You have been heard!
When we look back at the meetings that have been the most attended and thus are satisfying the things that you want, and the best are not just operating system oriented.
Attendance was high (70) at the Google lecture, high at the photography, and high in anticipation at Microsoft.
So we will shift, as we can, to the application packages.
Tom Tworek will do additional demonstrating of how to manipulate photos and also possibly bring some current cameras and associated equipment. It should be an interesting evening.
As I write this, again I am reflecting that the use of Microsoft software should be avoided wherever possible. I am in the process of shifting; I urge you to do the same.
The primary reason for shifting to non-Microsoft software (but staying with XP) is because the Microsoft software is so pervasive that all of the crackers and virus writers are aiming at it. So the easiest way to stay out of bot, malware and virus problems is to use things like Mozilla Firefox for a browser, Mozilla Thunderbird (or in my case Eudora) for mail client, and Openoffice.org to replace Microsoft Office.
I can assure you that the transition is quite simple.
If you do plan to do the switchover on a new computer, you might like to have available ahead of time the following:
If you first install ALL of this software without ever going out on the net to obtain it, your chances of being compromised are greatly diminished.
With the constant pinging of all computers by malware, by going to software that is not a target or impervious to attack by proper programming, you can be immune to lots of the problems with Microsoft software.
The Clinic is routinely setting up computers to meet this criterion and is available to SPAUG members - Reservation Required.
Nancy Blachman, author of Google Guide, joined us for the pre-meeting dinner, and gave a presentation on how to use Google more effectively. She has also co-authored How to do Everything with Google, is president of Variable Symbols, and has taught at Stanford. You can find out more about her and what she does at her home page. Her Google Guide is an interactive introduction to using Google effectively; if you missed the meeting, or if you were at the meeting and want a review, go to the Google Guide and explore.
Here are several removal tools for Norton Antivirus.
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/misc/consumer/Rnav2003.exe
More info here: Removing Norton AntiVirus 2003 or earlier
You've heard the message: under the right circumstances, any PC can be hacked, broken into, or otherwise compromised. But multiple layers of security can make your PC proof against casual attacks; and an extremely hard target for even determined attacks.
For example, in addition to an active script-blocker like Norton AV's, you can adjust the basic security built into the newer versions of Internet Explorer (in Tools/Internet Options/Security and Tools/Internet Options/Advanced). You also can employ a firewall like ZoneAlarm, which contains a separate, independent E-mail script blocker (under "Email Protection"). You can use tools like Spyware Blaster, WinPatrol, Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D, which offer either residual protection or active background processes that guard against the actions of some scripts (such as modifying the Registry). If you're using a good E-mail client, you can explicitly instruct it to quarantine, delete, or ignore whatever file types you specify. And you could use any one of a number of other script-blockers, such as this.
I'm sure you get the idea: While it's hard to imagine any one system needing all of the above tools at once, the abundance of script-security options proves the point that there's absolutely no need to put all your trust in only one tool. By using at least two tools, you can help ensure that any problem that affects one will be caught by the other. In this way, multiple tools can buttress each other, and act as mutual safety nets or backstops. There's absolutely no need to put all your security eggs in one basket!
We touched on this subject some time ago in this space in "How Much Protection Is Enough?" That article shows how even just two or three layers of defense can hugely increase your PC's overall security (and not just with script protection).
I've added to my PC's layers of defense since that article was written, in part because the online world's gotten a lot nastier. To keep my PC safe, I run a full-time, always-on antivirus tool (such as Norton's) with script blocking enabled. I use an always-on firewall (such as ZoneAlarm) with its own script blocking; plus its ability to block unauthorized inbound and outbound connections. I use several other anti-malware tools that either actively guard against spyware, scripts, and malicious "active" content, or that prohibit Registry changes caused by malicious code. Another simple tool, Startup Monitor, notifies me if or when any software tries to insert itself into or otherwise change my PC's startup sequence. My E-mail is configured not to use Internet Explorer to view HTML E-mail content, but to use its own built-in, simple (and thus harder to break) HTML viewer; and to ignore attachments whose file extensions appear on a long list of dangerous file types. The PC never connects directly to the Internet, but rather only connects through a server running a Network Address Translator. This hides my PC's real address from anyone outside our local network, and makes it all but impossible for someone to hack into my PC without first hacking into the server, which is protected by its own separate firewall and ancillary defenses.
I admit it: This is more protection than most PCs need. But it does well illustrate the concept of multiple layers of defense, which can help on any PC. Then, if there's a problem with any one layer or tool, others are in place to help take up the slack and ensure that your PC stays safe.
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The simplest way to control what runs at startup is via MSconfig (Start - Run - msconfig). MSconfig is built into all current versions of Windows except Win2K, but is available for Win2K at a number of free download locations. There's a boatload of other startup-configuration and management tools, too, but why not start with the one that's probably already on your PC? Here's a good tutorial on MSconfig.
MSconfig is pretty safe to use; if some change doesn't work out, you usually can undo it with a few clicks. But, as always, it's safest to make a backup before you do any serious twiddling in your system (you should have a good backup in any case).
Once you're in your list, identifying the separate items can seem daunting, but there are many resources to help you identify any mysterious-seeming items you encounter. For example, see this. Or, just use the name of a mystery item as the search term on Google or Google/Groups, and you'll probably find more info on that item than you'll ever need.
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A number of us will be getting a new computer for Christmas, and our initial reaction is to plug it in and go off surfing the net and receiving our email.
Don't!
Your new computer will, on the average, be compromised within 20 minutes if it is not protected with items that you were going to do “when I get around to it”.
Here is a URL that speaks the truth in all respects.
My only objection is the assumption that you have to download all of the protection features, such as SP2, when both the SPAUG CD and various Microsoft mailed CDs will allow you to do lots of the suggested updating without going out onto the net - thereby buying more protection and fewer hassles.
Before you go to the net, you can and should have in your possession:
Since the ability to compromise your system depends so heavily on the flaws in the Microsoft software, the above list uses virtually no Microsoft software. I can assure you that things seem to operate just fine with non-Microsoft software -- and a new computer is the perfect time to make the switch.
ALL of the above should be installed onto your new computer before you even go out initially onto the net. Then you will need to update all of them, and only then, finally, you can begin to enjoy the benefits of you new computer with immunity and safety.
One final caveat: it is the habit of many of the manufacturers to place a compressed initial restore load onto your computer as a partition on your hard drive and to NOT give you a bootable set of CDs in case the hard drive fails.
In the event your hard drive fails, you have to go back to either the store or the manufacturer and hope that they can get you the required CDs in a reasonable amount of time (along with the drivers). Good luck!
No matter what, I belive you should insist that your computer come with restore media at time of purchase or find another vendor.