Out With the Old?

Let's make a clean sweep at the end of the year by talking about defragmenting your hard disk.
It's not as simple as it used to be, due to today's large hard disk sizes, but is still essential to keep file fragments from getting scattered.

As files are written to a hard disk over time, their fragments get saved in non-contiguous spaces. You'll know it because when you go to open files, you hear the hard drive working to pull the fragments from each space on the disk. If it takes longer and longer to open frequent files, you'll know they are being stored in non-contiguous space.

Think of it like looking through your office for random pieces of paper that all belong in one folder. You waste time hunting for the scraps and putting them back together in the right order. Long term, there is a risk of being unable to grab all the pieces, which is how files become corrupted.

The larger the file, the longer it takes to find all the remnants. So if you routinely work with very large files, defrag is an important tool.

When drive heads have to work harder, seeking fragments across a large space, chances of a drive crash increase. This problem is compounded by today's super large drives.

What to do?
Go to Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools and you'll find Disk Defragmenter. When you open it, click Analyze or Details and look at the map - even if it says only 0% or 4% fragmented, run the program anyway.

It's best to run Defrag overnight, because you can't use the computer while it is reorganizing files. If you're impatient you can use a utility like Diskeeper to maintain the disk over time, or look into the new Defrag utility Microsoft is launching with Vista.

"I only have eyes for ... all your data," says Google

A Chicago Tribune article today addresses privacy concerns with using some online software, specificallly Google Desktop. Too many web users think of such offerings as a free service or cool tool, but the profit motive of billion dollar companies should send a warning message.... they're in it for the money.

When Google offers their Desktop tool, allowing you to store and track searches, including searching files on your own computer, you are allowing Google to read, store and track your data for years, until 2038 in the example cited in this excellent article by the Tribune's David Greising and John McCormick.

"Google's Desktop program, a virtual file management system, scans all of the users data - text files, tax returns, electronic wills and such. It indexes and stores the data on enormous server "farms" all around the world.
Desktop even automatically stores copies of deleted files. "

Lest you think it is not within their right to do so, the article points out a fact I repeat over and over to clients: Read the privacy statement, even the legalese. By agreeing to such terms, you're signing away your privacy rights.

The irony in the Google cool factor is that you can search your desktop on your own, using Windows Explorer or third-party products like EnFish that don't report the data back to the vendor.

You pay a price for "free" services.

Any questions, email Helen@cclarity.com

Can you un-backup your data?

Most of us have learned (the hard way) to back up our critcial computer data regularly. Whether you choose floppy, zip, CD, USB or another method, make sure you can recover files from a backup too.

If you use a program that creates a backup set, you won’t be able to recover just the one file you need. You’ll have to revert back all the files in the set. And, you'll have to use the same program you used to create the backup. That could spell trouble.

If you have old, old backups that you need, you should modernize the backup media over time. For example, if your great American novel is backed up on a 5-1/4 inch floppy disk, it’s not likely you’ll be able to find a computer with that drive size. The same is becoming true with 3-1/2 inch floppy drives. Most new computers now ship without a floppy drive. They've become obsolete, in favor of more portable USB thumb drives.

CDs can become unreliable - as though the data fades right off. The coating on CD’s does not last forever. For long-term storage they should be kept upright in cases, away from light sources, heat and humidity.

Popular and inexpensive USB thumb drives have at least a ten year data retention ablity. And we hope USB ports will be around that long. This year they are the #1 stocking stuffer for tech fans of all ages.

Even file formats can be a problem. Files created in very, very old versions of Quicken, Word, and obsolute programs will not easily convert to new programs - so if your computer records go back more than ten years, keep upgrading them to new software and new backup devices over time.

So, as you make a year-end backup, make a note in 2007 to review your backup media and make sure you aren't backing up your data to an unreachable void.

Multi-tasking: Enough already !

I wrote previously about the London study indicating multitasking had the same effect on the brain as marijuana. And, not in a good way.

Another study explains that drained, confused feeling we all experience... can't focus, lose details, fatigue easily - it's not iron-poor blood, it's technology, if not used well.

A study by FirStep Inc., Pennsylvania business strategists, says U.S. office workers get interrupted on the job as often as eleven times an hour. Cost to businesses? It's a staggering $588 billion/year.

Read more:

• Add in the distracting lure of checking e-mails, surfing the Internet and chatting by computer, and workers interrupt themselves nearly as much as they are interrupted by others, experts say.

• "With instant messaging on your desktop and alerts and e-mail notifications, you set yourself up for it," said John Putzier, founder of FirStep Inc. business strategists in Prospect, Pennsylvania.

• A typical manager is interrupted six times an hour, one recent study showed, while another found the average cubicle worker is interrupted more than 70 times a day.

• Other research has found office workers getting interrupted every 11 minutes, even as another study said nearly half of workplace interruptions are self-imposed.

• A study by Basex found office distractions take up 2.1 hours of the average day - 28 percent - with workers taking an average of five minutes to recover from each interruption and return to their original tasks.

• Still another study found a group of workers interrupted by e-mail and telephones scored lower on an IQ test than a test group that had smoked marijuana."

Feeling worse now?
A large part of the problem, and the problem with email in general is that we have no way to separate the critical from the comical. At first the sense of busy-ness and jumping from task to task might feel good. You're getting a lot done, staying on top of what matters, but there is something terribly seductive about being plugged in. Soon it turns into overload and as you keep pushing buttons, switching gears and jumping among topics, you don't realize your effectiveness drops rapidly.

Don't embrace the over-connected nature of technology if it is wearing you down. Control the intrusions, and enjoy greater satisfaction. Imagine: Start a task and finish it without switching to five or six other non-urgent interruptions.

Like any good habit, it takes practice. Give yourself two weeks over the holidays to break the cycle of always-on, and stop responding to every interruption. Let me know how it works for you, and remember you can ask questions anytime on Computer Clarity's forum at http://www.cclarity.com/questions.html .

But remember... Just because it's up 24 x 7, you don't have to be.

Happy Holidays,
Helen

Computer requirements to run Vista and sample pricing

CNET.com is running daily updates on Vista now that corporate users are testing it.

The recommended minimum specifications are:
* A 1GHz processor.
* 1GB of RAM.
* A 40GB hard drive with 15GB free space.
* A graphics card that supports DirectX 9 with a WDDM driver.
* 128MB dedicated memory for the graphics card.

Note that if your graphics card is not supported then you will not be able to run the new Aero interface (including some animations and the Glass look) and some included software, such as the DVD creator, will refuse to launch. If you are questioning whether or not your graphics card is supported check with the manufacturer's website...most have lists of supported cards. Note, however, that for the most part integrated grapics are not good enough.

To find out if you meet the requirements to use the various features and display the advanced graphics of Windows Vista, it is highly recommended that you click here to download and run the Vista Upgrade Advisor first. (Requires Windows XP.) You can also click here for a similar online test from ATI.

========================================================

Official Vista Pricing:

Full Retail:
* XP Home w/ SP2: $199
* Vista Home Basic: $199
* Vista Home Premium: $239
* Vista Business: $299
* XP Pro. w/ SP2: $299
* Vista Ultimate: $399

Upgrades:
* XP Home w/ SP2: $99
* Vista Home Basic: $99
* Vista Home Premium: $159
* XP Pro. w/ SP2: $199
* Vista Business: $199
* Vista Ultimate: $259

Those who already own a license to a copy of Vista can purchase additional licenses by purchasing the associated License Pack, which costs an average of $20 less than the above listings.

Also for comparison, equivalences are:
Windows Vista Home Basic = Windows XP Home
Windows Vista Home Premium = Windows XP Media Center Edition
Windows Vista Business = Windows XP Professional
Windows Vista Ultimate = No matching SKU

Waiting for Vista

While you're delaying the purchase of a new computer so you can wait for one running Vista instead of Windows XP, keep these thoughts in mind, courtesty of Computer Clarity:

1. Timing: The retail version of computers loaded with Vista will be in 2007.

2. Vendors are now offering computers that are "Vista ready" meaning the processor and memory are up to Vista standards, and some are offering a free upgrade to Vista when it comes out. Why? Because they fear everyone will stop buying computers until Vista launches, and PC makers will have the weakest holiday season in years.

3. Price: New computers loaded with Vista will be very expensive, especially compared to today's great bargains in the $400 range for both desktops and laptops.

Example: The Vista operating system is priced at $399 for the Business version, $239 for Home Premium, and $199 for Home Basic (all subject to change).

So if you wait to buy a new computer, it looks like you'll be seeing prices over $1,000.

Blogs reach readers

The highly respected Pew Internet and American Life Project shares some fresh stats on blogs today:

Only about 8% of internet users blog, but that's about 12 million American adults.
39% of American adults, 57 million, read blogs.
54% of bloggers have never published anywhere else.
82% of U.S. bloggers think they will still be at it a year from now.

Am I the only one who thinks it's really funny that they conducted the research poll by phone? I know, I know, they wanted a random sample of Americans, not just committed bloggers.

More analysis on this research will be presented at Midwest Writer's Association Nov. 30, 2006 meeting at the Wilmette, IL library. More info is available at www.midwestwriters.com.

The World Is a Kitchen

Being a contributor to The World Is a Kitchen is a delicious experience. Among my promotional events, the IWPA Book Fair at the Chicago Cultural Center was a real highlight. My essay about cooking with Turkish women in their homes captivates would-be travelers and hungry foodies.

http://worldisakitchen.typepad.com/the_world_is_a_kitchen/2006/10/
the_world_is_a__2.html

This book is a super holiday gift for travelers, cooks and foodies.
http://www.travelerstales.com/catalog/kitchen/

Cheers,
Helen

Technology - what's your definition?

I read this morning that the 16th century painter Velasquez was noted for pioneering unique systems. The article, in fact, refers to them as "techniques and technology."

Curious, I delved further to see what technology would have been available to him, while painting kings in the courtyards of Spain's castles.

The answer: long-bristled and long-handled brushes.

Serves as a good reminder that your "technology" doesn't always have to be the next new gizmo, just whatever works for you. How you interact with technology means more than the gigahertz, as long as you know how to handle the paintbrush!

Cheers,
Helen

Fall events & readings

Speaking at The Midwest Literary Festival in Aurora earlier this month was terrific. My talk on "Be a Better Writer with Technology," went over well, and has resulted in a lot of inquiries from the eager writers in attendance.

Upcoming events include:

January 24, 2007 Midwest Writers Assn, Wilmette Public Library (Blogs)

www.midwestwriters.com PUBLIC IS WELCOME $5.00

February 24, 2007 Beverly Branch Public Library, 2121 W. 95th Street, Chicago "Computer Ease" speaking and book sales

March 8, 2007 Off-Campus Writers' Workshop, Winnetka IL (Self-Publishing)

www.ocww.bizland.com

April 2007 Writer's Fest, Wheeling, IL Public Library

http://www.itpld.lib.il.us/ > "Computer Ease" speaking and book sales

June 2007 Gotta Write Festival, Schaumburg

Recent Events:
October 5, 2006
Glenview Chamber of Commerce Business Expo - free to the public

October 13, 2006
Chicago Writers Assn. author readings & signings at The Book Cellar, 4736-8 N. Lincoln, Chicago

October 21, 2006
Chicago Cultural Center, IWPA Book Fair - free to the public

November 7, 2006 Glenview Chamber Tech Talk

November 8, 2006 American Assn. University Women / technology panel

November 10, 2006 The Book Stall at Chestnut Court

November 30, 2006 Midwest Writer's /members only

At these events, I'll be sharing publishing strategies, and offering Computer Ease as well as the new book The World Is a Kitchen, from Lonely Planet's Travelers' Tales series.

Is Google a Dinosaur?

Most of my readers know I always root for the underdog, so it's no surprise I've never been a big cheerleader for Google. Too big, built on the fly, and most importantly, delivers search results based on popularity.

The Chicago Tribune is doing a terrific series this week "Gunning for Google" which thoroughly explains Golliath and its multi-billion dollar success. Even Google's co-founder Larry Page is quoted in the Tribune as saying "You're important if other people think you're important."

I don't think that's a good basis for news, research or educating ourselves on important topics. Google is too big, stumbles on itself, and is caught in a tailspin of popularity making it less meaningful. As I always say in my own business, "You can't be all things to all people."

Give other search tools a chance

I like Clusty.com because it clusters search results down the left column. So if you search for "medical research" instead of 222 million results and many ads at Google, Clusty shows you the top 177 results out of 33 million. The left column then takes those 177 best results and clusters them by category, so you can explore exactly what you want: Clinical, Universities, Journal articles, etc...

I have always liked Yahoo.com - have you seen it lately? Instead of a big blank page like Google, Yahoo has a test version (beta) of a home page providing instant local traffic and weather in a sort of web balloon that appears when you move your mouse over the buttons. You can customize the page for local TV listings, movie theater schedules, and see all news categories in addition to a powerful search engine, all on one page.

Sign up for my free e-newsletter if you want to keep informed with a monthly dose of "clarity."
http://www.mailermailer.com/x?oid=24316a

Blogging in Bed??

As computers follow TV into the bedroom, The Chicago Tribune reports on a "Menage a Treo." Wish I'd thought of that title .... The article, by Katie Hafner, New York Times News Service points to an interesting trend.

The proliferation of electronic gadgets, overstacked schedules and tired people has created a marriage between people and their gadget addiction. I'm not sure its a good idea to bring those pesty little multi-taskers to bed with us.

Blackberry and Treo gadgets are 'smart phones' allowing you to read endless news headlines, check email, cry over your calendar. Not a precursor to a good night's sleep. Even they need to be turned off eventually, and to recharge, just like us.

Yet, the article found that in the blue glow of the screen, many people unwind at night by updating their blog, answering e-stacks of email, planning birthday parties, and engaging with the computer as a giant to-do list. We all appreciate the portability of a laptop, or the lighter notebook computers, instead of being chained to a desktop, where you work at the altar of messy electronics. With a notebook, you work where you're comfortable and when you can relax and think without distractions.

And there is an intimacy using a notebook computer if you're quietly engaged with it, but not if the time becomes a struggle. Weary, restless eyes clicking on web pages, to-do lists, and work, would lead us to a new form of e-somnia.

So, retreat to your room to relax, watch a DVD, listen to music or audio book, but be careful.... the bedroom is our last bastion of solitude, isn't it?


Cheers,
Helen

Announcing "The World is a Kitchen"

I’m pleased to share this great news…

The World Is a Kitchen
Cooking Your Way Through Culture
is now available

Published by Lonely Planet Travelers’ Tales series

My contribution, Flavor by the Spoonful, tells of my joyful adventures cooking with Turkish women in their homes.

The thirty stories that make up this book, plus recipes, will satisfy your yen for travel, adventure and great foods from the world’s kitchens.

The World Is a Kitchen reveals the diverse traditions of other countries through cuisine, utilizing both stories and recipes. Chefs, travel writers, and dedicated foodies share their unique experiences, transporting readers into kitchens around the world.

Editors: Michele Anna Jordan and Susan Brady

$16.95 Trade Paperback, ISBN 1-932361-40-5

www.theworldisakitchen.com

The Cafe Whisperer...

What's your cafe personality? From the shy girl who can't make eye contact with anyone to the jerk who runs a business from the loud cell phone in his pocket, step into a cafe and you'll see culture, counter-culture and everything between.

My favorite is Sweet Dreams Cafe, in Glenview, IL, where I live. If it was walking distance it would be even better. Perhaps its best to keep the temptation at a distance, just a short drive away.

Sweet Dreams has quiet, energetic music, deep red walls, soft curtains framing the ancient trees on the Historical Society grounds next door. How can you not relax? It's got plush red sofas and chairs, tables, books, candles, flowers.

Oh.. and the pastries! Sweet Dreams is owned by Mary Sopcic, a Croatian baker with extraordinary skill in the tiny world of temptation. She offers French and Croatian pastries, from fruit tarts to old-fashioned strudle, fruit breads, cakes and scones, all organic.

Have a pastry. Stay a long time and relax, and when you get hungry again, salads and sandwiches, including ample vegetarian choices await. The courteous staff won't rush your order out like fast food, but they won't rush you out either.

The customers read, talk (mostly quietly if the are on the cell phone), work, think. It's such a lovely atmosphere, you feel like you need only a whisper to talk with your friend.

You can too --- www.organicisbetter.com

Reaching a global web audience

If your web site reaches global audiences, make sure it reflects an awareness of their needs.

Does your site measure up to global web etiquette?
Here’s what to include to ensure overseas clients know you want to work with them.

1. A welcome message in multiple languages

2. Don’t use graphics, especially for a navigation button, that don’t translate well.

3. Use web development tools that work worldwide. While Adobe’s portable document format (.pdf) is a widely adopted standard, other web tools such as Java and Flash may not be, especially in countries with less advanced Internet connections.

4. Be courteous when listing events and prices on your site with an international format for date/time, and prices shown in multiple currencies.

5. Check your website statistics (hits) to see where visitors are coming from.

Non-English speaking Internet users now outnumber those who speak English. If you have, or want to attract, a particular international audience, consider using flags on your home page to denote pages written in English, French, Italian, or other languages. When a user clicks on a country flag, they’re taken to a translated page of your site.

For help with translating a block of text, try AltaVista’s BabelFish technology at http://babelfish.altavista.com/

Baffled by Tech Terms?

A recent Harris Interactive poll, commissioned by Microsoft, shows that 77 percent of women and 45 percent of men say they are not knowledgeable about tech buzzwords.

If you don't know an MP3 from a USB, don't feel bad. In the study, more than 70 percent said they never heard of RSS (Really Simple Syndication, which is a way to stream news feed to a site), 32 percent could not explain what VOIP is (Voice over internet protocol - using the Internet for telephone calls), and 46 percent are clueless about Internet tagging, a technique to show search results by popularity of terms in a site.

If you're stuck on a tech term, and curious to learn what terms mean, here are four ideas:
1. Go to dictionary.com and look it up
2. Use acronymfinder.com for terms like RSS or VOIP
3. To learn what the buzzwords really do, try www.wikipedia.com, the collaborative, online encyclopedia.
4. Visit my Q & A forum, and I'll respond quickly.

And remember, even if tech is a mystery to you, you're an expert at something. A store clerk knows more than I do about merchandising, I'll never be as smart as a nurse, and most Mom's are rocket scientists compared to the rest of us.

Google offers free videos

Google seems to be taking over the world these days -- offering valuable services and features for free. They've just released a free database of videos, which you can view and enjoy online:
http://video.google.com/freetoday.html.

The service includes full-length movies, documentaries, sports, cartoons, and talk shows, including Charlie Rose.

How to read a web site

It's fun to watch someone read the newspaper. Some methodically turn pages from start to finish, section to section. Others grab the business section, sports, or crossword puzzle, then wander to editorials, local news and get lost in the wanderlust detail of the weather page. Me, I start and stop several times during the day, always interrupted, but can pick up right where I left off when I get a few more minutes to read.

Yet, web sites, containing much the same mix of loosely organized information, seem to leave people transfixed. I'm a frequent observer of people's navigation behavior and have noticed what I call the 30-second stare.

First the eye looks around the page for something, anything, appealing. Behind the eye, the brain is saying "Why am I here? What am I supposed to look at? If I click something, how will I get back here?"

Then, the glazed look begins and the mouse is thinking: "I don't know what to do next."

Then, the click, often taking the person away from that page, forever.

You put a lot of time into the look of your web site, but like the newspaper, which produces new material every single day, you need something of value on every page, and have to give people a way to navigate where they want to go, not just where your logical mind feels they should navigate. And, always give them a way out, but invite them back. It's disappointing to follow a site for several pages and then not be able to get back to an interesting page.

So take time for some quality reading -- of your own web site. Make sure it measures up to your standards, and is also pleasing to your clients. Check the traffic your site receives through your web host, and pay special attention to which pages receive the most hits, and what pages cause people to exit the site.

For an interesting view of how the eye responds to web pages, follow this link to an example of Marketing Sherpa.com's Eyetracking Study. It uses "heatmaps" to illustrate how people look, scroll and click on web pages. Then, take another look at your site and see how you measure up.

My least favorite computer expression

My least favorite computer expression is:

“The computer won’t let me!”

Since a computer can’t actually exert any control, it really means:

“I don’t know how.”

Keep your perspective when a computer problem creeps up on you, and you'll have a better chance of solving it. Look up the problem on the web, if you can get online, or look in the Help files of any program. And, call Tech support. That's what they're there for. Of course, be sure to read "Before You Call Tech Support," in Computer Ease first.

Cheers,
Helen

The secret to being found on the web

With over 5,000 new web sites created each week, it's not easy to be found by our target audiences. How can you separate yourself and rise above the crowd.

Make it easy to be found by search engines. The sites that do best are:

In good health: They have no missing images, broken links, or outdated pages.
Smooth road: People can easily navigate and explore the site.
Newsworthy: Frequent updates with meaningful and well-organized content.
Lots of links: Search engines love links - that's the origin of the "web." Your site should have both affiliate links and reciprocal links. Read Computer Ease for more search engine tips.

And - content is still king. Compelling information worthy of the reader's time makes your web site grow in popularity.

Why Windows is so slow to boot

Have you ever wondered what your computer is doing when it takes sooooo long for Windows to boot? While you're staring at the Windows logo, the system is reporting back to Microsoft, ostensibly so it can check to see what's running on your computer. Now that people have found out this is happening every day, Microsoft is suddenly making changes.

Here's a report from InfoSelect:

Microsoft has changed a major feature found in its Windows Genuine
Advantage (WGA) software, after receiving an onslaught of complaints from
end users. The criticism is in regard to the program's daily check-ins with
the company's servers; now, the tool will dial home in 14-day intervals
instead of after every system boot.

... Click to read the rest of the article (and other InfoSelect recent articles)
online:




-----------------------------------------------

Disable unwanted programs in Windows XP

If you haven't read "Computer Ease" yet, here's a reminder about disabling unwanted programs that hog your memory.

They appear when you load new programs, or run something like Quicken or Real Audio. When you close the program they often position themselves to reside in memory, to load faster the next time you need them. To free up, memory clear them out of the StartUp tab of MSConfig:

Click Start / Run and type msconfig

Click the StartupTab and uncheck any you don't need running. By unchecking you're not actually removing them from the computer, just preventing them from waiting around.

Reboot after exiting from MSConfig and the changes will take effect. You will see a message when you reboot stating someone has changed your system configuration. That someone is you - so just clear the message and you're on your way -- with more memory than you had earlier.

Staying productive away from the office

We’re great at tuning out distractions when working at home, but a hotel room or internet café is often not conducive to conducting business. If you tote your laptop along and can’t get a free wireless connection in your hotel, stay organized to make the most of your time as a café-squatter.

While working on the plane or in the hotel, keep a running list of web sites you need to review, emails you want to send once you’re online, and reply quickly to all the new mail you get, so people will know you’re in touch while out of the office.

Use your Outlook or Act calendar to create one giant “to-do” item of all these things so you don’t waste time wandering through files looking for names, numbers and bits of information.

Because you have greater security risks on any public connection, especially wireless, limit your time online to the essentials, and don’t use it checking bank account balances or for buying airline tickets or any credit card transactions.

While traveling on business this week, I’m witnessing the frustration and lost productivity by business people trying to use a Marriott hotel business center. Because Marriott doesn’t offer free wi-fi, dozens of people every hour are wasting time waiting for one of two computers, or plugging their laptops into a potentially unsafe network to read mail, then switching to web mail to send replies. And I’m telling you from experience you can waste 20 minutes and a cappuccino just trying to get onto an available connection, even at a café with free wi-fi.

Printer's Row Book Fair

Well, 80,000 people can't be wrong! The Printer's Row Book Fair really is a great event. Book vendors lined the streets, south of downtown Chicago, this weekend, in the historic Printer's Row district, while terrific author events, workshops and interviews took place within Chicago's great architecture.

Thanks to the Illinois Women's Press Assn. for allowing member/authors to sell our books. And thanks to everyone who bought Computer Ease. It wa a great crowd. I asked a Chicago policeman if we were a tough crowd to manage. "Yea, if we catch someone reading too many words, we'll book 'em."

Cheers,
Helen Gallagher

SIG's - An Untapped Resource

Newsgroups, once called SIGs (special interest groups), get lost in the clutter of the web and email but they are an important resource and handy reference when you're digging in to a specific topic.

Like what, you ask? Well, clutter, for example, and public speaking, publishing and writing, coping with loss, diseases, childcare woes, PT Cruiser lovers, Desperate Housewives fans, and thousands of other special interest.

To test-drive a newsgroup or SIG and see if it suits you, browse the list of groups at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/
http://groups.google.com/grphp?hl=en&tab=wg&q=

And remember, the web is global, so there are foreign language groups, ethnic cooking, science, religion, technology. all ready to share insights with you.

Web usage grows around the world

We know habits die hard, but they are so easy to create, especially the bad ones.
I notice the majority of my clients and colleagues use the same web sites over and over, and can go MONTHS without exploring a new site. So, I often remind people that it is the "world wide web," not only local or U.S. based content.

I occasionally find interesting news in European columns online and web sites, and when I share them, people say: "Gosh, how did you find that." Well, the world is big and the web puts it all within our reach. As I say in Computer Ease - go exploring.

So where are the greatest number of Internet users? Here are the statistics from World Opinion News:

694,260,000 Worldwide total, users age 15+, as of March 2006
152,046,000 United States
74,727 ,000 China
52,100,000 Japan
31,813 ,000 Germany
30,190 ,000 United Kingdom
24,645 ,000 South Korea
23,884 ,000 France
18,996 ,000 Canada
16,834 ,000 Italy
16,713 ,000 India

Glenview Chamber Tech Talk

We had an interesting presentation at the Glenview Chamber this morning. I posted a draft of the Tech Talk, but due to a connection problem, it didn't post. So here's a more thorough update.

We discussed the importance of gaining visibility & credibility -- two important no-cost ways to grow business. Our session included:

1. Appropriate use of email for sending BCC (blind carbon copy) email messages to clients and prospects.

2. Publishing a free blog, here at blogger.com, or typepad.com or wordpress.com. It's like getting a web site for free since you control the content and invite your clients & prospects to read updated articles you post. Be sure you always have something of value to say, be concise, and make your goals clear. If you use Google Adsense, you can also gain advertising revenue if people click on ads posted on your site.

3. I want you, my readers, to be comfortable sending email, and try your hand at a blog. But if you business is ready to move beyond that, use email as a marketing tool by sending email newsletters. Your subscribers have to opt-in so you are not allowed to send spam, they will expect and appreciate the newsletter because they actively subscribed, and they can print or forward it on to others.

To see some back issues of my Clarity Connection newsletter, click this link on my site:
http://www.cclarity.com/page4.html.

To try an email newsletter for your business, visit mailermailer.com or constantcontact.com and take a test drive. All you have to lose is postage costs !

If you have questions, email me at Helen@cclarity.com

Cheers,
Helen Gallagher

Senior's succeed online

Look at the results of a seniornet.org survey and you'll see we have a lot of seniors who put the rest of us to shame. I know 30-year olds who can't open an email attachment, but look what these sparkling seniors can do. They are the original "can do" generation!

Greatest computer interest:
71% said email
39% said emailing photos

Cool uses:
36% said managing photos
32% said creating photo albums

Other uses:
Health information
Safe and efficient with internet transactions
Talking with friends on the internet
State, local, and federal government info on web sites
Financial management
Greeting cards
Genealogy research

I know from my own clients at Computer Clarity that seniors are participating in all of these tasks and more. Bravo !!

Keeping children safe online

MySpace.com is rightly critized for its unsupervised e-playground, letting children express themselves, thinking only their friends are seeing the profiles and photos. Children don't always understand how very public the web is, and how easily predators can find children to contact.

Yet, many parents realize there is danger in simpler online experiences, such as Instant Maessaging (IM). And, kids love being able to talk to their friends through IM and online chat, at AOL, ICQ, Yahoo etc.

Kids also use codes and abbreviations so you can't always tell what they are typing:

CUL8R (see you later)
POS (parent over shoulder)
MML (meet me later) and
SLAP (sounds like a plan) are just a few.

My personal favorite acronym is BFOO (blinding flash of the obvious), but what goes on with kids and computers isn't always obvious to us. Here are a few tips to keep in mind if your children have a consuming interest in IM and other online chat services.

Block messages from unknown users - so only your own friends can access the pop-up IM chat window in your computer. Otherwise you are opening the door to strangers, and inviting viruses, popups and malicious spyware.

Make sure their online profile is minimal. They should not reveal age, sex, pet names, or the name of their school - just chat about topics like books, TV, celebrities and homework.

Above all, talk to your children, and make sure you know whether their online conversations are appropriate, just as you would if they were talking with friends in the back seat of the car when you're driving them to school.

More online resources for online safety for families:

• GetNetWise
• ProtectKids.com
• Safekids.com

CNet.com recommends a kid-friendly search engine such as KidGrid is a Yahoo-like search engine with categorized links, all of which have been designated safe. Kaboose provides fun stuff for kids and parents alike, from online games to party planning. You can also steer the family to lii.org - a search engine pre-screened by librarians for appropriate content.

Feel free to share this article by highlighting to cut & paste and email to friends.
But, respect copyright by including this too:

Reprinted with permission
All contents copyright, Helen Gallagher, March 14, 2006
author: Computer Ease, ISBN 1589398157

Work from anywhere

A new product from Avvenu.com offers remote access to your files. It works like Gotomypc ($19.95/month) but is free.

You can access and share files, download them to revise, but mostly see your office computer when you're away.

I'll be testing it out over the next week and let you know if it's a winner.

Ultimate laptop launch on March 9, 2006 ?

Microsoft has a product ready to launch any day now that promises to shake up my world -- a tiny laptop with full functionality. Here's what I learned so far:

It is expected to be a tablet mobile PC , running Windows XP, with built-in wireless, weighing about one pound and sporting a battery that lasts all day.

There will be different models & versions, priced under $1,000 and Microsoft is expected to roll it out at the CeBit trade show in Germany next week.

Stay tuned for more news,

Helen

How to "watch" your money

Your computer can help you track your investments, monitor spending and control paperwork too. How?

1. Get online reports from banks and brokers. Cut & paste the information from web screens into Excel for further analysis.

2. Download bank and brokerage statments directly into Microsoft Money, Quicken, or QuickBooks.

3. Build an online portfolio at your broker or at www.smartmoney.com to track your investment progress month-to-month. Request they stop the monthly cycle of paper statements, and just switch to receiving them every six months. I don't know if all brokers do this, but Edward Jones is one who does.

4. Start your web browsing sessions with a home page customized to show your stock and mutual funds value. You can do this from just about any home page: Fidelity, Google, Morningstar, SBC, Yahoo, and more.

So, don't just file those paper statements away--- put the information in the computer, receive live web updates, and know where your money is and how it's growing.

Technology changes fast !!

What's old is new. And guess what's considered 'old' already -- the IPod. Yep, it's true.

Top among the best ten gadgets at cnet.com, No. 1 is Creative Zen Vision's IPod-ish dynamo. It's got MP3, portable video on a 2.5 inch screen, a voice recorder, FM tuner and recorder.

Also on the list, Sony PSO Playstation seems to be ahead of Microsoft Xbox 360 - possibly due to Sony's supply/demand edge.
But Microsoft's product has reputation of overheating and crashing, so Sony rules.

Sony wins again with the Sony Ericsson w800i. It's a cell phone with MP3, FM tuner, good sound quality, speakerphone and camera.

Keep up with edgy tech at Cnet.com or my site www.cclarity.com to sign up for a free monthly tech newsletter.

Computer Ease praise

This is my absolute favorite testimonial for Computer Ease so far:

"If I had not been reading your book an hour ago, I'd be breathing into a paper bag by now! I just had a huge, terrible problem when my computer screen started dancing, and I stayed calm !"

Thank you,
MOC, 12/04/05

Computer Ease is available for holiday purchases at my site, www.cclarity.com or an major online retailers: BookSense independent retailers, Books-A-Million, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Powell's.

Computer Ease is a state of mind...

My book, Computer Ease is now available at online retailers, including

virtualbookworm.com/computerease.html

amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1589398157/103-3539844-1946238?v=
glance&n=283155&s=books&v=glance

Barnes & Noble.com
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/
isbnInquiry.asp?userid=mk46bSWCKI&isbn=1589398157&itm=1

and many more.

It's available in print or as an ebook, for an instant reference document that's always at hand, right in your Adobe reader program.

If you need a dose of clarity and want to understand why computers do what they do, you'll enjoy Computer Ease.

I had a great time writing it. For an interesting article on the self-publishing process see this link to the Miami Herald today: http://www.gallagherink.com/selfpub.html

Cheers, my friends,

Helen

See, this is why I never trust Microsoft

ZDNet(www.zdnet.com) is among the many web sites posting a warning today that another Microsoft 'fix' is actually causing more problems than usual:

Microsoft patch meant to fix critical security flaws in Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 is causing trouble for some users, the company said Friday.

The patch was released Tuesday to fix four Windows flaws, including one that experts predict will be exploited by a worm in the coming days. The flaw, tagged "critical" by Microsoft, lies in a Windows component for transaction processing called the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator, or MSDTC.

Installing the patch can cause serious problems, Microsoft said in an advisory posted to its Web site Friday. The patch could lock users out of their PC, prevent the Windows Firewall from starting, block certain applications from running or installing, and empty the network connections folder, among other things, the software maker said.

The trouble appears to occur only when default permission settings on a Windows directory have been changed, according to Microsoft. The software maker has received "limited reports" of problems from customers but is still investigating the issue, a representative said.

Even if users experience PC trouble after installing the patch, they will still be protected against any attack exploiting the Windows flaw, a Microsoft representative said. The patch was delivered with Microsoft security bulletin MS05-051.

To resolve any problems caused by the MS05-051 patch, users should restore the default permissions for the Windows folder and the COM+ catalog. A guide is available on the Microsoft Web site, and steps start with changing the permissions on the "registration" folder in the Windows directory.

If you need help, giv eme a call. As you know, I continue to recommend clients don't go overboard on applying the Microsoft Service Pack or downloading patches. If you use good anti-virus and anti-spyware software, plus a hardware or software filewall, and if you use Netscape instead of Internet Explorer, you're safe.

In my morning's mail...

This is a perfect example of a typical phishing scam. It's an attempt to get you to reveal your credit card information. As you read it, there is NO doubt that it is not legitimate. You won't fall victim if you read carefully enough. These scams are often most obvious by their poor use of English and grammar. Read on...

We recently noticed one or more attempts to use your Amazon account for a foreign IP address, to sell a lot of goods from www.amazon.com, and we have reasons to believe that your Amazon account was hijacked by a third party without your notification.

If you recently use your Amazon account while traveling to a foreign country, the unusual use attempts may have been made by you.

However if you are the rightful owner of the Amazon account, click on the link below and submit as we are truing to verify your credit card information.

MIT's $100 crank-operated laptop

For a long time, MIT has been developing a low-price laptop computer for use by children in primary and secondary education around the world, particularly in developing countries. The laptops should start appearing in volume in late 2006.

The 500MHz laptop will run a "skinny version" of the open-source Linux operating system. It will have a two-mode screen, so it can be viewed in color and then by pushing a button or activating software switch to a black-and-white display, which can be viewed in bright sunlight at four times normal resolution, according to Negroponte. He estimates the display will cost around $35.

The laptop can be powered either with an AC adapter or via a wind-up crank, which is stored in the housing of the laptop where the hinge is located. The laptops will have a 10 to 1 crank rate, so that a child will crank the handle for one minute to get 10 minutes of power and use. When closed, the hinge forms a handle and the AC cord can function as a carrying strap, according to Negroponte. The laptops will be ruggedized and probably made of rubber, he said. They will have four USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports, be Wi-Fi- and cell phone enabled and come with 1G byte of memory.

Accomplish ten things in ten minutes

Ten things you can do in ten minutes

1. Clean another thousand temp files.

2. Back up your email address book. Click File/export or
  Tools/export and save as a .txt file.

3. Catch the Sudoku puzzle craze at www.saidwhat.co.uk/easy.php.

4. Empty the Recycle Bin.

5. Say goodbye to the thousands of e-mails in your Sent folder.

6. Buy a USB thumb drive for quick, portable backups.

7. Divorce yourself from Google. Try clusty.com for clustered,
  organized results.

8. Update your web site.

9. Click on your anti-virus program to make sure it's updated
  and protecting you..

10. And, yes, backup your data, again.

Favorite new word: Typosquatting

This from the Associated Press today:
Back to Print Edition - Chicago Tribune Saturday Business

THE TICKER
GOOGLE INC.: Firm awarded rights in `typosquatting'

SAN FRANCISCO -- An Internet arbitrator has awarded Google Inc. the rights to several Web site addresses that relied on typographical errors to exploit the online search engine's popularity so computer viruses and other malicious software could be unleashed on unsuspecting visitors.

The National Arbitration Forum, a legal alternate to litigating in court, sided with a Google complaint alleging that Sergey Gridasov of St. Petersburg, Russia, had engaged in "typosquatting" by operating Web sites named googkle.com, ghoogle.com and gooigle.com.

Former Stanford University graduate students incorporated the search engine in September 1998 and Google registered its domain name a year later. Gridasov registered his Web sites in December 2000 and January 2001, Google said.

Summer Phishing Safety

Don't relax this summer when it comes to keeping your data safe online. Media reports of unauthorized access to sensitive personal data are taking a toll on consumers' confidence in online commerce, according to research and analysis firm Gartner Inc.

A Gartner survey of 5,000 U.S. adults showed that phishing attacks grew at double-digit rates last year in the United States.

Consumers reported receiving more than 50 phishing e-mails in the past year, an increase of 28 percent over the prior year. when an estimated 57 million U.S. adults reported that they definitely, or think, they received a phishing attack email. In both surveys, 5,000 participants were selected to match demographic characteristics of the U.S. online population.

2.4 million online consumers report losing money directly because of the phishing attacks. Of these, approximately 1.2 million consumers lost $929 million during the year preceding the survey. Survey participants indicated most of the money stolen was repaid by banks and credit cards.

Gartner analysts said most online consumers do not open e-mail from companies or individuals they do not know from prior experience. Three of every four online shoppers said they are more cautious about where they buy goods online, and one of three report buying fewer items than they otherwise would because of security concerns.

While companies are rapidly increasing security, this level of online theft is unprecedented. If businesses can't keep data safe, their efforts to lower cost by pushing consumers to online transactions will be thwarted.

More than 80 percent of online consumers said their concerns about online attacks have affected their trust in e-mail from companies or individuals they don't know personally. Of these consumers, more than 85 percent delete suspect e-mail without opening it.

Phishing attacks are not slowing down. More than 40 percent of the adults who received phishing attack e-mails received them in the two weeks preceding the survey; another 23 percent of respondents said they received these e-mails two weeks before that - so more than 63 percent of consumers who received one of these e-mails did so in the month prior to the survey.

Concerned consumers are logging in less frequently, and becoming reluctant to pay bills online.

Stay safe online --- Don't click a link in an email directing you to a web site, use a browser with certificate verification, log out promptly when finished, and keep a record in the computer of your online transactions. Use a firewall, and good protection software that can detect phishing, rerouted links, and third-party redirecting of links.

Phishing Scams

How can it be that no one can catch the hackers who create bogus e-mails, causing you to leak your life secrets and credit card accounts? In every article I read, the bottom line is usually "There is no way to catch the crooks, because the messages are sent in bulk, usually from masked or bogus e-mail addresses."

Phooey! as one of my favorite clients would say.

Now Zone Alarm and Trend Micro, two reputable software firms, have at least some protection to offer. As always, don't click on links in e-mails you don't trust, and never give your personal information to anyone via e-mail, even if it seems to be from your own e-mail provider.

Check out Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm Security Suite, zonelabs.com and
Trend Micro's PC-cillin Internet Security trendmicro.com

Tech Partnership for Small Business free seminar

Microsoft has joined with the U.S. Dept. of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency and is hosting free tech seminars around the country, primarily for minority and women-owned businesses.

The next Chicago-area event is June 14, 2005 at 7 p.m. at the Westin River North.
I'll be out of town that day but I hope some of you will be able to go I've attended Microsoft-sponsored events in the past, and always find them generous in sharing information.

Sign up at www.clicktoattend.com/invitation.aspx?code=102412
or read more at their site: http://www.biztechconnect.org/default.aspx

E-Mail newsletters as marketing tool

I gave a talk this morning at The Glenview Chamber of Commerce. Our topic was effective searching beyond Google, and the value of e-mail newsletters as a marketing tool.

Like with any good business communication, the first rule is always: Have something to say.

Beyond that, anything goes. Sign up for my free newsletter by hitting the big blue Subscribe button at my web site www.cclarity.com. You can always unsubscribe if you don't want to see it again.

What you'll find, though, is an example of a quick, consise efficient way to keep your name in front of clients and prospects, and the opportunity to share your knowledge. It takes only a few minutes once you choose the e-mail newsletter program you want to use. Most are free too. What better way to build business while you're on Summer vacation.

Cheers,

Helen Gallagher

A note about RSS

RSS - Really Simple Syndication

I love my daily newspaper, web sources for news, and mountains of magazines, but there's too much information to keep up with. We have to filter through "everything" to get to just the news and information we want. So, along comes RSS - "Really Simple Syndication," as a method to distribute filtered news feed. Here's a primer on RSS and what it can do for your news-gathering and your needs as a writer:

Imagine a whole new style of news. One where the web prowls all the news sites and brings you just the areas that you're interested in.

With RSS feed, you can go to one web site and find fresh content from all the sites it scans for you. You determine the areas you want to monitor, such as health care, Social Security legislation, the population of Borneo, and you can be sure you won't miss any news on those topics.

Where does the news come from? Most web sites and blogs now have RSS feed. Poynter.org quotes a Pew Internet & American Life Project survey in November," five percent of Internet users use RSS. And you can count on that number to grow, as more sites add feeds."

If you're just starting out, try RSS with a web-based reader, the top reader today is Bloglines.com, where you can sign up for free.

E-mail worse than marijuana?

Feeling goofy?

CNN reports today that a British survey found people distracted by phone calls, email and text messaging suffer a greater loss of IQ that a person smoking marijuana.

In 80 clinical trials, Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychiatrist at King's College London University, monitored the IQ of workers throughout the day.

He found the IQ of those who tried to juggle messages and work fell by 10 points -- the equivalent to missing a whole night's sleep and more than double the 4-point fall seen after smoking marijuana.

"This is a very real and widespread phenomenon," Wilson said. "We have found that this obsession with looking at messages, if unchecked, will damage a worker's performance by reducing their mental sharpness.

" Wilson said the IQ drop was even more significant in the men who took part in the tests.

"The research suggests that we are in danger of being caught up in a 24-hour 'always on' society," said David Smith of Hewlett Packard.

"This is more worrying when you consider the potential impairment on performance and concentration for workers, and the consequent impact on businesses."

Read the full story at:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/04/22/text.iq/index.html

Spring Electronic Recycling 5/21/05

The next SWANC electronic recycling event:

Saturday, May 21, 2005
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Winnetka Public Works building
1390 Willow Road
Winnetka

Bring old computers, printers, monitors, other electronics.
Remember to erase all data from computers before donating or recycling!

Is it the pillows or the wireless connection?

Most of us choose a hotel based on convenience, distance, price, and of course, great pillows or those Heavenly Beds of the Westin chain. But there's a new criteria: Do they charge for wi-fi?

If you're like me you think wi-fi should be free in places where we are already paying to use their services. They don't charge extra for lights or air conditioning, which is always excessive in hotels. Why not make us even happier and more productive with wi-fi.

Here's a list of hotels that do offer free wi-fi:
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2004/11/2/201522/957/Title/
Best_WiFi_Hotels_2004

Helen

Are you productive, or just busy?

Recent studies have compared the productivity of the average American to those relaxed, sophisticated Europeans who really know how to live. The research always shows the same thing: We just rush, rush, rush through everything we do, not taking time to enjoy anything.

When it comes to interacting with computers, many people feel they are wasting vast amounts of time at the computer with nothing to show for it. So who do you think conducted the newest productivity study? Microsoft, of course!

While the study was done with over 38,000 people in 200 countries, addressing worker productivity, I can't help but see parallels to our work with the computer.

Does this sound familiar? The Microsoft study found the top time-wasters were:

• Unclear objectives
• Lack of team communication
• Ineffective meetings

For many, that is exactly what happens when you face your computer.

• Unclear objectives = What am I trying to do?
• Lack of communication = Why won't the computer let me?
• Ineffective meetings = This was a big waste of time!

A client recently said "I'm thinking of all the things I'd rather be doing than sitting here fighting the computer." Well, "gather your wits about you," as my mother used to say, and make your computer time the best part of your day.

Start with a goal in mind, not mindlessly wandering the web until your eyes are tired. Believe that you can achieve something by knowing where to click and use the Help files, and stay focussed on the task until it's done. Then take a stretch break before you tackle the next task.

The spin from the Microsoft survey is that worker's claim their productivity is directly related to their computers: 55 percent worldwide, 61 percent in the U.S. That makes me happy because it proves my point that focussed time at the computer, when you know what you want to accomplish will result in satisfaction, getting the job done quicker, and leaving you with more time to enjoy the rest of life.

You can gain the computer skills needed to accomplish your goals, and the energy you put into learning will result in quicker projects, better tracking of your data, and the confidence to know you have mastered technology.

Microsoft's Johnny One Note - or Etch-A-Sketch?

Since the launch of Office 2003, Microsoft has had a clever product called OneNote. Using a notebook metaphor it is a program to grab all your notes and stuff them in one place, just like in a real binder.

If you collect random bits of information such as book reviews, recipes, computer tips, expense account fragments, and brilliant ideas, OneNote lets you organize your information into categories. It imports data in just about any format, you can type notes anywhere on the page, capture images, and even write on the screen if you have a tablet PC

It can be a wonderful tool for students with calendars, outlining, and with paper-intensive work for attorneys and researchers.

Learn more at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX010858031033.aspx

You can download an 80 MB free trial from Microsoft or buy the product at retail for around $85.

Once all your notes are all in one place, it's up to you to make something wonderful happen. In most testing I've observed with clients, OneNote becomes a jumble of junk. It's easy to find but still just a pile of notes, especially for the organizationally challenged among us.

I have tested OneNote and if you've used Lotus Notes you already know how it works. It's actually too much forced structure and too much clutter for me. I still prefer Jot+ Notes, a simple searchable free-form program you can download from KingStairs at www.kingstairs.com. It is a real work horse without getting in the way like clumsy Microsoft products.

Remember, there are thousands of good software providers. Microsoft isn't the only player. So support companies that provide affordable, bug-free, creative solutions.

Microsoft's SP-2 - now or later?

Well, do we have a choice?

Many of us have been disabling the update of Windows Service Pack 2 but as of April 12th, Microsoft announced it will be "delivering" the update whether we want it or not. Our eight month "grace period" is ending.

"UPDATE: Time is running out! Please note that the mechanism to temporarily disable delivery of Windows XP SP2 is only available for a period of 240 days (8 months) from August 16, 2004. At the end of this period (after April 12, 2005), Windows XP SP2 will be delivered to all Windows XP and Windows XP Service Pack 1 systems.

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) contains major security improvements designed to provide better protection against hackers, viruses, and worms. Windows XP SP2 also improves the manageability of the security features in Windows XP and provides more and better information to help users make decisions that may potentially affect their security and privacy. Because of these significant improvements, Microsoft views Windows XP SP2 as an essential security update and is therefore distributing it as a “critical update” via Windows Update (WU) and the Automatic Updates (AU) delivery mechanism in Windows. Microsoft strongly urges customers with Windows XP and Windows XP Service Pack 1-based systems to update to Windows XP SP2 as soon as possible."


Or.... they'll do it for you!

As before, our advice remains:

1. Don't use the Microsoft products that make you vulnerable to security breaches: Internet Explorer, Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Media Player.

2. Order the free CD from Microsoft to load the update when you want, so you can undo the process in one 'system restore' instead of piecemeal when it downloads and applies the updates.

3. Keep backups, of course, and be ready to do a system restore if it unravels any of your work.


We are not responsible for any problems resulting from the installation of the Service Pack, or avoidance of the installation. Each user needs to make their own decisions, and you can read much more about this at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/
maintain/sp2aumng.mspx

Flat-Panel Monitors a Pain in the Neck?

Prices continue to drop for those sleek, space saving flat-panel monitors, but don't get skimp on features when you're shopping. It's exciting to see a 15 or 17 inch LCD monitor under $200 but be sure the height and size are appropriate for you. Only the higher priced models have an adjustable slider to control the height. If you can't try it out by sitting at a desk with the monitor you're buying, make sure you get one you can tilt or adjust.

The top of a monitor should usually be about even with your eyebrows, so your head, neck and shoulders aren't strained. CNet has done the work for you, with an exhaustive review of the best flat-panel screens, fully adjustable no matter what your preference.

Learn more at http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3000_7-5554722-1.html?tag=nl.e404.

Anything's better than balancing that new monitor on phone books!

And the Oscar Goes to Netscape for Best Browser

Because of yesterday's New York Times article, there's a lot of talk about web browsers, and more to choose from than the default Internet Explorer that Microsoft ships pre-loaded on every PC.

Read the full article if you wish, at http://www.nytimes.com/circuits/ but note this:

All the recent articles about browsers are missing the obvious choice: Netscape. Both Foxfire and Mozilla are built by the same people who first developed Netscape at the University of Illinois almost twenty years ago.

Netscape is free, available by download or CD at www.netscape.com and has MORE features han all the competing browsers:

• Increased security
• Junk mail filter
• Pop-up stoppers
• Search the web by clicking any word on a web site
• Tabbed browsing
• Save all tabbed pages as a group of bookmarks

and because the mail is integrated, you don't have to use a separate program like Outlook Express for e-mail.

So why all the talk about paying $30 for a browser with tabs? Beats me. I've got 86 percent of my clients happily using Netscape and nobody misses out on a single feature of IE.

Top 25 Innovations

CNN lists the top 25 innovations of the past 25 years as:
1. The Internet
2. Cell phone
3. Personal computers
4. Fiber optics
5. E-mail
6. Commercialized GPS
7. Portable computers
8. Memory storage discs
9. Consumer level digital camera
10. Radio frequency ID tags
11. MEMS
12. DNA fingerprinting
13. Air bags
14. ATM
15. Advanced batteries
16. Hybrid car
17. OLEDs
18. Display panels
19. HDTV
20. Space shuttle
21. Nanotechnology
22. Flash memory
23. Voice mail
24. Modern hearing aids
25. Short Range, High Frequency Radio

You can read the full article at http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/01/03/cnn25.top25.innovations/index.html

New Virus Disguised as CNN News

Remember when a virus was the worst thing that could happen to your computer? Today we are battling spyware, data miners, and malacious programs that hijack your browser and track your online activity. But viruses are getting more sneaky too, and more harmful.

The new virus reported today, is called Crowt-A. It pulls headlines, subject lines and other content from CNN.com. Once opened, the virus can then scan the user's address book and try to email itself to those users.

The virus' subject line and attachment share the same name, researchers say, but change continually to match headlines from CNN.com's home page.

The virus can also plant spyware on your computer. In addition to emailing itself to other users, it installs a "backdoor Trojan function that cansend data such as keystrokes to a remote user -- a practice sometimes used by hackers to obtain sensitive information such as passwords.

Use reputable anti-virus software and be sure it's working. My #1 recommendation is ETrust from Computer Associates at www.ca.com. If you have an active subscription to Norton or McAfee, keep updating the virus definition files and make sure it is protecting your e-mail.

Wow! There's a Patron Saint just for us

Isadore of Seville, known as Schoolmaster of the Middle Ages, is also the patron saint of computer users.

Born c.560 at Cartagena, Spain, he lived centuries before technology, but was proclaimed Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIV in 1722, and became the leading candidate for patron of computer users and the Internet in 1999. Initially a poor student, Isadore gave the problem over to God and became one of the most learned men of his time.

It's good to know St. Isadore is watching over us.

If you're looking for a patron saint, here's where I stumbled across the site that boasts over 4,000 saints. http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/indexsnt.htm.

Of course, I wasn't actually looking for a patron saint.I found it while looking for something else. Isn't that often the path to information these days?

How to Read a Web Site

It's fun to watch someone read the newspaper. Some methodically turn pages from start to finish, section to section. Others grab the business section, sports, or crossword puzzle, then wander to editorials, local news and get lost in the wanderlust detail of the weather page. Me, I start and stop several times during the day, always interrupted, but can pick up right where I left off when I get a few more minutes to read.

Yet, web sites, containing much the same mix of loosely organized information, seem to leave people transfixed. I'm a frequent observer of people's navigation behavior and have noticed what I call the 30-second stare.

First the eye looks around the page for something, anything, appealing. Behind the eye, the brain is saying "Why am I here? What am I supposed to look at? If I click something, how will I get
back here?"

Then, the glazed look begins and the mouse is thinking: "I don't know what to do next."

Then, the click, often taking the person away from that page, forever.

You put a lot of time into the look of your web site, but like the newspaper, which produces new material every single day, you need something of value on every page, and have to give people a way to navigate where they want to go, not just where your logical mind feels they should navigate. And, always give them a way out, but invite them back. It's disappointing to follow a site for several pages and then not be able to get back to an interesting page.

So start the New Year off with some quality reading -- of your own web site. Make sure it measures up to your standards, and is also pleasing to your clients. Check the traffic your site receives through your web host, and pay special attention to which pages receive the most hits, and what pages cause people to exit the site.

Avoid Online Holiday Scams

SBC has posted these updated warnings for holiday scams. Stay smart and don't fall prey to any online tricks this year:

Identity Theft. Thieves are able to "steal" another person's identity by illegally obtaining sensitive personal information such as credit card or Social Security numbers, often from discarded credit card statements, utility bills or personal checks. Phishing. Also known as "spoofing" or "carding," Phishing is a new, but fast-growing form of Internet fraud. Online scammers "fish" for consumers' financial information and password data by sending consumers e-mails that appear to be from well known companies. The e-mails often contain links taking consumers to Web pages that have been disguised to look nearly identical to legitimate companies' sites. "Do-Not-Call" List Scam. This scam involves a call from a person claiming to be a state official or member of a consumer advocacy group who asks consumers if they would like to be included in the state or federal do-not-call list. The caller then asks for personal information, like Social Security or bank account numbers, explaining that it is required for enrollment in the registry. 809 Area Code Scam. This ongoing scam encourages consumers to respond to e-mails, pages or voice mail messages from a phone number with an 809, 284 or 876 area code to claim prizes or receive information regarding a family member. Consumers who return the calls — often to the Caribbean, Canada or other countries — are often charged extremely expensive international calling rates. Internet Threats. Consumers should be wary of a variety of Internet threats, from destructive Internet worms and viruses, to online auction scams, money transferring schemes, and more. SBC companies offer in-depth information about existing and emerging online problems affecting adults as well as children.

Best anti-virus & spyware protection

At CNET.com today they listed the top 100 products of 2004. Clients worred about computer viruses and spyware, especially those with children, take note. The best program in this category is not Norton or McAfee, its:

Best antihacker software Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2005 Let's be clear: Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2005 is the best Internet protection bundle currently on the market--period. It includes first-rate antivirus, firewall, antispam, and spyware-blocking tools, plus a host of extra security features--all for about $20 less than comparable roducts F-Secure Internet Security, ZoneAlarm Internet Security, McAfee Internet Security, nd Symantec Internet Security. Read more at www.cnet.com/Top_10_software/ 4520-6022_1-102337-4.html?tag=nav

Take a look, both for peace of mind and to save the cost of a service call to repair your system, or to wipe out your entire computer and start over. The first of the year is a good time to gain control of the necessary responsiblity of protecting your computer investment.

Holiday Gift Guide

One great thing about computers is they provide us with lots of nifty gift ideas for the holidays.

If you need stocking stuffers for the family, here are some tips for the most-wanted items:

Digital cameras @ $100 to $400
USB Jump Drive, backup memory sticks @ $19 to $60
Charger for rechargable batteries
More memory for desktop or laptop computers
MP3 players to listen to downloaded music @ $100
Computer games from Scrabble to Madden NFL, all under $50
Blank CD's
Combo printer under $150
A year's subscription to The Wall Street Journal online @ $79

Office Max has an online catalog, free shipping for orders over $50 and gift ideas ranging from a keychain-sized AM/FM radio for $7.00 to elegant pen sets, CD's, DVD's, games, laptop computers, and DVD players and recorders. www.officemax.om

Don't forget, you can shop online and still patronize your local retailer. Most shops have a web site, and where I live in Glenview, I can purchase anything from unique Irish imports at Irish Connoisseur to books from Alibi and The Bookstall in Winnetka.

Many charities also allow contributions via the web. It's not too late to make a donation for 2004

A Necessary Precaution

At a business meeting tonight, sitting across from some wonderful people, I was thinking about the power of networking and the reliance on person-to-person communication even in today's fast paced world. Computers emulate this human life form with the electronic version of neighborhood chats, friends helping friends, and people learning from each other.

Much has been written about Windows SP2, and I've posted a few related articles here is my blog. Common wisdom is that the Microsoft patch is essential for all XP users, but that some precautions are required.

What does this mean for you?
Read what your neighbors are saying at updatexp.com or winsupersite.com.

A recent survey compiled by PCWorld.com, with over 3,000 site visitors who own WinXP and have installed Service Pack 2 on their machines led to these results:

" ... Service Pack 2 is an important upgrade with many desirable features, especially for the security-minded. If you follow Microsoft's installation guidelines and check the lists of known conflicts in advance, you'll probably get through the experience unscathed -- or at worst have to overcome only mildly irritating conflicts.

Percentage survey respondents who installed SP2: 62%
Percentage of those who had no problems: 74%
Percentage who reported mild problems: 10.3%
Moderate problems: 9%
Severe problems: 4%
Most common problem: Malfunctioning software
Favorite new feature in SP2: Pop-up blocking
Least favorite: New security features that conflict with 3rd-party security software "

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,117990,pg,2,00.asp

So if you have a problem you'll be in the minority, but check the sites listed above for solutions to common problems. Most problems I've seen at Computer Clarity are firewall conflicts or Norton being disabled by Microsoft. Both are fairly easy to resolve with a little research.

Music Downloads & Spyware

One reason to avoid the "free" music download sites, like Kazaa and Limewire, is because you're almost certain to be plagued with spyware on your computer if you use those sites to download. When you agree to the license to use their software for free, you are also agreeing to let companies plant information on your computer, and even use your computer for their own purposes.

Legitimate alternatives are being launched all the time. Here's a brief update on two.

1. Best Buy, the retailer, advertises Napster subscriptions at only $16.99. This includes a two month subscription and ten prepaid downloads. Offering over one million tracks of music, and additional prepaid download cards, it may be the holiday solution for a teenager and the end of spyware on your computer.

You can help your teenager avoid illegal music copying, and teach them to use their downloads for good music they really want, instead of downloading megabytes of junk just because they think it is free. Free has a price.

2. Dell Computer Corp. reports that calls for tech support have increased dramatically because spyware makes computers inoperable. While they are not responsible for spyware, they have been advising customers to download solutions, such as the AdAware and SpyBot products used and recommended by Computer Clarity.

Dell has now become a partere in an Internet safety organization. Take a look at the Internet Education Foundation at www.getnetwise.org for video tutorials and tips to prevent spyware.

Why does Dell care? In the last 18 months, their tech support calls related to spyware have jumped from 2% to 20%. That illustrates how the magnitutde of spyware has reached outrageous proportions, and why large vendors of hardware, software, and high speed connections are beginning to offer assistance to users.

Basic E-Mail Savvy

If you found your way here, you're already web savvy. Are your e-mail skills also up-to-date?

Here are the basics a good computer user should master. How do you rate?

Can you forward?
In the top toolbar of your e-mail program, you should see a button to allow you to forward a message from one person to another. When you receive a forwarded message you will see FWD in the subject line. That should be a tip for you to read below the sender's message to see what he or she forwarded.

Can you reply without clutter?
When you click 'reply' to a message and type in your comments, you don't have to re-send the person's original note back to them. It's efficient to clean it up a bit, by highlighting their text and deleting. But leave a fragment of their message so they know what you're replying to. If the message said there is a meeting Monday at 7 p.m. followed by an agenda and directions, you could leave just the day and time showing, and reply something like "Thanks, I'll see you at the meeting."

Can you open attachments?
The easist way is to double-click on an attachment. If your computer has the same program the sender used, such as Excel or Word, it should open right up. If you have trouble, try a right-click instead of a double click. Choose Save As and save the file to your computer. Then open the program you want to use to view the file, click File / Open and you will see the document.


Can you copy and paste?
Many people know how to right-click after highlighting a passage of text, for example in Word, and then choosing Cut, Copy or Paste from the right-click pop-up menu. But you may need practice to get comfortable using Copy & Paste across different programs. For example, you can highlight, right-click and choose Copy while in a paragraph of an e-mail. Then, you can compose a new e-mail to someone else, right-click and choose Paste to send that paragraph on. You can also copy a passage from a web site into a Word document, from Excel to Word, from Excel to e-mail.... Well, you get the idea.

Spammer tricks to avoid
Nasty people with too much time on their hands love to send junk mail, also known as spam. To avoid problems, don't open messages if you don't recognize the sender or subject. At least, try just doing a print preview rather than actually opening a suspicioiuis e-mail, and NEVER open attachments you aren't expecting and know you can trust.

Spammers fill the messages with words having nothing to do with the subject line, because they know spam filters look for a percentage of goofy works such as Viagra, Rolex, etc. They fill the message with normal next like flowers, autos, banana, newspaper, tree, oxygen, etc. Don't waste time on the nonsense, just delete.