Ubuntu (free)
Mozilla Firefox (free)
Open Office (free)
AntiVir (free)
AVG (free)
SpyBot Search and Destroy (free)
AdAware (free)
SpywareBlaster (free)
Zone Alarm (free)
Scroogle Search to Firefox (free)
TaskZip (free)
Total Recorder (basic $11.95)
PicView (free)
MozBackup (free)
SWISH 2 ($50)
PC Inspector File Recovery (free)
De-Crapifier (free)
Sullr Reverse Phone # Lookup (free)
a post from pete:
My cousin went to some 'special sites' on his machine and a bunch of software got installed. (no firewall and a very, very outdated Scanner) It got worse when his desktop was replaced by another desktop which looked EXACTLY the same, but it was actually a HTML file and when you clicked anything it downloaded more junk!
Anyway, he called me and said what the heck do I do??? I told him to buy a virus scanner and also download Ad-aware... well, he ended up with Ada-ware (note the hyphen) and I think it made things much much worse. (no offense if this is a real program but I think its a hack spy software thingy)
He clicked 'buy', it said $29.99, he said clicked 'No' It came back with -- 'We want your business $10.99' and he said 'No' It came back with 'We REALLY want your business $0.99' so he he chose to buy it and put in credit card details but couldnt access the internet due to all the virus/hack software on his machine! (Lucky! or maybe not... we'll find out when the bill arrives)
I downloaded Ad-Aware and a virus scanner for him and need to go over to clean things up (which may actually mean format /s
By the way, forget the waiter or someone stealing your details 'when you dont look' A guy at our work used his Corporate Amex in a Taxi (cab) and watched the guy correctly process it. He put it in the machine, printed the receipt and he signed it, then left (like you normally do in a store.) Amex called him a month later stating that he was behind and had to pay $19,200 He had no clue and ONLY used it in that taxi... they ended up checking everything out and the taxi driver (or company) put a little device in the standard EFTPOS machine and when you use ANY card it copies the magnetic stripe info... then you put another card in and it writes to the stripe! It literally COPIES your card!!!
If they want it, they'll get it and you wont have a clue... the things that they come up with are amazing... imagine they put their brains to good use!!!!!
updated 7/13/2004 8:52:26 AM
OpenDNS SiteThey saved the day when AT&T's outage on December 3, 2007 caused the whole system to go down in most of the southeast. The DNS is the addres of the servers that connect you to the internet. (The internet is a series of tubes, ya know? LOL) This free service is fast and seems to be very reliable.
208.67.220.220
updated on 12/04/2007 6:29:34 AM
Asus Eee PC
It was hailed as the $200 laptop. The Eee (three-fold repetition of the word "easy": "easy to learn, easy to play, easy to work") is new in that it will be sold "as is" and not be sponsored by anyone to lower the cost. That's obvious when you see one taken apart. The 8GB model runs $400 now. I'm not math whiz but that's twice the price of a $200 laptop. It is small, but it's supposed to be.
What I am encouraged by is that this is a laptop that is based on linux and uses "open source" software. It uses no hard drive but SD flash cards. The future looks bright for open source computing.
updated on 11/03/2007 6:29:34 PM
UBUNTU Operating System
I think the word Ubuntu means "can I have another roll?" Oops. Sorry. It actually means "existing everywhere" which is a nice thought. It's free to the world and it really works. Dell has begun offering CPU's and Laptops with Ubuntu installed. That should tell you something. I'm using it on one of my computers and am really enjoying it. It is on the Linux platform and is incredibly stable and easy to use. You'll get Open Office and Firefox included with the install. Loading and removing programs is "stoopid" simple and really works.
updated on 10/21/2007 8:22:45 AM
Confirmation of stealth Windows Update
I can now confirm that the stealth Windows Update that I blogged about yesterday actually exists - because I’ve detected its presence on a machine at the PC Doc HQ.
At the PC Doc HQ we have several systems set not to update automatically. This is so that they are kept at a specific patch level for testing duties. Many of these systems are virtual machines but some are physical. When I heard about this stealth update I decided to take a look at one of these systems that don’t update automatically (it was set to download and notify) - and within seconds I found what I was looking for.
updated on 9/14/2007 5:13:24 AM
NSA helped Microsoft make Vista secure.
Revelations about NSA's involvement in Vista's development raise concerns about possible 'back-door' access to data by the spy agency
The U.S. agency best known for eavesdropping on telephone calls had a hand in the development of Microsoft's Vista operating system, Microsoft confirmed Tuesday. The National Security Agency (NSA) stepped in to help Microsoft develop a configuration of its next-generation operating system that would meet U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) requirements, said NSA Spokesman Ken White.
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This is not the first time the secretive agency has been brought in to consult with private industry on operating system security, White said, but it is the first time the NSA has worked with a vendor prior to the release of an operating system.
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By getting involved early in the process, the NSA helped Microsoft ensure that it was delivering a product that was both secure and compatible with existing government software, he said.
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"This allows us to ensure that the off-the-shelf security configuration that the DOD customer receives is at a level that meets our standards," White said. "It just makes a lot more sense to be involved up-front, than it does to have the tail wag the dog."
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The NSA's involvement in Vista was first reported Tuesday by The Washington Post . updated 1/14/2007 6:29:38 AM
Here's a friendly tip that will 'make your point' and win friends at the same time. It' called "Bcc" which stands for Blind Carbon Copy. It's my new cause as it helps control spam and computer viruses that slow and cripple the internet.
When you e-mail to large groups of people, instead of putting all of our e-mail addresses in the "To" area, please put them under "Bcc". This will hide the addresses from the text message. Virus programmers get e-mail addresses from the "To" area to replicate itself. Wonder how a virus shows up in someone else's mailbox with your e-mail as the sender? This is how. This can lead to your friends accounts being blocked or even cancelled by their internet provider for something they didn't do!
So, when you want to mass e-mail here's what you do. In the "To" area put your own e-mail address. Then in the "Bcc" area put all of the addresses to whom you want to send the e-mail. They'll only see your e-mail address and you'll help stop the spread of your friends e-mail addresses for sinister use. It's a simple thing to do, but most people don't know about it. Thanks for your help! updated 6/21/2004 4:06:18 AM
I Think My Computer Is Infected is a web page from dslreports.com. Here are the steps I recommend if you think your CPU is infected or has a virus or spyware.
1. Uninstall Norton Antivirus.
2. Install AVG as your anti-virus software.
3. Install and run Spybot Search and Destroy.
4. Install and run AdAware.
Be sure to update and run these programs at least weekly.
Other side points. Install and use Firefox browser and maybe Thunderbird E-mail client. They're both free.
updated 11/27/2005 6:12:52 AM
Disable Your Third Party Cookies on your web browser is a smart thing to do. That would be any cookie that doesn't come from the site you are visiting. I like to visit a Tv schedule site so I can check out my local Tv schedule. It leaves a cookie on my computer that tells them when I log on and where I am so I'll get the right schedule. A third party cookie is one that can be installed by an "Advert" on the page.
To disable them:
Internet Explorer:
Tools/Internet Options. Click the "Privacy" tab and then "Advanced". Under "Third Party Cookies" select "Block".
Firefox:
Tools/Options. Select "Privacy" then "Cookies". Click the box that reads "for the originating web site only". updated 9/30/2005 6:26:30 AM
Find A Human is a great way to get in touch with an operator if you're tired of getting caught in the voicemail maze. Go th the link above and click on "Find-A-Human QuickBase" for his list. And remember to please listen to the entire menu as out options have changed. Um...right! LOL updated 9/30/2005 6:26:30 AM
WOOT.com is a web site that offers daily great buys on technology. For instance, today they're offering the Microsoft MN-720 Wireless 802.11g Notebook PCMCIA Network Adapter for $14.99 plus $5 S&H. They offer one item a day and only for that day. It goes off the web site at 11:59PM Central time and is replaced by another item. I heard about on a cable financial show. The deal is that you can't buy more than three of one item. If you have buyers remorse, they suggest you sell it on E-Bay where they say you're sure to make money. There is a message board if you want support or to brag about your latest gadget. Woot is worth a wook..um...look. updated 9/20/2004 7:26:54 AM
Here's a cool Windows trick. On my computer I have two different picture viewers. One is PicView (see left) which is simple and boots quickly for when my niece sends crazy digital pictures of our latest family get together. The other is Ulead's PhotoImpact, which is a big program and makes the graphics for this page. It is the default program to open "jpg" and "gif" files. Want to change that? There's a simple shortcut.
Go to My Computer / C: and click (once) the file you want to change. Then while holding down your "shift" key, right mouse click over it. Select "Open With" from the menu and it will allow you to change any extension's default.
updated 5/30/2004 6:08:50 AM
Interesting web site named Google-watch.org. I have a Gmail account for sign ups and online buying. I recommend opening a Yahoo e-mail or hotmail account too. That means when you want to join a group or download free software and they ask for an internet address, it won't be your main address. If your ISP allows, you can open a separate account for the same reason. And remember, Google's Toolbar is spyware.
updated 5/30/2004 6:09:05 AM
Snopes- Look up internet hoaxes and chain letters. Don't send them. It slows down the internet and sometimes cause harm to others.
cool stuff:
Lifehacker is a fun site full of tips. All kinds of tips from computing to teeth whitening. Their tech tips are very good and well researched.
ROTFL or LOL. What do these acronyms mean? NetLingo is here to help.
Post It Notes (software/freeware)- I use this all the time. 3M has a free version of these for your computer screen. You can even set the timer to tell you when to do things. DOWNLOAD
Make Your Own Telezapper (free)- The Bell companies use three tones that tell you a number is no longer working or in service. Telezaper uses this to keep stray marketers from calling. You can download the three tones. They are 985.2 Hz, 1370.6 Hz, and 1776.7 Hz. Just put these tones before your answer machine message.
