Welcome to our next edition of the Bardic Bulletin.   My intent is to publish this newsletter weekly in hopes to entertain and assist our readers.   We are operating on our last email list, but if you prefer that we send to another email address, or that we cancel your subscription, please use the links at the bottom of this email to make those modifications.   We hate to see anyone leave us but want to make sure that it is always your choice.

We have a really good issue (sorry, I am biased, I know) with many good ideas surrounding Spam, Spyware and taking control of your computer again.   Don’t let the more dodgy parts of the Internet move in and take over.     We hope you enjoy and find good use of this information.

In this issue:

• Time Saving Websites: How Stuff Works
• New FAQs: How can I protect my system from viruses, spyware, and pop-ups?
• Buzz Words: Spyware
• Urban Networking: Anyone can be (nearly) SPAM free!
• Online Entertainment: Itunes
• New Gadgets: Vonage
• Must-Have Software: Spybot-Search and Destroy

TIME SAVING WEBSITES:

How Stuff Works

by Roger Barnette

I have always been a curious sort of person.   When I was six, it killed me to find out how a ViewMaster moved the disc around the viewer and amazed me that such a 3D-effect could be created so simply.     It was like magic!   To my dismay, some things were never meant to be disassembled, as I never got it back together.

There is a website that can help you avoid destroying items your curiousity would lead you to reduce into spare parts.   It is called HowStuffWorks.com.

My favorite one today is, How Light Sabers Work.   I didn’t say it was all non-fiction did I?   If they were real, I am sure they would work just like this, though.

If you are a purest, however, there are also articles on such fun things as, “How Car Engines Work" .   They have articles in the following categories: Computer, Automotive, Electronics, Science, Home, Health, Money, Travel and People.   It may all be trivia, but it was really interesting to explore.   I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

BUZZ WORDS:

Spyware

by Roger Barnette

According to Dictionary.com, Spyware is “any software that covertly gathers information about a user while he/she navigates the Internet and transmits the information to an individual or company that uses it for marketing or other purposes.”

Typically, this means that your web browser allowed the installation of surripticious software, or such software was concealed within another legitimate program.   Elsewhere in this issue we have described a product called Spybot Search & Destroy.   This product complements your existing antivirus software to protect against this threat to your computer.

New FAQs:

How can I protect my system from viruses, spyware, and pop-ups?

by Roger Barnette

Often computers leave us feeling overwhelmed or overpowered.   This is never more likely than when a virus, or system problem occurs that makes no discernable sense of the computer’s responses.

It is possible to minimize the likelihood of this situation.   I achieve this by keeping my antivirus patches up to date, using spyware cleanup software such as Spybot-Seach & Destroy , and using a web-browser that has adequate pop-up blocking features built-in.

I use Norton Antivirus and have been very happy its ability to scan my system and inbound emails.   Spybot complements this tool by providing spyware protection.   You cannot easily uninstall Microsoft Internet Explorer from a Windows system, but it is easy enough to avoid using it.   For solid, safe web-browsing I recommend Mozilla Firefox.   Firefox is available for free from: http://www.getfirefox.com.   The Firefox software is described more fully in a previous newsletter.

These three key elements craft a strong protection boundary for computer systems.   Please contact us, if you would like our assistance securing your personal or commercial computing systems.

URBAN NETWORKING:

Anyone can be (nearly) SPAM free!

by Roger Barnette

Anyone (but not just any email address) can be (nearly) spam free.   The catch is in the way your email system is designed.   If you are using someone else’s domain name you are must rely on your email provider to assist you, but if you own your own domain name there may be a tool you can configure to help you out.

A product called SpamAssassin is commonly installed in web hosting facilities.   These facilities also process email.   While SpamAssassin may be installed it is not always turned on.   SpamAssassin scores every incoming email according to a set of industry rules that consider the originator of the email, the content of the email and other key attributes.   If this score exceeds a certain threshold, then the email is considered spam.   These spam emails are wrapped with the email equivalent of an envelope and labeled as spam.   Simply add an email rule to your personal email client that looks for these envelopes and you can automatically cause spam to be moved out of the inbox and into another email folder.

If you would like to use SpamAssassin, contact your web hosting provider to ask about activating this wonderful tool.   Please contact us if you would like us to counsel you in setting up this product.

ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT:

iTunes

by Roger Barnette

In the beginning was Apple, and they begat the Macintosh more than 20 years ago.   Still going strong, this alternative proprietary computer brand is developing tools that are too big to fit onto just one computer system.   Not too long ago they developed an music/MP3 player, called the iPod, that has taken the portable music world by storm.

In order for that revolution to occur, Apple had to develop a common music platform for both Windows and Macintosh system.   Their answer is the iTunes website.   At: http://www.itunes.com, it is a website that offers a free download of a music player for your computer, similar to the MS Windows Media Player, but with a couple of kicks.  

To begin with, this website and the downloadable player work hand in hand to manage your music shopping experience and provide for the installation of music onto your iPod.   Not having an iPod, that didn’t excite me though.   What did excite me was this iTunes also has an excellent Internet Radio section.  

You heard me right; free downloadable software and free Internet radio.   iTunes provides connection to many different styles of music.   Most stations operate with very few advertisements.   Whether you own an iPod of not, I found this a useful website and product combination.   I hope you will too.

New Gadgets:

Vonage

by Roger Barnette

While not technically a gadget, but rather an Internet Appliance, I have really enjoyed my Vonage telephone service.   Vonage is a company that uses VoIP (voice over IP) technology to move your phone service off those two wires running to your house from Bellsouth, and converts it to an Internet-based service that is potentially liberated from public utility service.

In short, I have disconnected the wires that used to run to my house, and my house phones now all run through a device provided by Vonage that is connected to my Comcast cable modem.

If you are interested in getting a deal from them, please send me an email and I will make a referral to you that should save us both some money.   Basically, prospective Vonage users sign up on their website and order the voice modem.   I have recently learned that you may also purchase a Vonage enabled router from Circuit City ( http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=111263&c=1 ), and simplify your setup significantly.   It should almost be plug-and-play, er talk.

I would be glad to help if you have any problems with installation.   If you have any questions, please call us right away.

MUST-HAVE SOFTWARE:

Spybot-Search & Destroy

by Roger Barnette

Are your movements being tracked across the Internet?   Maybe.   If you do not have an adequate defense against spyware, you cannot know for certain.   Most commercial and many private websites commonly use cookies and a technology called web bugs to mark visitors for analysis of your web-browsing experience.   This circumstance is made worse by the open manner in which Microsoft Internet Explorer operates.   The product I recommend to complement my antivirus software is Spybot-Search & Destroy.

The best site to download it from is Download.com, and product details are available at: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html.

To get the best utilization of this product, be sure to turn on the ancillary product called, “Tea Timer”.   Tea Timer monitors changes to the system registry, and requires a manual “approve” or “deny” decision for any such changes.   If you haven’t initiated an install or other change, always choose “deny” to make certain that programs that you didn’t install are never installed in the first place.

Of course a pre-emptive strike just the first part of a solution.   Spybot also actively monitors against malicious software with its immunization feature, and passively with their “Search for problems” feature.   If you run the passive search weekly or monthly, that is usually adequate for defense.

What I like best about this product, is that it puts me in charge of any changes that are installed onto my computer.   It is an easy product to install, but we will help out if you need it.   Please call on us if we may be of service.