AD-Ware, Spyware & Virus's

The biggest problem today is the morons on the internet that create AD-Ware, Spyware & Virus's. For most people it's hard enough to operate a PC, now they have to spend 90% of their time worried when it's going to blow up because some 16 year old kid is bored and releases havoc on the Net.

Today AD-Ware, Spyware & Virus's can come in email, from the web via web page code, links or in an image. The only protection we have is products that significantly slow down our PC's because the have to scan everything that goes in and out of the PC. Some of my favorite products are Avira AV(FREE), Spybot S&D(FREE), IOBit security 360(FREE for a short time) and Lavasoft AD-Aware(FREE). These four products have helped keep my systems clean for the last 2-5yrs.

The products that stay constantly running on my systems are Avira AV and Spybot S&D's Teatimer service. The rest I run on a weekly basis.

But the point I wanted to make in this entry was that it doesn't matter what you use, if it's Norton, McAfee or something else. The most important thing to do is keep it updated and check that it is scanning. All of the products show the last time it was updated and the last time it scanned the PC. If the dates are more than a week old. Update and Scan.

Here is one more thing everyone has to worry about now. Makers of AD-Ware, Spyware & Virus's realize that people are more proactive. So now they started making the pop-up look like you are receiving a message from the installed Anti-virus product. One you click on it, your infected. The only thing you can do is read the message carefully. If it does not have the name or images of your Anti-virus product don't click it.

So what's a person to do? Well, be proactive and make sure you use Anti-virus, ADAware, Spyware detection products and keep them updated. Make sure they are scanning. And don't automatically click on pop-up until you read the whole message and can determine if it's real or not. If you suspect it's not real, disconnect your PC from the network by unplugging the network cable or shutoff the router and power down the PC. Pull the power plug if you have to. Then start it back up and run the Anti-virus, ADAware, Spyware detection products one at a time before plugging it back into the internet.

Windows 7

I've been testing Microsoft's new Windows 7 since it was in beta stages. I can tell they must have hired some Unix/Linux programmers. Because this OS rocks.

I've heard many people say that this should be a service pack to Windows Vista. And that it's practically the same. Well it's an entirely different animal.

For starters it doesn't require the high end, amp'd up hardware that Vista did. So if your currently running a PC with Vista and upgrade to 7; you'll notice almost a 60% increase in performance.

I've been testing it in a virtual environment with a 1GZ processor and 512MB of ram with only 10GB of hard drive space(which is almost full). And it runs great.

Microsoft did not put older drivers built in, and there are not many that have been developed, but some of the Vista drivers work. So if you have a 5yr old system, it's a gamble whether it will work completely or not. I say completely because it will load and run, but you may not be able to have sound, or the video will be lesser quality because there are no drivers for it.

But it's lighter, faster and just plain kicks a$$.

In the next week or 2, I'm gonna be testing the new Google OS. I'll let ya how that turns out..

Took the blog plunge and USB hubs

Well, I've taken the plunge to attempt a blog. I'm not sure how this will play out, but it can't hurt.

I'll try to keep this updated and blog on things that I recieve the most questions or requests for.

A few weeks ago I was asked "I need to plug in 12 USB devices to my computer; what's the largest USB hub I can get?" ........ My response was "HUHHHH...What? Why?" The person had 2 portable 500GB drives, a few pen drives 1 through 8GB, a webcam, digi camera, joystick, mouse, keyboard, phones...blah..blah..blah.. I tried to tell them there really is no need to plug in more than 4 or 5 USB devices at a time. Any more is just asking for trouble.. Even though, in theory, you can hookup 120 USB devices, doesn't mean you should. The voltage required (.05) and computer resources would just slow the system down to a point of uselessness. Even with a powered USB hub.

Anywho, I was able to find a 49 port USB data hub.. Why would it be needed? I don't know..
But here it is.. http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/05/28/49-port-usb-hub-is-just-plain-practical/..
If you just want to charge USB devices and not transfer data. Here's an 80 port hub.. http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/80-port-usb-charger-on-the-verge-of-overdoing-things-20100129/

Well, if anyone has anything they want me to blog about, just let me know.