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Riding Shotgun with Rick

What everyone ought to know about downloading security software

Already this week, I ran into five different customers who were bitten by security software impostors. Since security problems are rampant on Windows’ computers, many degenerate computer programmers and sheisters have come up with spyware and virus spreading software disguised as security software. And the worst part is that unsuspecting computer users know the name of good, legitimate software and these impostors sound correct to them so they download and install the software.

A Faster Way to View PDF Files

For years, most of us have used Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader, later named Adobe Reader, to view PDF files. PDF stands for Portable Document Format and is the easiest way to distribute files and forms to many people without worry about compatibility. Like most commercial software, Adobe’s product used to be small, fast and work well. Since version 5 (now they are on 8), the product has become as bloated as many other big name software packages today. It remains free, but will plague your system with slow performance and lots of many irritating automatic updates.

Another parental reminder

We mention this tip as often as possible on our show, but I felt it was necessary to bring it to the attention of our web visitors again: Parents, please install and use only Mozilla Firefox for your web browser. Kids, especially teens, plus Internet browsing with Internet Explorer spells disaster.

Too many Internet degenerates target their spyware and virus spreading programs at teens and teen related web sites. Also, teens tend to be drawn to bogus warnings, the lure of free ring tones or electronics, and online games. The technologies that allow these computer anchors to take root in your system simply don’t exist in Mozilla Firefox therefore providing you a great extra wall of Internet security.

Zonbu Computers – $99 desktop and $279 laptop

Zonbu Linux Computers Today, I stumbled on a web site selling inexpensive Linux computers that I think we will see as a trend over the next few years. Zonbu sells only two computers; one laptop and one mini-desktop. They can be purchased with or without a comprehensive monthly service agreement that actually might be a good deal because of the extensive support they offer. The system’s run a customized version of Linux and advertised as “bullet proof” in terms of security.

Rick and Adam return to terrestrial radio on Wednesday, December 19!!

We are returning to the Grand Junction, Colorado air waves this Wednesday the 19th on KAFM 88.1 FM. KAFM is our local public radio station and has a fantastic line up of music and public service programs. We have been give the opportunity to appear once per month (third Wednesday of every month) from Noon to 12:30pm Mountain Time.

At this moment, we plan on talking mainly about newsy tech items and possibly end with a practical computer tip. We will be moderated by their public affairs host and be talking with him or her. It won’t be a call-in show, just informational.

We hope that with your support in listening to the program, writing to the station, and calling the station, we can get a weekly one hour call-in gig.

Anyone can listen to the show by visiting KAFM’s web site and tuning into their live stream. You will also find contact information for the station’s program director if you wish to call or write.

We look forward to this new opportunity and hope you get a chance to tune in this Wednesday from Noon-12:30pm Mountain time!

Any Gmail users out there?

As I move more and more of my computing away from my desktop computer to the Internet and Ubuntu, my computing life becomes less complicated and quite mobile. I can access documents, calendar information, contact information, and more from my phone (Treo 755p at the moment) and any Internet connected computer any where I happen to be.

Don’t run more than one antivirus program

I ran across too many computers this week that had multiple anti-virus programs installed. My advice has always been and still is that you should only be running one anti-virus product at a time. Multiple anti-spyware products are ok, and sometimes necessary, but running multiple anti-virus products will drastically slow down your computer and cause many more problems than they solve.

My top 3 anti-virus products as of today are:

1. AVG
2. Avast
3. Trend Micro (antivirus only, not the security suite)

Some guys stop and ask for directions

I constantly get asked if I mind being asked stupid questions. My answer is always the same, “No. The only stupid questions are the ones that aren’t asked.” I believe and live that statement every single day.

When it comes to computers, I love researching and hunting down solutions to problems or questions I’m trying to solve. However, I also know when to say when and ask for help. Tonight is one of those points. My daughter received a MacBook from her grandparents for her birthday and it works great. However, I have a shared printer hooked to a Windows XP machine that I print to from my Vista machine and XP laptop just fine, but the MacBook won’t see the network or the printer.

Department store fix it people

I encountered another department store computer fix-it horror story today. The client called me because they had the proverbial slow computer. I show up and the owner proceeds to tell me that they just got it returned from a big box electronic store with the initials CC whose computer experts work under the initials of FD. Incidentally, I could tell similar stories of woe with another store whose initials are BB and their resident experts work under the initials of GS.

No great holiday computer sales

I was pretty disappointed with the lack of good computer sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Prices for computer have been pretty low since mid-summer, but I was hoping to see some 2GB RAM laptops under $450 and desktops with 2GB of RAM for less than that. Maybe we will see some lower prices before Christmas Eve.

Adam didn’t post any outstanding deals on digital cameras either, so I’m assuming that the camera market was equally as flat as PC’s.