This month the newsletter is on line, as a PDF corresponding to the printed version.
Having Remote Access capability is a great aid
to anyone that needs to keep someone else's
computer going--especially if there is a disparity
in desires or skills to maintain a computer. Bob
DeGrasse, at the last CompuSIR meeting put me
wise for what I had been looking for: a free,
simple, working Remote Access program.
CrossLoop fits that bill quite nicely. Bob was
able to get the program installed, up and running
by just walking me though the procedure, and I
am a slow learner.
Then, when I got home, I tried out the program
on the dining room table with my main computer
and a laptop and it performed flawlessly.
So now, thanks to Bob, I have a new tool to help
those that cannot wait for the Clinic or have a minor
call or can't describe it. Great for everyone.
Service for anyone that has broadband. Bob,
both SPAUG and CompuSIR thank you.
For years I have used PcAnywhere to view 16
computers located in Mountain View but have
balked at setting the same situation for SPAUG
members because of the extremely difficult and
meticulous setup of PcAnywhere which includes
the discovering of the IP address currently in use
on the object computer and setting in parameters
in the IP and UDP sections. OK for a long run
but certainly not worth it for a one-shot help session.
The CrossLoop product (free) handles the oneon-
one help situation quite nicely. Does require
the user to be in attendance to at least get the
connections going. Web Help seems to be adequate.
Try it with a friend some time.
I'm very happy the sound system was able to
handle the excellent speaker last month, especially when he stood three feet in front of
one of the speakers with an open microphone.
The system didn't even chirp. We do have a
place where the handheld microphones fight with
the head-worn microphone. I will be putting a
table in front of the left speaker so the speakercarried
units can't set up a standing wave.
Perfect Disk is a defragmenter that, when
run for the first time, lets you know how
much the Microsoft defragmenter is not
doing. Each visitor to the Clinic can have a
copy run for him or her.
Windows Secrets Newsletter is the name of
an electronic newspaper that is sent about
twice a month and reviews the status of software.
A recent newsletter reported on the
testing and reviewed which anti-virus programs
were worth buying and which ones to
skip. The newsletter personnel have the skills
to be able to set up several operating systems
and many anti-virus programs and then to report
which ones are worth purchasing. There
is also an optional paid section that goes into
more detail and includes additional subjects
not discussed in the freebie version. The additional
amount is trivial and well worth it.
In Windows Secrets Newsletter the Windows
Live Scanner gets a drubbing because
Windows Live missed a large number of
viruses. Turns out that my interest in cleaning
up a computer using Windows Live Scanner
isn't for its anti-virus capabilities but for
the cleanup that it goes on in the registry. I
was having problems with crashes and instability
until I started running the freebie Microsoft
product on a weekly basis and lots of
little problems seemed to go away.
The latest Windows Secrets Newsletter also
discussed the fact that flash ads are now
bearing malware and it appears that the
scourge will not go away soon. The Firefox
add-on of NoScript is best downloaded to
block the inappropriate responses that might
have malware in them.
It is necessary that you spend about 5% of
your computer time doing computer maintenance.
Failure to do so means that eventually
your computer will slow down as it gets
cluttered with malware and files that you can
do without. Unnecessary files accumulate,
adware and spyware abound, and patches get
missed. If you are having difficulties, ask
for a remote call.
Minutes on Page 2, PrintScreen May 2008