Security Showdown 2014

Link To Article
Date of Article:  2014-01-30   
Source of Article:  PC World.
10 of the top security packages evaluated to help you decide which is best for you.  I've been using the same package for quite a while but I still read these to make sure that I don't need to change.

W.C.

Using Tech Resources in Extreme Weather

This is a list of links that I use to keep myself informed about extreme weather conditions.

• Alabama DOT Road Conditions - click on the county box and a state map should pop up.  Click on your county to get information about roads in your county.  You can search using the route box for Interstates (I-#), US /routes (US #), & State Routes (SR #).  The prefix A can be used to search for all routes of a particular type.  There is also a link for construction bulletins that I find useful for planing trips.
• Alabama Severe Weather Watch - a service of The Alabama State Climatologist, UAHuntsville and The National Weather Service.  Provides a radar map and a watch/warning map.
• Hourly Weather Forecast Graph - from the NWS.  You can see up to 6 days of forecast.  There is also a tabular version of this available.
• Lee County EMA:  latest News and Information -one of the better county EMA sites in my opinion.
• Weather Underground:  Auburn, AL - current conditions and forecast.  It's easy to switch to other cities.
• Wundermap:  Auburn, AL - from Weather Underground, map showing temperatures, radar, severe weather advisories, fronts, and storm tracks.  This map can be easily paned or zoomed to see the area that you want.

I hope you find these useful for trip and extreme weather planing.  If you want to suggest any additions please email me.

W.C.

How to stay private now that anyone can find you on Facebook

Link To Article
Many of our members use Facebook and over the last year the Facebook privacy settings policy has changed slightly.  This article from TechHive provides guidance on how to best protect your privacy under new policy.

W.C.

Be careful about opening Email

from unfamiliar sources.  Today I had two emails from two different addresses (that I did not recognize) get quarantined by my antivirus that checks every email as it arrives in my inbox.  Both had attachments whose names appeared harmless but if I had opened them my system could have been infected.  My antivirus integrates well with my email client program (some clients don't allow such tight integration and some antivirus programs do not support it).  Still when I receive email with attachments I am not likely to open the attachments unless they are from on of the several individuals that I know have their systems locked down as tight as I have mine.  Remember almost any attachment type can be infected and be careful out there.

W.C.

Update 2014-01-24 - Got another one today from another (unknown to me) address. 

Microsoft will furnish malware assassin to XP users until mid-2015

Link To Article
It's not full support but it is better than nothing.  Since Microsoft decided to extend access to anti-malware signatures for Microsoft Security Essentials through 14 July 2015 is a welcome change in policy for seniors.  It remains to be seen wither the delivery for the Malicious Software Removal Tool will be a manual download or supplied automatically via Windows Update.

W.C.

Review: Microsoft Office 365 vs. Google Apps

Link To Article
A very good comparison of the features offered by Microsoft Office 365 vs those of Google Apps.  Anyone who is looking at upgrading their productivity apps needs to read this one.
By the way I made use of the Readability add-on for Firefox to read this one.  I use this add-on to read many articles as it almost always makes them friendlier to these senior eyes.  This add-on is also available as a Chrome extension.

W.C.

Microsoft pulls the plug on Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows XP

Link to Article

This article addresses a concern which may of my fellow seniors are facing since they still have XP based PCs.  I an lucky enough to have systems based on Windows 7 and 8.1 but I have talked to quite a few who still have XP.  I like the author's idea of having Microsoft continue to offer Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows XP on a subscription basis.  There are a lot of senior citizens who have XP based PCs who would prefer to keep what they have for the following reasons:

1. They know how to use the PC they have and don't really want to have to learn how to use another operating system.
2. Cost:  they are on a fixed income and buying a new system is not an option for them.

Offering these seniors a reasonably priced option for maintaining their systems security would win Microsoft a lot of good will both with the seniors and their friends and relatives.

To be open I do not currently use Microsoft Security Essentials on either of my systems so I am not personally affected by this decision on the part of Microsoft but I do have friends who are.

W.C.

Photography 101: Learning the ropes with your new camera

Link To Article

We had a Lunch and Learn on digital photography last term which I was unable to attend but I heard it was quite good.  If we ever have another I hope I can make it.  As a  supplement that class I am offering this article from CNET which I did enjoy reading.  I found its advice to be very good and decided it is worth passing the link on here.

W.C.

Your new PC needs these 22 free programs

Link To Article

This article lists 22 groups of useful (in the article author's opinion) programs to consider for equipping a new PC or laptop.  There are also some warnings that are not to be overlooked.  I do use a few or the programs recommended.  I've also evaluated a few of them and chose to not to install.  Some of it is a mater of personal preference which is the ultimate decider of what you really need on your system.

W.C.

Mobile Threat Monday: Android App Sells Your WhatsApp Conversations

Link to Article

Quiet a few of our members use smart phones, many of them Android phones  I've heard several of them comment on being careful to only get apps from Google's Store.  This article show that just because an app comes through a major store it doesn't mean that it is safe.

I know that in the PC world free game software has often been used to slip in Trojans which assist the bad guys in doing things like identity theft.  Looks like the same is true in the Android world and I suspect in several others too.

That is one reason that it is a good idea to have good security software installed.  Back in August ZDnet published a review of 30 Android security packages.  Here is a link to it.

W.C.

What You Should Know About the 2014 Light Bulb Ban

Link To Article

This is not an area that I normally cover but I found the article informative about a lower tech situation that we will all be facing in the new year.Personally I converted most of the lighting in my home to compact fluorescent several years ago.  When I was living in the RV I used CFLs in lamps and mounted 20 watt fluorescent fixtures to provide adequate reading light while reducing the heat load on my A/C unit.  When I bought my place and screw-in bulbs began to burn out I replaced them with the CFL I was used to.  I do use halogen lamps for the outdoor lights at my front and back door since most CFL doesn't get along with rain or very low temperatures.

I expect that as their use becomes more pervasive the cost of LED based illumination will come down as has happened with other electronic devices.

W.C.

Three tools to stop companies spying on your web browsing

Link to article 

Of interest, I already use two of the tools listed in the article.

W.C.

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