Just filled up with Biodiesel for the first time today from www.mckeownbiofuels.com in Bedminster (behind the Hen & Chicken on North St).

Here’s how it works.

Used cooking oil is collected across Bristol and processed onsite.

The processing involves filtering to remove all the food particles, then any water is removed. The next stages are a little involved here’s a link to the Wiki page if interested

It is dispensed from a normal petrol pump, and they fill it up for you, a bit like some old time garage.

The current rate is £1.29 a litre inc VAT, so a bit more than the current pump prices, but you do have the comfort of knowing you’re not burning a fossil fuel.

They currently are not processing card payments, so cash is required, they do provide a full VAT receipt though.

This recycled cooking oil method of fuel production seems sustainable on a small scale, just until all the used oil in the region has a home.

After the first tank of fuel has done through you are advised to change your fuel filter, and then include this on any future service.

The requirements are a Diesel car and that’s about it, the car I use is a VW Polo 1.4 TDI.

Gildas Jones

Computer support for Mac or PC, Business or Home in the Bristol area 0800 955 78 78

www.dialageek.co.uk

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These are online tools I’ve been using for a while now and have found I can’t do without them.

They all integrate with each other and as a system I’ve found it works really well.

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For Online Accounts: FreeAgent

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I started off with Quickbooks and while that is very good at some things, I found I got lost in accounting detail and more importantly I was not doing the most important thing of keeping a close eye on my overall figures and chasing invoices quickly enough  i.e. getting paid, the most important thing after good customer service.

FreeAgent will make sure you know who has paid you and will chase those who haven’t. It will also do a rough calculation on how much self assessment tax is due at one time, good for putting enough by, and this info is right in the home page of the program.

You upload statements from your bank, (a small file with all the transaction details, most online banking does it) and tally every purchase and payment in from your business account, including attaching receipts to the payments,

Then you know where you are at any point, which saves a lot of the underlying stress caused by using spreadsheets or account software you don’t fully understand (not without being an accountant, or doing a lot of reading)

There are three packages  Sole Trader, Partnership and a LTD Company and a free 30 day trial

For an Online CRM: Capsule

If you need a CRM (Customer Relationship Manager), to track all your contact with different clients, I’ve found Capsule to be excellent,

It’s not complicated, you can export the contact details directly into FreeAgent and it means you can keep track of any work that that has been done and what has been said, they have just done a Google Apps integration also,

It is also free for up to 250 contacts,

Capsule CRM

For Email, Calendar, Docs and More: Google Apps

This is Gmail with your own domain name, so you’re sending and receiving mail as your company address i.e.  me@companyname.co.uk

You get a full email setup with IMAP so you can use Outlook, you get the amazing Gmail interface for webmail.

You can have many different address’s for different people within the company.

You also get a Calendar and Google Docs (online word processor and simple spreadsheets)

There is a paid for edition for $50 a year and a free Standard Edition

Google Apps

Tips on Cloud Computing Usage

For all online activities I recommend using very strong passwords, here’s previous post on how to create long memorable passwords

Also I think it is a good idea to backup your Data even though it is hosted and backed up by the company.

Gildas Jones – DialaGeek IT Support Bristol

If you need a hand setting any of this up or have any other computer support requirements contact us

We provide support all Apple Macs from the older OS 9.1 system, (though we don’t see a lot of them any more) right through to the latest 10.6 Snow Leopard.  If Entourage isn’t working properly, you’re getting the dreaded Beachball (the multicoloured spinning wheel),  just bought a new shiny Mac from the Apple store in Bristol and need to transfer your data from your old Mac, or need Apple support for your bristol based design company then contact us today to see how we can help.

We also provide Apple Data recovery services,  Apple backup solutions (they do need backing up also) , Apple Mac Support, Macbook repair, iMac repair, G5 Repair, Parallels,  VMware or Virtual Box setup (for running Microsoft Windows on your Mac),   Getting the best from your mac and many other services, just call 0800 955 78 78

If there’s one thing you need in business these days it’s the computers working, downtime and slow computers cost your time and energy.

The benefits of an efficient computer system to productivity and staff morale are huge.

We currently provide reasonably priced, professional ongoing IT help and support to many businesses across Bristol across many sectors including:

Financial Services

Media Production and Post Production Companies

Restaurants and Bars

Industrial Fan Suppliers

Electrical Contractors

Architects

Play Equipment Makers

Online Retailers

Various Bristol Charities

Apple support for designers

If you would like computer support for your business get in contact today for more details

You may have a key member of staff that provides computer support, we can provide holiday or parental leave cover as little or as much as you need, sometimes it’s just good to know there is someone you can call on.

We cover all areas of Bristol, and we like fixing anything, from Microsoft Servers to right through to troubleshooting email problems

Call us today on 0117 369 4335

Call today to speak to a Geek who may be in your area 07726 324 034