The Computer Buzz

April 24th, 2008

Nome and Paul Van Middlesworth - owners - The Computer Factory
 

Learning to co-exist with the WWW

The Word Wide Web (Internet) was a result of the convergence of many 20th century technological advances. It continues to evolve at lightning speed and none of us can even imagine where it will take us. The Internet has gradually become such a major part of our lives that is difficult to picture modern life without it.

Because of its ubiquity and our dependence on it, Internet issues impact us in many ways. While the Internet is an invaluable communication and information resource, it is also a sewer pipe reeking with pornography, violence and every form of human depravity. It is a vehicle for criminal and terrorist schemes and a sounding board for any evil mindset. The Internet provides ready access to the highest and basest achievements of mankind.

Somewhere in between comes "malware." This is the industry's generic term for unwanted software that finds a way into your computer through your E-Mail or Internet browsing activity. Viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware and hijackers lurk everywhere on the WWW waiting for an opening to invade your computer and convert your resources to their own nefarious ends. "Malware" evolves quickly to defeat countermeasures deployed by Anti-virus scans and spyware sweepers. There is no way to completely protect your computer, frequent scanning with up to date sweep software will rid your system of most, but not all, infections after the fact.

Many users fall into the "Norton Trap," by accepting offers from Norton, McAffee, Microsoft or one of the other software vendors who sell comprehensive anti-malware programs with firewalls and "cookie cutters." Our experiences with these all-encompassing Internet security packages, like Norton 360, have been negative. They tend to take over your system, fight with your other programs and slow your PC to a crawl. Some ISPs offer free Internet security programs that are beginning to look promising. We still recommend Grisoft's virus protection and spyware sweeper. They are free and downloadable at WWW.free.grisoft.com.

There is also a way to protect human viruses. These are folks who occasionally use your PC with or without your permission. Your grandchildren who change video and audio settings to play their games, your son's friends who loaded limewire and Bonzi Buddy or the brother in law who graciously leaves a few porn cookies for you whenever he stops by.

For those who use computers for serious stuff like business, banking, genealogy etc., the Internet and dangerous users represent a continuing threat to data and peace of mind. Is there an answer to this problem? Yep, for about fifty bucks you can install a hard drive dock that will allow you to remove your hard drive and insert a guest drive whenever human viruses threaten.

If data security and privacy are issues in your home school or office environment, you can safely segregate as many users as you wish by giving each their own hard drive. In effect this turns a single desktop PC into multiple custom PCs.