Office Tools: Januari 2009

Quicken 2009 Versions and Features

ebeze, Sabtu, 31 Januari 2009

Quicken 2009 Starter Edition provides very basic personal finance tools, but does not import data from Quicken Deluxe or higher Quicken versions.

Quicken 2009 Starter Edition features include:

Categorize expenses and keep a budget.

View monthly expected income and expenses and how much money is left over after expenses are paid.

Reconcile accounts.

Download account transactions.

Generate income tax reports and import tax data into TurboTax.

Quicken 2009 Starter Edition retails for $29.99. At the time this was written, Quicken 2009 Starter Edition was available through a variety of retailers, but not on Quicken.com.

Quicken 2009 Deluxe

Quicken 2009 Navigation Tabs

Screen shot by Shelley Elmblad

Quicken 2009 Deluxe has all the features of Quicken Starter Edition, plus the following features:

Tabbed navigation on the right with quick access to reminders, Quicken online community and guidance for the part of Quicken being used.

My Savings Plan for advanced budgeting.

Quicken Attachments for transactions and accounts.

401(k), IRA and 529 account tracking.

Collapsible left account navigation bar for increased work space.

Tag transactions similar to tagging web pages in social bookmarks.

Quicken Billminder Gadget for Windows Vista users shows scheduled bills and transactions right on your desktop.

Quicken 2009 Deluxe retails for $59.99, but you can compare prices for Quicken Deluxe to find a better deal.

Quicken 2009 Premier

Asset Allocation in Quicken Investments Center

Screen Shot by Shelley Elmblad

Quicken 2009 Premier includes all the features of Quicken Deluxe along with investing tools with the latest asset allocation and investing guidelines. Other investment tools in Quicken 2009 Premier features include:

Investment performance analysis.

Help with minimizing taxes on capital gains.

Reporting for IRS Schedules A, B and D.

Morningstar ratings for mutual funds and ETFs.

The investing tools in Quicken 2009 Premier bump up the retail price over Quicken Deluxe by $30 to $89.99, but compare prices for Quicken 2009 Premier before paying retail.

Quicken 2009 Home & Business

Quicken Home & Business Home Page

Screen Shot by Shelley Elmblad

Many small business owners combine both personal and business transactions in one account. Quicken 2009 Home & Business has tools to help with separating personal and business expenses for tax and profit reporting.

Business and personal income and expense categories are clearly separated.

The Profit and Loss view revealsd eposits plus expected income, expenses plus upcoming bills, deductible totals and profit/loss for the current and previous months.

Possible tax-deductible expenses flagged for review.

Year-to-Date tax deduction reporting.

Quicken 2009 Home & Business retails for $99.99, and you can compare prices for Quicken 2009 Home & Business to check for deals.

Compare the features and costs of Quicken 2009 versions so you can decide which Quicken version works for managing your personal finances. Click on the images for a closer look.

Quicken 2009 Starter Edition provides very basic personal finance tools, but does not import data from Quicken Deluxe or higher Quicken versions.

Quicken 2009 Starter Edition features include:

Categorize expenses and keep a budget.

View monthly expected income and expenses and how much money is left over after expenses are paid.

Reconcile accounts.

Download account transactions.

Generate income tax reports and import tax data into TurboTax.

Quicken 2009 Starter Edition retails for $29.99. At the time this was written, Quicken 2009 Starter Edition was available through a variety of retailers, but not on Quicken.com.

Compare prices for Quicken Starter Edition.

Quicken 2009 Deluxe

Quicken 2009 Navigation Tabs

Screen shot by Shelley Elmblad

Quicken 2009 Deluxe has all the features of Quicken Starter Edition, plus the following features:

Tabbed navigation on the right with quick access to reminders, Quicken online community and guidance for the part of Quicken being used.

My Savings Plan for advanced budgeting.

Quicken Attachments for transactions and accounts.

401(k), IRA and 529 account tracking.

Collapsible left account navigation bar for increased work space.

Tag transactions similar to tagging web pages in social bookmarks.

Quicken Billminder Gadget for Windows Vista users shows scheduled bills and transactions right on your desktop.

Quicken 2009 Deluxe retails for $59.99, but you can compare prices for Quicken Deluxe to find a better deal.

Quicken 2009 Premier

Asset Allocation in Quicken Investments Center

Screen Shot by Shelley Elmblad

Investment performance analysis.

Help with minimizing taxes on capital gains.

Reporting for IRS Schedules A, B and D.

Morningstar ratings for mutual funds and ETFs.

The investing tools in Quicken 2009 Premier bump up the retail price over Quicken Deluxe by $30 to $89.99, but compare prices for Quicken 2009 Premier before paying retail.

Quicken 2009 Home & Business

Quicken Home & Business Home Page

Screen Shot by Shelley Elmblad

Business and personal income and expense categories are clearly separated.

The Profit and Loss view revealsd eposits plus expected income, expenses plus upcoming bills, deductible totals and profit/loss for the current and previous months.

Possible tax-deductible expenses flagged for review.

Year-to-Date tax deduction reporting.

Quicken 2009 Home & Business retails for $99.99.

The Best Personal Finance Software for Your Pocket PC or Palm PDA

ebeze, Jumat, 30 Januari 2009

You will get many benefit Using personal finance software on the PDA (handheld computer) , including the ability to enter transactions as they happen. Palm and Pocket PC PDA users need personal finance software that renders readable graphs and meaningful reports on their PDA and that makes data entry simple.

PDA Operating Systems

Pocket PCs and Palms refer to two different PDA operating systems. Personal finance software for Palm PDAs will not run on Pocket PCs. Be sure to buy personal finance software for the correct operating system: Palm or Pocket PC (Win CE or Windows Mobile).

Desktop Software

It is convenient to have personal finance software on the desktop computer that synchronizes data with financial software on a PDA, byt desktop software is not necessary and not all PDA users are interested in using it. While you read the suggestions below for PDA personal finance software keep in mind:

Even if PDA personal finance software comes with or will work with desktop software such as Quicken or Microsoft Money, PDA software does not require a desktop application.
If you decide to buy stand alone PDA software, desktop personal finance software that will synchronize with the PDA software can be added later.

Desktop Synchonization Choices

For PDA users who already have personal finance software on the desktop or laptop computer:

Either Pocket PC or Palm PDA users who use Quicken on the desktop: Nothing other than Pocket Quicken will do, and there is a version for Pocket PC and Palm.
Palm PDA users who also use Microsoft Money on the desktop: Ultrasoft Money has been providing seamless data synchronization with Microsoft Money for years and is a favorite software application in the Palm user community.
Those owning a Pocket PC and using Microsoft Money on the desktop: Sbp Finance, which is very stable, fully-featured personal finance software for Pocket PCs.

For PDA users who do all personal finance tracking on a PDA with no desktop software synchronization:

The Pocket PC fans will find Sbp Finance to be the best, most fully-featured personal finance software developed for the Pocket PC.
Palm PDA users will like SplashMoney's ability to download transactions from financial institutions via wifi and SplashMoney's excellent graphics.

Drive Cleanup Wizard

ebeze, Kamis, 29 Januari 2009

What?

Permanently delete left-over Windows Temporary Files
Empty all files, in all User Profiles, with extensions .bak, .~, .tmp
Easily specify custom, multiple file-types to search and destroy
Empty Temporary Internet Files and the Recycle Bin
Ability to choose between normal Windows File Deletion or use the Wipe Files feature which first fills each file with hex #00 and then deletes them!

Why?

Helps Administrators delete junk from all User Profiles as opposed to the Windows Disk Cleanup utility that works only with the logged in user
It’s absolutely safe, and tested. Shows you a list of files it’s going to delete before it actually does.
Suppose you want to delete all files in a particular drive with extensions .pw, this wizard makes it easy
Should work on Windows 98 and above. Tested only with Windows 2000 and above.
It’s absolutely free!

Where?

Click here for the Drive Cleanup Wizard Installer. Comes with an uninstaller for easy removal.

EasyCleaner

ebeze,

EasyCleaner is a small program which searches the Windows registry for entries that are pointing nowhere. EasyCleaner also lets you delete all kinds of unnecessary files such as temps and backups. You can search for duplicate files and you can view some interesting info about your disk space usage.

Features:

Finds invalid registry entries ----> deleting them speeds up your computer!
Finds duplicate files ----> deleting them will free disk space!
Finds all unnecessary files like backups, temps etc. ----> deleting them will free disk space!
Finds all invalid shortcuts ----> deleting them will free disk space and increase usability!
Manage programs starting at Windows startup! ----> who knows, you might even catch a virus before it gets serious!
Manage Windows add/remove software listing!
Easily remove Internet Explorer's temporary Internet files, history and cookies!
Very user friendly!
Shows some interesting info about your disk space usage.
Very customizable.
Multi-language support!
Uses only little amount of resources while running!
Huge help file which gives you every little detail about EasyCleaner!
And much more...

download

File & Folder Unlocker

ebeze,

rFile
& Folder Unlocker is a powerful yet easy-to-use system utility that
gives you complete control over the locked files and folders on your
computer. You've probably seen (and become frustrated by) one or more
system messages: Access denied; Make sure the disk is not full or
write-protected and that the file is not currently in use; etc. File
& Folder Unlocker arms you with complete search & unlock
capabilities, giving you a fast, easy and free solution to these error
messages and more. Ready to run - no install required!

You've probably seen (and become frustrated by) one or more of these system messages:

Access denied.

The file is in use by another program or user.

The source or destination file may be in use.

Cannot delete file: It is being used by another person or program.

Cannot delete Folder: It is being used by another person or program.

The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

There has been a sharing violation.

Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.

Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.

File & Folder Unlocker arms you with complete search & unlock capabilities, giving you a fast, easy and free solution to all of the above error messages and more.

Comprehensive:

Searches all system and process handles

Searches all loaded system drivers

Searches all loaded processes and modules

Searches all files opened remotely

Main Uses:

Unlocking file or folder objects that are locked

Searching for files that are open or locked

Finding which process has a file or folder open

Listing all files & folders held open by a specific process

Listing all files & folders held open by all processes

Listing all files & folders held open by remote (network) users

Other Features:

Shows ALL File and Directory objects, including advanced file object types like "\Device\Tcp"

Supports partial searches (eg. ".txt")

Smart disk name detection (eg. "\Device\HarddiskVolume0\" => "C:\")

Shows both process and handle IDs

Right-click Explorer integration for easy access on-demand searching

Supports drag-and-dropping of a file or folder

Comprehensive process list even shows parameters

Resizable display for easier viewing

Ability to show just regular files to filter out advanced file objects

Export capability allows you to save customized results as text files

Download

Heartland attacked

ebeze, Minggu, 25 Januari 2009

Heartland Payment Systems, one of the biggest card payment processors in
the US, has been the victim of what could well be the biggest security
breach of its kind. Malicious software installed onto the Heartland network could have compromised as many as 100 million transactions
according to numerous emerging reports. This would dwarf the TJ Maxx breach which involved details of some 40 million credit card transactions being stolen.

Apparently the hack attack at Heartland was discovered in-house last
week and law enforcement agencies notified along with the credit card
companies whose customers could become potential victims of the fraud.
Data including names and card numbers was compromised, exactly the kind
of information needed to clone cards.

Some security experts have accused Heartland of attempting to bury the
news of the breach by releasing the news just as US Presidential
inauguration hysteria swept the world. Others have expressed doubts as
to whether what actually happened here, as regards the detail of how
the malware was installed onto what was meant to be a highly secure
system, will ever be exposed for public consumption. "It will be
interesting to see how this incident pans out. Our best guess is that
the software was either installed by a sleeper, a rogue employee
working inside the firm who passed the usual vetting procedures, or a
direct systems attack followed by the insertion of a custom application
on the processor's IT resources," said Rob Rachwald, a director at
security specialists Fortify Software. "The $64,000 question, of
course, is whether Heartland and the US Secret Service, who are working
with company staff on an investigation, will reveal the actual modus
operandi of the fraudsters. I somehow think this will not happen,"
Rachwald concludes.

Meanwhile, Bradley Anstis, Director of Technology Strategy at another
security company, Marshal8e6, told us "Even though Heartland was PCI
DSS compliant, determined criminals were still able to steal millions
of credit card details. We are seeing more and more instances of IT
staff relying on their AV and not being aware that their computers have
been compromised with spyware or other malware. Today's widely accepted
methods of signature-based malware detection are simply not going to
catch targeted spyware because the AV companies won't be familiar with
its signature. Companies should also look to emerging technology like
behaviour-based malware analysis which would have caught this malware."

One thing is for sure, this is a bad start to 2009 and could be indicative of the malware year to come.

Trojan worms way into Apple computers

ebeze,

Apple users opting not to grab a free 30 day demo version iWork 09, or
even cough up the bucks for a full retail version, have found
themselves getting more than they bargained for. It appears that
something in the region of 20,000 people have downloaded a pirated
version of iWork 09 which comes complete with something called
OSX.Trojan.iServices.A

Yep, it is that rarest of beasts for the usually secure OS: an Apple Trojan.

According to Mac security specialists Intego
the newly discovered Trojan poses a serious risk to OSX users. The
iWork 09 BitTorrent download will install OK, but will also dump the
iWorkService.pkg package onto your Mac which becomes a startup item
with read, write and execute permissions for root.

The first thing it then does it let the bad guys know you have
installed it by connecting to a remote server, and the bad guys then
get control of your Mac. "The risk of infection is serious, and users
may face extremely serious consequences if their Macs are accessible to
malicious users" Intego says. Although the actual payload is unknown at
this time, additional malware downloads to your already infected Mac
are a given.

It seems the only 'cure' would be to format the drive and reinstall
OSX. Let's hope that this helps get the message across that Macs are not immune to security problems.

MS Makes $22B, Lays Off 5,000

ebeze,

Poor Microsoft. Making $22 Billion in profit for
2008 must be such a disappointment to a company in the 2009 economy.
Hey, here’s an idea: let’s lay off 5,000 employees, stockholders will feel like they are getting their money’s worth and perceived earnings per employee will increase. Nonsense.

Microsoft is the latest American company now managing to stock
price. The higher the stock price, the better the company must be
doing, right? Well, no. That’s called bad, short-sighted management and
lack of leadership without a clear long-term vision. That’s why the
stock market is in trouble and has been for years. Executives in
publicly owned companies are rewarded for raising their company’s stock
price – that’s called increasing “Shareholder Value.”

CEO Steve Ballmer has said “Windows is the air we breathe”
– hate to tell you Steve, but we can also breathe Linux, Apple and
perhaps even a Google OS in the future. The uniqueness of Windows is
beginning to fade and it’s your job to figure out how your company will
move forward and create real, new value.

More than 80% of Microsoft’s profit comes from operating
systems like Vista, the various server versions and XP. The rest of its
income comes from all their other products and activities combined.
Microsoft blames this “loss” on weak PC sales. Pity. Maybe the
government will offer them a bailout.

Removing Unused Applications - Uninstalling Programs Not Needed

ebeze,

If you are the average Windows user, you have an application or two on your computer that you are not using. You installed it from a download or a CD that a friend gave you and now it's just sitting there "quietly in the background," doing nothing. Should you leave it alone or uninstall it? - that is the question.

Why would I care?

If an application is using memory even though it is not opened, your computer is acting differently or displaying error messages since you installed it, or your hard drive is running out of space, you probably should uninstall applications you never use.

The choice you have is to either use the specific Program's "Uninstall" feature (if it has one) or Microsoft Windows "Add or Remove Programs" function.

Which way is better?

The short answer is "it depends." My opinion: If the application has an uninstall function, you may use it. If that function has an error or cannot completely uninstall the program, you can use Microsoft's "Add or Remove Programs" function. But wait, read on.

Blast Away

If the application is particularly annoying, or you would delight in blasting this application off the face of your computer (perhaps their stock tanked and left you with a black hole in your portfolio, maybe the program crashed on you just before you were going to "Save" your work), use Microsoft's function. Let's face it: It is there; it is vulnerable. And to throw out another cliché from someone whose name I clearly can't remember: If it's not part of the solution, it's part of the problem. Enough said.

What You Can Do to Make a Windows PC Faster

ebeze,

Over time, the speed of computers with Microsoft Windows can
decrease. This appears as the system taking more time to respond to a
user’s actions like opening files, folders, surfing the Internet and
other tasks. However, there are things you can do to make your pc
faster.

The following is a list of ways you can speed up your computer.
These steps are intended to be used in order. The key is to do the
simplest and least invasive thing first until your system starts
responding better.

Golden Rule: Do No Harm

If you want to improve the speed of your computer, that’s great.
However, above all, do no harm and beyond the scope of this Windows
forum, ask for help from those you know if you get in over your head.
Remember: you have time. You can stop most processes I discuss without
causing harm. Caution and common sense go a long way when working with
computers; problems are often much easier to fix than they appear.

Steps to Improving Your Computer’s Performance

1. Assure Hardware is Sufficient

Above and beyond everything you can do with software to optimize the
function of your computer, making sure you have the proper hardware to
support Windows is critical. Here are minimums that I recommend:

For XP – A computer with a Pentium processor, at least 512MB of RAM
(operating memory), preferably 1 to 2 GB of memory and an 80GB hard
drive or larger.
For Vista – A computer with any dual-core processor, 2 to 3 GB of RAM and a 160 GB or larger hard drive.

These hardware configurations will minimize Page Filing (swapping
programs in and out of memory and onto the hard drive) and assure that
your computer has enough horsepower.Upgrading RAM is the cheapest and easiest thing you can do to improve the performance of your computer.

2. Clean Your Desktop

Is your Windows Desktop dotted with files? Have you noticed that your computer has been running slower and slower? Do you see the hard drive light often flashing while you wait for the computer to respond to an action? There are steps you can take to fix it. Read this article.

3. Scan Your Windows System for Errors

An operating system is a collection of files that perform different functions. It is possible, over time, that one or more of these system files has changed or become corrupted. If this happens, the speed of your system may decrease. By using a utility called “System File Checking”, it will inspect these files and correct any problem it finds.

4. Scan for Viruses, Spyware and Adware

Every Windows computer is vulnerable to viruses. Viruses are nasty little programs that cause both major and minor problems for users.

Spyware and Adware are programs created by companies to find out more information about customers, so they can better market products to them. Usually these programs are not created for malicious purposes. Spyware and Adware can load into computer memory and slow it down.

Periodically scanning and removal of Viruses, Spyware and Adware is a great way to improve computer performance.

5. Uninstall Unused Programs

Over time, you may have accumulated programs on your computer that you do not use. When a program is installed, it creates connections between the program and the operating system. Even if you don’t use these programs, they can slow down your system. If you have the original program’s installation disk or file, removing programs will free up space on your computer and may speed up your system's performance.

6. Adjust Visual Effects for Better Performance

Windows provides a number of interesting visual effects including animated windows and fading menus. If you do not have enough operating memory (see above number 1), these effects can slow down your computer. Adjusting or reducing visual effects can make a difference.

7. Don’t Automatically Start Programs

Programs use operating memory (RAM, also called system resources). Unless you always use these programs, you can keep them from loading at Windows startup and speed both the booting of your computer and its performance.

8. Defragment Your Hard Drive (After you have tried everything else)

The more information and programs you have on your computer, the more it is likely that Windows has placed parts of the same file in different locations on your hard drive. It may do this for hundreds of files and programs, depending on how much space is available. Defragmenting the hard drive places all information for each file in one place. The result can be a faster computer experience.

Top 9 Windows Antivirus

ebeze, Sabtu, 24 Januari 2009

Antivirus software is must-have protection. This review picks the best antivirus software based on its virus detection abilities, features, and breadth of protection. Whether you're seeking total system coverage or an ala carte solution, each of the following products provides superb virus protection for Windows-based PCs. Because every system is unique, evaluate several of these antivirus products to find the software best suited for your PC and your level of experience.

1. Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Premium
AntiVir is a consistent leader in independent antivirus tests. Avira's AntiVir PersonalEdition Premium is a low-impact, easy to use virus scanner that also includes rootkit detection and phishing protection. Five euros of each purchase is automatically donated to the Auerbach Foundation, a non-profit that supports various charity and community-related services. AntiVir PersonalEdition Premium should be used in conjunction with a firewall.

2. Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal
Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal offers excellent antivirus protection, perhaps unsurpassed in its ability to unpack and scan compressed files - something that trips up a lot of other vendors. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall.

3. BitDefender Antivirus Plus
Softwin's BitDefender Professional protects against viruses, spyware, and instant messaging threats, as well as offering firewall rules to block undesirable traffic and a privacy gateway to keep your identity and preferences private while surfing the Internet.

4. McAfee VirusScan Plus
McAfee VirusScan Plus is an ideal candidate for those seeking an antivirus/firewall combination without all the bloat of traditional Internet security suites. McAfee VirusScan Plus makes an easy job of removing adware and spyware, something not all antivirus products deliver.

5. Panda Antivirus 2007
Panda Antivirus 2007 combines antivirus, antispyware, and antiphishing with its highly touted behavior-based TruPrevent Technology. License covers use on two computers and includes free tech support via email (telephone support options are also available).

6. F-PROT Antivirus
F-PROT Antivirus for Windows offers a feature that's increasingly harder to find - it includes a command-line scanner that can be used to create a rescue CD for scanning the system in Safe Mode. This is a particularly effective way to remove stubborn resuscitators. Firewall not included.

7. G Data AntiVirusKit (AVK)
AntiVirusKit (AVK) provides a double layer of protection, bundling two of the best antivirus engines - Kaspersky and BitDefender - under a single, easy-to-use console. Like Nod32, you'll also want to bolster G Data's AVK with a firewall.

8. AVG Anti-Malware
AVG Anti-Malware combines traditional virus protection with adware and spyware scanning, in a low impact footprint ideal for resource-strained PCs or those who just want the best performance possible out of their computers. Free tech support is available via email and the standard license includes two years of protection. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall.

9. Eset Nod32
Nod32 features a small footprint, low performance hit, and fast scan speeds, providing focused virus protection ideal for gamers or those with a

BartPE Bootable CD for Windows

ebeze,

Scanning the system in safe mode is good practice, but some malware can survive even in Safe Mode. A
BartPE Bootable CD works well for these stubborn Windows infectors. To
create the BartPE Bootable CD, you'll need your licensed, original
Windows installation CD. You'll also need about 500Mb of free disk
space, which shouldn't be a problem with todays multi-gigabyte drives.
And, of course, you'll need a CD/DVD burner.

BartPE supports Windows XP Home and Professional (SP1 or higher), and Windows Server (Web, Standard, and Enterprise editions).

For full instructions and the free download, check out: http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Note that if you like and use the BartPE Bootable CD, the author
does accept donations. Look for the donation button near the bottom of
the http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ page.

How to Remove Adware and Spyware

ebeze,

Getting stubborn adware and spyware off your PC can be frustrating. However, there are steps you can take to make the process easier and more effective. If your system is heavily infested, you'll need access to a clean computer to download the necessary tools. If you don't have a second computer, ask a friend to download the tools for you and burn them to a cd. If you plan to use a USB drive to transfer the downloaded files, make sure both your computer and your friend's computer have autorun disabled.

1. Disconnect from the Internet
Close all open browser windows and applications (including email) and then disconnect your PC from the Internet. If you can access the back of the computer, the easiest thing to do is just remove the phone line or cable connecting the PC to the modem or router. If the back of the computer isn't easily accessible, you can remove the ethernet cable or phone line from router or modem.

2. Try a Traditional Uninstall
A suprising number of applications labeled as adware and spyware have fully functioning uninstallers that will cleanly remove the program. Before moving on to more complex steps, start with the easiest route and check the Add/Remove Programs list in the Windows Control Panel. If the unwanted program is listed, simply highlight it and click the Remove button. In Windows Vista, the Add/Remove Programs feature is listed in Control Panel as Programs and Features. After removing the adware or spyware via Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs, reboot the computer. Make sure you reboot after the uninstall, even if you aren't prompted to do so.

3. Scan Your Computer
After you've disconnected from the Internet, removed any adware or spyware listed in Add/Remove Programs, and rebooted the computer, the next step is to run a full system scan using an up-to-date antivirus scanner. If your scanner will allow it, can the system in Safe Mode. If you don't have antivirus installed, select from one of these top-rated antivirus scanners or from one of these free antivirus scanners. If prompted, allow the scanner to clean, quarantine, or delete as appropriate.

4. Using SmitFraudFix
Much of today's spyware is delivered via the Zlob family of Trojan downloaders. The free SmitFraudFix tool does a good job of removing many variants of Zlob-related adware and spyware. For download and usage instructions, see: SmitFraudFix Removes Zlob and Other Pests.

5. Get Clear Access to the Problem
While scanning the system in Safe Mode is good practice, it may not be enough to thwart some malware. If the adware or spyware persists despite the above efforts, you'll need to get access to the drive without allowing the adware or spyware to load. The most effective means to get clean access to the drive is to use a BartPE Bootable CD. Once you've booted to the BartPE CD, you can access the file manager, locate the installed antivirus and rescan the system. Or, locate the offending files and folders and manually delete them.

6. Undo the Residual Damage
After removing the active infestation, you'll need to make sure the adware or spyware won't simply reintegrate itself when the computer is reconnecting to the Internet.

Adware and Spyware

ebeze,

Has this ever happened to you? One day you're browsing the Internet as
normal. The next day your browser's homepage has been changed to some
off-color site and your desktop is serving up some program you don't
recall installing.

Termed adware, the Internet is filled with programs that
hijack your PC for profit, most hidden inside so-called "free"
downloads and pop-up ads that forcibly install software on systems with
improper security configurations. This doesn't mean that all free
downloads are bad or that all pop-ups try to surreptitiously install
software. It does mean, however, that you'll want to play close
attention to both the licensing agreement of free downloads and the
security settings in your browser.

What exactly is Adware?

Generally speaking, adware is a program that installs an additional
component that feeds advertising, often by delivering popup ads or by
installing a toolbar in your browser.

Some adware may hijack your browser start or search pages,
redirecting you to sites other than intended. Unless you're a fan of
guerilla marketing, such tactics can be annoying. Worse, the mechanism
that feeds the advertising can introduce system anomalies or
incompatibilites that cause problems with other programs and can even
disrupt the functioning of the operating system.

A hijacked start page or toolbar can be difficult to
reconfigure to its original settings because adware typically
integrates itself in a manner that exceeds the average user's technical
capabilities. Even more frustrating, the now present system anomalies
can prevent even seasoned users from accessing the system areas they
need to delete the offending program.

Of course, removing adware that is installed in exchange for
free use of a program may violate the End User Licensing Agreement for
that program. Once the adware has been successfully removed, the
original free program the adware was bundled with may no longer work.
It pays to read the EULA before installing any software - particularly
free software that is more likely to be bundled with advertising.

Some adware is a bit more insidious than others. In order to
provide targeted ad banners, Adware often contains another hidden
component that tracks web useage. When this occurs, the program is no
longer considered Adware but instead is termed Spyware.

What is Spyware?

Spyware surreptitiously monitors your computer and Internet use.
Some of the worst examples of spyware include keyloggers that record
keystrokes or screenshots, sending them to remote attackers who hope to
glean user IDs, passwords, credit card numbers, and other sensitive
information.

Most often, though, spyware takes a more benign (but still
quite offensive) form. The information gathered, often referred to as
"traffic data", can consist of monitoring the web sites visited, ads
clicked, and time spent on certain sites. But even in its more benign
form, the collected data can morph into something far more insidious.

Spyware tracking can link your system's unique numerical
hardware ID (MAC address) and IP address, combine it with your surfing
habits and correlate it with any personal information gathered when you
registered for free programs or entered data in web forms. The spyware
purveyor then trades this information with affiliate advertising
partners, building an increasingly complex dossier on who you are and
what you like to do on the Internet.

Read the fine print

With your privacy at stake, you may wish to think twice about the
high price of free software. We all like a good bargain, but how good
is that bargain when you end up spending the majority of your online
time battling popups, filtering spam, and witnessing your connection
speed slow to a crawl?

Of course, there are shining examples of free software that
really are free with no strings attached. Admittedly tedious, the best
way to sort good from bad is to simply read the EULA or privacy
statement that accompanies the intended product or site.

How To How to Disable Autorun in Vista

ebeze,

A bug in Microsoft Vista executes programs in the Autorun.inf file
when the Autorun feature has been disabled via the NoDriveTypeAutoRun
registry value. If you've set the value NoDriveTypeAutoRun in the
Windows Vista registry, delete the value and follow the steps below to
really disable autorun in Vista.

Note: the steps below involved editing the System Registry. For tip
and how-to guides on using the system registry, view the Windows System
Registry Tutorial.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 5 minutes

Here's How:

The easiest and most effective means to truly disable autorun can be done via this simple autorun registry hack:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\IniFileMapping\Autorun.inf]

@="@SYS:DoesNotExist"
The above method nulls any
request for autorun.inf and works on XP Home or Pro, as well as Windows
Vista.
If you opt to disable autorun using any other method, you will first
need to install an autorun patch from Microsoft that allegedly resolves
issues that cause autorun to run even after it's been disabled (using
methods other than the above recommended method).
The following steps apply to Windows Vista users only.
Open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and browse to the following key:
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom
In the right pane, right-click Autorun and select Modify.
Enter 0 for the Value data. Click OK, then exit the Registry Editor
Click Start, type autoplay and press enter. If prompted by User Access Control (UAC), click Continue.
Remove the check from 'Use AutoPlay for all media and devices'
You may also wish to change each individual item to 'Take no action'
Click Save and the Autoplay window will close.
The
following steps involve using the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
This feature is not available in Windows Vista Home or Windows Vista
Home Premium editions.
Click Start, type gpedit.msc and press
enter. If prompted by User Access Control (UAC), click Continue. The
Group Policy Object Editor will open.
In the left pane under Computer Configuration, double click Administrative Templates, then double click Windows Components.
In the right pane, double click AutoPlay Policies and select (double click) 'Default Behavior for AutoRun'.
In
the Default Behavior for Autorun Properties dialog, select Enabled. In
the Default Autorun Behavior field, select Do not execute any autorun
commands
Click Apply, then click OK and close the Group Policy Object Editor.

AVAST 4 Home Edition

ebeze,

The Bottom Line

AVAST 4 Home Edition
provides free antivirus protection for Windows XP/2000/NT/ME/98. The
scanner installed just under 40MB and 6 running processes to our
Windows XP Pentium 4 test system, taking a slightly bigger toll than
other free antivirus scanners, but still well suited for older PCs or
those with limited system resources.

Pros

Small footprint ideal for even older PCs
Scan on bootup helps thwart resuscitators
Removes some adware and spyware

Cons

WinAmp-style interface may not appeal to all users

Description

AVAST 4 Home Edition is a free antivirus scanner.
Support options are limited, but this is increasingly the case with even paid-for scanners.
Sports standard antivirus features, plus adware and spyware removal.

Guide Review - AVAST 4 Home Edition

AVAST
4 Home Edition installs an interface that could be described as either
clever or cumbersome, depending on your point of view. Borrowing on the
WinAmp-style skins, the look can be changed by downloading a new skin
from the vendor's website. Regardless of the skin, however, it's less
than intuitive for those who prefer a standard Windows interface with
easy-to-browse menus.
AVAST 4 Home Edition is the only one of the free scanners to offer
scans on bootup. This can greatly increase the chance of removing
stubborn infectors, particularly those that use resuscitators to thwart
removal attempts. (Each of the free scanners can be run in Safe Mode,
however).

AVAST 4 Home Edition provided limited adware and spyware removal,
nabbing 33% of the active components we tracked on our test system.
Though 33% is certainly a poor removal rate, it is the only one of the
free antivirus scanners to offer adware and spyware removal - and is
one of the few to do so even among paid-for antivirus scanners.
Further, the deficiency appeared to be due to a lack of signatures,
rather than any particular struggle to remove infectors. (Indeed, the
scan on bootup option virtually ensures AVAST an easier time of
removing adware and spyware, provided the appropriate signature is in
place).

Alwil Software, makers of AVAST, offers support for the free version via email, online help forums and knowledgebases.

AVG Free Edition

ebeze,

The Bottom Line

AVG Free Edition provides
free antivirus protection for Windows XP/2000/NT/ME/98. Installing only
30Mb of files and 4 running processes, AVG Free Edition is the smallest
antivirus scanner we've tested and may well be the best choice for an
older PC with severely limited system resources.

Pros

Small footprint ideal for even older PCs
Easy-to-use, attractive interface

Cons

Limited support for compressed/archive types
Higher than average rate of false positives

Description

AVG Free Edition offers core competency in virus detection.
Support options are limited, but this is increasingly the case with even paid-for scanners.
Attractive interface is easy-to-use; updates quickly and efficiently.

Guide Review - AVG Free Edition

Like
any scanner we feature in our reviews, AVG has been certified to remove
100% of in-the-wild viruses - but results with zoo viruses are a low
81% and those same tests resulted in 11 false positives (detection of
viruses in non-infected, legitimate files). Despite these drawbacks,
AVG Free Edition has a long list of admirers who will be quick to point
out that tests reflect a snapshot in time and may not always be
indicative of future or past performance.

AVG Free Edition does not provide adware/spyware removal (though
it is available in the paid version of the product). As with other free
antivirus scanners, support options are limited to online help forums
and knowledgebases.

AVG Free Edition can be used in Safe Mode, a definite plus for
removing stubborn infectors or cleaning a system that might otherwise
be unable to boot into Windows.

AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic

ebeze,

The Bottom Line

AntiVir PersonalEdition
Classic provides free antivirus protection for Windows
XP/2000/NT/ME/98. The svelte scanner installed only 34MB and 3 running
processes to our Windows XP Pentium 4 test system, making it an
excellent option for those with older PCs or limited system resources.

Pros

Small footprint ideal for even older PCs
Comprehensive reporting options
Scans can be run in Safe Mode

Cons

Sluggish connections to update server

Description

AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic is a free antivirus scanner.
Support options are limited, but this is increasingly the case with even paid-for scanners.
Sports expected features, including automatic updates, scheduled scanning, and various scan tasks.

Guide Review - AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic

Sporting
a traditional interface that's easy to navigate, AntiVir
PersonalEdition Classic provides pre-configured scan tasks for scanning
local drives, local hard disks, removal drives, the Windows System and
My Documents folders, as well as manual scanning options for scanning
items listed under My Computer. Right-click scans can be performed on
individual files and folders in Explorer or on the desktop.
Additionally, files can be dragged and dropped into the AntiVir console
for quick scanning.

AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic does not provide adware/spyware
removal (this feature is available in paid versions of the product). As
with other free antivirus scanners, support options are limited to
online help forums and knowledgebases.

AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic can be used in Safe Mode, a
definite plus for removing stubborn infectors or cleaning a system that
might otherwise be unable to boot into Windows.

The comprehensive reporting options are ideal for advanced
users who want to drill down into the scan results. However, more
novice users might be overwhelmed. In the latter case, ignoring the
report and relying on the results reflected in the interface might be
best.

Review: Free Antivirus Software

ebeze,

Free antivirus software may be the only option for those on a limited budget. The question, of course, is how well free antivirus software protects your PC, how easy is it to use, and if something goes wrong will you be left out in the cold? The answers may surprise you. This review looks at three free antivirus solutions: AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic, AVAST 4 Home Edition, and AVG Free Edition.

Each of the products tested has been certified (VB100%, ICSALabs, or Checkmark) to be effective at detecting 100% of in-the-wild viruses. But the list of in-the-wild (ItW) viruses is miniscule in comparison to the number of actual known viruses. The ItW list also omits certain types of threats, including adware and spyware, thus it may not be representative of the actual threats confronting users today.

For this reason, we turned to AV-Test.org, a project of the University of Magdeburg and AV-Test GmbH, Andreas Marx. Each year, Andreas subjects antivirus scanners to a wide range of tests, extending the basic wildlist testing to include a collection of 159322 zoo virus tests, as well as the ability to detect viruses in 37 compressed and archive formats, and any false positives (detection of viruses in non-infected, legitimate files) resulting from these tests. We also performed our own in-house tests to determine whether any of the free products were capable of providing a high level of protection against adware and spyware.

The Scorecard
To ensure objectivity, we rated each of the free antivirus scanners based on system impact (install size and number of active running processes), detection of zoo viruses, detection of spyware/adware, compressed/archive types handled, number of false positives, product support options, and response times (how quickly the vendor releases updates after a new virus is discovered in-the-wild).

Scan speeds were not included in scoring, as these can vary widely depending on system configuration and whether any infections are present and, in any event, have no bearing on detection or capability of the product. Likewise, though we comment on ease-of-use and costmetics of the interface, these are subjective opinions that will vary from user to user and thus were not used to score the products.

Before You Buy Antivirus Software

ebeze,

The Internet makes it possible for a new virus to spread
around the globe in only minutes. Antivirus software is one of the
single most important pieces of software on your system. While many new
systems come with antivirus software pre-installed, it may not be the
best choice for your needs and it most certainly is out of date by the
time it’s delivered to your home.

Certifiable Protection

Antivirus
software must be able to detect 100% of all in-the-wild threats to
provide proper protection. Various agencies exist to determine which
products meet these criteria. AV-Test.org performs the most extensive
testing, using both in-the-wild (ItW) and Zoo viruses with displayed
results for various categories of threats. Their results form the
decision basis for our Top Picks.

True Cost of Ownership

After choosing a
few certified products to test, determine what the actual cost of
ownership is. Unlike other forms of software, antivirus software must
be continually updated to remain effective. Additionally, new versions
should be purchased annually to maintain the highest level of
protection. Vendor prices for upgrades and annual licenses vary widely.

Features, Bells, and Whistles

If
you use email, IM, or file-sharing applications, you will want to
choose virus software that offers extra protection for those avenues.
If you have an older system, you may want to forgo some of the extra
bells and whistles and choose a basic antivirus software package that
consumes fewer system resources.

Antivirus Software Top Picks

Using
the above criteria and testing performed by AV-Test.org, over thirty
virus software programs were analyzed and seven were chosen as this
year’s Top Picks for antivirus software for Windows. Excellent options
for Macintosh users are also available.

AVG Anti-Virus and Walling Data Streamline Network Security for National Medical Supply Company

ebeze, Rabu, 21 Januari 2009

Hickory, NC (PRWEB) January 15, 2009 -- Kendall Cox has been the IT Director for ClassOne Orthodontics for the past six years. When Cox started on the job, he was fresh out of college and had little experience in a professional setting. Right off the bat, it was obvious that ClassOne needed a more secure network.

During his first weeks as IT Director, Cox found himself wasting time cleaning up infected computers and managing "a hodgepodge" of different anti-virus products across the network of 40 computers and three servers.

"I realized pretty soon after I got on the scene that I was a one man show and the first step I needed to take to simplify things was to get a potent anti-virus solution for the entire network," Cox said.

Simplifying the Day to Day

Cox encouraged the decision makers at the company to invest in anti-virus software, and pitched them AVG Network Edition.

"During my college career and experience on previous contract jobs, I always used AVG and was extremely satisfied with the results. It was so effective, I encouraged my friends and family to use AVG Free," Cox recalled. "For me, Norton and McAfee have never quite done the job. So, from the success I have had using AVG in my personal life, I decided to make AVG our company's anti-virus product of choice," Cox recalled.

After choosing AVG, Cox researched the software for competitive pricing. While on the AVG web site, he found several resellers of the product, but said, "Walling Data's competitive pricing and amazing customer support won me over."

"It was just so easy, all I had to do was call," Cox said. "Even though I did not have much training yet, they walked me through it step-by-step and it was very user-friendly."

Walling Data is the longest-standing and highest-volume distributor of AVG Technologies solutions in North America. The company is also the only distributor to offer all its customers - resellers and end-users - free, unlimited, U.S.-based pre- and post-sales support.

Step by Step Customer Support

After Cox installed the software, he had more free time to deal with his other technical issues. In fact, ClassOne spent their first three years with AVG Anti-Virus without a single virus penetrating the software. When one virus did become a threat, Cox immediately called Walling Data and without delay support walked him through removing the virus.

"When I called Walling Data, I was panicked. But their technical support helped me through everything and had my system clean and running efficiently in no time flat," Cox said. "Now we have been another three years without a virus! But if we ever have another threat, I'm not worried about it - Walling Data is there."

Sink or Swim

Cox has continued to purchase from Walling Data as the newer versions have been published.

"When you are one guy running an entire network, you either sink or swim," Cox held. "People are always calling and complaining about their minute technical problems and I have to trouble-shoot. To know that I won't have a virus on my system is a big relief. It means I know what is coming during my day, and that is not a virus."

For more information about how to purchase AVG Anti-Virus, resellers and end users should visit http://www.avgantivirus.com or call 866-833-5727.

About Walling Data

Founded in 1994, N.C.-based Walling Data is a value-added technology distributor of technology products for resellers, small businesses, and education and government institutions. Walling Data was the nation's first distributor of AVG security products and today is the highest-volume distributor for the product in North America, with more than 50,000 satisfied customers. Walling is also the only value-added distributor for Cymphonix Network Composer, an award-winning device that helps companies control and monitor users compliance with internet usage policies. Additionally, the company has recently become a distributor of CyberPatrol's parental control and business-grade web filtering solutions. Walling Data provides free, unlimited, U.S.-based phone and "we-do-it-for-you" remote support for all of its customers. For more information, visit www.wallingdata.com and www.avgantivirus.com

About ClassOne Orthodontics

Since its inception in 1989, the mission of ClassOne® Orthodontics has been to provide its customers with premium-quality, innovative orthodontic products and superior customer service. Dr. James M. Reynolds, founder of ClassOne Orthodontics, is a worldwide leader and noted lecturer on orthodontic techniques and practices. A former president of the American Association of Orthodontics, Dr. Reynolds was a developing pioneer of ceramic brackets. Through research, testing and development, Dr. Reynolds has positioned ClassOne as a recognized leader in the innovation and manufacturing of premium-quality orthodontic supplies.

About AVG

AVG is a global security solutions leader protecting more than 85 million consumers and small business computer users in 167 countries from the ever-growing incidence of web threats, viruses, spam, cyber-scams and hackers on the Internet. Headquartered in Amsterdam, AVG has nearly two decades of experience in combating cyber crime and one of the most advanced laboratories for detecting, pre-empting and combating Web-borne threats from around the world. Its free online, downloadable software model allows entry-level users to gain basic anti-virus protection and then to easily and inexpensively upgrade to greater levels of safety and defense in both single and multi-user environments.

Media Contacts:

Ashlie Lanning 919-557-7890 alanning at wallingdatasystems dot com

"I would describe my job as hectic, especially when I first started because there was no security protection," Cox said. "Removing different threats from computers every single day was not a recipe for productivity."

Download Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1: BETA

ebeze, Sabtu, 17 Januari 2009

The Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1: BETA provides documentation, samples, header files, libraries, and tools designed to help you develop Windows applications using both native (Win32®) and managed (.NET Framework) technologies.

The Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1: BETA provides the documentation, samples, header files, libraries, and tools (including C++ compilers) that you need to develop applications to run on Windows 7 BETA and the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. To build and run .NET Framework applications, you must have the corresponding version of the .NET Framework installed. This SDK is compatible with Visual Studio® 2008, including Visual Studio Express Editions, which are available free of charge. Please see the Release Notes for the full list of supported platforms, compilers, and Visual Studio versions and any late breaking issues, including installing the SDK to a custom location. For detailed information about the content in this SDK, including a description of new content, please see the Getting Started section in the documentation.

Download

Windows 7 Milestone 1 (M1) Build 6.1.6519.1 Download

ebeze, Jumat, 16 Januari 2009

Windows 7, which formerly known with codename of Blackcomb and Vienna, is the working name for the next major version of Microsoft Windows which is also the successor to Windows Vista. Windows 7 Milestone 1 (or Windows 7 M 1) code drop build version number 6.1.6519.1 (6519.1.071220-1525) has been released since January 2008 in both x86 and x64 versions, is now leaked for free BT (BitTorrent) torrent download. However, it’s not the Windows 7 M1 Build 6574.1 which has confirmed to be released by Microsoft.

Users and operating system tech enthusiasts who eager and can’t wait to tryout Windows 7 can now download and install the very first release on Windows 7 M1. But do remember that Windows 7 is still very early in beta phase, with expected release date of 2009 or 2010, more than 2 years from now. So this download is not for the fainted heart, and do expect lots of hiccups, bugs, and errors during installation and daily use. If you just intended to see how is Windows 7 looks like, here’s screen shots and video demo of Windows 7 M1, and also video demo of multi-touch and gesture recognition in Windows 7.

Windows Server 2008 Official Direct Download Links

ebeze,

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 is the next generation of Windows Server series of operating system. Windows Server 2008 builds on the success and strengths of its predecessor Windows Server 2003, and also the new technology implemented in Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows Server 2003 R2, while delivering valuable new functionality and powerful improvements to the base operating system to provide solid foundation for information technology (IT) infrastructure.

Windows Server 2008 features Server Manager that provides a unified management console for simplified and streamlined server setup, configuration, and ongoing management; Windows PowerShell command-line shell for automating routine system administration tasks across multiple servers; Windows Deployment Services enables rapid deployment of the operating system via network-based installations; Windows Server 2008 Failover Clustering wizards; full Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) support; consolidated management of Network Load Balancing; Server Core installation option for installation of server roles with only the necessary components and subsystems without a graphical user interface; built-in hypervisor-based server virtualization of Windows Server Hyper-V; built-in Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0; plus various security enhancements and high performance computing (HPC) environment.

Microsoft provides free download to various editions of Windows Server 2008 trial software for users and developers to evaluate and try the Windows Server 2008 free for initial 60 days (extendable to 240 days), without the need for product activation or entering a product key). Although it’s mentioned as trial software, the installed copy of Windows Server 2008 can be activated with a valid and genuine product key and used as full version product with no expiry date or grace period for activation.

For convenient, here’s the direct download links from official Microsoft Download Center server for all editions of Windows Server 2008. Do note that the download will be big - normally between 1 to 5 GB.

Download

Use Caution if Freeware Seems Too Good To Be Free

ebeze, Kamis, 15 Januari 2009

Free software is great. But consumers should be smart about using it and take precautions.
* Protect yourself: Don't download software from Web sites you don't know. Protect your computer with up-to-date virus and spyware programs. If you're in doubt about a particular product, research it and see what others have to say.

Visit blogs or chatrooms for people who use the same product.

* Watch out at work: Some free programs, such as those offered by Google, require users to store files created in these programs on the company's Web site. This can be a good thing because storing files anywhere other than your own hard drive acts as a great backup .

But Boston software engineer Nat Budin, 25, cautions that you should be careful about what you store on someone else's server , particularly if the material involves proprietary information.

* Watch that URL: If you're in doubt about whether a Web site is legitimate, train your eye to immediately go to the address line in your browser.

Gary Olinger, a Denver-based computer consultant, advises that just because a Web address might have "apple" in it doesn't mean it's the official web site for Apple. So-called "spoofers" will set up sites to mimic official sites and this is one way they do it.

* Stay current: Sign up to receive regular e-mails notifying you of updates for your free software applications.

* Don't bootleg: Sharing your friend's expensive software programs is against the law and, if you're caught, won't save you any money.

* Beware of the fakes: Some free software programs are so good that sneaky people will make copies of these programs and then offer them for $29 or $49 on competing Web sites. If you think a product should be free but you land at a site that's asking you for money, do a careful search to see if this product is available somewhere else free.

Download free programs only from reputable sites. Among the best are download.com, downloadsquad.com, macupdate.com, versiontracker.com

* Don't forget free tryouts: If you think your only option is to purchase a high-priced piece of software, don't forget that most programs these days allow free tryout versions that can be downloaded and are fully functional for up to 30 days. This is great if you need to test drive a program -- or if you're on vacation with your laptop and you forgot to load a program onto it.

AVG Anti-Virus and Walling Data Streamline Network Security for National Medical Supply Company

ebeze,

Simplifying the Day to Day

Cox encouraged the decision makers at the company to invest in anti-virus software, and pitched them AVG Network Edition.

"It was just so easy, all I had to do was call," Cox said. "Even though I did not have much training yet, they walked me through it step-by-step and it was very user-friendly."

Step by Step Customer Support

Sink or Swim

Cox has continued to purchase from Walling Data as the newer versions have been published.

For more information about how to purchase AVG Anti-Virus, resellers and end users should visit http://www.avgantivirus.com or call 866-833-5727.

About Walling Data

About ClassOne Orthodontics

About AVG

Media Contacts:
Ashlie Lanning 919-557-7890 alanning at wallingdatasystems dot com

Freeware Pick: SpaceSuit

ebeze,

Download

Spaces is one of the hundreds of new features Apple has introduced with the original version of Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard). Spaces lets users configure their work spaces by visiting the Exposé & Spaces pane in System Preferences.

According to Apple, in the System Prefs pane dedicated to the two functions of Leopard, you can “Add rows and columns until you have all the real estate you need. Arrange your spaces as you see fit, then choose the function keys you want to control them.

You can assign an application to always open in a specific space, if that’s more convenient — so you’ll always know where, say, Safari or Keynote is.” Apple, however, forgot to add something very important and useful – the ability to add a different background for every space, so users could better determine their whereabouts, so to speak.

Computer savvy users probably have no problem in switching through Spaces on the same background image, but for the average user it's important to know exactly where they are. This is where SpaceSuit comes in and saves the day.

This Dockland Software-developed application lets you customize each Space with its own wallpaper and identify it quickly every time you switch from one Space to another.

Setting or changing a background image couldn't be easier. Drag your image to SpaceSuit's Dock icon, and SpaceSuit will immediately apply it to the current Space! To change the display setting or to remove the image, right-click on SpaceSuit's icon and the options will be available right there.

Users needn't worry about using complex commands, or having to go through configuration steps. As a bonus, SpaceSuit uses Core Animation, Leopard's animation technology. Each time you change an image, resize it, or modify your display settings, SpaceSuit adjusts your desktop with a visually-pleasant animation.

Softpedia believes SpaceSuit is a must-have for every Mac owner that uses Spaces. Give it a try and come back with your impressions.

Windows XP Secrets

ebeze, Selasa, 13 Januari 2009

Secret - Hidden Command Line Switch
Instructions - Go to "Start", "Run" and Type defrag c: -b to defragment the Boot and Application Prefetch information.

Secret - Hidden Install Creator
Instructions - Go to Start, Run, type iexpress

Secret - Hidden Internet Conference Application
Instructions - Go to Start, Run, type conf

Secret - Create a Log File
Instructions - Launch Notepad, Type .LOG on the first line, and then press Enter to move to the next line. On the File menu, click Save As, type a descriptive name for your file in the File name box, and then click OK. When you next open the file, note that the date and time have been appended to the end of the log, immediately preceding the place where new text can be added. You can use this functionality to automatically add the current date and time to each log entry.

Secret - Image Trails
Instructions - Open an image and hold down Shift then drag the image around to create an image trail.

Secret - 10x Zoom
Instructions - Open an image and select the magnifying glass icon. Left-Click exactly on the line below the 8x.

Secret - Hidden Font Editor
Instructions - Go to Start, Run, type eudcedit

Secret - Hidden Windows Media Player
Instructions - Go to Start, Run, type mplayer2

Add/Remove

Secret - Hidden Uninstall Options

Instructions - Warning: Proceed at your own risk! Browse to C:\Windows\inf\ and make a backup copy of sysoc.inf. Then open the original file C:\Windows\inf\sysoc.inf in notepad. Go to "Edit" and select "Replace". In "Find what:" type ,hide and in "Replace with:" type , then select "Replace All", save and close the file. Go to the "Control Panel", "Add/Remove", select "Add/Remove Windows Components". You will now see many more Windows components to uninstall. Do not remove anything with no label or that you do not recognize or fully understand what it does. Doing so can break certain functionality in Windows.

Control Panel

Secret - Hidden Control Panel Extensions

Instructions - Download and install TweakUI, launch, go to "Control Panel" and check any item not selected, then "Apply" and "OK". You will now see the hidden control panel extensions.

Device Manager

Secret - Hidden Devices
Instructions - Go to the "Control Panel", "System" icon, "Hardware" tab and select "Device Manager". Select "View" and Show hidden devices.

Secret - Phantom Devices
Instructions - Go to "Start", "Programs", "Accessories" and select "Command Prompt". At the command prompt, type "set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1" and press Enter. At the command prompt, type "start devmgmt.msc" and press Enter. Select "View" and Show hidden devices. You can see devices that are not connected to the computer.

When you close the command prompt window, Windows clears the "devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1" variable that you set and prevents phantom devices from being displayed when you select "Show hidden devices".

Music

Secret - Music from the Installer
Instructions - Browse to C:\Windows\system32\oobe\images\title.wma and play.

Shutdown

Secret - Display Hibernate Option on the Shut Down dialog
Instructions - Go to "Start", "Turn Off Computer..." and press either Shift key to change the "Stand By" button to "Hibernate".

Support Tools

Secret - Over 100 Windows XP Support Utilities are on the install CD
Instruction - Run the D:\Support\Tools\setup.exe file.

Ubuntu ,The friendliest face of Linux

ebeze, Senin, 12 Januari 2009

Ubuntu versions of Linux have turned the tables for what was often deemed a 'geek-only' operating system. Designed for the average home user, they often compete with, and sometimes beat Microsoft's offerings for pure usability, especially in stripped-down incarnations.

If you haven't heard of Ubuntu, it's most likely because Linux developers don't have the deep pockets required to advertise widely, unlike the megabucks software corporations. It's been over three years since Ubuntu's first incarnation, and much work has been done to iron out bugs and make the package more complete. As it's a community-built project, it benefits from being constantly updated and modified, and a new version is released every six months.
The current desktop edition comes with OpenOffice built-in (see above), and there are
thousands of (variable quality) free applications to download, covering every area, as well as revisions of Ubuntu itself, tailored for different needs. An additional bonus is that most viruses are designed to attack Windows rather than Linux, so by using it you decrease the risk of being infected. Even so, there's plenty of free anti-virus
software available.

Comodo Security Freeware Wins Techsupportalert.com's Award

ebeze,

Comodo Security Solutions announces that Comodo Internet Security has won the 2009 Techsupportalert.com "Editor's Choice" award for Free Vista 64-bit Software.

Comodo Internet Security protects computers online. Its first line of defense is a firewall with Host Intrusion Prevention System, combined with a constantly-updated antivirus database. Comodo offers this protection to all Internet users free of charge.

Techsupportalert is a community-based website which calls itself the Wikipedia for freeware. Visitors there can find and download free software. Volunteers at the site help the visitors select the software that best meets their needs.

Mac OS grabs record market share as Windows drops and Linux stagnates

ebeze, Sabtu, 10 Januari 2009

According to the latest figures just published by Net Applications, a specialist Internet measurement company, Apple has seen Mac OS X grab a record gain taking it dangerously close to a 10 percent market share for the first time since the company started tracking OS usage.

In stark contrast, however, Microsoft saw a drop in the market share reported for the second month running, close to a full percentage point in fact. Indeed, the Net Applications numbers have it at an all time low now. Linux, meanwhile, continues to go nowhere fast. It seems to have somewhat stagnated in a distant third place with less than a percentage point to keep it company.

The figures would suggest that of those people browsing the web in December, and importantly visiting those sites which are monitored by Net Applications, some 88.7 percent did so using a Windows powered machine. Still a pretty impressive domination of the market, of course, but industry watchers are quick to point out that it is down by 0.94 percent on November and represents the biggest slide in four years. For the year in full, Microsoft dropped a total of 3.1 percentage points.

Apple, on the other hand, pushes ever upwards. In November it showed a record rise, and in December it did likewise with 0.76 percent growth to take it to an impressive 9.6 percent market share. Over the course of the year, the Mac OS X market share was up 2.3 percentage points which represents an annual growth rate of some 31.7 percent.

Interestingly, while Linux manages to remain pretty static in terms of market share, the iPhone is positively charging up the charts and now has a market share in excess of half that of Linux. Which is good news for Apple, because if you combine the OS X and iPhone numbers it now has more than 10 percent of the market.

Could 15,000 Microsoft jobs be lost?

ebeze,

According to numerous reports that is exactly what is being suggested. If the axe does fall, then it will be the first time that the company has had to make any really major cuts in the workforce during it's 32 year history.

Of course, there has been no official confirmation or indeed denial from Microsoft, but some analysts expect it to make some sort of comment at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week to try and put a stop to the ongoing rumour and speculation.

Personally, I doubt that we will hear anything but technology news from Microsoft at CES. Not least more about Windows 7 and possibly some upbeat news concerning the troubled Zune. There might even be an official announcement about the new Jasper-enabled Xbox 360 that has already started quietly appearing in shops.

I expect that any news of layoffs will have to wait until the end of the month after the company releases the second quarter results on January 22nd. Again, others insist that the announcement will come the week before those results are made public.

Whatever, the rumours persist, with some technology websites claiming insider knowledge and stating that Microsoft staff have been informed to expect major layoffs on a worldwide basis. MSN is said to be the most likely to be hit hardest, along with staff employed in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa.)

Most likely I reckon there will be some job losses, but certainly nothing like the 15,000 being reported. If that is the case, of course, then Microsoft is in some serious trouble.

Windows 7 Beta arrives

ebeze,

Barmy Steve Ballmer, sometime monkey dancer and full time Microsoft top dog now that Bill Gates has gone, has surprised us all by informing the world that January 13th will not be Windows 7 day as predicted. The good news is that Windows 7 day will be on the 9th January instead.

Yes, Ballmer has confirmed that an almost feature complete Beta version of Windows 7 will be made available for public download for the first time tomorrow. Talking during his keynote address at the opening of CES in Las Vegas, Ballmer revealed that software developers can get their hands on the Windows 7 Beta immediately, while the general public would only have to wait an additional couple of days.

You had better hurry if you want a copy though, as Microsoft will almost certainly restrict the total number of downloads available in this fashion.

Which is not great news, considering that tens of thousands of people have been downloading Build 7000, a pirated version of Windows 7 that many security experts have warned could be a ticking time bomb, during the last week or so. If the official Beta gets closed down too quickly, people will surely turn back to the dodgy Torrent version instead.

Ballmer, however, promises that Windows 7 will help to re-define how we think about Windows. Although to be fair, I seem to recall Microsoft saying pretty much the same about Vista and I am not sure that one worked out too well.

If you want to give it a try yourself then you will need to be equipped with a PC containing a 1 GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, 128MB of DX9 supporting graphics and at least 16GB drive space.

Wii Fit helps legless, Tetris helps traumatised

ebeze,

Games are dangerous, corrupting, evil things. After all we have been told that playing GTA IV is more harmful to kids than watching porn and drinking beer, and how the Nintendo Wii can cause serious injury to players and observers alike.

Now, it appears, the truth is emerging. A brilliantly uplifting report explains how one-legged patients at Seacroft Hospital in England have been using the Wii for rehabilitation.

Physiotherapists at the hospital have been using Wii Fit and the balance board to help teach new amputees how to use their prosthetic legs. Apparently the balance board gets past the problem that many have with being able to put weight through the false leg by enabling them to see exactly where the weight is going. Wii Skiing has also been used to improve balance and control for these patients.

Meanwhile, that classic game of Tetris has found a place in the first aid box as well. Scientists are claiming that a game of Tetris can help overcome the symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, such as worrying flashbacks for example.

Researchers from Oxford University have described the game as being a cognitive vaccine that prevents painful flashback memories by providing a visiospatial cognitive stimulation for the patient if used in the immediate aftermath of the traumatic event. It would seem that there is a six hour window in which to act, which does rather restrict the possibility of providing the treatment unless the paramedics on scene or doctors in casualty keep a charged up DS in the first aid kit next to the defibrillator.

Adware: How to Beat the Sneakiest Software

ebeze,

Promoters of adware, software that shows advertising on a user's computer, use some cunning tricks to get you to install their software on your machine.

Adware is, by definition, something reasonable people don't want on their computers. That's why malware can't just come out and ask people to install it. Often, the computer owner is completely unaware of it being installed. But not always.

When adware doesn't want to sneak in through an open window, it will try to trick you into letting it in through the front door. Don't think you could be tricked? Don't be so sure until you've checked out these most common ways people have been tricked into allowing malware to be installed on their machines.

Adware Installation Trick 1: Piggybacking

How it works: malware may come bundled with a legitimate piece of software the user actually wants, such as a game or emoticon. The malware is merely labeled "companion software," without any indication of what it will do.
How to fight it: be very suspicious of any software that comes bundled with other software. Don't installed software that comes bundled with other software unless you know everything that the bundled software does. After all, if the bundled program has anything to do with the program you actually want, why couldn't the software developer just get both programs' functionalities into a single piece of software? Software developers are now very sensitive to malware concerns and will provide a lengthy explanation of just why the bundled software is necessary, in the cases when they actually do need to use bundled software.

Adware Installation Trick 2: Bait and Switch

How it works: since people are getting more and more suspicious of bundled software, the malware's developers may simply label it as valuable software, for instance, a browser plugin that supposedly accelerates web browsing (but in reality only shows ads).
How to fight it: again, a suspicious mind is useful in avoiding malware. Ask yourself some questions: What will this software actually do? Malware often comes with very fuzzy claims attached. Sure, it says it will improve your browsing experience, but how? Often, this improved browsing experience just means a browsing experience with more advertising. If the software is so great, why is it being given away free? Most commonly, software is only given out free in two cases: if it's OpenSource (designed by a community of developers and not proprietary--OpenSource software is always clearly labeled as such); or simply a come-on for a fuller-featured version of the software. If neither case is true, there's a real chance the software is financed by adware.

Adware Installation Trick 3: Outright Lying

How it works: malware may even be labeled as something else entirely, such as a well-known piece of software or a crucial component of the computer operating system.
How to fight it: this is the trickiest malware of all, and requires extreme caution. You don't want to start deleting any of your program files, much less your system registry entries, unless you're absolutely sure it's malware. Plenty of overzealous parasite hunters have shot their own machines to bits this way. This is one case where you want to be using an anti-spyware program, and preferably a second anti-spyware program to provide a second opinion.

Getting Rid of Adware
Adware is so tricky that trying to uninstall it by yourself could be like a trip into the Matrix. Luckily, there are good anti-spyware programs that tackle adware as well--after all many adware programs are also spyware since they monitor your internet usage. True, it may feel like adding insult to injury to have to install more software to get rid of software you never meant to install in the first place. But

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