SMALL BUSINESS SOFTWARE NEWSIt seems like we just finished the March newsletter, and now it's almost time for Mother's Day. How does time seem to fly by so quickly?DeskTop Sam has a VERY exciting announcement coming up in just a few weeks - the release of a brand new software program! It's all very hush-hush right now, but Sam thinks you're really going to like it. It is incredibly easy to use and it's FAST! Be sure to watch your snail mail, your e-mail, or your in-basket. You definitely won't want to miss out on this one!
The second article in our "DeskTop Productivity" series has some vital information for every small business. Our President, Joel Suhm, explains it all very well. We hope you'll heed his advice so your business productivity will never be sluggish or stopped. :
Keeping your computer productive and trouble-free these days requires a bit of foresight and preparation. In this issue I've included some suggestions for software that will help your computers run consistently in tip-top shape.
If your computer is connected to the Internet I can guarantee there's a hacker (or several) trying to look inside it. Whether it's a sophisticated criminal or a 13-year-old with too much time on his hands, you should take appropriate steps to protect yourself and your property.
My own personal computer has logged dozens of intrusion attempts in a single day. Larger offices will log thousands of attempts in a day. This is NOT a rare problem. I've listened to more than one programmer brag over coffee about how fast they can break into a system.
Though you may have nothing sensitive or confidential lying around your house, you wouldn't allow a stranger to walk around peeking in drawers or looking in closets, would you? You have locks on your doors to keep this from happening. Your computer should have a similar level of protection. Remember that 13-year-old with too much time on his hands? He's likely to just spray-paint the inside of your computer for the fun of it. Files can be deleted, software can be re-formatted, political messages & pornography can be inserted in the most DIS-concerting places. Trust me, THAT can ruin your entire MONTH.
The lock on the doors to your computer is called a Firewall. Get one. There are free ones out there so there's no excuse. There are two types of firewalls: those that come as software for your computer and those that are part of your network hardware. The ones that come as part of the network are a bit more robust and efficient but are more expensive and require a bit more expertise to use. Both will work. Test your firewall by visiting a website like www.grc.com so you know it's in working order.
Much has been said on the subject of computer viruses but it still requires emphasis. Even though I'm careful on this subject, my own computer has required one heart transplant as a result of a virus. One office I saw had their network infected three times in one month. One of those times they had to shut down their entire email system for two days.
Viruses (programs that make your computer sick) and Trojan horses (they wait until you're not looking) can ruin your computer or its data. They can spread themselves throughout your network, to your friends, and they can be almost incurable (and EXPENSIVE).
Like the viruses that plague humans, it's easier to avoid rather than cure. So, practice safe-computing: avoid contact (email, software, disks, etc.) with anyone you don't know and TRUST. Get some anti-virus software and USE it. Make sure you update your anti-virus software on a regular basis so you won't be caught off-guard as new viruses appear.
Beware of hoaxes as well. If you receive an email warning you about some new virus, CHECK IT OUT FIRST. I have not seen one instance yet where the warning was legitimate. Several I've received recently have either contained viruses themselves, or contained instructions that were actually destructive to your computer system.
There are spies among us. They are interested in monitoring YOUR activities. They track the websites you visit, the links you click on, the software you have on your computer, and who knows what else (like your email).
Who would be interested in your computing activities? Advertisers for one; software companies who want to control the spread of bootleg software; governments; voyeurs; stalkers...... Instead of microphones and cameras they use software called adware or spyware. How does this stuff get on your computer? Remember that 'free' game or utility program you downloaded a while back? Or that time your neighbor had to 'borrow' your computer to check their email just once? Or that website that only ran after you turned OFF the security on your browser? Or that program you bought and paid hundreds for that 'needs' an internet connection, even though it has no logical reason to access the net?
I haven't seen a computer yet (including my own) that didn't have at least a DOZEN of these parasites running when first scanned. I've seen computers with a two hundred of them, all running continuously and slowing things down while they did their dirty work. One machine got to the point of being useless due to performance problems, entirely caused by "spyware." The person had to hire and pay a professional (me) to fix it.
What to do? Get an adware/spyware removal program. Scan your system on a regular basis. Get suspicious when your computer seems to be running slower than it used to or seems to be accessing the Internet without any reason.
Be careful about the software you install on your computer. If it says 'free' - remember they have to pay for it somehow. Even if you've NEVER installed any software on your computer, you still need to check it. Many new computers I've set up in offices over the last several years had spyware/adware pre-installed on them. Beware of websites without any obvious means of support. Be wary of any and all spam emails (delete them and block the sender WITHOUT opening or reading them).
Many software packages now come with software that handles ALL of the above. Also much of this stuff can be gotten for free. Shop around and find what's best for you.
Sorting out and fixing some of these problems can take DAYS of costly expert work and may still result in loss of important data, not to mention the loss of your productivity. It's cheaper and more productive to follow the suggestions in this article than to call someone like me later on to cure the problem.
I hope I've impressed upon you the importance of taking effective steps to safeguard your computer and its data. Putting reasonable precautions in place will make your computing experience a pleasant and dependable one. As always, if in doubt or if you'd just like some advice, feel free to give us a call. :
We can help you with ANY PC problem.
CALL DeskTop Software TODAY!
Small Business Software News is a publication of DeskTop Software, Inc.
Website: http://www.desktop-software.com
Editor: Nancy West
Copyright © 2003 by DeskTop Software, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.