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Are You Saving Money With a Computer Support Plan?
As a computer troubleshooter and repair person, I see all kinds of problems and possibilities. From the quick fix or answer to the complicated repair, from the problem computer to the occasional tweak another computer needs - it pays to know a...
Can I Hear Your Web Site?
A web site makes great eye candy, but can your web site engage senses other than sight? Believe it or not, there are actually companies working to add smell and taste to your web sites and emails! For fun, check out www.trisenx.com . At this...
Ezine Article Advertising & Marketing Blunders
****By placing this creative work in a website, newsletter, or publishing or distributing it in any way, you agree to be bound by the terms of the following license. If you do not agree, do not publish or distribute this article. Modifications...
Protecting Your Computer from Adware and Spyware
Recently, while checking our company web site statistics, we noticed a number of referrals from gambling and pornography sites. Since we are certain these types of sites would not house links to us, we investigated further and determined that some...
User Friendliness: Do Computers Have To Be Clinical And Boring?
While sleeping through a lecture recently I roused for just long enough to catch the lecturer saying that "Error messages should not try to be funny or amusing, they should be clear and concise". This got me thinking about the ever-elusive goal of...
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3 Simple Steps to Stay Safe from Spyware
There are several basic concepts to keep in mind when deciding to stay spyware free for good. This article will outline a spyware checklist for you to keep in mind when getting tough on spyware and taking back control of your computer using two popular free applications, Ad-Aware,and Spybot - S&D. Using these two programs in conjunction will eliminate a vast majority of spyware problems from your computer. For the purposes of this article, "spyware" refers also to adware, malware, and other not-so-nice "features" of today's computing reality.
These are some tell-tale warning signs that your computer may be suffering from spyware-
* You receive many pop-ups
* Your computer is running slowly
* You may have invasive toolbars hijacking your browser
* Your home page may have been hijacked
Your first step to escaping spyware's wrath is to download and run Ad-Aware and Spybot - S&D, the two leading spyware fighting tools out there, boasting millions of downloads each. Please remember it's always safest to backup your system before installing a new program or executing one. After downloading the two programs, be sure to run the update feature to be sure they are current when it comes to detecting the latest threats. Remove the detected spyware using these two programs, then move to step two.
The second step in staying spyware free involves you to be proactive. At this point your
computer should be free from spyware. What you want to do now is keep it this way, to do that there are helpful tips to guide you. In Windows 98 you can use msconfig to view the startup programs on your computer. This is helpful because you can control what programs automatically load when you boot your computer. To access this invaluable tool, go to START >> RUN, type MSCONFIG. If you check the startup programs occasionally you may see a new spyware entry that will alert you it's time to clean out the spyware again.
The third step involves your web browsing habits. It means you must never click on an activex screen that asks you if you want to allow an innocuous looking toolbar, or "surfing aid"be installed. By clicking "allow" you are effectively giving these perfidious spyware authors free reign over your system and personal information. If possible you should surf with the security settings on "maximum" for safest surfing.
In summary, it's important to avoid spyware for your computer and personal identity health. To do so, use free tools available to you and be mindful of your computer settings and surf the Internet responsibly. Following these easy steps will ensure a safe and spyware free existence for you and your computer!
Erich Bihlman is a technology pro specializing in PC/Internet Tutoring and website design services in Prescott, Arizona. Erich has owned and operated www.Bihlman.com since 1997.
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