 |
| Welcome to www.BAYSTATECOMP.com. A local resource for those looking for technical advice and/or computer service located in Southeastern Massachusetts. |
 |
|
|
| OPTIMIZED FOR BROADBAND |
 |
| TIP FROM THE TECH |
| Currently, phishing scams are the biggest culprit for identity theft. Unsuspecting users open an email that appears legit and asks for their personal information. Usually, that information is sent to a thief who then uses it to clean out accounts or steal your identity. |
| abd |
 |
| Most people agree with the idea that computers are this mystical, electronic being that likes to act up right when you're doing something important. It tends not to care what we are doing, just as long as it can raise our blood pressure a notch or two. Fear not, my friends. I am here to demystify and defunk the theories that leave most home users wanting to drop their computer out a 10-story window. |
 |
| RULE 1: Home computers are NOT smarter than humans....yet |
| Contrary to popular belief, home computers are not smarter than the human masses and until scientists create a cyborg capable of human emotions, it's not happening anytime soon (although they are working on it as we speak). What actually makes a computer "a computer" is the software that is running on it. Software is what the computer uses to carry out specific instructions so that you can surf the Internet, email friends, and instant message family. You can think of software as a type of manual, telling the computer how to do and when to do things. Some types of software include operating system software (usually this is Windows XP Home for home users), antivirus software (such as Norton or McAfee antivirus), and productivity software (such as Microsoft Word or Office). There are many other versions of software but we won't get into too much detail. Antivirus software is one we have to mention though as it is extremely important to the overall stability of your computer. A virus is a small piece of software that's sole purpose is to inflict damage on your computer. There are no cases of a virus destroying your computer on the physical level (meaning it won't actually cause your computer to melt down or catch fire in front of your eyes) but it can reak havoc on the software installed on your computer. Viruses can cause a variety of damage, from causing your machine to "freeze up" all the way to complete catastrophic failure (meaning your computer won't even load). Which brings me too.... |
| RULE 2: Viruses are bad....very bad |
| One of the reason's computer's "act up" so often is that the antivirus definitions are not kept up-to-date. Antivirus definitions are a kind of database repository for all known viruses that have existed in the past. When you scan your computer for viruses, every file on your computer is checked against the definitions. When a file is found to have the same name or characteristics as one of the names in the definitions, your antivirus program alerts you that it has found a virus, which usually it will prompt you to either delete or put it in quarantine (or a holding area sealed off from the computer, kind of like putting something rotten in a Zip-loc bag and sealing it). Normally, your antivirus program will remind you to update your definitions. Some of the cheaper programs don't, however, which leaves your computer vulnerable. With viruses being released every day (sometimes three of four a day), it is critical to keep your definitions up-to-date. Without an up-to-date set of definitions, the next time you scan yuor computer for viruses, files that contain a virus may be passed over and deemed okay when the opposite is true. |
| RULE 3: Windows XP needs updating too |
| Microsoft Corporation has a long and storied history in the computing industry. Besides being the first to put an operating system onto IBM computers in the late 70's, they also created the Windows family of operating systems (such as Windows 98, Windows ME, and so on). Unfortunately, like anything else in life, they are not perfect. They each have their own set of flaws, or "security holes" which Microsoft offers "patches" to fix the problem (the same way you would use a patch to sew over a hole on a piece of clothing). The only problem is that most people are not aware that you occassionally have to visit Microsoft's official web site (www.microsoft.com) to get those "patches." Without updating your computer, you leave yourself vulnerable to attacks from viruses and hackers. A hacker is someone with advanced computer knowledge that attempts to "hack" into home and corporate computers to steal data and personal information. Most hackers are disgruntled social outcasts or young teens with computer know-how and too much time on their hands, unaware of the damage they are causing. Hackers spend hours (even days) trying to break into computers or networks either for pleasure or personal gain. Strict laws have been enacted to protect the general public from hackers but the best defense from them is vigilance, knowledge, and keeping your operating system free of "security holes." Windows XP allows you to configure settings to automatically allow you to get these updates from Microsoft.com so that you may feel safe on the Internet. |
| RULE 4: A firewall keeps you cool |
| Surely you've seen forest fires on television and the destruction they can cause to land. What can be an odd sight sometimes is that a firefighter will have some sort of flame-throwing device, intentionally setting on fire ground that is in front of the moving wildfire. This burns away the ground and essentially stops the movement of the out-of-control fire. This barrier that is created is called a firewall. Now before you run out to the nearest hardware store to ask for a flame thrower for your computer, read on. A software firewall couldn't be any more opposite than a real-life firewall. A software firewall is a computer program that monitors and filters all of the activity coming in from the Internet to your computer. It creates a protective "barrier" that safely allows you to surf the Web without being completely exposed. It closes off little doorways, or "ports," that are normally open when you are online. Ports are numbered 1 through 65,535 and each one has it's own specific purpose (we won't get into any deep detail). Firewalls are without-a-doubt mandatory for people who have a broadband (or high-speed) Internet connection (such as Comcast or Verizon). Dial-up services (such as AOL or NetZero) are considered narrowband and although aren't as vulnerable, still require a firewall. |
|
|
|
| The information above is a bare-bones minimum introduction to the world of home computing. Obviously, I could go on and on with all the technologies and protocols used but that would defeat the purpose of simplicity. We will be covering more topics on computing in the days ahead and hopefully will provide a glimpse into the technological world that surrounds us on a daily basis. |
|
| RULE 5: Spyware and it's hold on your computer |
| If you surf the Internet with some sort of frequency, you tend to read tech jargan every once in a while. One word that might've caught your eye and interest is spyware. Now, there are many definitions of spyware but the general definition of spyware is a small program that is installed on your computer without your knowledge or consent and attempts to steal personal information, email addresses, monitor surfing habits, and degrade overall speed of your Internet connection. Most spyware doesn't cause too much damage but there are spyware programs that can effectively cease your computer from working correctly. One good sign that you have a spyware infection is if you are constantly having pop-up's appearing on your desktop. Another good sign is if you pay for high-speed Internet and it tends to crawl at dial-up speed. Different types of spyware include adware and malware. Adware attempts to collect browsing habits in order to send advertisements in your web browser that coincide with what sites you go to. Malware is much more serious as it would be compared to a virus. A typical malware program would be a Trojan horse virus, which masks as a legitimate program on your computer but is secretly sending any data on the computer to a remote location somewhere in the world, attempting to steal personal information. Most antivirus programs detect the presence of Trojan horse viruses and alert the user to what action he/she should take. |
 |
 |
|
|
| ALL ABOUT COMPUTERS |