The world of computer security is a fascinating aspect and 2007 is not going to be any different, but it will be more interesting with the release of Microsoft Vista.
Large companies are looking to tighten the noose around those bad hackers, consumers are demanding more security and more privacy for there home computers, and who wouldn’t, credit card fraud and identity theft has not decreased it has only increased.
Hackers who like to hack into bank accounts are going to have a harder time doing that. Some online banking companies are asking there customers to take a further step in the login process when logging into there bank accounts. For example, some banks are asking there customers to enter their user ID on one page and then enter their password on the next page; this makes it more difficult for hackers. But don’t ever feel like you are safe, keep your guard up and don’t fall for any phony emails that ask you to go to a fake look a like bank website and enter your user name and password. If you do get one of those fake emails call your bank first, and ask them if they sent you the email, and you can also forward the email to the banks technical support team.
Thanks to companies like Webroot there are programs that can help you keep your computer secure and free of spy ware and ad ware, with their Spy Sweeper software which I highly recommend. Webroot also offers a great firewall that your computer should not be without. Go to AME Computers Spyware and Malware page for more information on these great products.
Another good move toward security and spam is that there are some ISP’s that are offering free spam filters, this helps cut down on the amount of junk mail reaching your inbox. The newer version of Outlook has built in junk mail filter, but what’s the point in having a filter if you have to go and filter through the spam filter that Outlook provides.
The flip side to all of this is the cost to consumers. Spyware and viruses can cost companies, and the average consumer thousands of dollars a year. Companies implementing new security hardware pass on those expenses to there customers, so it is not good for the consumer or the business. Microsoft Vista operating system has some built in features to help keep you safe; however there still may be a need for third party software to protect against spyware and viruses.
It’s a never ending battle between the good guys like Webroot and Lava Soft and the bad guys like the hackers and spammers. Do your part and fight the good fight.
Showing posts with label vista. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vista. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
30 Phrases To Repeat During Difficult Technical Discussions
It used to be a skill of Social Climbers a key skill was that of name dropping.
Now it is a question of core phrase dropping during difficult technical discussion.
When at loggerheads it is always wise to know such phrases as
1) that is why it is time to upgrade to the new Microsoft Vista
2) Do you realize that they went to the moon on 8 k. of memory?
3) That idea has merit
4) They were discussing that very issue and exploit on that most popular podcast or blog, Time magazine, People magazine, New York or LA Times or the Economist.
The Economist magazine is always best. It is widely held in stead by left wing types.
It comes out weekly and covers the full waterfront. Best the stories seem to hold hidden jewels on rereads and it is impossible for anyone to have fully read any issue.
5) Dvorak’s Law in 1987 was “That no matter what they say your new computer is going to cost you $ 3,000”.
6) We should have never upgraded to ….
7) In the end functionality is everything
8) They should conduct a thorough study on that very relevant topic
9) HUD came to a similar conclusion after Katrina
10) Will this work cross platform
11) Do you realize that there is more English speaking in China than in all of North America?
12) I could not understand the accent of the tech support person on the toll free tech support line
13) It is available online at the FAQ at jerkbossesihaveknown
14) Yes that is the tact initiated by Windows NT
15) I remember this very topic in a discussion the Staples or Best Buy in store tech
16) Mr. Henry Ford on the tech support line from Banglore India answered that well very well and succintly
17) Do you realize that all software conflicts arise from the poor typewriting skills of software engineers who as well talk fast and drink too much coffee?
18) Is this driver available for this device for the Windows Vista operating system?
19) Biodiesel is the way to go. Biodiesel is the wave of the future.
20) Has this issue been followed up? A ticket written ?
21) We cannot have that here.
22) Bloated code
23) In the end economics simply comes down to supply and demand
24) There is identical to a Dilbert cartoon.
25) Those who cannot do manage. Let them down and spend some time in the front lines.
26) It never hurts to be conservative in these matters/
27) Experience is the key teacher in life
28) Are we properly currently licensed for this product?
29) Its simply a computer virus, spyware or malware
30) This will all end with crying.
Now it is a question of core phrase dropping during difficult technical discussion.
When at loggerheads it is always wise to know such phrases as
1) that is why it is time to upgrade to the new Microsoft Vista
2) Do you realize that they went to the moon on 8 k. of memory?
3) That idea has merit
4) They were discussing that very issue and exploit on that most popular podcast or blog, Time magazine, People magazine, New York or LA Times or the Economist.
The Economist magazine is always best. It is widely held in stead by left wing types.
It comes out weekly and covers the full waterfront. Best the stories seem to hold hidden jewels on rereads and it is impossible for anyone to have fully read any issue.
5) Dvorak’s Law in 1987 was “That no matter what they say your new computer is going to cost you $ 3,000”.
6) We should have never upgraded to ….
7) In the end functionality is everything
8) They should conduct a thorough study on that very relevant topic
9) HUD came to a similar conclusion after Katrina
10) Will this work cross platform
11) Do you realize that there is more English speaking in China than in all of North America?
12) I could not understand the accent of the tech support person on the toll free tech support line
13) It is available online at the FAQ at jerkbossesihaveknown
14) Yes that is the tact initiated by Windows NT
15) I remember this very topic in a discussion the Staples or Best Buy in store tech
16) Mr. Henry Ford on the tech support line from Banglore India answered that well very well and succintly
17) Do you realize that all software conflicts arise from the poor typewriting skills of software engineers who as well talk fast and drink too much coffee?
18) Is this driver available for this device for the Windows Vista operating system?
19) Biodiesel is the way to go. Biodiesel is the wave of the future.
20) Has this issue been followed up? A ticket written ?
21) We cannot have that here.
22) Bloated code
23) In the end economics simply comes down to supply and demand
24) There is identical to a Dilbert cartoon.
25) Those who cannot do manage. Let them down and spend some time in the front lines.
26) It never hurts to be conservative in these matters/
27) Experience is the key teacher in life
28) Are we properly currently licensed for this product?
29) Its simply a computer virus, spyware or malware
30) This will all end with crying.
Monday, December 29, 2008
3 Ways To Prepare Yourself For Windows Vista
As you may be aware, Microsoft is finally releasing the followup to Windows XP, called Windows Vista, in a few weeks time. As with previous upgrades for Windows, this will create some problems for people who want to upgrade their computers.
When a new version of Windows is released, there are usually some bugs and other issues that need to be ironed out. Microsoft has put Vista through extensive testing, but it is hard for them to test it for every possible situation because there are so many different computer setups and configurations.
If you're thinking about upgrading your computer to Vista when it's released, here are a few things you need to know.
Compatibility
One of the biggest issues with new versions of Windows is compatibility with existing equipment - both in your computer and peripherals like printers and scanners.
Microsoft has tried to keep Vista compatible with all the existing hardware and software out there, but it's just not possible to be 100% compatible and still add new features and capabilities to Windows.
Before you go out and buy Windows Vista, check to make sure all the equipment you use is compatible or the manufacturer offers an upgrade to make it so. Microsoft has a program that will test your system and give you a report on its compatibility, or you can check with the various manufacturers directly.
Scanner are something that are particularly tricky when upgrading Windows so if you use a scanner, double-check that there is Vista compatible software available for it.
Specifications
If you've bought your computer in the last year or so, it should have plenty of power to run Vista. If it's older than a year, you may need to add some upgrades to bring it up to speed.
The following are the official requirements for Vista Premium Edition (the most complete version):
- 1GHz or higher processor
- 1GB RAM
- 40GB or larger hard drive
- Sound card
- Internet connection
- DVD drive
Most of those requirements are not going to be an issue for a reasonable recent computer, but the RAM is one thing you may need to upgrade. Even today, many computers include 512MB or even 256MB which is not enough to run Vista effectively.
Upgrading vs Preinstalled
Upgrading to a new version of Windows is always more problematic than starting with it preinstalled. There are almost always little glitches that need to be sorted out afterwards.
If you're thinking of buying a new computer now and upgrading to Vista when it's released, I would recommend waiting until you can get one with it preinstalled if at all possible. You'll be happier in the long run, in spite of having to wait a little longer.
If you're upgrading an older computer, and you have all the necessary requirements, the most important (critical!) thing is to back up all your important information before starting the upgrade.
The upgrade is not supposed to affect anything that's on your computer - only Windows - but there is always a chance that something doesn't work the way it should. If you get halfway through the upgrade and something goes wrong, you may not be able to load either Vista or your old version of Windows.
This may mean you have to reload your computer from scratch, which could wipe out all your files and information. Make sure you have an up-to-date copy of it all before you start the upgrade.
When a new version of Windows is released, there are usually some bugs and other issues that need to be ironed out. Microsoft has put Vista through extensive testing, but it is hard for them to test it for every possible situation because there are so many different computer setups and configurations.
If you're thinking about upgrading your computer to Vista when it's released, here are a few things you need to know.
Compatibility
One of the biggest issues with new versions of Windows is compatibility with existing equipment - both in your computer and peripherals like printers and scanners.
Microsoft has tried to keep Vista compatible with all the existing hardware and software out there, but it's just not possible to be 100% compatible and still add new features and capabilities to Windows.
Before you go out and buy Windows Vista, check to make sure all the equipment you use is compatible or the manufacturer offers an upgrade to make it so. Microsoft has a program that will test your system and give you a report on its compatibility, or you can check with the various manufacturers directly.
Scanner are something that are particularly tricky when upgrading Windows so if you use a scanner, double-check that there is Vista compatible software available for it.
Specifications
If you've bought your computer in the last year or so, it should have plenty of power to run Vista. If it's older than a year, you may need to add some upgrades to bring it up to speed.
The following are the official requirements for Vista Premium Edition (the most complete version):
- 1GHz or higher processor
- 1GB RAM
- 40GB or larger hard drive
- Sound card
- Internet connection
- DVD drive
Most of those requirements are not going to be an issue for a reasonable recent computer, but the RAM is one thing you may need to upgrade. Even today, many computers include 512MB or even 256MB which is not enough to run Vista effectively.
Upgrading vs Preinstalled
Upgrading to a new version of Windows is always more problematic than starting with it preinstalled. There are almost always little glitches that need to be sorted out afterwards.
If you're thinking of buying a new computer now and upgrading to Vista when it's released, I would recommend waiting until you can get one with it preinstalled if at all possible. You'll be happier in the long run, in spite of having to wait a little longer.
If you're upgrading an older computer, and you have all the necessary requirements, the most important (critical!) thing is to back up all your important information before starting the upgrade.
The upgrade is not supposed to affect anything that's on your computer - only Windows - but there is always a chance that something doesn't work the way it should. If you get halfway through the upgrade and something goes wrong, you may not be able to load either Vista or your old version of Windows.
This may mean you have to reload your computer from scratch, which could wipe out all your files and information. Make sure you have an up-to-date copy of it all before you start the upgrade.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Cisco / Microsoft Computer Certification: Be Ready For Your Opportunity
I was reading The Big Moo: Stop Trying To Be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable this morning, and I’d recommend a copy of this to anyone who wants to improve their career and their future. And that’s all of us, right?
There was one particular line that really stood out to me: Betting on change is always the safest bet available. That describes life perfectly, but it also describes a career in Information Technology perfectly as well. There is no field in the world that has the constant and never-ending changes that IT does. And every single one of us can look at this as a massive opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Is that how you’re looking at it? I remember when I passed my first certification exam, the Novell CAN, back in 1997. Man, I thought I knew it all then! But I quickly learned that you’ve got to keep learning in IT. I also learned that if you’re willing to put in the work and make the sacrifices, there’s no other field with the limitless potential for growth and excellence.
Like everyone else, my career has had its ups and downs, but I always kept learning and growing. Today, I’ve got my dream job, working with studI was reading The Big Moo: Stop Trying To Be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable this morning, and I’d recommend a copy of this to anyone who wants to improve their career and their future. And that’s all of us, right?
There was one particular line that really stood out to me: Betting on change is always the safest bet available. That describes life perfectly, but it also describes a career in Information Technology perfectly as well. There is no field in the world that has the constant and never-ending changes that IT does. And every single one of us can look at this as a massive opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Is that how you’re looking at it? I remember when I passed my first certification exam, the Novell CAN, back in 1997. Man, I thought I knew it all then! But I quickly learned that you’ve got to keep learning in IT. I also learned that if you’re willing to put in the work and make the sacrifices, there’s no other field with the limitless potential for growth and excellence.
Like everyone else, my career has had its ups and downs, but I always kept learning and growing. Today, I’ve got my dream job, working with students and customers just like you – to help you create your own future.
The next 18 months are filled with endless possibilities, particularly with the rapid growth of VoIP and Microsoft Vista on the horizon. There will be those who rationalize their inertia, saying “I’ll never have to support those, so I don’t need to learn them."
There will also be those who see VoIP and Vista as enormous opportunities to learn and advance in their careers and their lives. These people will get started today, learning the fundamentals of Cisco and advancing their networking knowledge in order to be ready for opportunities as they come along.
You can’t start studying and learning when the opportunity arrives – you’ve got to be ready when opportunity knocks. If you’ve been putting off studying for a Cisco or other computer certification – and I know the summer is a really good time for putting off studying – get back on track today.
Because you never know what opportunities are going to come along – but you do know that when they do, you’ve got to be ready to take advantage. After all, opportunity really does knock only once!
ents and customers just like you – to help you create your own future.
The next 18 months are filled with endless possibilities, particularly with the rapid growth of VoIP and Microsoft Vista on the horizon. There will be those who rationalize their inertia, saying “I’ll never have to support those, so I don’t need to learn them."
There will also be those who see VoIP and Vista as enormous opportunities to learn and advance in their careers and their lives. These people will get started today, learning the fundamentals of Cisco and advancing their networking knowledge in order to be ready for opportunities as they come along.
You can’t start studying and learning when the opportunity arrives – you’ve got to be ready when opportunity knocks. If you’ve been putting off studying for a Cisco or other computer certification – and I know the summer is a really good time for putting off studying – get back on track today.
Because you never know what opportunities are going to come along – but you do know that when they do, you’ve got to be ready to take advantage. After all, opportunity really does knock only once!
There was one particular line that really stood out to me: Betting on change is always the safest bet available. That describes life perfectly, but it also describes a career in Information Technology perfectly as well. There is no field in the world that has the constant and never-ending changes that IT does. And every single one of us can look at this as a massive opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Is that how you’re looking at it? I remember when I passed my first certification exam, the Novell CAN, back in 1997. Man, I thought I knew it all then! But I quickly learned that you’ve got to keep learning in IT. I also learned that if you’re willing to put in the work and make the sacrifices, there’s no other field with the limitless potential for growth and excellence.
Like everyone else, my career has had its ups and downs, but I always kept learning and growing. Today, I’ve got my dream job, working with studI was reading The Big Moo: Stop Trying To Be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable this morning, and I’d recommend a copy of this to anyone who wants to improve their career and their future. And that’s all of us, right?
There was one particular line that really stood out to me: Betting on change is always the safest bet available. That describes life perfectly, but it also describes a career in Information Technology perfectly as well. There is no field in the world that has the constant and never-ending changes that IT does. And every single one of us can look at this as a massive opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Is that how you’re looking at it? I remember when I passed my first certification exam, the Novell CAN, back in 1997. Man, I thought I knew it all then! But I quickly learned that you’ve got to keep learning in IT. I also learned that if you’re willing to put in the work and make the sacrifices, there’s no other field with the limitless potential for growth and excellence.
Like everyone else, my career has had its ups and downs, but I always kept learning and growing. Today, I’ve got my dream job, working with students and customers just like you – to help you create your own future.
The next 18 months are filled with endless possibilities, particularly with the rapid growth of VoIP and Microsoft Vista on the horizon. There will be those who rationalize their inertia, saying “I’ll never have to support those, so I don’t need to learn them."
There will also be those who see VoIP and Vista as enormous opportunities to learn and advance in their careers and their lives. These people will get started today, learning the fundamentals of Cisco and advancing their networking knowledge in order to be ready for opportunities as they come along.
You can’t start studying and learning when the opportunity arrives – you’ve got to be ready when opportunity knocks. If you’ve been putting off studying for a Cisco or other computer certification – and I know the summer is a really good time for putting off studying – get back on track today.
Because you never know what opportunities are going to come along – but you do know that when they do, you’ve got to be ready to take advantage. After all, opportunity really does knock only once!
ents and customers just like you – to help you create your own future.
The next 18 months are filled with endless possibilities, particularly with the rapid growth of VoIP and Microsoft Vista on the horizon. There will be those who rationalize their inertia, saying “I’ll never have to support those, so I don’t need to learn them."
There will also be those who see VoIP and Vista as enormous opportunities to learn and advance in their careers and their lives. These people will get started today, learning the fundamentals of Cisco and advancing their networking knowledge in order to be ready for opportunities as they come along.
You can’t start studying and learning when the opportunity arrives – you’ve got to be ready when opportunity knocks. If you’ve been putting off studying for a Cisco or other computer certification – and I know the summer is a really good time for putting off studying – get back on track today.
Because you never know what opportunities are going to come along – but you do know that when they do, you’ve got to be ready to take advantage. After all, opportunity really does knock only once!
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