I just downloaded a file that, once on my computer, shows up as 0 bytes. There seems to be no option to delete it, and no matter what I do, I can't get it into the recycle bin. Can anyone tell me what is going on, and how I can get rid of this seemingly dangerous thing?

thank you!!

Linux anyone?

I'm wondering if any of you have thoughts of implementing Linux or a free unix variant as the main operating system at your organization or for your NPO client. Why or why doesn't it fit in your tech plan?

I would like to announce a new, free, web based donor/volunteer/contact tracking application. Contact Assist. The application is very young and as of yet has no users, but I would like that to change. The goal of the project is to keep things as simple as possible but still provide enough functionality for small non profits to track and manage volunteers, donations and contacts. It's not to compete with expensive commercial software.

You can currently track things like, basic contact info, donations, volunteer time, in-kind donations, additional contacts, actions, notes, reminders, mailing lists, donation and volunteer goals, and probably more.

I am still working on the reporting area of the application. I would like to have a set of pre-built reports for easy access to data and then also have a custom report builder. As far as pre-built reports go I will create what I get feedback for.

The project is being hosted on my personal hosting account but I would like to purchase a domain name and SSL certificate at some point if there is enough interest in the project.

Here's the link to the application
http://www.mana-ts.com/contact_assist/

Sign up for an account or use the demo account info provided on the site. Feel free to send any feedback or questions to contact.assist@gmail.com

Thank you.

PS
I hope this isn't taken as a marketing ploy. I truly want to offer a free web based application to the community, and based on their feedback, develop it as much as I can.

Does your nonprofit print its brochures, mail campaigns, letterhead, and other marketing materials on recycled paper? Have you used vegetable-based inks? What about a carbon-neutral printer? If not, what is stopping you? (Lack of information? Lack of resources?)

As A Nonprofit's Guide to Green Printing illustrates, going green doesn't have to mean compromising on quality, or spending a fortune.

Let us know what your nonprofit is doing to make its printing practices earth friendly, and share your recommendations on green vendors (printers, designers, paper suppliers) you've worked with.

Looking for a good Web hosting provider? Tell other nonprofits about it here.

Or, if you've tried any of the services listed in How to Find a Good Web Hosting Provider, share your experience with other nonprofits here.

Has your nonprofit used a technical volunteer? How does your organization go about recruiting him or her? What were the volunteer's tasks? How did you manage the relationship? What tips would you offer other nonprofits that are thinking of finding a volunteer?

If you're looking for additional advice, check out TechSoup's worksheet Working with Technical Volunteers: A Manual for NPOs. After you read it, share your feedback and questions here.

We need software to schedule volunteers' time for volunteering at school (library, playground, etc.). Any suggestions?

Does your organization use QuickBooks, Peachtree, FundEZ, MIP Fund Accounting, Fundware, The Financial Edge, Dynamics, or Mas90?

Which system has worked the best for you? If you use another application, would you recommend it for other nonprofits? Why or why not?

For those seeking additional guidance on accounting software, TechSoup's article A Few Good Accounting Packages offers an overview of the packages listed above and others.

Agree or disagree with any of the information in the article? Think we left something out? Share your comments and feedback here.

In the past, what has your organization done to make its email campaigns more effective? Have you found that writing style helps generate better responses? How about the order in which you present information?

In her book "Raising Thousands (if Not Tens of Thousands) of Dollars with Email," author Madeline Stanionis offers tips for convincing people that your email is the one to read. Included among her advice: keep your emails brief, and make them easy to scan.

Has this advice worked for you? Why or why not? Check out this excerpt from Stanionis' book on TechSoup at Raising Thousands of Dollars with Email -- and share your feedback in our forums.

After the great article on hardware recycling, I wondered if there's anything equivalent with software. I mean what do you do w/ old software.

Of course, the media and the manuals are all recyclable, but as a package, it'd be nice if we could give them to well deserving non-profits.

I'm a volunteer for a public internet center that purchased 2 Cisco AIR-LAP1131AG-A-K9 wireless APs form this website. I was asked to set them up but I'm finding that additional hardwarwe is required. My question is: has anybody installed these without a controller? Can this be done? It seems odd to me that this site would sell these without selling all the required hardware needed to use it.

It used to be that your choice of office suites was limited to Microsoft Office or...Microsoft Office. Yet over the last couple of years, a viable open-source option has emerged: OpenOffice.org. Which is right for your organization? The Idealware article Microsoft Office vs. OpenOffice.org weighs the pros and cons of each.

Have a preference or want to make the case for another office application? Share your input here!

When it comes to the art of project management, finding the right software can make all the difference. In TechSoup's article Three Easy Ways to Manage Tough Projects, TechSoup staffers share their preferred project-management applications: Mindjet's MindManger Pro, Microsoft Project, and 37signals' Basecamp.

What project-management software do you use? Have questions about other project-management programs, or additional questions about the ones we covered? Write to us in our forums!

Hundreds of millions of computers are discarded in the United States each year -- yet only a very small percent are donated to the schools, families, and nonprofits that need them. Read how new programs, organizations, and initiatives around the United States are working to change this in TechSoup's article Refurbishing for a Better Tomorrow.

The article also includes resources for those interested in donating or purchasing donated computers, or who simply want to learn more about e-cycling and the refurbishing movement.

Have questions about refurbishing? Do you know of an organization that has benefitted from donated refurbished computers? Tell us about it here!

I've got a small retail art gallery where all inventory is on consignment. All inventory tracking is manual. We will move to POS in the future but I'm looking for something free that I can use in the mean time and get our data prepared.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

TechSoup just launched its Creative Commons licensing! Learn how your organization can publish TechSoup articles without for permission first in Reprint Our Articles Without Asking. Seriously.

Got questions? Ask them here!

HI everyone!

I need to pick your brain... does anyone know of software that will transcribe voice recordings - perhaps in a script format???

Please let me know!! THNX!!
-Kole

Hello,

I'm working on an online artist registry that is partially maintained by our artists. We would like to offer them instruction via a web-Conference, but after doing exhaustive research, I'm still not sure what web-conferencing company will cut a nonprofit the best deal. Any suggestions?

Ideally, we are looking for a service that will provide recordings of all sessions that we can upload to our server and host on our website. We also need a service that works with dial up and if possible MAC computers.

Thanks for any tidbits of advice.

Hannah

We've posted a new series of articles, Does Your Reach Exceed Your Grasp?: Transitioning Into Programmatic Uses of Technology

There's also a Part 2 and a companion piece with tech planning tips.

Has your organization moved beyond using technology for infrastructure? Do you know of organizations using technology to create new programs, new ways of serving their missions? Share your stories, tips, and ideas for taking technology in your organization to the next level.