Confusing Messengers

We have: Windows Live Messenger, Windows Messenger, MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger Service. Confused?
Well, I don't blame you -I have to stop and think all the time. Here we go...

A rose by any other name.
Windows Live Messenger, Windows Messenger, MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger Service are, in fact, four names for three applications. Three apps that do two different things. Of which, I submit, only one you really want. Here's why...

If you're running XP Windows Live Messenger will do it all.

So, uninstall the lot except Windows Live Messenger. You don't need them. If you are running older versions of Windows visit 'Ask Leo' -why should I reinvent the wheel?

Better yet, uninstall the lot and switch to Yahoo Instant Messenger for all instant messaging.

Having said that, I use Windows Live Messenger quite happily. But then, I'm running XP Pro SP3. Yep, that's right, SP3. It's running very sweetly and I have had no problems, in spite of the bad rep in many forums. So is every machine I've installed it on to date.

Happy Days,
John

You're Windows based PC is a target!

The facts are simple. If you are running a Windows-powered computer, you are running the operating system which has the biggest bulls eye painted right on it. See, Windows is used by around 90% of the marketplace. And that makes it target #1 for hackers.

Experiencing slow PCs and Servers?
At Hamilton Office & Home PC Care we have seen time and time again, customers computers or servers which are performing poorly, and much slower than they used to be when they were new. Often we have been asked by these customers if they need to buy new, faster, more expensive equipment. In 95% of the cases, the answer is a resounding NO!

It is a little known fact that, over time, especially with prolonged use of the Internet, computers get cluttered by applications, spyware, unnecessary background services, out of date hardware drivers, fragmented disk drives, corrupted or bloated windows registry, low swap disk space, and if you are really unfortunate, viruses. A worst case example was a customer's Pentium 3 computer with 256MB RAM that ran so slowly he was thinking of giving it away and buying another. This computer was brought back to life after an Hamilton Office & Home PC Care warrant of fitness (wof) and tune-up, the machine ran like new again.

This particular customer was using a well known, respected Anti-Virus product, which unfortunately was out of date because the annual subscription fee was too expensive, the customer was also using one of the better known Anti-Spyware products!
The Hamilton Office & Home PC Care answer!

We do not believe that expensive software is the best solution, we firmly believe in utilising the best open-source and freeware solutions that do not require ongoing financial commitments to get the latest protections. After tuning up your machines we will leave you with a free suite of applications to better protect you in future, including anti-virus, anti-spyware and automatic system maintenance regimes.

We utilise a multitude of tools, found and tested over many years experience, to clean up, tweak and protect your IT investments. In addition to software tools, often we need to draw upon our network of support experts with 25 years experience in IT to solve some issues that software alone cannot assist. The difference between Hamilton Office & Home PC Care and other computer services companies is that we do not aim to make any profit on software or hardware solutions, our IT expertise is our service, your satisfaction and referrals are our bread and butter. This way we can offer a highly competitive service and bring you better solutions that cost less.

Tips for avoiding scams & staying safe online:
Email Scanning: Ensure your e-mail scanning feature is ON by default, this ensures that all emails received with attachments are scanned for malware as soon as they hit your inbox.

Update: Always keep your security software up to date. Smart Update (and other similar automatic updating software): is an automatic and silent self-updating feature found in Spyware Doctor, PC Tools AntiVirus and PC Tools Internet Security, and many other useful free security products, that keeps your protection up to date at all times.

Quality Software: Install only trusted software from known and reputable vendors such as those recommended on this site.

Passwords: Use different passwords, particularly when transacting online. Ensure your password includes a combination of letters, numbers and upper/lower case.
Use a separate credit card for online transactions that has a low credit limit.

Finally, you say, something about PCs!
Have fun,
John

Contact Hamilton Office & Home PC Care and secure your IT & PC investment now!

All Things Change

We have entered another new era on planet earth. Certainly for the west, at any rate. Although, we, who live in the west should remind ourselves that we are not the major portion of the planets population. Even though we often delude ourselves into thinking that the sun rises and sets for our exclusive benefit and even at our behest!
The most powerful nation on the globe now has a new president, and one of the smallest nations on earth has a new Prime Minister. John Key has replaced our PM of the past nine years, Helen Clark.
These two democracies have voted in the face of the economic downturn for a change of leadership. Are we clutching at straws? Do we imagine that a new political focus will make everything all right? Are we implicitly laying blame on the past administrations? Perhaps, more likely, we are simply doing the one thing the opportunity of democratic action allows us, making the one change the voting public can make. Coincidentally, maybe even fortuitously, it was election time. We could have been in the middle of our two mutual terms. We were right at the point of possible change -and both these democracies took the opportunity and made the change.

The fact remains, however, both these societies are consumer based, greed driven, materialistic in the extreme, and quick to react when there is any threat to our well being and life style. We borrow impatiently to gratify our wants instantly. Executive greed illustrates the point. Position and opportunity is exploited by us all and only limited by the degree of opportunity. It requires a powerful and compelling change in perspective to temper this and mitigate the long term effects. A temporary political adjustment will not do it. Ordinary people like you and I must effect change at a fundamental level and insist upon a value based system of personal and business dealings that is based the importance of the individual above all else. People are what matter. A nations most valuable asset is the people of which it is composed. Not the the GDP or the exchange rate. This is about the most radical adjustment that can be made within a society. Every consideration should be based upon this and not upon the financial or material gain that an opportunity offers. This is an idea that I ponder much upon and any comments are welcome.
To use the Vulcan greeting (from Star Trek for the uninitiated -are there any?)
Live long and prosper
(A variation on Shalom).
John

The Upside of Down

Periodically, I like to make comments related to topics not directly computer related. This post is one of those.

The old adage, 'What goes up must come down' is also true in reverse. I've lived long enough to know that most things are cyclical. The weather (global warming -I'm pretty ancient!), boom-bust cycles... This present blip, regardless of the degree will cycle back up again in due course.
The real truth is, a dip in the economy simply represents OPPORTUNITY. Many will benefit hugely, others, sadly, will get hurt. Some things remain the same -those who've stayed out of the debt trap and have cash will seize the day, those who have over extended will pay the price. Cash is pretty much always king. Stay liquid and debt free. Be opportunist with money that you have earmarked for exactly these occasions and enjoy. Look for ways to expand by offering service and value and grow your business. Don't follow the crowd -the majority are seldom right.

Take care,
John

Hi! The object of this blog is talk about issues in and around the Home PC. I've been messing about with computers since the mid to late 80s so I guess you could call me an early adopter. That was a phrase that was around the 'net back in the early days of the World Wide Web when the word Internet evoked the response, "What's that?"
I started introducing businesses to the idea of obtaining a 'web presence' and the common response, after explaining about the Internet, was, "Oh, I think it's just a fad. I don't think it'll take on really. Nah, I don't think I'll bother". I would then move into my blurb in order to convince them how sorely mistaken they were. Sometimes I succeeded, sometimes I didn't. Generally, things did OK, and then one fine day, the Internet was suddenly center stage and I no longer had to explain what it was, everybody knew. The it was like era of the Gold Rush. In New Zealand it was down south in Otago etc., in America the name most often thought of was the Klondike. Check shirt millionaires appeared over night. With the Internet we had the same thing. The Nasdaq was invented and just having a web site made you think you had struck it rich! It was just like staking a claim. Fortunes were made over night -and then the bubble burst and Nasdaq tumbled and it was all gloom and doom. Then, of course, it all found its level. But the world has never been the same again. History could well be divided into the days Before Internet (BI) to the days After Internet (AI). Well avoid any connotations that might arise in the minds of farming folk to those letters!

Now the astronomical cycles have turned over many times and names like Google, Microsoft, the Net, Apple, Mac, PC, software, online, chat, and so many more are all household names. Children by the age of five have inherited a world we had no concept of when we grew up. Connectivity is just a normal part of life. 'Getting away from it all' really means severing yourself from computers, mobile phones, etc for a break -and it's not easy to do. Rather like an addiction, we find living without a computer handy and mobile in your pocket leaves you feeling like the proverbial 'fish out of water'.

I'm going fishing on Saturday, out of the briny blue, and do not intend to take any forms of communication. I'm going off-line, and I can't wait! But, I know I'll feel that comfortable feeling of getting back to normal when I return. Such is the normalcy of being wired into the world-at-large.

Anyway, back to the purpose of this blog. I anticipate talking, and hopefully getting feedback and comment, about all sorts of topics related to the Internet, technology, computers (primarily and particularly as they affect the home user, but also small business), PDA’s et al.

Please send in your tips and tricks. I don’t know everything, not by a long country mile -as my adult children make me acutely aware! I’m a learner along life’s journey and all the help I can get is always gratefully received.

I’m trusting, that in the process, many will benefit. So, here we go.