Author Archive
How to pay less for Windows 7
The retail price for Windows 7 is pretty steep. In fact, you can pay almost as much for some versions as the price of a new laptop. But there are legitimate ways to pay less. At ZDNet, Ed Bott has posted Seven perfectly legal ways to get Windows 7 cheap (or even free):
Only suckers pay [...]
Quick tricks to repair a wireless connection
While we are on the subject of wireless networking (previous post), let me remind you of the trick that often repairs a wireless Internet connection that is slow or inoperative. Sometimes all it takes is to reboot the modem and/or router. Turn the power off for 10 seconds and then turn it back on.
Also, sometimes [...]
Secure your home wireless network
A lot of us have home networks or at least are using wireless to connect to the Internet. Unfortunately, we are not always careful about making the network secure. I have posted about setting up a wireless network before and here is another article worth reading. It’s at Digital Inspiration and is described:
This article describes [...]
Google Wave
I keep seeing references to Google Wave and even my wife is asking what it is, So here’s an explanation. It is an experimental program in Web collaboration. Groups of people can edit and discuss documents with each other in real-time. Presently, you have to be invited to participate. For more information see this Lifehacker [...]
Find out what Google stores about you
If you have a Google account, you can now take a peek at what kind of information Google has stored about you. Google has announced Google Dashboard:
Today, we are excited to announce the launch of Google Dashboard. Have you ever wondered what data is stored with your Google Account? The Google Dashboard offers a simple [...]
Firefox update coming
Another Firefox update, version 3.55, is coming sometime today. If you have enabled automatic notification of updates, you should receive a notification soon. Otherwise, open the “Help” menu in Firefox and click “Check for Updates”. As of this writing (11:15 EST) the update is not yet available at Mozilla but gHacks is providing a [...]
The malware industry
I’ve posted before about how cybercrime has become an organized industry but here’s some more on the subject; it’s a Microsoft report entitled, “Microsoft Security Intelligence Report Volume 7″. PC World comments:
Malware makers – the criminals responsible for viruses and worms – have become increasingly organized and sophisticated, according to a Microsoft security report that [...]
How to toggle Adobe Flash on and off
Adobe Flash clips are ubiquitous on the Web and that includes a lot of advertising. The Windows Flash player can also be a vector for malware and needs frequent security updates. As a result, many PC users might find it useful to be able to turn Flash on and off as desired.
The Firefox browser has [...]
Can whitelisting help combat the malware epidemic?
Malware on the Internet is a bad situation and any good news on that front is welcome. So it is encouraging to see that security expert Roger Grimes says that whitelisting may be an effective defense. Writing at InfoWorld, Grimes reviews five whitelisting applications and says that whitelisting may be the new best defense against [...]
Update Java
Guess what? Another security patch- this time it’s Java. The update link is here. You might also be able to update using the Java applet in Control Panel. It’s easier to find the applet if you use Classic View in Windows XP. Be sure to uncheck any extras you don’t want from the Java update [...]
Microsoft updates MSN.com
Microsoft is giving a new look to its Web portal MSN.com. Computerworld reports:
Microsoft plans to start rolling out a redesigned MSN.com on Wednesday in the U.S., the first major update for the page in more than 10 years.
Frequent visitors to the site will immediately notice one major change: The new page has only [...]