Welcome to the “All New” EduNotes. After more than a year off, EduNotes is back. For those of you receiving it for the first time, EduNotes is a newsletter that educates and informs you about computers and the Internet. In this issue you can read about some of the effects the terrorist attacks are having and will have on how we do business, how to protect your computer systems from viruses, deciding if you should be in the market for a new computer, and whether you should be getting a flat screen monitor. Enjoy.
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A Strange World
The world we now live in is a vastly different one from that which we bade goodnight to on September 10. As our nation struggles to come to grips with this new form of war where thousands of innocent lives can be snuffed out in the time it takes for a 110 story building to fall, we must also come to grips with the strange world we now find ourselves in.
One change that will affect every single one of us is the new way of doing business. And even with Internet viruses growing in number and virulence, we will be relying on this digital cyberspace more and more.
Technology has been in place for some time already to enable business meetings to take place with the attendees being have a country, or even half a world, away. Businesses that have shied away from this kind of meeting, favoring the face-to-face meetings, will turn at first to this technology to keep the workers from having to fly. But soon they’ll realize the huge savings in travel expenses and stick with cyber meetings as an efficient, low-cost business tool.
As more companies enter the Internet out of fear they will end up staying because of the savings. Not only can you reach more customers, using the Internet can save you money by cutting labor costs (FAQ’s and other information on your web site can save phone calls, for example), saving on postage (sending email announcements is free), and saving on office supplies (envelopes, paper, ink, etc.).
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Viruses and Updating (You can do it yourself!)
Ah, it never seems to end. Wave after wave of viruses strike the Internet, changing the way we see and use cyberspace. I Love You, Melissa, Code Red, the list will undoubtedly grow. Yet for most of us, protecting our data and our computers from these viruses is a relatively simple process. Unfortunately, too many of us don’t take advantage of the full protection of our antivirus software.
Nearly every time I visit a residential customer, I find their virus definitions to be completely out-of-date. It is absolutely essential for any business to protect it’s investment by using up-to-date virus definitions but it is also important for home users to protect their computers and / or networks from attacks.
The major antivirus programs (amongst which McAffee and Norton are probably the most common) all provide regular updates on their web sites and have built update functions into their programs. Often it’s just a matter of choosing “Check for Virus Update” from one of the pull-down menus.
Do yourself a favor and update your virus definitions now so you won’t be calling us with “I have a virus, can you help?”
Depending on the kind of virus and degree of infection, it could cost from $60 to $400 to get your computer working properly again and that’s assuming your data is safely backed up. And backing up, well that’s a topic for another day.
NEWS FLASH: The National Infrastructure Protection Center’s web site (http://www.nipc.gov), which has been a must visit for IT managers for some time, is now providing computer security and virus information for home computer users as well.
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A Time to Buy
If you’ve read any stories about the computer industry lately, you are probably aware that business is not good. Just recently the downturn has led to Hewlett-Packard’s offer to buy Compaq. No, business is not good for the computer makers as profits plummet and sales continue to dip.
But that means it’s a great time to consider upgrading your old clunker, adding another machine for your office or your kids, or finally taking the plunge and getting your own computer. Gateway is offering very nice computers beginning at $799 for the home or $699 for the office. Dell has offerings beginning at $669 for the home or $469 for the office. A very nice Compaq can be had for as little as $800.
If you do decide to buy, Brian recommends:
Home computer: Windows ME, 128 MB RAM, at least 20GB hard drive
Office computer: Windows 2000, 128 MB RAM, CDR (for backing up data), at least 20 GB hard drive
NOTE: We have not yet had the chance to evaluate Windows XP but have heard many good evaluations from others.
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Flat Screens Come of Age
If your desk is too crowded or you’re concerned about saving electricity, you ought to consider purchasing an LCD monitor or flat screen. At last these monitors are reaching prices low enough to be within the range of most consumers. A 15” flat screen can be had for under $400. This may sound steep at first but remember that the viewable area is comparable to a standard (CRT) 17” monitor. Plus you also gain up to three square feet of desk space. Other savings include drastically reduced electricity use (especially if replacing a monitor that is more than five years old) and flat screens generate far less heat so they can even save on your energy bills.
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© 2001 EduCyber, Inc. This newsletter is brought to you by EduCyber, the company to turn to for Internet and computer services. Permission is hereby granted to redistribute all or part of this newsletter as long as this copyright message is included.
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