Date of Article: 2014-04-08
Source of Article: TechRepublic
I don't normally cover smart phones here but many of our members use them and for those with Android phones this is a good article to check out.
W.C.
2014-04-12
How to avoid the pileup malware exploit on Android
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-04-08
Source of Article: TechRepublic
I don't normally cover smart phones here but many of our members use them and for those with Android phones this is a good article to check out.
Date of Article: 2014-04-08
Source of Article: TechRepublic
I don't normally cover smart phones here but many of our members use them and for those with Android phones this is a good article to check out.
Microsoft issues final Windows XP, Office 2003 patches
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-04-08
Source of Article: ZDNet
Those still running XP or Office 2003 will want to get these patches and evaluate their options for the future. Basically I see them as:
Date of Article: 2014-04-08
Source of Article: ZDNet
Those still running XP or Office 2003 will want to get these patches and evaluate their options for the future. Basically I see them as:
- Continue to run XP and make sure to keep good antivirus protection up to date.
- Select a Linux distribution and install it on your existing system if buying new hardware is not an option. Some distributions provide a limited ability to run legacy Windows applications. There is a bit of a learning curve but many open source programs that run on Windows are also available as Linux apps: Open/Libre Office, Firefox, Chrome, and Thunderbird are good examples.
- Find a Windows 7 system and buy it. If you still have the install disks or files many of the programs that you ran on XP can still run on Windows 7 and it has a very familiar interface.
- Find a Windows 8.1 system and buy it. If you do you might want to checkout Classic Shell which provides a very Windows 7 like start menu to W8 & 8.1.
W.C.
2014-04-03
Watch out for photos containing malware
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-27
Source of Article: PC World
I have seen several "images" with multiple extensions as described in the article. Often it is just a file naming convention but something with one like ".jpg.exe" is not something you want to open and that is not an example of a naming convention. I've been having windows display the extensions for files in a directory listing as far back as I can remember.
Finding images with embedded code is very difficult to do. Images already might contain quite a bit of embedded and innocent meta data, especially if they were taken with a digital camera. The advice to keep your operating system, applications, and anti-virus software up to date is a good first line of defense.
Date of Article: 2014-03-27
Source of Article: PC World
I have seen several "images" with multiple extensions as described in the article. Often it is just a file naming convention but something with one like ".jpg.exe" is not something you want to open and that is not an example of a naming convention. I've been having windows display the extensions for files in a directory listing as far back as I can remember.
Finding images with embedded code is very difficult to do. Images already might contain quite a bit of embedded and innocent meta data, especially if they were taken with a digital camera. The advice to keep your operating system, applications, and anti-virus software up to date is a good first line of defense.
W.C.
Malwarebytes 2.0 Still Tough on Malware, Now with a Pretty Face
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-28
Source of Article: PC Magazine
An old friend gets a new look.
I've downloaded this but will not install it until next Monday when I normally run mbam. If I see anything requiring comment at that time on either my W7 or W8.1 systems I will update this post.
Date of Article: 2014-03-28
Source of Article: PC Magazine
An old friend gets a new look.
I've downloaded this but will not install it until next Monday when I normally run mbam. If I see anything requiring comment at that time on either my W7 or W8.1 systems I will update this post.
W.C.
2014-04-02
Microsoft to bring back Start menu, windowed apps to Windows
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-04-02
Source of Article: ZDNet
I'm glad to see it coming but is it in Windows 8.1 or Windows 9? If not in Windows 8.1 then we still have Classic Shell and other options.
Date of Article: 2014-04-02
Source of Article: ZDNet
I'm glad to see it coming but is it in Windows 8.1 or Windows 9? If not in Windows 8.1 then we still have Classic Shell and other options.
W.C.
Office for iPad proves that Office 365 is the best value
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-04-02
Source of Article: Tech Republic
Interesting set of arguments in favor of renting Microsoft Office rather than buying it. If you own an iPad you really should read this.
Date of Article: 2014-04-02
Source of Article: Tech Republic
Interesting set of arguments in favor of renting Microsoft Office rather than buying it. If you own an iPad you really should read this.
W.C.
2014-03-30
Microsoft finally turns out a real touch app -- is Windows next?
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-28
Source of Article: Infoworld
This is outside my area of expertise since the last Apple product I owned was an Apple ][e but since quite a few of our members do use iPads I will include this one. The question at the end of the title is where my interest lies.
Date of Article: 2014-03-28
Source of Article: Infoworld
This is outside my area of expertise since the last Apple product I owned was an Apple ][e but since quite a few of our members do use iPads I will include this one. The question at the end of the title is where my interest lies.
W.C.
2014-03-27
Review: Windows 8.1 Update offers an olive branch for mouse users
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-19
Source of Article: InfoWorld
This review of the changes introduced by the Windows 8.1 Update 1 give a little insight into where Windows may be headed for those of us who use a desktop or laptop PC.
Date of Article: 2014-03-19
Source of Article: InfoWorld
This review of the changes introduced by the Windows 8.1 Update 1 give a little insight into where Windows may be headed for those of us who use a desktop or laptop PC.
W.C.
2014-03-20
It's Official: OneNote is Now Free for Everyone
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-17
Source of Article: WinSuperSite.com.
So now it is free for both Windows and Mac users. The free version is OneNote 2013 and yes there is still a paid version of it too that is more business centric but for individuals and school use the free version is more than adequate.
I've used OneNote for years to keep track of information that I gather in classes and on the Internet. I haven't tried this version as yet as I am contemplating an Office365 Home subscription for myself (driven by other Office applications) which would include the paid version and the 2010 version is handling my note taking needs for now.
Date of Article: 2014-03-17
Source of Article: WinSuperSite.com.
So now it is free for both Windows and Mac users. The free version is OneNote 2013 and yes there is still a paid version of it too that is more business centric but for individuals and school use the free version is more than adequate.
I've used OneNote for years to keep track of information that I gather in classes and on the Internet. I haven't tried this version as yet as I am contemplating an Office365 Home subscription for myself (driven by other Office applications) which would include the paid version and the 2010 version is handling my note taking needs for now.
W.C.
2014-03-19
How to edit a PDF document in Word 2013
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-17
Source of Article: Tech Republic.
Susan Harkins gives us a good review of this new and welcome capability of Word 2013. It's one of the things that has me considering a subscription.
Like her I suspect that importing PDFs into Word will improve with time. A similar problem exists when converting from Word to Open/Libre Office's format or back. This too has got better with time as will PDF conversion. Back in the day when my company was split between Word, Word Perfect, and dedicated word processing machines this was a major problem and conversions were provided by fairly expensive programs that were also not perfect but better than nothing.
I also expect that the PDF format will eventually include a spec to provide an indication if a scanned document has been modified to support using it for document archival purposes. It already has provisions for making a PDF read only with a password required to modify.
Date of Article: 2014-03-17
Source of Article: Tech Republic.
Susan Harkins gives us a good review of this new and welcome capability of Word 2013. It's one of the things that has me considering a subscription.
Like her I suspect that importing PDFs into Word will improve with time. A similar problem exists when converting from Word to Open/Libre Office's format or back. This too has got better with time as will PDF conversion. Back in the day when my company was split between Word, Word Perfect, and dedicated word processing machines this was a major problem and conversions were provided by fairly expensive programs that were also not perfect but better than nothing.
I also expect that the PDF format will eventually include a spec to provide an indication if a scanned document has been modified to support using it for document archival purposes. It already has provisions for making a PDF read only with a password required to modify.
W.C.
2014-03-18
Microsoft will pay you to stop using Windows XP
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-14
Source of Article: GEEK.com.
Interesting offer for those facing replacing/updating their XP machine.
Date of Article: 2014-03-14
Source of Article: GEEK.com.
Interesting offer for those facing replacing/updating their XP machine.
W.C.
The Comprehensive Guide to Facebook Privacy Settings
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-17
Source of Article: Time.
Good advice for Facebook users.
Date of Article: 2014-03-17
Source of Article: Time.
Good advice for Facebook users.
W.C.
2014-03-17
Account-hijacking Trojan spreads via Facebook messages
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-12
Source of Article: Help Net Security.
Since quite a few of our members are on Facebook this article is of interest. I don't get on there too often these days but I will keep this one in mind next time I visit.
Date of Article: 2014-03-12
Source of Article: Help Net Security.
Since quite a few of our members are on Facebook this article is of interest. I don't get on there too often these days but I will keep this one in mind next time I visit.
W.C.
A new Windows 8.1 update tries to win back desktop diehards
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-10
Source of Article: ZDNet.
I've been reading Ed's articles for a log time and his predictions are usually very accurate. Right now I am as Ed said many are doing and relying on a third party utility, Classic Shell to give me the desktop that I want. Hopefully this update won't break it.
Date of Article: 2014-03-10
Source of Article: ZDNet.
I've been reading Ed's articles for a log time and his predictions are usually very accurate. Right now I am as Ed said many are doing and relying on a third party utility, Classic Shell to give me the desktop that I want. Hopefully this update won't break it.
W.C.
Here's another article on the same subject by another guy who I also use for information.
- Windows 8.1 Update 1 will arrive just in time to woo Windows XP holdouts
- Link to Article
- Source of Article: Tech Republic
W.C.
2014-03-14
15 tips for staying safe online and preventing identity theft
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-03-11
Source of Article: ZDnet
I find all of the advice in this article to be good.
I don't exactly do everything it recommends but in the exceptions I do something that is an equivalent.
IE I don't use a shredder, instead I burn paper containing sensitive data in an old smoker at my house. When the burn is over I stir the ash to make sure there are no partially burned sheets remaining. I started this practice shortly after moving in and my shredder failed. I started the burning intending to get another shredder but found the burning to be effective so never got a new one.
My home wireless network uses an extremely long and complex WPA password which I only use for machines that I own. For guests my router supports a special guest wireless network which uses a shorter password and guests do not have access to my main network or its clients. This is a good feature to have if you have family and friends that you want to allow to use your internet access when they are visiting since it does not reveal your main network password.
When on public networks I never visit sites where my sensitive data could be exposed and I only use public netwotrks at locations that I am familiar with.
I never connect to the internet without my anti-virus and firewall programs up and running.
Date of Article: 2014-03-11
Source of Article: ZDnet
I find all of the advice in this article to be good.
I don't exactly do everything it recommends but in the exceptions I do something that is an equivalent.
IE I don't use a shredder, instead I burn paper containing sensitive data in an old smoker at my house. When the burn is over I stir the ash to make sure there are no partially burned sheets remaining. I started this practice shortly after moving in and my shredder failed. I started the burning intending to get another shredder but found the burning to be effective so never got a new one.
My home wireless network uses an extremely long and complex WPA password which I only use for machines that I own. For guests my router supports a special guest wireless network which uses a shorter password and guests do not have access to my main network or its clients. This is a good feature to have if you have family and friends that you want to allow to use your internet access when they are visiting since it does not reveal your main network password.
When on public networks I never visit sites where my sensitive data could be exposed and I only use public netwotrks at locations that I am familiar with.
I never connect to the internet without my anti-virus and firewall programs up and running.
W.C.
2014-02-16
Abandon the sinking Office 2003 ship by jumping on board an alternative office suite
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-02-13
Source of Article: TechRepublic
Another article on the upgrade options a user of Office 2003 has which includes the features and cost in its analysis. April is getting close and I agree with the author that having access to
For those who use publisher I have made some limited use of Scribus but have done most of my desktop publishing using Word. By the way, Scribus is available as both a standard installed application and as a PortableApp as is Libre Office.
I have used the Base database which comes with Libre Office and it is powerful but not as easy to use to develop applications as Access is.
I am not familiar with the Zimbra email app but intend to look into it. I'm currently using Thunderbird and even if I migrated my email to Zimbra I would still have to use Thunder for its RSS functionality.
Disclaimer: I use Microsoft Office 2010, the latest versions of Libre & Open Office, and PortableApps. I have no known financial interest in any of the companies that developed any of the products in the article.
Date of Article: 2014-02-13
Source of Article: TechRepublic
Another article on the upgrade options a user of Office 2003 has which includes the features and cost in its analysis. April is getting close and I agree with the author that having access to
For those who use publisher I have made some limited use of Scribus but have done most of my desktop publishing using Word. By the way, Scribus is available as both a standard installed application and as a PortableApp as is Libre Office.
I have used the Base database which comes with Libre Office and it is powerful but not as easy to use to develop applications as Access is.
I am not familiar with the Zimbra email app but intend to look into it. I'm currently using Thunderbird and even if I migrated my email to Zimbra I would still have to use Thunder for its RSS functionality.
Disclaimer: I use Microsoft Office 2010, the latest versions of Libre & Open Office, and PortableApps. I have no known financial interest in any of the companies that developed any of the products in the article.
W.C.
Stop using Internet Explorer 10
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-02-14
Source of Article: AskWoody.com.
This advice is from a source that I consider very reliable. If you are using IE10 you need to either upgrade to 11 or switch to Chrome of Firefox until this is fixed. I am currently using IE11, Chrome, and Firefox on both Windows 7 and 8.1 with no problems other than a rare occasional browser crash.
Date of Article: 2014-02-14
Source of Article: AskWoody.com.
This advice is from a source that I consider very reliable. If you are using IE10 you need to either upgrade to 11 or switch to Chrome of Firefox until this is fixed. I am currently using IE11, Chrome, and Firefox on both Windows 7 and 8.1 with no problems other than a rare occasional browser crash.
W.C.
2014-02-12
If we show you how to back up your PC for free, will you finally do it?
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-02-12
Source of Article: PC World.
One problem I have seen time and time again is the loss of important data when either a hard disk crashes or a system becomes infected by malware. The best way to prevent these losses is by having backups. The best method of backing up your data varies by the volume of the data and personal preferences. For me this involves having dedicated data disks and making mirrored backups of them on a weekly basis after a thorough scan of my systems for malware to validate the effectiveness of my continuous system security software. My process takes several hours but I am willing to take the time after losing some data several years ago. This article describes another method of backing up individual systems that is cost effective and not that hard to do.
Date of Article: 2014-02-12
Source of Article: PC World.
One problem I have seen time and time again is the loss of important data when either a hard disk crashes or a system becomes infected by malware. The best way to prevent these losses is by having backups. The best method of backing up your data varies by the volume of the data and personal preferences. For me this involves having dedicated data disks and making mirrored backups of them on a weekly basis after a thorough scan of my systems for malware to validate the effectiveness of my continuous system security software. My process takes several hours but I am willing to take the time after losing some data several years ago. This article describes another method of backing up individual systems that is cost effective and not that hard to do.
W.C.
2014-02-06
Microsoft to patch Windows, Forefront this month
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-02-06
Source of Article: ZDNet.
Patch Tuesday for February is approaching and there will be patches. As usual I will wait until the next Monday before running updates on my systems to allow potential problem patches to be discovered and reported. If you have not run the updates from the January Patch Tuesday this is a good time to get it done brfore the new patches come out. This will be one of the last Patch Tuesdays for users of Windows XP before support ends in April.
Date of Article: 2014-02-06
Source of Article: ZDNet.
Patch Tuesday for February is approaching and there will be patches. As usual I will wait until the next Monday before running updates on my systems to allow potential problem patches to be discovered and reported. If you have not run the updates from the January Patch Tuesday this is a good time to get it done brfore the new patches come out. This will be one of the last Patch Tuesdays for users of Windows XP before support ends in April.
W.C.
2014-02-05
Security updates available for Adobe Flash Player
Link To Article
Date of Article: 2014-02-04
Source of Article: Adobe.
This security bulletin lists the available upgrade patches for Windows, Linux, and Macintosh to protect you from attacks that are actively being used on the Internet. If your systerm is not up to date I highly recommend getting there.
Date of Article: 2014-02-04
Source of Article: Adobe.
This security bulletin lists the available upgrade patches for Windows, Linux, and Macintosh to protect you from attacks that are actively being used on the Internet. If your systerm is not up to date I highly recommend getting there.
W.C.
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