Radio Amateur W4KWH

This is a nasty one.

I’ve warned before about the scareware threat where warning boxes pop up, tell you that you’re infected with some virus, and then tell you that the quick remedy is to “click here” to fix the infection.  These new perpetrators are worse…they essentially lock out your computer until you pay.

Your best friend with these little popups is the hot key combo “Alt-F4″ which will close the active window without clicking on anything.

As always…be careful while you surf…

Source: New twist on scareware locks up your PC – Technology Live – USATODAY.com

Ever have an epiphany? One of those moments where everything seems crystal clear and amazingly simple…

Over the last six months life for me has really, really changed. I came to a sudden realization today that I really don’t want to maintain two websites where I discuss essentially the same information. So I went and combined the sites into this single blog. I basically took my “Herron’s Computer Care” company site and merged it into my personal blog.

This change was sort of driven by the second thing I realized this morning. I just don’t have time to do daily computer work as a regular business anymore. I enjoy it, but now that I’m working for another company there just isn’t time to do both. Fact is, I really like the company I work for now (Life Cycle Engineering, Inc.) and I plan on working there as long as they’ll have me. The result is that my own computer service business will just have to sit on the side and I’ll do it when I can around all the other life events and family activities.

For all my past customers, I want you all to know that I very much appreciate the business. One great thing about doing the work is that I’ve had the opportunity to meet some great people and in many ways I will will miss that interaction. If I’ve done computer work for you before, please do not be afraid to call if you need something done. If I can swing it I will make time for you and help out.

For any new customers, you can call, but I most likely will have a difficult time responding right away since work for LCE will always have to come first.

This is a rather interesting short history of the early free software movement.  It takes a look at some of the players and where they built their interest in computer hardware and software technology.  For those of you who don’t know, I also am Ham Radio Operator and have been for a number of years.  I don’t get on the air nearly as much as I would like but it’s a goal I’ve set for myself as time permits.

Source: Hams, hackers, hobbyists and model railways – The H Open Source: News and Features

Well, truth be told I am very impressed! I’ve been using Vonage for almost a month now and the feature list has proven very impressive.

First, let’s talk basic functionality. Sending and receiving calls works the same way as with any other phone. All that happens when you make the service switch is that you unplug your phone from the wall jack and plug it into the Vonage unit. Once that is done and you’ve activated the service, calls come in and calls go out just like before. Activation is simple and the instructions provided were helpful. Some may find difficulty interfacing the unit with a home router and your Internet provider, but a little patience goes a long way during this process. I had a little trouble initially but a bit more research gave me the answers I needed to get things working.

I went through the process of porting all our old numbers over to the new service basically so that I wouldn’t have to print new business cards and advertising materials. Unfortunately this process didn’t go exactly as planned. I eventually was able to transfer all of our numbers but it took over a month to do so. There was only 1 real problem that interfered with the transfer and that problem was our distinctive ring service. When you request to transfer a number to Vonage you cannot have ANY special calling features active on the line you’re going to transfer. These include service like distinctive ring and DSL service. These features will prevent the transfer all together so you must ensure they are turned off prior to transferring the number.

Vonage comes with a whole lot of features for a lot less than what most phone companies charge. I’ll just discuss a few of my favorites. My #1 favorite is Simulring…a call coming in to your Vonage number can automatically ring up to 5 additional numbers and the call can be answered from ANY of the numbers. For someone who is on the go (like me) this is awesome! I just enter all the numbers where I can normally be reached all the phones ring together when a call comes in to the Vonage line.

Vonage includes all the other typical features like Caller ID though some calls that provided names before the switch only show numbers now. Not all of them, just some. A little odd but not a huge problem. Voicemail works like a champ and messages can be forwarded to your email…prevents you from missing messages for sure!

All in all it has proven to be a great deal. I can take my numbers with me if I have to move be it across the street or across the country and call quality is on par with any other phone system I’ve used. For a small additional fee you can also make and receive calls from your Vonage number using your computer from any location with Internet service. Give the service a try, I don’t think you’ll be disappionted.

We made a switch to Vonage over the last week and we’re able to take calls once again. I apologize to anyone who was inconvenienced as a result of the outage. This is my first personal experience with VoIP and I’m excited about the possibilities and available features. As time goes on I’ll provide some performance reports.

I apologize to anyone who has tried to call over the last week or so. I’ve been having some trouble with the phone company and the result has been no available incoming line for calls. I’ve nearly got the problem corrected however I highly encourage you to either email me or use the contact form here on the site until it’s completely fixed.

Microsoft posted this nice little article on safe traveling with a laptop.  There are some really good ideas here…

Source: 9 Ways to Increase the Security of Your Laptop While on the Road

When is it time to get a new computer?  I’ve certainly been asked this question a number of times over the years but it’s not always that simple of an answer.  My general response is that as long as the computer is still completing the task that you need it to do then why get another one.  At this moment I have a number of computers running on my network that are far below standards for modern software however they perform the task that I need them to do, generally without fail.

The phrase to describe this is repurposing, assigning the computer to a task it can handle but still be useful.  Many people already do this when they buy themselves a new computer and pass the old one to the kids.  It’s nice because you continue to reap benefit from the machine and therefore the computer doesn’t end up being tossed into the trash headed for the landfill.

However, there does come a time when the fact stands…the computer is just too old and obsolete to complete the task you need it to do.  This is the time to buy yourself a new one and donate or recycle the old one.  Computers change so fast that you can never keep up with the technology so this is the standard I use in upgrading my systems.

Outside of the somewhat routine “do you think my computer could have a virus” question, the next most frequent question I’m asked is in regard to parental control software. There are a number of options currently in the market but my recommendation is always Safe Eyes.

It’s easily installed, relatively transparent to the user, and provides every feature most parents look for in a product to protect their children.

1. Content controls allow parents to select the types of websites that are appropriate.
2. Program control over Instant Messengers, Peer-to-peer File Sharing, and other programs.
3. Time controls to limit the amount of time spent online and the times when the Internet is available.
4. Usage logging to review websites visited, programs used on the Internet, and Instant Messaging Chats.
5. Usage alerts to notify instantly via email, text message, or phone call when someone visits inappropriate websites.

Great features at a great price.  To order, click the Safe Eyes link located in the column to the right.

Radio Shack has now started an electronics trade-in program similar to to the one I mentioned a few weeks back sponsored by Best-Buy.  You may not get a whole lot of cash out of your old devices but this concept keeps your old electronics out of the landfill.

Source: RadioShack – Do Stuff

We’ve recently added remote support capability to our list of services through the use of GoToAssist. We now have the ability to correct a number of software and configuration issues at your site via the Internet which reduces the time and cost for your repair.

Don’t expect to get much for your old electronics but a little cash might be better than nothing…especially if you were planning to send it to the trash…

Source: BestBuy.com Trade-in Center – Powered by Dealtree.com