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| Issue 1 - Summer Newsletter 2006 |
Welcome to the first Hillside Computer Services Newsletter. I thought it was about time that I put pen to paper and let you know the latest computing news, updates and hints & tips etc.
This may be a quarterly newsletter or “once in a blue moon”, it all depends on what’s happening in the Big Wide World computer wise. The next one I produce I hope to email out to you. That way you’ll be able to visit any of the web sites mentioned directly. If you like what you read and you’d like to receive the next issue, please send me an email as I don’t have everyone’s email address.
PC Security Issues
Computer security is the buzz word or rather buzz phrase at the moment.
Everyone seems to be getting in a “tizz” about it. “Is my computer secure?”,
“What about viruses?”, “Is my work safe?” etc.
With a few sensible precautions you can keep your computer and more
importantly your data safe from infection. I’ll deal with these issues individually
and tell you how to keep your computer as free as possible with a few words of
wisdom.
Computer Viruses
Every time you send or receive an email or “surf the Internet” you are
potentially exposing your PC to becoming infected with a computer virus.
The most common way in which a computer virus infects your PC is by receiving
an email, which has been inadvertently infected with a computer virus hidden
within the actual email file and is sent to you normally (often inadvertently) by a
friend or colleague as they don’t have anti virus software on their PC.
Computer viruses are not only annoying but in most cases destructive; they can
delete program files and documents from your computer. They can also attach
themselves to you email program’s address book and send themselves to all
your contacts (thus infecting other people’s computers who aren’t protected with
anti virus software). They can and do render your computer inoperable – the
only solution in this case is to have your computer’s hard disk drive completely
wiped and then to laboriously re-install your programs and restore your
documents (if you had made a backup copy of them).
To protect your computer you should ensure that:
A) Your computer has anti virus software installed on it
B) The installed software is up to date and is kept updated (daily)
C) Your subscription to your anti virus software is still valid (most anti virus
software comes with a minimum of 12 month security updates). You
can check to see whether your subscription is valid by running the
application, in this instance if you have Norton Anti Virus for example,
run the program and it will say under the Renewal Date heading on the
opening window the date it expires D) If your anti virus subscription has or is about to expire, then give me a
call and I’ll be able to point you in the right direction
Spyware and Trojans
Spyware and Trojans are a general term used for software that performs
certain behaviours such as advertising, collecting personal information, or
changing the configuration of your computer, generally without obtaining your
consent.
There are a number of ways spyware or other unwanted software can get on
your system. A common trick is to covertly install the software during the
installation of other software you want such as a music or video file sharing
program. Whenever you are installing something on your computer, make sure
you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy
statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software
installation is documented, but it may appear at the end of a license agreement
or privacy statement (by which time it may be too late).
If your computer starts to behave strangely or displays any of the symptoms listed below, you MAY have spyware or other unwanted software (Trojans) installed on your computer
“I see pop-up advertisements all the time”
Some unwanted software will bombard you with pop-up ads that aren't related
to a particular Web site you're visiting. These ads are often for adult or other
Web sites you may find objectionable. If you see pop-up ads as soon as you
turn on your computer or when you're not even browsing the Web, you may
have spyware or other unwanted software on your computer.
“My settings have changed and I can't change them back to the way they were”
Some unwanted software has the ability to change your home page or search
page settings. This means that the page that opens first when you start your
Internet browser or the page that appears when you select "search" may be
pages that you do not recognize. Even if you know how to adjust these settings,
you may find that they revert back every time you restart your computer.
“My Web browser contains additional components that I don't remember
downloading”
Spyware and other unwanted software can add additional toolbars to your Web
browser that you don't want or need. Even if you know how to remove these
toolbars, they may return each time you restart your computer.
“My computer seems sluggish”
Spyware and other unwanted software are not necessarily designed to be
efficient. The resources these programs use to track your activities and deliver
advertisements can slow down your computer and errors in the software can
make your computer crash. If you notice a sudden increase in the number of
times a certain program crashes, or if your computer is slower than normal at
performing routine tasks, you may have spyware or other unwanted software on
your machine.
There are a number of ways to help prevent spyware getting onto your computer:
Step 1: Use a firewall
Installing a firewall or using the firewall that's built into Windows XP provides a
helpful defence against these hackers.
Step 2: Update your software
If you use Windows XP, one way to help prevent spyware and other unwanted
software is to make sure all your software is updated. Visit Microsoft Update to
confirm that you have Automatic Updates turned on and that you've downloaded
all the latest critical and security updates.
Step 3: Adjust Internet Explorer security settings
You can adjust your Internet Explorer Web browser's security settings to
determine how much - or how little - information you are willing to accept from a
Web site. I recommend that you set the security settings for the Internet zone
to “Medium”.
To view your current Internet Explorer security settings:
A. In Internet Explorer, click Tools and then click Internet Options.
B. Select the Security tab.
If you're running Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and you use Internet Explorer to browse the Web, your browser security settings for the Internet zone are already set to Medium by default, but it is still worth while checking.
Step 4: Download and install antispyware protection
Two of the many products available I recommend and use myself are:
Lavasoft Ad Aware or
Microsoft Defender
Note: Hillside Computer Services is not responsible for the quality, performance, or reliability of third-party tools. If in doubt ask me.
Step 5: Surf and download more safely
The best defence against spyware and other unwanted software is not to
download it in the first place. Here are a few helpful tips that can protect you
from downloading software you don't want:
• Only download programs from Web sites you trust. If you're not sure whether to trust a program you are considering downloading, ask me before downloading.
• Read all security warnings, license agreements, and privacy statements
associated with any software you download.
• Never click "agree" or "OK" to close a window if it looks as if you are
inadvertently going to be downloading a spyware infected program. Instead,
click the red "x" in the corner of the window or press the Alt + F4 buttons on your
keyboard to close a window.
• Be wary of popular "free" music and movie file-sharing programs, and be sure you clearly understand all of the software packaged with those programs.
Backing up
& I’m not talking about parallel parking your Lamborghini
It is important that you regularly back up you data files (documents, photo’s
etc.). These days most computers have either a CD or DVD burner fitted,
along with the appropriate software installed to perform this function (usually
Ahead Nero). Blank CD’s only cost a few pence each whilst blank DVD’s a little
more. Remember that although your computer may have a tangible financial
value attached to it, your data should be deemed as priceless. Would you be
inconvenienced if you lost all your emails and address book or the book you’re
writing?
If you are not sure how to back your work up, once again ask me and I’ll show
you.
Remember.
If in doubt contact me.
Humour
T here was an engineer, manager and a computer programmer driving down a steep mountain road. The brakes failed and the car careened down the road out of control.
Half way down the driver managed to stop the car by running it against the embankment narrowly avoiding going over a cliff. They all got out, shaken by their narrow escape from death, but otherwise unharmed.
The manager said, "To fix this problem we need to organize a committee, have meetings, and through a process of continuous improvement, develop a solution."
The engineer said, "No, that would take too long, and besides that method never worked before. I have my trusty pen knife here and will take apart the brake system, isolate the problem and correct it."
The computer programmer said, "I think you're both wrong! I think we should all push the car back up the hill and see if it happens again."
News
The long awaited new version of Microsoft Windows is to be released early in
2007 and is called Windows Vista (code name Longhorn).
The details of the operating system / specifications are a little sketchy / yet to be
finalised, but judging from the scant details on the Microsoft web site
(www.microsoft.com/uk/windowsvista) there will be several editions available,
depending on whether you are a home user, a small business or a large
corporation. The features available will be dependant on your needs.
To quote from Microsoft’s Web Site regarding the Home Basic Edition, which I
would imagine would suit most people’s requirements.
"Windows Vista Home Basic is the operating system for homes with basic
computing needs. It is easy to set up, it helps you use your PC more securely
and reliably, and like all of the editions of Windows Vista, it is compatible with
the widest range of software, devices, and services that you use and trust. If you
simply want to use your PC for tasks such as surfing the Internet, corresponding
with friends and family using e-mail, or performing basic document creation and
editing tasks, then Windows Vista Home Basic will deliver a safer, more reliable,
and more productive computing environment.
Safer and more reliable
Windows Vista is designed to be the safest operating system that Microsoft has ever delivered. Every edition of Windows Vista, including Windows Vista Home Basic, provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. Additionally, all Windows Vista editions will include new parental control features that will allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities on your PC that might concern you as a parent. Windows Vista Home Basic is designed so that you and your family can focus on what's most important to you and spend less time worrying about your safety.
Easier to set up and use
As with all of other editions of Windows Vista, Windows Vista Home Basic
makes your PC significantly easier to use. Windows Vista Home Basic has new
tools to help you painlessly move your personal files and settings from your old
PC to your new Windows Vista-based PC. Additionally, Windows Vista Home
Basic integrates new search tools throughout the operating system to help you
quickly find the precise file or program you need.
Windows Vista Home Basic contains all of the basic features to make your
computing experience easier, safer, and more reliable. Even if your existing PC
seems to be adequate for basic tasks such as reading e-mail and browsing the
web, by upgrading your PC to Windows Vista Home Basic or by purchasing a
new PC installed with Windows Vista Home Basic, you will benefit from a better
computing experience and more peace of mind.
Windows Vista Home Basic is the edition of Windows for users with the most basic computing needs. The features in Windows Vista Home Basic also form the foundation of all of the other editions of Windows Vista, including Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate."
There is also a new version of Microsoft Office to be released at the same time
(or possibly earlier) and this is undergoing final tests by developers. So there
you have it in a nutshell. Essentially watch this space; though as with previous
Microsoft releases, there will be huge amounts of advertising and news reports
so you'll all be in the picture, I would imagine, by Christmas.
Cheap or nearly free telephone calls (VOIP)
Did you know that if you have a broadband connection you can make very
cheap telephone calls on the Internet as you would with a conventional
telephone using a system called VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)? There
are two type of service provided. One is software based and works ONLY when
your PC is switched on. All you need for this is a microphone connected to your
PC and a set of speakers and then sign up for an account with a company such
as Skype. You then credit your account from your credit or debit card with an
amount, say £10.00 and away you go. Calls are approximately 1.1p per minute.
Go to www.skype.com for more details.
The second type of service, which I use myself is hardware based and is
provided by Vonage. This will work even if your PC is switched off. I’ve cut my
‘phone bill down from £50.00 per month to about £10.00 per month plus my BT
line rental. I use the Internet (VOIP) for outgoing calls and my “normal” BT line
for incoming. You purchase a VOIP (telephone) enabled router from them for
£14.99 and a cheap DECT (walk about telephone). Connect the supplied
cable(s) to your PC and to your telephone socket and plug your new telephone
into the router. This enables you to use broadband for Internet and email
activities and to also make your calls. The monthly subscription is £7.99 and
enables you to make unlimited local and national calls anywhere in the UK and
the Republic of Ireland.
For further details visit www.vonage.co.uk
Both systems automatically encrypt your calls so no one can intercept them.
Remember - Internet telephony is not a replacement service (it is used as an
addition to your existing land line telephone provider).
Emergency Services DO NOT function during an electrical power or broadband provider outage, or if your account has been suspended or terminated.
For more information and details on these or any computing problems, please contact me, and don’t forget to send me your email address if you’d like to be kept in touch via email. Your details will not be passed on to any third party.
Happy and safe computing.
Mike Hamilton Hillside Computer Services (01284) 830830 Hillside Computer Services |
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