Dear Friends,
I hope that you're having
a great
year, and I want to thank you for letting me help you with your
computer needs
in the past. I'm writing to give you some
computer tips that I hope you’ll find helpful and interesting. If you don’t want to receive this newsletter,
just let me know, and I'll remove you from my mailing list.
Please contact me, by
phone or
E-mail, with any and all of your computer questions.
I’ll be in
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd,
Helping
People Use Computers in
Protecting
Your Computer
The Internet is a
wonderful source
of information and entertainment, and keeping in touch through E-mail
and
instant messaging is easy and quick.
Unfortunately, there are people who try to ruin the experience
for the
rest of us, and you’ve probably seen news reports about the problems
that they
cause. Here are the four essential tools
for safe Internet use. I can install
them to make sure that you and your computer are protected:
An antivirus program,
updated regularly with the latest information, protects you from
viruses in
E-mail and instant messages.
A firewall acts as a protective barrier between
your computer and the Internet, stopping hackers from breaking into
your
computer. All Internet connections need
a firewall, and it’s especially important if you have a DSL or cable
modem
connection.
A spyware
removal program
searches out and destroys programs that can be loaded onto your
computer by viruses
and malicious web sites. You probably
have spyware if your computer suddenly starts to run slowly, your web
browser
takes you to sites that you don’t ask for, or your web browser stops
responding.
Microsoft’s Windows Update service
fixes critical bugs (errors) in Windows.
Hackers can take advantage of those bugs to read your personal
data or
even to turn your computer into a remote-controlled “zombie”
that attacks other computers on the
Internet. I’ll install all the available
updates and make sure that your computer automatically receives new
ones as
they’re released.
Spam
Control
Some authorities say that Spam
(unsolicited commercial E-mail) now accounts for over 60% of all E-mail
messages. I can install programs that
recognize and delete spam automatically, so that you don’t have to see
it.
Pop-Up
Blocking
Many legitimate web sites
use
pop-up advertisements that open new browser windows and try to
sell you
products. These ads aren’t a threat to
your computer’s safety, but almost everyone agrees that they’re
annoying and
that they make surfing the web less fun.
I can help you eliminate them.
Wireless
Networking
I'm writing this
newsletter on my
laptop computer while I sit on my living room couch.
I'm also surfing the web and reading
E-mail. I can do those things from
anywhere inside (or outside!) my house, because my laptop has a
wireless
network connection. I can move around
freely, with no wires and no restrictions on my location.
There’s a new wireless
network
standard (802.11g) that transmits data much faster than the old
(802.11b)
standard. As a result, network equipment
makers have dramatically lowered the prices of their 802.11b equipment. But 802.11b is much faster than the fastest
DSL and cable modem connections, so it’s perfectly good for Internet
access. Now’s a good time to take
advantage of the low prices on 802.11b.
I can recommend equipment and set up the network for you.
Microsoft
Most Valuable Professional
Program
For the fifth consecutive
year, I’ve
received the Most Valuable Professional
award from Microsoft for the help
that I give to Windows users. For more
information on the MVP program, click here.