Issue #40 Computer Tips

The one tool that I'm sure every investigator is using these days is the personal computer. Not long ago that would have sounded like a line from a science fiction novel, but in today's world the fact is that the computer has become our top form of communication and information.

All MUFON Field Investigators use what is called the CMS, or Case Management System, and our data from our investigations is organized into reports that are generated by the information that both the witness and investigator have entered. It is a great database, however MUFON is in the process of creating an even better one!

Besides just entering the information from the sighting, there is a lot of other data that one needs to enter to complete an investigation. Weather information is critical to any investigation, and I personally like to use wunderground.com for all my current, and historical weather data. 

Conducting a telephone interview is made much easier by using Skype, especially since there is an extension available for it that allows you to record your calls. For $30 a year you can make calls anywhere in the United States, and for another $30 a year you can also get a number to receive calls. So for a total of $60 a year you can have secure number to use for your interviews, allowing you to keep your cell phone or home number private. Of course Skype is free to use between other users anyway, but the extra calling features make it extremely useful.

One thing to always be cautious about is bogus links in emails. I recently got my email hacked due to a link in an email from a witness. I should have known better since the telephone number given directed me to a recorded sales pitch. Be careful! If you do pick something up that starts sending out unauthorized emails, change your password to your email account. That should stop it in most cases.

When typing your report, remember that not everyone will have a new up to date computer, or software. When creating a document that will be shared widely, and most likely by different operating systems, it is best to save it in a file type that everyone can open. Using the oldest form of Word usually works fine. Then it will be saved as a .doc, instead of .docx, which not everyone can access. Older computers really have trouble with newer up to date software. When I used to design websites we always tested out every page on multiple browsers to make sure that it looked good no matter what type of computer or operating system the user has.

Of course pictures are a big part of investigation, which is why I use Photoshop, and Adobe Creative Cloud. Since all my computers are Macs, I also have an extension added on to my browser (I use Chrome) that reads the EXIF data from the pictures I'm analyzing. Having a large monitor helps quite a bit as well.

Here are a couple of 'tricks' to help you get the most out of your computer.

Want to see what your doing in fullscreen? If your a Windows user all you need do is press F11. For Macs select 'View' from your menu bar, then 'Enter Full Screen', or you can use the keyboard shortcut shown in the menu. Having trouble reading small print? Hold "Control" and press the + or - key. Your page will readjust with a larger font size!

I hope this issue helps answer a few of your computer questions! Don't forget to share with all of your friends, and come back next week for more!