- All about Microsoft Vista
- 10 Reasons to buy Microsoft Vista
- Five things that will give you pause
- About Spyware
- Microsoft Windows Security 101
- Creating unique passwords
Computer maintenance
All about Microsoft Vista
Any time a new operating system is released, there are always various roadblocks to them running smoothly. Generally these problems fall into either software or hardware issues. Software issues are things such as applications written for Windows XP that will not fully function under Vista or bugs with the early release of the operating system code. Hardware issues deal with peripherals that will not function with the new operating system typically because the drivers have not been written or approved for use with the new operating system.
If you are purchasing a new computer system with Vista installed, software issues tend to be less of an issue. The problems tend to be peripherals from an older PC or purchased in addition to the PC. That scanner, digital camera or printer may not have the drivers that allow them to interface with the operating system. This can be a real problem as it can take hardware companies up to six months or a year to get them written. Always check with the peripheral manufacturer to ensure that it is Vista compatible.
Older systems that are being upgraded will also have these same hardware issues, but they are likely to encounter many more software issues. This is especially true for those that do an upgrade install from Windows XP to Vista rather than a fresh install. Once the upgrade is done, various programs may need to reinstalled, patched or upgraded for them to function with Vista. Once again, check with the software publisher to check and see if the program is Vista compatible before enduring the upgrade process.
My personal opinion on new operating systems is for consumers to try and avoid them for around six months or more from their release. Typically the people who use them early on encounter many more problems as the bugs and compatibility issues are worked out. By holding off, you let the early adopters run into and get those problems fixed before you use it. Microsoft is already pushing “Fiji” or Service Pack 1 for early release to get features missing from the initial release installed as well as patching early bugs. Once this is released, users would be advised to get Vista with new PC purchases while older PC users can upgrade at their discretion.
Ten Reasons why to buy Microsoft Vista
Five things that will give you pause
About Spyware
• Scan your computer using the anti-spyware software on a regular basis.
Microsoft Windows Security 101
Why Are Passwords Required?
While you might consider them a pain to use, could you imagine if your Internet service provider didn't require them? If they didn't, anyone could log on to the Internet using your user-name. While that doesn't seem too dangerous at first thought, it could lead to you being blamed for something you didn't do, such as breaking user agreements and even doing something illegal. Certain Websites also require user names and passwords for services such as email and forums. If they didn't, then anyone could read your mail or assume your identity.
Problem With Creating Easy To Remember Passwords
The passwords that you create should be something that no one could ever guess. Because you have to remember your password, the temptation to make passwords easy to remember often leads to trouble. Creating passwords that contain your name or nickname, your dog's name or something that is commonly known are too easy for someone else to guess. Some people think that other people would never guess an easy password but you would be surprised how easy it is. I remember one time a co-worker was bragging that no one would be able to guess her password. It only took me two guesses - it was her dog's name. I knew her enough that, I knew it had to be her daughter's name or her dog's name because she talked about them so often.
General Rules For Creating Passwords
When passwords are required there may be different rules for each application. Generally passwords are:
• Case Sensitive - This means that the upper-case letter a (A) is not the same as the lower-case letter a (a).
• No Spaces Allowed - Most applications do not allow blank spaces in the word.
• Special Characters - Characters such as a tilde (~) may or may not be allowed. You will need to check the rules.
• Length - Most applications will tell you a minimum and maximum length of the password. Although you may be allowed to create a password that is four characters long, for security reasons it is recommended that the minimum length be eight characters.
Creating Passwords That Won't Be Easily Cracked
• Should be more than seven characters long
• Mix letters and numerals
• Use upper-case and lower-case letters
• Do not create a password that contains a single word that is in the dictionary
• Use phrases
Making Hard-to-Crack Passwords Easy To Remember
• Make passwords like the vanity plates on cars. For example: passwordsREZ (passwords are easy)
• Create a pattern when you create your passwords such as using upper-case letters for vowels and lower-case for consonants, so it would be easy to remember but hard to crack. The word "candy" would then be "cAndy". Or you could substitute letters for numbers. For example 1=I, 5=S, 0=O. Some people do not recommend creating these patterns but it will make it easy for you to remember. Remember though, that if you use a pattern and then someone finds out your password, you should then change your pattern for your new password.
• Use a phrase instead of a single word to make it a more secure password, such as "candy for you" which would be "cAndy4U".
Keeping Your Passwords Secure
• NEVER give out your passwords to anyone, including representatives from companies that call you. The only time you will have to give them a password is when you initially create a password or when you want to change it.
• Instruct your children to NEVER give out passwords and continue to remind them to do so. Children have a hard time keeping a secret, in fact, one time my daughter shared ours because it was such a neat combination! Also, one of my friend's children gave out their ISP user name and password to their friends so they could get Internet access. My friend was double-billed by her ISP for services because two computers were logged in at the same time.
• Do not keep a list of passwords on your desk or in a file on your computer. There are however, some shareware programs that you can get that will store passwords for you but they use encryption technology so they can't be accessed.
• If you think someone might know your password, have your password changed.
• Change you passwords periodically. Some people recommend every six months.
• If someone is sitting near you when you have to enter a password, be sure to cover your fingers while typing it.
Nothing can be more frustrating than forgetting a password! Here are some tips for what to do if you have forgotten a password.
• At Websites look for a link that says, "password reminder".
• Sign up for a new account at the Website if you can't access it.
• Contact their support department. Often they can reset your password.
• If you have forgotten your password for your ISP, contact their support department.
• Download a password recovery program. To get one, go to ZDNet and then search for "recover lost password" in PC Downloads.
Computer maintenance
Keep your system working safer, longer, and better by making sure it's fully updated: your PC is like a car - if you don't keep it tuned up you may see computer problems such as crashes, security holes and bugs, components and peripherals that don't work properly, and a slow computer.
1. Keep your computer clean.
Dust build-up inside your case can affect your machine in a couple of ways. If layers of dust build up on the components, the thermal cooling process is hindered, and your computer can eventually overheat (this takes a lot of dust to happen). The other problem with dust buildup is that it can destroy your power-supply and CPU fans. If either of these fans fail, your computer will definitely overheat, and could destroy your CPU, motherboard, or graphics cards. Evidence of overheated computers is that the hard drive and floppy cables become shiny and disfigured. I lost my last CPU to a dead CPU fan. To clean out the case, just open the cover and blow the dust out with a can of compressed air. Make sure that you get inside the power supply and all the fans. You may want to do this outdoors if you haven't done this in a while. Let the computer sit for a few moments before turning it back on, as compressed air can sometimes discharge moisture. Never do this with the computer plugged in. You should clean your case out at least once a year, moreso if your furnace lacks a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter.
2. Run Scandisk and Defrag.
Scandisk can repair most file system problems and anomalies. If you are finding errors frequently, or find bad blocks during a full surface scan, your hard drive may be failing. Bad blocks are a sure way to lose data, and are normally isolated from operating system use. They are created by jostling the hard drive while the computer is running, which causes the read and write heads to scratch the surface of the disk. They can also be created by loose material inside the hard drive, either by defective components or worn armatures. Scandisk should be run at least monthly, and will usually run automatically after an abnormal system shutdown. Defrag is a program which re-arranges the data stored on your hard drive so that access to frequent files is optimized, and files are arranged contiguously. Defrag should be run about twice a year, and should be run more often if you install and remove software frequently.
3. Scan for Viruses.
If your computer has access to the Internet, anti-virus software is a must-have utility! There are even cases reported in which commercial (store-bought) software and games are inadvertently shipped with viruses on them. Even Microsoft is guilty of this. Viruses can slow down system performance, destroy data on your hard drive, and even destroy computer hardware (motherboards and hard drives). You should always run a real-time anti-virus scanner while on the Internet or installing new software, and perform a full system scan every week or so. Be sure that you keep your anti-virus definitions up to date by checking for updates at least every few days, as new viruses are born almost daily.
4. Back up you data.
I have lost data myself a few times in the last 10 years or so of working with computers. Believe me, it's not a good thing. Keep in mind that data can disappear at any time while working on a computer. Causes of losing data are hard drive failure (the most common), computer viruses, accidentally deleting or over-writing files, mis-clicking with the mouse (data is moved somewhere else and appears to be missing, kids do this a lot), and hacker intrusions, to name a few. You do not necessarily need to backup your entire system, just the data which cannot be easily replaced, such as office documents, email addresses and messages, accounting software and data, saved games, etc. The most common media formats for backing up data are CD-ROM burners, Zip-drives and magnetic tape. CD-ROM burning is the most permanent form of data backup, and the cheapest. You should always keep at least one backup your data at any given time, and you should also consider storing your backups in a location outside your home (in case of fire), or in a fire-proof safe. Please do not rely on backing up your data to another computer on your network - your data will not be safe from a virus threat.
The first step in securing your Windows computer is to determine where you are at risk. By learning as much as you can about computer and network security and assessing how your system is at risk you will greatly improve your odds of staying secure.
Obviously, a computer that never accesses the Internet, has only one user and is only used for writing letters to friends and family is more secure than a computer that is shared by multiple members of the household, possibly hosting a personal web site, used for downloading files or participating in online chat sessions. Regardless of the intended use, the three basic keys are to install anti-virus software (and keep it up to date), never open files from sources you don’t know and keep your system properly patched against known vulnerabilities.
Beyond that, there are a few other precautions one can take to try to ensure the security of their computer.
1. Use a firewall. This can mean a few different things and each offers a slightly different level of protection. You can have a hardware firewall- such as those contained in home DSL / Cable Modem routers, a 3rd-party software firewall applications, or on some versions of Windows you can implement a firewall within the operating system.
2. Use tough passwords. Using your last name or the name of your dog as your password and never changing it poses a security risk. First of all, many pieces of information about you can be learned by diligent hackers. Items such as your name, the names of your children and other personal information should not be used. To be strong, it is best if your password contains letters, numbers and special characters (such as “*” or “%”) and does not contain an actual word. You should also change your password frequently- at least every 30 days.
3. Rename “Administrator”. Because the Administrator account is created by default it gives a hacker 50% of the information they need to access your computer. All they have to do then is crack the password. To make things more difficult, it is good practice to rename the Administrator account. You can call it anything you like.
4. Create a Guest password. The Guest account is also installed by default and it is installed with a blank password. Generally, the account is disabled and does not pose a threat. However, some hackers and hacker utilities can enable the Guest account. With a blank password they can then get in to do more damage. It is wise to assign a password to the Guest account, but leave the Guest account disabled.
Take advantage of those Web sites that offer free online scanning to identify any spyware that may be on your computer.
Most Internet users are always on the lookout for viruses, worms, and so on. To thwart against these types of attacks, people use things such as firewalls and anti-virus software. However, what about the threat of Spyware? Many people may not even consider this a threat. Yet Internet users should definitely add this to their long list of things to watch out for when protecting their computer or network. Consider it to be yet another plague.
So what, exactly, is spyware and why should we be concerned with it? Spyware is software that hides on a computer and probably has negative effects. First of all, it is designed to monitor your activities. And while it's running on your computer, it can consume valuable resources. On top of this, some spyware programs can steal passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal information!
How about businesses? Most networks run anti-virus software. Why shouldn't they consider purchasing anti-spyware software for their network, as well? If an employee downloads a piece of software, your company information may now be available for someone else. Or, yet another thought - although there may be no indication that spyware is a problem on your network, your employees may be sharing company information with outside users that are plagued with spyware. Businesses should consider purchasing anti-spyware software such as PestPatrol to protect their network, data, and employees.
So how can you protect your computer from spyware? There are a couple of steps you can take to do so.
All this is not to say that Vista is a slam-dunk and everyone should be running out to buy it as soon as Microsoft takes the wraps off. Heck, Windows XP has developed into a fairly stable, increasingly secure OS. Why mess with that?
Yes, during my time with Vista, I've found more than enough features to get excited about--features that will make a sizable chunk of Windows users want to upgrade. So why would anyone in their right mind stick with what they've got? Here are a few reasons:
Pay that piper: Vista is an operating system. It's the stuff your applications run on. But it'll cost $100 or more to make the switch. Unless you're buying a new PC and starting from scratch, you may be better off saving the money for something else.
Where's my antivirus?: For all the hype about security in Windows Vista, users may be disappointed to learn that antivirus software will not be part of the package. There's every indication that an online subscription service--possibly under the OneCare rubric--will offer antivirus protection to Vista users down the road. But for the time being, you'll need to turn to third-party companies like Symantec, McAfee, Grisoft, and others for virus protection.
Watch that hourglass: Vista is a power hog. Unless you have a top-end PC with high-end graphics hardware, for instance, you won't see one of the coolest parts of the new OS--the Aero Glass interface. Microsoft did the smart thing by offering Aero Basic and Windows Classic looks as well, which will let older and slower PCs run Vista. It just won't look as pretty.
Curse the learning curve: Microsoft has already ditched some aggressive ideas--such as the whole "virtual folders" thing--because the concepts proved too confusing for users. Even so, you'll find that the new Windows changes a lot of old tricks, and not always for the better. Heck, it took me almost five minutes to find the Run command, which used to show up right in the Start menu. And many users may struggle with the new power scheme, which defaults to putting the PC into hibernation rather than shutting down. I know it frustrated me the first time I wanted to power down the system to swap out a disk drive.
Meet the old boss, same as the new boss: Microsoft has added lots of new stuff to Vista, but some features are just warmed-over fare. Windows Mail is nothing more than a rebranded Outlook Express, and Windows Defender is simply an updated version of Microsoft AntiSpyware.
So keep your eyes peeled for future previews of Vista. It may not be perfect (what software is?), but in a lot of ways, it's a giant leap forward.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months, you probably know that the latest version of Windows--called Vista--is due to hit store shelves later this year (in time for the holidays, Microsoft tells us). The successor to Windows XP offers a little something for everyone, from eye-catching graphics and new bundled applications to more-rigorous security. In fact, there is so much in the new operating system that it can be tough to get a handle on it all.
I've been noodling around with a recent beta version of Windows Vista (Build 5270) and had a chance to make some observations. While the sleek new look and polished interface caught my eye, it's what's under the covers that impressed me most. Microsoft's done a great job of improving security across the board. Things like Windows and spyware library updates are streamlined, and I definitely appreciate the more robust Backup software.
Still, there's plenty of unfinished work left to do. Internet Explorer 7 struggled to properly render some Web pages, and I found local network connectivity to be a hit-or-miss affair. And then there's the stuff that isn't even in there yet--like the intriguing Windows Sidebar, which will put real-time weather info, stock quotes, system status, RSS feeds, and other information on the display.
So during my time with Windows Vista, I kept an eye out for the reasons I--and you--might ultimately want to lay my hands on the new OS when it's available. And frankly, if you buy a new Windows-based PC at the end of this year or any time in, say, the next five years, you'll probably end up with Vista by default.
Keep in mind, this is based solely on my experience with prerelease software (and a whole new beta could be out by the time you read this). Features get tweaked, they come and go, but from what we can tell, Vista is now starting to harden into the product that will be running many, many desktops for the foreseeable future. And by and large, that's a good thing.
Here's what to be excited about:
1. Security, security, security: Windows XP Service Pack 2 patched a lot of holes, but Vista takes security to the next level. There are literally too many changes to list here, from the bidirectional software firewall that monitors inbound and outbound traffic to Windows Services Hardening, which prevents obscure background processes from being hijacked and changing your system. There's also full-disk encryption, which prevents thieves from accessing your data, even if they steal the PC out from under your nose.
Perhaps most crucial (and least sexy) is the long-overdue User Account Protection, which invokes administrator privileges as needed, such as during driver updates or software installations. UAP makes it much more convenient for users to operate Vista with limited rights (meaning the system won't let them do certain things, like load software, without clearance from an administrator). This in turn limits the ability of malware to hose your system.
2. Internet Explorer 7: IE gets a much-needed, Firefox-inspired makeover, complete with tabbed pages and better privacy management. There's also the color-coded Address Bar that lets you know if a page is secured by a digital key, or, thanks to new antiphishing features, if it's a phony Web site just looking to steal information about you.
These features will all be available for Windows XP users who download IE7. But Vista users get an important extra level of protection: IE7 on Vista will run in what Microsoft calls "protected mode"--a limited-rights mode that prevents third-party code from reaching your system. It's about darn time.
3. Righteous eye candy: For the first time, Microsoft is building high-end graphics effects into Windows. The touted Aero Glass interface features visually engaging 3D rendering, animation, and transparencies. Translucent icons, program windows, and other elements not only look cool, they add depth and context to the interface. For example, hover your cursor over minimized programs that rest on the taskbar and you'll be able to see real-time previews of what's running in each window without opening them full-screen. Now you can see what's going on behind the scenes, albeit at a cost: You need powerful graphics hardware and a robust system to manage all the effects.
4. Desktop search: Microsoft has been getting its lunch handed to it by Google and Yahoo on the desktop, but Vista could change all that. The new OS tightly integrates instant desktop search, doing away with the glacially slow and inadequate search function in XP. Powerful indexing and user-assignable metadata make searching for all kinds of data--including files, e-mails, and Web content--a lot easier. And if you're running Vista on a Windows Longhorn network, you can perform searches across the network to other PCs.
5. Better updates: Vista does away with using Internet Explorer to access Windows Update, instead utilizing a new application to handle the chore of keeping your system patched and up-to-date. The result is quicker response and a more tightly streamlined process. The update-tracking mechanism, for instance, is much quicker to display information about your installation. And now key components, such as the Windows Defender antispyware module, get their updates through this central point. Like other housekeeping features, a better Windows Update isn't a gee-whiz upgrade, but it should make it easier--and more pleasant--to keep your PC secure.
6. More media: Over the years, one of the key reasons to upgrade versions of Windows has been the free stuff Gates and Company toss into the new OS, and Vista is no exception. Windows Media Player (perhaps my least favorite application of all time) gets a welcome update that turns the once-bloated player into an effective MP3 library. The Windows Photo Gallery finally adds competent photo-library-management functionality to Windows, so you can organize photos; apply metatags, titles, and ratings; and do things like light editing and printing. The DVD Maker application, which was still very rough when I looked at it, promises to add moviemaking capabilities--along the lines of Movie Maker--to the operating system. There are even some nice new games tucked into the bundle.
7. Parental controls: Families, schools, and libraries will appreciate the tuned-up parental controls, which let you limit access in a variety of ways. Web filtering can block specific sites, screen out objectionable content by selected type, and lock out file downloads.You can also restrict each account's access by time of day or day of the week. As a dad, I can tell you this will be great for keeping kids off the PC while you're at work, for instance. You can even block access to games based on their Entertainment Software Rating Board ratings.
8. Better backups: When Windows 95 first came out, the typical hard disk was, maybe, 300MB in size. Today, desktops routinely ship with 300GB or 400GB hard drives. And yet, the built-in data-backup software in Windows has changed little in the past decade. Windows Vista boasts a much-improved backup program that should help users avoid wholesale digital meltdowns. Microsoft also tweaked the useful System Restore feature--which takes snapshots of your system state so you can recover from a nasty infection or botched software installation.
9. Peer-to-peer collaboration: The Windows Collaboration module uses peer-to-peer technology to let Vista users work together in a shared workspace. You can form ad hoc workgroups and then jointly work on documents, present applications, and pass messages. You can even post "handouts" for others to review.
10. Quick setup: Beta code alert: There are some Vista features I hope dearly for even though they haven't been built yet. This is one of them. Jim Allchin, Microsoft's co-president, says that Windows Vista boasts a re-engineered install routine, which will slash setup times from about an hour to as little as 15 minutes. Hurray! The new code wasn't in the beta version of Vista that Microsoft sent to me--my aging rig took well over an hour to set up--so I'll believe it when I see it. Still, any improvement in this area is welcome.