Location Independent Series

UPDATED MARCH 2023   Learning a language can be a daunting process. Should you self-study? Take a course? Buy a software program? Hire a private tutor? What kinds of learning systems are available and which might be right for you? How about the myriad online resources available? And, very importantly, where should you begin? Oh, by the way, how long will all this effort take anyway? You will find the answers to these questions in this short but thorough guide to learning a foreign language.   Author Jeff Blum has taught English and studied four languages (Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese and Thai), but he still struggles just as anyone must when learning a language. Jeff did extensive research on all aspects of language learning in an effort to improve his own efforts and he has carefully curated that research into this guide to help you with your efforts as well.   In the book you will find: A look at the systems and techniques advocated by various language learning experts and sites. A consideration of personal factors in learning a language (motivation, personality, goals, etc.). A discussion of the 8 language learning blocks with recommended resources for tackling each. An overview of the most popular language learning products on the market (Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, etc.). A comprehensive set of resources to aid you with whatever approach to study you pursue. Whether you are young or old, beginner or advanced, studying your first foreign language or your fifth, there is something for you in this book. If you are a language teacher, this book might help you better understand what your students are up against while giving you ideas and extra resources to aid your teaching efforts.

SECOND EDITION - AUGUST 2023   A concise, but thorough, guide that will tell you everything you should—but probably don't—know about reading in the digital age. Whether you are considering a new e-reader, are the happy owner of a Kindle or other device, or use an e-reading app on your mobile device, this book is for you.   Part I discusses the different e-reading options, including dedicated e-readers and apps for personal computers, tablets, and smartphones. Various e-reading features and e-book formats are also presented.   Part II presents a comprehensive look at the various places to source and organize your e-reading materials, including free public domain books, articles on the Web and your own personal documents. The majority of resources discussed are free.   Part III gives you tips, advice, and resources to get the most from your Kindle. Whether you're looking for ways to stay current on all things Kindle, want to learn how to easily send almost any reading content to your Kindle, use it more effectively with shortcuts, or even learn about some hidden features, this section is for you.   Part IV is a concise buyers' guide for anyone interested in purchasing an e-reader. The main devices considered are the Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Onyx e-readers, though others are mentioned as well.

*** NEW EDITION: UPDATED MAY 2023 *** You've probably been hearing a lot about data backup these days, thanks to the increasing popularity of services like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Carbonite, etc. This guide—the result of months of research and writing—will cover all of those and much more. While at first glance backup seems like a straightforward topic, it can be complicated by the following common situations: Having more data than you can fit on your computer Using multiple computers that need access to the same files Making some files accessible on the Web for times when you can't use your own computer Syncing and accessing some files with your mobile devices (phones, tablets) Protecting yourself from a major system crash, theft or disaster Keeping copies of different versions of some files Syncing or backing up only selected files instead of everything My goal is to help you understand everything you need to know about protecting your data with backups. I will also show you how to sync your files across all your computing devices and how to share selected files or collaborate with others. At its core, this is a technology guide, but securing your digital data is about more than just technology. Thus, I will provide a unique framework to help you organize and more easily work with your data. You will learn how to match different techniques to different data types and hopefully become more productive in the process. I have tried to make this guide complete, which means it must appeal to the tech-savvy and technophobe alike. Thus, you will read—in simple terms—about the different types of backup (full, incremental, differential, delta), cloud services, how to protect your files with encryption, the importance of file systems when working with different types of computers, permanently assigning drive letters to external drives, and other useful tips. In many sections of the guide I present a fairly complete listing of backup and syncing tools and services. I do this to be thorough and for those who may have special needs or an above-average interest in the topic. However, I recognize you will most likely be more interested in personal suggestions than a full listing of choices which will require time to investigate. Accordingly, I highlight the tools I have used and recommend. Moreover, I lay out my complete backup and syncing system, which you are free to copy if it suits you. Note: I am a Windows user and this bias shows in parts of the guide. Most of the concepts are independent of operating system, and many of the recommended programs are available for Macs as well as Windows, but some details (e.g., the discussion of Windows Libraries) and some highlighted software and services, are Windows-only. I think if you are a Mac user you are already used to this common bias, but I want to make it clear before you decide to read this guide.

UPDATED - SECOND EDITION (JUNE 2021)   We spend so much of our digital lives using a computer but often don't give enough attention to its setup and configuration. That's a missed opportunity since doing it well can supercharge your productivity and safeguard your important data. The topics discussed in this book not only apply to a new computer, but can be used to verify that your current computer is optimized for productivity and security as well. The steps I discuss include everything you need to know and do to get the best Windows user experience. Scattered throughout the book you will find hundreds of links to useful resources. I have further added appendices about caring for your computer, putting your computer to use when idle, and basic troubleshooting ideas.

More and more of our life is becoming digital. Are you prepared to deal with the privacy and security implications? As a digital nomad, the author lives online more than most others and has sometimes had to learn about the issues involved the hard way. As an online researcher, he decided to take a comprehensive look at all aspects of cybersecurity and share that knowledge with you via this hands-on guide to the ever growing and complex world of digital security.   The following major topics are covered: Passwords: Everything You Need to Know Protecting Your Computer Protecting Your Mobile Devices Protecting Your Files (Encryption) Protecting Your Online Activity Protecting Your Network Connection   You'll also find helpful information and practical tips to secure your electronic devices, avoid social engineering (phishing) attacks, browse the Internet safely, deal with social media privacy concerns, remove your personal data from information brokers, keep your cloud data safe, avoid identity theft, choose and use virtual private networks (VPNs), and preserve or pass on accounts in case of death. Newer digital privacy issues like generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), passkeys, and automotive privacy threats are covered as well.   Each topic is covered in detailed, yet easy-to-understand language. In addition, throughout the book are references to almost 400 hundred useful resources.

The self-publishing journey isn't always easy or cheap. Some things—like editing and cover design—should be left to paid professionals, but you can save money and achieve great results formatting your own e-book.   DIY e-book formatting may seem daunting, but new tools—paid and free—make it fairly easy for most fiction manuscripts. These tools are discussed early in this guide so you will have a short read if one of them works for you.   If your manuscript is more complicated (e.g., a nonfiction book with tables, list items, images, footnotes, and other specially formatted elements), this guide will explain everything you need to produce a professional and pleasing e-book. Advanced formatting is accomplished with HTML and CSS, but you won't need any prior experience or knowledge of either of these as the guide includes a tutorial to teach you everything you need to know.   The end result of using this book will be a well-formatted EPUB e-book that can be submitted to Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Nook, and any other e-book publishing platform (NOTE: if you are looking at other guides that mention needing a MOBI file for Amazon, you are looking at an outdated guide as that is no longer best practice).   Here are some specific things that you will get from reading this book. A discussion of some useful tools, including Atticus, BBEdit, BlueGriffon, Calibre, Draft2Digital, Jutoh, Kindle Create, Kindle Previewer, LibreOffice Writer, Notepad++, Online HTML editors, Reedsy Book Editor, and Vellum. Pluses and minuses of using Microsoft Word. How to create a standard, clickable table of contents. How to create a "logical" table of contents (used for the "Go To" menu or sidebar on your e-reading device or app). HTML and CSS (styling) basics and a look at specific issues that are relevant to e-books and Amazon Kindle e-books in particular. A template with HTML and CSS code that should work for any type of book formatting need. How to create "standard" paragraph styles for different types of books. How to add drop caps or small caps to your initial chapter paragraphs. How to format complex elements such as internal and external links, images, tables, list items, block quotations, special fonts, and more. How to create a final EPUB document (with proper metadata and cover art) from your original document or from an HTML version. How to check your final EPUB for errors before submitting to online publishers. An appendix summarizing the author's personal process to use as a quick checklist reference.