1 / 24

Ten Things You Should Do to Your Computer Today

Ten Things You Should Do to Your Computer Today. Don Yarman & Jim Mann OLC IT Division Small Libraries Conference May 2006. The First Four Things. Automatic Updates Firewall Antivirus Adware/Spyware Removal That’s the bottom line; you may go to another session.

keiji
Download Presentation

Ten Things You Should Do to Your Computer Today

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Ten Things You Should Do to Your Computer Today Don Yarman & Jim Mann OLC IT Division Small Libraries Conference May 2006

  2. The First Four Things • Automatic Updates • Firewall • Antivirus • Adware/Spyware Removal That’s the bottom line; you may go to another session. If you want to know more or want to argue, please stay.

  3. Our Objectives • Doing anything is better than doing nothing. • Any recommendations may not be the absolute “best” thing you can do -- that’s a moving target anyway. • We’ll present a baseline of what you must do, some recommendations of how to do it, and we’ll discuss what you can do above and beyond the minimum.

  4. Credit where it’s due • OPLINTECH list, 30 June 2004“How to keep your PC spyware and malware free for nothing!”Jim Kenzig, Cuyahoga County PLhttp://www.thinworkplace.com/article_read.asp?id=62 • WindowsSecrets.com“Security Baseline”

  5. What I’m talking about • Personal computers (at home or library) • Windows operating system (esp. XP) • Any Internet connection (esp. broadband)

  6. 1. Enable Automatic Updates • Latest service packs and hot fixes • To enable: • Go to your Control Panel • Automatic Updates or Security Center • Second or Third radio button • Second option? You have to install • Third button not good choice if you don’t have broadband at home

  7. Older PC without Automatic Updates • Update manually through Internet Explorerhttp://update.microsoft.com • Scan for and install all critical updates • Return repeatedly to get all updates • New Microsoft Update includes Office(Do you know where your Office disks are?)

  8. 2. Install a good firewall • If you have Windows XP, enable Windows Internet Connection Firewall. • [Automatically enabled in Service Pack 2] • Directions on Microsoft sitehttp://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/learnmore/icf.mspx

  9. Not Windows XP? • Obtain good software or purchase router with a hardware firewall • Norton/McAfee firewall and antivirus • WindowsSecrets.com recommends Linksys hardware firewallsandZoneAlarm Security Suite 6http://www.zonelabs.com • With software firewalls, the first time that you run any program that tries to access the Internet, a pop-up will ask if you want to allow it. (You will be amazed).

  10. 3. Maintain Antivirus • No excuses. • Review leaders: ConsumerSearch.com says“Smart Computing, PC Magazine, CNet.com” • Best: McAfee Virus Scan 2006 (with complaints) • Free: Avast! 4 Home editionhttp://www.avast.comGrisoft AVG Free editionhttp://www.free.grisoft.com • Spend the money. Update definitions daily.

  11. Opinions are like…um….

  12. Remove Adware • Best: SpyWare Sweeperhttp://www.webroot.com/ • Runner Up: Spyware Doctorhttp://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/ • Free: Microsoft Windows Defender [beta]http://www.microsoft.com/spywareAd-Aware SE Personalhttp://www.lavasoft.com

  13. ConsumerSearch again

  14. A Joke and a Cartoon • How to prevent viruses: • Board up the basements

  15. Know Where to Get Help • Google • WebJunction • Hardware/software vendor sites • Microsoft • Join a user group

  16. The Road Less Traveled • Firefox • Open Office • Gmail • Apple • Linux • Linspire • Ubuntu

  17. Work More Click Less • Email tips • http://email.about.com/cs/tipsandtricks/tp/top_tips.htm • General tips • http://www.psu.edu/studentcomputing/tips-preface.html • http://www.csoonline.com/read/050104/briefing_tips.html • IE tips • http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/enthusiast/topten.mspx • Keyboard shortcuts • http://www.computerhope.com/shortcut.htm

  18. Get Twice as Much of Everything • Buy more RAM • Buy a bigger hard drive • Go wireless • Get a new monitor • Upgrade your software • Have a throw-away computer

  19. Have a Plan C • Make regular backups • Have an image of your computer • Keep your disks, documentation and licenses handy

  20. Find Treasure inUnexpected Places • Disabled Women’s Network • AARP • http://www.komando.com/ • http://www.pchell.com/

  21. Be Aware Be Smart Be Honest • Ask yourself “Where am I? What do I see?” • Take 2 minutes to troubleshoot your own problem • Is the caps lock on? • Is it plugged in? • Being smart will prevent spyware and spam • What is the last thing you did before you didn’t do anything?

  22. Updates Updates Updates • Critical updates to your operating system • Access updates in your firewall rules • Definition updates for your antivirus • Definition updates for adware removal

  23. Other things that help • Spam management • MSN, Yahoo, AOL • Pop-up blockers • Google advanced toolbar • Content filtering • I’m not talking about patrons; I mean you. • AdSubtract.com or userContent.csshttp://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/adblock

  24. Questions? • Don Yarman (yarmando@oplin.org)OPLIN Library Services Manager • Jim Mann (jmann@gcpl.lib.oh.us) Technology Coordinator GCPL • This presentation is available online at www.oplin.org/presentations/tenthings.ppt

More Related