Rick's Daily Tips

Is there an easier way to build employee schedules?

Posted on October 21, 2025

Scenario: It’s 9 PM on a Sunday and I just got a text from an employee who can’t make their opening shift tomorrow. My whole Monday morning is now about damage control. This happens every week. I’m tired of the constant last-minute changes. Is there a smarter way to build and manage our employee schedules?

This is a scenario countless managers know all too well. The constant stress of plugging holes in the schedule, the late-night texts, and the feeling that you’re always one call-out away from chaos can be exhausting. You’re not just imagining it; this instability is a common and deeply frustrating challenge. [Read more…]

Q&A: Which is better, Wi-FI or a wired Ethernet connection?

Posted on October 19, 2025

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Question from Kalin: I really love your blog Rick, especially how you answer people’s tech questions.

I know that most of the questions you answer are practical in nature but mine is somewhat theoretical so I hope you won’t mind answering it for me.

The question is this: If you have a choice, do you prefer using a wired Ethernet connection or Wi-FI to connect to the Internet? [Read more…]

How to create a System Image Backup with Windows 11

Posted on October 17, 2025

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If you’ve been using computers for a while you probably know that a hard drive or SSD failure, a horrible virus infection or some other catastrophic event can result in data loss.

If that ever happens you, you’ll need to be able to restore the drive’s contents from a backup.

The question is, which backup software should you use to create your backups? [Read more…]

Q&A: Why do people buy Macs when Windows PCs are so much cheaper?

Posted on October 16, 2025

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Question from Marla: My trusty old HP laptop finally quit on me the other day so I’ve been shopping around for a new laptop.

I noticed almost immediately that MacBooks are more expensive than comparable Windows laptops.

And they aren’t just a little more expensive either. The MacBooks seem to be at least double the cost of similarly equipped Windows machines.

My question is why are people willing to pay so much more to buy a MacBook when they can get a comparable Windows laptop for so much less? [Read more…]