http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/globe-on-technology/high-and-dry-in-the-internet-sticks/article1712585/
Here's an excellent article that describes the state of small internet service providers in Canada. While I don't have to ski into any sites, I have marched up the water tower hill in Iroquois Falls more times than I want to remember, and have put equipment into a sled to pull over the snow to get to a different tower site.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Anti-Virus Software - What's New?
I used to be a strong recommender of AVG. In their last version they changed the way that DNS (Domain Name System) stuff works (or doesn't work).
What's DNS? What change did they make? What should we use instead?
DNS is the way that your computer changes names to numbers. When you type in google.com, your computer really wants to know that google is at 173.194.32.104. You can type in the number directly, and it might even come up faster, since your computer doesn't have to look up the number, it just goes there directly. It's easier for you to remember google.com instead of 173.194.32.104, isn't it? That's what DNS does. If google changes their addresses, you still only have to remember google.com, since DNS would know if the numbers changed.
AVG changed the way that DNS failures work in it's default settings. When it can't find ggoogle.com (because you typed google.com wrong) AVG now sends you to their server, which says that ggoogle.com can't be found, instead of letting your computer give you the message that it can't be found.
I don't want AVG getting in the way of my error messages. If it doesn't work, I don't want AVG to tell me I'm wrong, I want my computer to tell me I'm wrong. With BlueberryNetworks, I count on specific error messages to tell me what's wrong with the internet connection. AVG has added another level of difficulty to the troubleshooting challenge.
So what am I recommending now? Microsoft Security Essentials. Here's an article about why it's good. In summary, free, easy, works well with all versions (later than win 2000/me ) of Windows.
What's DNS? What change did they make? What should we use instead?
DNS is the way that your computer changes names to numbers. When you type in google.com, your computer really wants to know that google is at 173.194.32.104. You can type in the number directly, and it might even come up faster, since your computer doesn't have to look up the number, it just goes there directly. It's easier for you to remember google.com instead of 173.194.32.104, isn't it? That's what DNS does. If google changes their addresses, you still only have to remember google.com, since DNS would know if the numbers changed.
AVG changed the way that DNS failures work in it's default settings. When it can't find ggoogle.com (because you typed google.com wrong) AVG now sends you to their server, which says that ggoogle.com can't be found, instead of letting your computer give you the message that it can't be found.
I don't want AVG getting in the way of my error messages. If it doesn't work, I don't want AVG to tell me I'm wrong, I want my computer to tell me I'm wrong. With BlueberryNetworks, I count on specific error messages to tell me what's wrong with the internet connection. AVG has added another level of difficulty to the troubleshooting challenge.
So what am I recommending now? Microsoft Security Essentials. Here's an article about why it's good. In summary, free, easy, works well with all versions (later than win 2000/me ) of Windows.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Pasword Choosing Lessons
Great Googly Moogly - Two posts in one day!!!!
Here's a great read about how to choose a password. I especially like the part about how your e-mail password (which some people feel is un-important) is really the most important. If I can send your bank an e-mail saying that you forgot your PIN, then the bank sends you an e-mail with your new PIN in the e-mail, and I can log into your e-mail to check that message .....
Here's a great read about how to choose a password. I especially like the part about how your e-mail password (which some people feel is un-important) is really the most important. If I can send your bank an e-mail saying that you forgot your PIN, then the bank sends you an e-mail with your new PIN in the e-mail, and I can log into your e-mail to check that message .....
HDMI cables - the real deal
http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-rip1/
Here's why you should spend your money on something other than expensive HDMI cables.
Here's why you should spend your money on something other than expensive HDMI cables.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Tech Support - Really.
A common web-site that computer types like to go to is xkcd.com. The site has cartoons about technical and computer topics. Here's one of my favourites.
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