Clark Computer Consulting Port Jervis, NY » Random Thoughts http://rootaid.com Your Local Computer Guy Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Why I still avoid Internet Explorer like the plague http://rootaid.com/2010/07/03/why-i-still-avoid-internet-explorer-like-the-plague/ http://rootaid.com/2010/07/03/why-i-still-avoid-internet-explorer-like-the-plague/#comments Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:47:40 +0000 Scott http://rootaid.com/?p=2588 Continue reading →]]> I just saw a commercial on TV for Internet Explorer 8 and I felt the need to do a quick post. Most web pages are a sloppy mess of code because web developers need to appease the the market leader (Internet Explorer) by hacking their HTML code. Microsoft’s buggy, sorry excuse for a web browser does not fully comply with the current web standards.  When asked the question “do I use Internet Explorer ?” I continue to answer…” I only use IE on sites that require me to use IE”. As I said, Internet Explorer does not follow all the current web standards. A perfect example is the Acid3 test which Firefox, Safari and Chrome pass with flying colors and IE8 fails like a screen door on a submarine. I have posted about this test in the past, you can find out more information at http://www.webstandards.org/action/acid3/ Acid 3 test results for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari and Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 are displayed below. Click the images to see a larger view and check the versions tested.

]]> http://rootaid.com/2010/07/03/why-i-still-avoid-internet-explorer-like-the-plague/feed/ 0 Situational Ethics And Computer Repair http://rootaid.com/2010/03/11/situational-ethics-and-computer-repair/ http://rootaid.com/2010/03/11/situational-ethics-and-computer-repair/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:23:16 +0000 Scott http://rootaid.com/?p=2034 Continue reading →]]> To my peers…lets bring ethics back to the PC repair business.

I confronted a tech the other day about using a “free for personal use” product in a corporate environment and I was told “everybody does it”. My answer was no… not everyone. There are a few very good virus removal tools on the market that are “free for personal use”. When an IT consultant visits a job site and installs a “free for personal use”  tool on your Corporate PC, they are breaking the EULA “End User License Agreement”.  Most companies that provide free virus removal tools also sell feature enhanced versions of the same tools. The free tools are supported and improved by funds received from the commercial products sales. Ethical technicians need to support the companies that produce these great free products. Without the funds, both the free and pay versions will suffer and the bad guys will have a far easier time infecting your PC.

OK, so the challenge I have for my peers….

1. Bring Ethics back into the PC Repair Business.

2. Actually read the EULA before you install that free application on a Corporate PC.

3. Support the companies that provide you with malware removal tools.

To everyone else..Have a nice day :-) and don’t forget those Windows updates.

Before you go, check out some of our other links.

Free Stuff and Great Deals http://rootaid.com/deals/

Follow Me on Twitter http://twitter.com/scccpj

Follow me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/Port-Jervis-NY/Clark-Computer-Consulting/133104913979?ref=ts

Use the following link to get an extra 250MB of storage when you sign up for Dropbox. https://www.getdropbox.com/referrals/NTEyODQxMjE5

VIPRE Antivirus Premium

VIPRE Antivirus Premium is high-performance antivirus + antispyware software with an integrated firewall. It doesn’t slow down your PC like other security products. The press loves it, and it’s antivirus certified. Protect your PC from ‘being owned’ by bad guys with our free (registered) full-function 30-day trial!

]]> http://rootaid.com/2010/03/11/situational-ethics-and-computer-repair/feed/ 2 In with the cloud out with the box. http://rootaid.com/2009/11/21/in-with-the-cloud-out-with-the-box/ http://rootaid.com/2009/11/21/in-with-the-cloud-out-with-the-box/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:40:46 +0000 Scott http://rootaid.com/?p=1587 Continue reading →]]> I haven’t ranted in a while but after installing the Chrome OS on my laptop I just had to rant. So here goes…..Its amazing how old school software vendors and their press minions can turn reality into fantasy. Stories with headlines like “Chrome OS no threat….” are nonsense. Applications and even  whole operating systems running in the cloud are the future. Rich applications on the desktop are going the way of the dinosaur. Any and all cloud based applications are right this very moment direct threats to their desktop counterparts. Old school software vendor and their fan boys will continue to fight it out over next few years but tight budgets will logically lead organisations to the cloud.  The desktop is dead…long live the cloud.

A fine description of Cloud Computing in Plain English can be found at the Commoncraft website  http://commoncraft.com/cloud-computing-video

]]> http://rootaid.com/2009/11/21/in-with-the-cloud-out-with-the-box/feed/ 0 Random Geek Thoughts http://rootaid.com/2009/09/17/random-geek-thoughts-5/ http://rootaid.com/2009/09/17/random-geek-thoughts-5/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:46:24 +0000 Scott http://rootaid.com/?p=1226 Continue reading →]]> Why in the world is Rogue/Fake AV so successful?

http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=7144

Hey Mozilla good job on that new Firefox flash checker its apparently working quite nicely :-)

http://www.h-online.com/open/Firefox-Flash-check-working–/news/114258

How would you like to make a free PDF from a collection of articles on Wikipedia?  Head on over to the links  below to learn how.

http://lifehacker.com/5339852/generate-pdfs-and-multi+article-books-from-wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Books

As always, don’t forget to do your updates and have a nice day :-)

]]> http://rootaid.com/2009/09/17/random-geek-thoughts-5/feed/ 0 Random Geek Thoughts http://rootaid.com/2009/07/10/random-geek-thoughts-4/ http://rootaid.com/2009/07/10/random-geek-thoughts-4/#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:25:15 +0000 Scott http://rootaid.com/?p=876 Continue reading →]]> Nukes, Missiles, Hackers and Zombies oh my http://www.h-online.com/security/DDoS-attacks-with-zombie-computers-North-Korea-s-powerful-hacker-army–/news/113736

Windows XP, Internet Explorer 6 and a “please hack me” sign…lets see…yup…all set.

Rouge Anti Virus applications and their ability to get people to enter credit card info absolutely amazes me. You visit a site and it says you have like 523 viruses and they need you to enter your credit card number to buy their great virus removal tool. Why in the world would you enter your card number on an infected computer???

Mozy Twitter Free Account Friday! http://mozy.com/blog/announcements/mozy-twitter-free-account-friday/

]]> http://rootaid.com/2009/07/10/random-geek-thoughts-4/feed/ 0 Random Geek Thoughts http://rootaid.com/2009/07/01/random-geek-thoughts-3/ http://rootaid.com/2009/07/01/random-geek-thoughts-3/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:44:22 +0000 Scott http://rootaid.com/?p=814 Normal Geeks use Linux http://www.osnews.com/story/21739/_Do_Any_Normal_People_Use_Linux_

Firefox 3.5  seems kind of popular :-) http://downloadstats.mozilla.com/

Next up in body protection: Cement armor  http://news.cnet.com/8301-13639_3-10276162-42.html?tag=mncol;title

]]> http://rootaid.com/2009/07/01/random-geek-thoughts-3/feed/ 0 Random Geek Thoughts http://rootaid.com/2009/06/29/random-geek-thoughts-2/ http://rootaid.com/2009/06/29/random-geek-thoughts-2/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:28:10 +0000 Scott http://rootaid.com/?p=785 Firefox 3.5 coming out tomorrow http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=2D1BF3CD-1A64-67EA-E45BF07CDDC3DED2

The UK continues to spread the Open Source love http://www.h-online.com/open/Downing-Street-working-to-secure-full-open-source-commitment–/news/113626

Berlin loves art and Linux http://www.h-online.com/open/Berlin-art-colleges-switch-to-Linux–/news/113619

]]> http://rootaid.com/2009/06/29/random-geek-thoughts-2/feed/ 0 Random Geek Thoughts http://rootaid.com/2009/06/28/random-geek-thoughts/ http://rootaid.com/2009/06/28/random-geek-thoughts/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:07:24 +0000 Scott http://rootaid.com/?p=775 Continue reading →]]> NASA geeks should be in charge of the newly restructured US auto industry http://www.physorg.com/news165402360.html

Another reason to avoid Internet Explorer. Compare the actual numbers to find the safest browsers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_web_browsers#Vulnerabilities

Yet another European city leading the way to a free and open desktop. http://www.osor.eu/case_studies/declaration-of-independence-the-limux-project-in-munich

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