a lesson about passwords

June 16, 2012

You often hear that you’re anonymous online, and you can be if you want to be. But if you want to buy or sell, register for newsletters, or get return e-mails, you have to declare your identity. And that identity is your e-mail address.