by Dee-Ann LeBlanc
There’s two programs that once Mac users have them, they just can’t live without them. These programs are 1Password and Quicksilver. In both cases, these apps make your computing life a whole lot easier. In the case of 1Password it also makes you safer.
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by Tina Gasperson
It seems that almost every day there are new bugs and viruses being uncovered and apprehended. Microsoft issues security updates and fixes almost as frequently. Windows can automatically download and install these updates in the background if you prefer, or you can set the computer to check with you first before downloading or installing anything. You can also “roll back” any updates that cause problems with your system.
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by Gabe Goldberg
Though “crime-ridden cities” is a cliche, the sad fact is that no area is 100 percent safe. And besides crime, fire, water, and power outages can strike anywhere, causing immense damage and expense. So no matter where you live, it’s worth thinking about home security. And on a more positive note, some insurance companies give discounts for using alarm systems.
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by Gabe Goldberg
Nothing lasts forever, including — or especially — computers. And with prices as low as they are, it’s sometimes tempting to replace them for improvements in reliability, speed, and disk capacity (especially if you’re into activities such as serious gaming or photo/video editing). But if a computer works and isn’t too old, it can probably serve someone else quite well for several more years.
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by David Hakala
Spam is “unsolicited commercial email” by most people’s definitions. There is debate over whether non-commercial unsolicited mail should be called spam, but it’s of concern mainly to the nonprofits and political organizations who don’t want to be tarred with the “spam” brush. Unrequested mail from anyone who wants your money or time is spam.
Spam is a huge problem on the Internet. Long ago, spam email passed the 50 percent mark as the largest category of traffic on email servers. Spam imposes heavy costs on ISPs as well as end users. How can you protect yourself from spam and avoid contributing to its traffic congestion?
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by Gabe Goldberg
You’re probably tired of hearing about keeping your operating system, applications, and assorted safety software programs (anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-rootkit, anti-phishing, anti-vampire, whatever) updated. Not to mention being really tired of actually doing all this work. After all, you bought your computer to use, not to tinker with. And if you support multiple computers, it seems that your work is never done.
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by David Hakala
Microsoft Windows Defender is an anti-spyware program included in Windows XP and Vista. Do you need it, and does it do its job well?
First, note that Windows Defender is only an anti-spyware program. Spyware intercepts or takes partial control over the user’s interaction with the computer, without the user’s informed consent. For example, spyware may log all of your keystrokes – including financial site passwords – and send them to an unknown party. That’s bad, but spyware is hardly the only kind of threat. You will still need anti-virus software, most of which also scans for spyware.
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by Gabe Goldberg
Twice recently, e-commerce Web sites have taken me to dangerous checkout screens — that is, Web pages which transmit data “in the clear” (unencrypted) — to complete online purchases. One of them even assured me “All orders are processed on secure servers.”
But without the reassuring padlock (or other secure-page symbol displayed by the browser when viewing a secure Web page) and Web address beginning “https” (instead of the usual “http”) I wasn’t about to provide information requested such as address, mother’s maiden name, credit card number, etc.
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by David Hakala
If you plan to sell, give away, or just toss in the trash an old hard drive, you really should erase your personal data from it first. If you’re like most people, your hard drive contains things you don’t want strangers to see: private correspondence, bank account numbers, passwords, your children’s pictures, names, and where they go to school… think about it, then take a little time to wipe that hard drive really clean!
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