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Rick

Firewalls Redux

Firewalls became a hot topic in the latter part of this week at HMR (a web site visitor abbreviated our name that way and it works pretty well). I decided to bring up this tip and updated it for 2006.

As recently as 2003, I recommended against dial-up users using firewalls. My reasoning for this advice included the substantially decreased time most dial-up users spend online in one stretch, ISP's provide firewall services into and out of their modem banks, and most 'hacking' at the time centered around denial of service attacks and other activities that was meant for computers with 'fat pipe' connections (DSL, cable, etc).

Today, however, I believe that a firewall is becoming an essential piece of our security arsenal. Firewalls (either hardware based or software based) prevent unauthorized access to and from your computer. The most recent threat of unauthorized use is spyware and adware. Spyware and adware can bring a system to its knees if not properly and completely stopped. A firewall can help reduce the toll of spyware and adware.

At the very least, every computer user using Windows XP should perform the following few steps to enable the XP firewall. If you have updated to XP Service Pack 2, the firewall will be enabled by default. Here's how to enable the Windows fiewall:

  1. Click My Computer from the Start menu (or your desktop)

  2. Click My Network Places from the task pane on the left

  3. Click View Network Connections again from the task pane on the left

  4. When the windows opens, RIGHT click on your Internet connection

  5. Click Properties

  6. Click the Advanced tab

  7. Check the box that says "Protect my computer and network by limiting…"

  8. Click OK

If you want a more industrial strength firewall that you can tweak and configure, try one of these free or commercial firewalls:

ZoneAlarm (free version)

ZoneAlarm Pro

Tiny Firewall

For broadband users who use a router to share access with other computers, the router acts as a firewall as well. Adam made some accurate points this week about the usability of firewalls. Too many computer users, hope to 'set it and leave it', but most firewalls require careful initial setup and a good knowledge of how to interact with the messages that it will generate. Read through your manual or go to the manufacturer's web site to learn how to best utilize your router and software firewall's capabilities.

The firewall debate heats up

After my post yesterday, then my article in the newletter, a few people feel that I am way off base in recommending that most people don't need a firewall.

First, Windows XP has a firewall built-in, if you use DSL or you have your cable Internet running through a Router, then you have a hardware firewall. My comments are pertaining to the extra software firewalls like ZoneAlarm and Sygate.

My cool brother-in-law, Nishan, emailed me with a few comments about my articles. He designs and maintains a huge database for a medical billing company in Oregon. In other words, unlike me, he is a true geek. I merely pretend to understand when people talk about SQL, Linux, and Apache, Nishan understands this stuff.

Our show doesn’t even run in California

Yesterday I received a call from a lady who had been fighting an Internet problem for some time. She said that several people had tried to fix the problem but it had never been fully resolved.

She said that she was telling someone in California about the problem (she lives here in Grand Junction, CO) they told her that she should go to HelpMeRick.com.

It's a small world. Or HelpMeRick.com is a great website. Or both. 

DON’T WAIT!!

A few times this past couple of weeks I have been approached about whether to wait and buy a computer next year with Windows Vista or get one now. I'm firmly in the camp that Vista is not so special that if you are in need of a new computer, go ahead and get it. Worse case scenario is that if Widows Vista turns out to be a blockbuster must have (which I doubt), any new computer will be capable of running it. I'm even hearing rumblings that some of the Vista upgrades my be downloadable…which furthers my case of how uninteresting this release of Windows may be.

IF, however, you are getting along just fine and can wait until summer or winter 2007 or even spring '08 for a new computer, sit tight and see where the chips fall then.  

Starting online accounts

Sometimes what I think might be an intuitive function turns out to be not as obvious to many computer users. One customer I worked with today hoped to create an online portfolio to track stocks. After arriving at the site, no matter what username and password combination she tried, it wouldn't work. When I asked if she had registered or signed up with the site, she responded "no". 

After looking around at many financial and other other sites, the username and password boxes are prominent and the sign up or register links aren't nearly as obvious. A user is easily lured into thinking that by simply thinking of a username or password and clicking sign in. However, you always need to sign up or register with the site first. Think of a unique username (some sites require you to use your email address as your username) and a password (try not to use the same password on all sites). Then click the register or sign up link and fill out the required form. Some sites require an additional verification step where the site will send you an email with a link that you click to verify your registration.

Amazing Photoshop Elements: Toolbox

Photoshop Elements ToolboxThe Amazing Photoshop Elements Toolbox

There are so many wonderful things you can do with Photoshop Elements.

You will find many of our tips in our notes from previous meetings.

Photoshop Elements Part I

Photoshop Elements Part II

Photoshop Elements Part III

Photoshop Elements Part IV

This time we will spend most of our time discussing the Magical Photoshop Elements Toolbox.

There are three kinds of tools in the Toolbox:

Hover your mouse over any area in the toolbox to see its name. Hold your left mouse button down over any tool with a little diagonal triangle at the bottom to see hidden tools with similar functions.

Selecting: These tools create "Marching Ants" that indicate that an area has been selected. Selection tools include the Marquee Tool, Lasso Tool, Magic Wand and Brush Selection Tool These are all found in the top 5th of the Toolbox.

Once and area is selected, any changes you make will only apply to the selected area.

Painting: These tools "paint" effects by holding down the left mouse button while moving the mouse in the area you want to change. Painting tools include the Paintbrush, Pencil, Erase, Red Eye, Blur, Sharpen, Sponge, Smear, and Clone Stamp tools.

All painting tools allow you to change the area that you are working on by adjusting the brush size and you can apply affects by making changes in the Options bar (tool bar under the file menu that changes when you select a tool).

Custom Tools: These are tools that don't fit into

The Next Great Novel

The next great novel is gone. Why? Because there was no backup copy of the document and the original has disappeared. This was one of the voice mail message I retrieved this morning as I started my week. It breaks my heart, but it is a hard lesson that the computer user will never again forget. With the plethora of backup options available to us today (online, second computer, hard drive, ZIP drive, flash drive, and even the lowly floppy disk), it seems absolutely ridiculous that more computer users don't heed the warning.

We harp on backup here at HelpMeRick.com and on the radio show because backup should be the number one tool in your computer security approach. Hopefully, our listeners and web site visitors have heeded our warnings over the years and won't fall in the depressing situation that the young author did who left me the message this weekend.

Monitor flicker headache

My first two clients this morning each had their monitor refresh rates set way to low.

If you use a CRT (Tube style – like an old TV) monitor and get headaches or notice a distracting flicker, you probably need to change your refresh rate.

IF YOU HAVE A FLAT PANEL MONITOR, YOU DON'T NEED TO DO THIS 

Here's what to do:

1. Right-click on the desktop – anywhere that is NOT over an icon.

2. Choose Properties from the menu.

3. A window will come up – Click on the Settings tab.

4. Click on the Advanced button at the bottom of the window.

Repair Desktop Icons

If your desktop icons aren't displaying properly, try deleting the ShellIconCache file found in the Windows folder. Use the Find or Search function find the file, then delete it and restart your computer.