Kyle Brandt

Why Bother?
If you have been on the internet for any substantial period of time, you might have more accounts than you realize. I think it is worth while to find out what they all are, and keep track of them. One of the main reasons is security, the less your personal information is duplicated out on the internet the better. The risk is pretty low, but if it isn’t a site you use, why not get rid of it? I would not recommend writing down passwords as you list your accounts, but it can help with setting up a routine for changing passwords and setting up multiple levels of security. Another good reason is that it is simply good manners to clean up after yourself.

Find those accounts:
A good place to start, if you use Firefox and store passwords, is too look at all your stored passwords. In version 2, go to your preferences, click on “security”, then lastly, “show passwords”. There should be a list of the accounts that you have saved passwords for with your current Firefox profile. Before you leave, you really should set a master password. Notice how when you are looking at those accounts, all you have to do it click “Show Passwords”? Well, if anyone has physical access to your computer for only a short while, they can get your passwords, and go order themselves a new HDTV from your Amazon account (Although they probably would get caught).

Next you might try brainstorming, here is a trigger list to get you started: Banking, Credit Cards, Ebay, E-mail accounts, Forums, Government Sites, Household Utilities, Instant Messenger, Job Search Sites, News Letters, Online Shopping, Paypal, Phone (other communication utilities?) Photo Sites (Flicker), School/Work, Second Life, Social Networking, Start Pages, and Things you just wanted to try?

Have your list?
First figure out what sites you don’t want and delete them. You also might want to check out your contact information and make sure it is current. Lastly, for anyone who is curious, I have come up with over 50 accounts myself.

First, what the Three Minute Memory Method is:
The Three Minute Memory Method is used to retain information that you have read, and it is a method that allows you to retain the information with as little effort as possible. It was originally published by Franklin Quest in the short book titled, Five Secrets to Personal Productivity. The premise behind the method is that things in short term memory tend to be forgotten. In order to retain information, the information must be moved into long term memory. All that is needed to do this is a quick scan (about 30 seconds for an article) of previously read materials at certain intervals. The intervals are: right after reading, the next day, a week, a month, 3 months, and then a year. The book fails to clarify if the intervals are based from the initial reading, or if the intervals are based from the previous scan (For example, is the week interval a week after the initial reading, or a week and a day after the initial reading?) My impression is that it is from the previous scan, but you will have to decide for yourself.

Implementing the Three Minute Memory Method into Getting Things Done (GTD):
If you have implemented a tickler file you can move the article into the appropriate folder after reviewing, and that is all that is needed. A tickler file, in short, is a system that allows an item to come up on a date that you have set. I use ThinkingRock, a cross platform organizational utility based on GTD methodology, so I am going to explain how I combine the three minute memory method into ThinkingRock. When I have read something, decided that I want to remember the information, and have scanned it over it, I create an action called “Review: Article Name. ” I also set the context to Read/Review as is suggested in the GTD book. I then schedule the action for the next day. After I have scanned the article the next day, I add a note stating the next interval (one week) so I will be able to keep track of where I am in the review process, and then I reschedule the event for one week from that day. The pattern should be evident, just keep rescheduling the action after reviewing using the above mentioned intervals.

I have found that the same method can be used to aid in forming a new habit, if you schedule reminders of the habit in the above fashion, it will help commit them to memory. You can adjust the intervals to whatever you find is needed. Maybe every day for a week, and then the above intervals.

This may sound quite involved, but if you use GTD methodology, everything is already set up and this only takes a few seconds. It should also free up some load on your mind that is being used for remembering information. This leads to less stress and a more creative thought process.

Sources:
Allen, David. Getting Things Done. ISBN: 0-670-89924-0
Kurt Hanks and Gerreld L. Pulsipher. Five Secrets to Personal Productivity. ISBN 0-939817-05-5.

Advantages of this method:

• All the services and software are free.
• It can be done directly from a Wi-Fi enabled Pocket PC, and does not require Outlook or the use of ActiveSync for Synchronization (The Funambol client does use ActiveSync for its standard installation.)
  
• Support for Recurring Appointments and Two-Way Synchronization (Meaning changes on Google calendar will effect your Pocket PC as well as changes on your Pocket PC will effect Google calendar).

Required Software/Services

• Google Calendar (Beta Service)
• Schedule World (Beta Service)
  
• Funambol v6.0.19 (Software Installed on PocketPC)

This synchronization method uses ScheduleWorld as an intermediary, so it works like this: PocketPC (Funambol) <–> ScheduleWorld <–> Google Calendar. So if you want to sync your Pocket PC calendar with any online calendar, you wouldn’t need to use Google Calendar at all, and could just use ScheduleWorld’s Service. You can set up ScheduleWorld to sync with Google Calendar automatically every time you sync your Pocket PC with ScheduleWorld, so the intermediary process (ScheduleWorld) will essentially be transparent once everything is set up.

1. Backup your calendar, contacts, and tasks for your Pocket PC and your Google calendar, This is the most important step, don’t skip it!
   • To Back up your Google Calendar: Why Everyone Should Backup Google Calendar to Their Own Computer
   • There are many options for backing up your Windows Mobile 5 device. You could just sync it to Outlook and backup your outlook data, or use a total backup solution such as the one provided by Sprite Software.
     
2. Register an account with Google Calendar and ScheduleWorld, both services are provided for free.
   
3. (Possible Step)* Go into the settings for your calendar in Google calendar. Click on the Calendar you want to sync with. Then make sure there is a “Private Address” for you calendar.
   
4. Download and Install the Funambol Client (open-source freeware) for your Pocket PC from the above Funambol link**.
   
5. Soft-Reset your Pocket PC.
6. Log into ScheduleWorld, and go to your preferences. Note the information under: “Funambol SyncML Client Configuration.”
7. Open Funambol on your Pocket PC, Click on Menu, Then Account. Enter the Server location as: “http://sync.scheduleworld.com/funambol/ds” (No Quotes). Also enter in your user name and password that was listed in the ScheduleWorld Preferences under “Funambol SyncML Client Configuration.” Note: The user name is different then the one you use to log into ScheduleWorld.
8. In Funambol, you can chose what items you want to sync with ScheduleWorld under Menu : Sync Settings. For calendar synchronization, you only need to enable the calendar settings. You can also choose if you want the process to be one way or two way by clicking on Details within the Sync Settings Screen. It will need to be two way if you want changes you make on Google calendar to show up on your Pocket PC.
9. Make sure your Pocket PC is connected to the internet, then click Sync All in Funabmol. Make sure that your calendar is syncing with ScheduleWorld before trying to sync ScheduleWorld with Google Calendar by looking at your calendar on ScheduleWorld. If it is working then proceed.
10. We will now set up the synchronization between ScheduleWorld and Google Calendar. Go into the preferences for ScheduleWorld. Under the “Calendar Preferences” fill in: “Corresponding Google Calendar User name (email)” and then click the link to enable ScheduleWorld to Access Google Calendar. Then click Get Calendars, and select the calendar you want to sync with. Check “Automatically sync with this Google Calendar at the start of a SyncML sync” and then click save to save your preferences.
11. Initialize a synchronization from your Pocket PC, wait a while, and then hopefully your appointments will be synced with Google Calendar.

*Because I set up my Google calendar so long ago, I can’t remember if this step is entirely necessary, someone please let me know.
**The version from the above link (6.0) did not work for me the first time I used it. However, I think it was because of a conflict with an installation of a previous version of the client. I don’t want to directly link the version 6.0.19 unless people have problems with the version linked from the funambol site.