| While more and more people are setting up a | | | | Next is communications. This includes a |
| business from home or are doing more of their | | | | separate phone line if you will be on the |
| companies office work from home, there is | | | | phone a lot, with an appropriate long |
| becoming a well defined set of tools that the | | | | distance plan, a fax line and fax machine. |
| information worker requires if he or she will | | | | Note that there are excellent low cost all in |
| be productive at home. We will explore a few | | | | one printers that include a fax, printer, |
| of these in this short article. | | | | copier and scanner capabilities, however if |
| | | | you will be doing any high volume work a more |
| There are many business opportunities for | | | | expensive high volume machine may be in |
| small business owners who want to work out of | | | | order. Included with communications needs are |
| their homes. These include the hobbyist whose | | | | a cell phone, again with a reasonable long |
| hobby grows into a small business as well as | | | | distance and local calling plan. Some |
| the entrepreneur who starts a business out of | | | | companies also offer 1st minute incoming call |
| his garage or basement to the tradesmen who | | | | plans for those people who receive a lot of |
| has his office at home to coordinate all of | | | | calls. Finally high speed internet is a must. |
| the customer projects that he may be involved | | | | Whether it is a cable modem service from your |
| in. We are focusing on the growing field of | | | | cable company or from the telephone company, |
| information worker in this article, although | | | | make sure that you also receive reliable |
| many of the above professions will also need | | | | service with email and web space service. |
| these same tools. | | | | |
| | | | The last item that many home workers need to |
| Included on the list of tools or requirements | | | | consider is a fast computer with lots of |
| are a place to work were you can focus on | | | | storage and back up capability. Information |
| whatever your function is. Setting up your | | | | workers who are using many applications |
| office on the dining room table may give you | | | | cannot afford to be slowed down by an |
| the room, however if you are continuously | | | | unresponsive computer that cannot support |
| interrupted and distracted, you may want to | | | | operating several memory hogging applications |
| consider a more permanent location in your | | | | at the same time. Always ensure you have a |
| home with a desk and a comfortable office | | | | backup plan and backup up your data on a |
| chair to work from. | | | | regular basis. Even new computers will crash |
| | | | at the most inopportune moments! |