|
|
What's
New
New Magazine Article
I've added a new
article on PC updates, which is also in the August issue of Dane County LifeStyles Magazine.
It was written to address the question of which updates are important (very
few) and which are not (many), and some that can even cause trouble
(surprisingly, Internet Explorer 8).
← Click these navigation buttons
to learn more
Computer Hardware Sales
Large Flat Panel Monitors
I have been noticing a pattern of computer manufacturers
universally adopting widescreen flat-panel LCD monitors while dropping all
production of standard ratio displays. What's the difference? The old standard
ratio display, regardless of size, has a height to width ratio of 3x4 and the
widescreen display ratio is 9x16, which means a new 20 inch display would
still measure 20 inches from corner to corner, but would be shorter and wider.
The advantages of a widescreen display is that people can play high-definition
movies on their computers without losing anything. However, I've discovered
that widescreens present significant disadvantages for people with vision
issues, as it is difficult to find a display resolution setting on widescreens
that will make objects on the screen big enough without distortion.
So, in
response to this trend, I have been watching for good deals on relatively new,
gently used 20-inch flat panel monitors with the old 3x4 display ratio. The
displays I will be selling are high-resolution Dell or Viewsonic models that
also have built-in USB hubs. Prices for these monitors will range from $150 to
$200, depending on specific model, age, and condition. Let me know if you are
interested in getting one.
Windows
Vista, XP, and the Next Generation
Interestingly,
it is looking like Windows XP will actually outlive Vista.
Windows Vista has taken a lot of flak for a
variety of reasons, including requiring
significantly more system resources than XP,
forcing computer owners to learn a very different operating system, and a lack
of compatibility with common peripheral devices or third-party software.
The latest word I've heard is that Vista will be replaced by Windows 7 some
time in 2010. To read my FAQ article on Vista, click here:
Vista FAQ's. Currently, if you buy a new computer from any retail
store, it will be equipped with Vista. It is still possible to buy new
computers with XP, but XP machines need to be special-ordered.
Please feel free to contact me for more information or if you need help
ordering a new computer.
Malware Infections
There has been a relatively recent rash of
infections related to a particular class of Trojans that are often referred to
as malware or rogue spyware. PC owners usually get this infection by clicking
on a malicious web link in either a web pop-up or email that downloads and
installs the Trojan, which then replicates itself in various forms. Most
commonly, the web pop-ups with these links warn of possible infection and
suggest that you “click here’ to take care of the problem, but clicking where
they suggest actually installs and launches the problem. Sometimes, what you
think you should click on to close the web pop-up will actually launch the
infection. Usually, this type of Trojan is pretty benign, but annoying. It
will try to scare you into paying for something that is useless and cause some
degree of system slowness and instability as it continuously tries to pop up
warnings and hijack your web browsing.
The best way to avoid launching this type of malware infection is to
not click on any web links in suspicious web pages, pop-ups, or email, but
just close the windows or delete the emails.
If the pop-up warning you get about some
infection does not identify itself as your installed internet security
program, don’t click anywhere in the window. Instead, close the pop-up window
by holding down the “Alt” key and hitting "F4", which will close whatever
window is open in front of everything else. In addition, make sure your
internet security program is active, up to date, and the newest version
available, and that your web browser has a built-in and functioning pop-up
blocker. One good way to manage pop-ups if you are running Internet Explorer
or Firefox is to install the
Google Toolbar, which has a built-in pop-up blocker.
For websites that need a pop-up to work right (assuming you trust the
website), clicking on the pop-up blocker control button will allow pop-ups
from that website only. Bear in mind, however, that the rate and volume of the
pop-ups from some sites, or the infections once they are launched, can
actually overwhelm your pop-up blocker and internet security program, no
matter how good.
If you suspect your computer has become infected with this type of malware,
there is a good free downloadable scanning/eradication software that was
written to target this specific class of trojan called MalwareBytes. You can
find it by clicking here:
MalwareBytes Download Link
Contact Info
Phone:
(608)
235-4738
Email:
HouseCall@earthlink.net
return to top of page
|
