Spyware and viruses are so common that you would be hard pressed to find anyone that sin??t aware of them. Under the umbrella term Malware, these little programs have been causing trouble for computer users for many years, and they seem to get more powerful everyday. A new incarnation of malware is becoming very common as of late, and it involves using a virus or Trojan horse to place a computer under the remote control of a hacker. The controlled computer is referred to as a zombie and it is used to commit various dastardly deeds without the knowledge of the computer owner.Zombie computers are almost always attached to the Internet via a broadband connection such as ISL or Satellite Internet. This is important as spammers have found that by using zombie computers to send out their junk mail they can easily avoid detection.As of 2005 it was estimated that up to 80% of all spam was sent via zombie computers, and that number is on the rise.The increase can be attributed to smarter hackers and better technology, but the real driving causes behind the increased zombie trend are better spam filters and anti-spam laws. According to Tom Spring at PC World Magazine, ??spammers are hiring virus writers and hackers to help them create armies of zombie PCs to send spam.?? This union of hackers and spammers has been beneficial to both parties in opening new revenue steams that are extremely difficult to shut down.Gregg Mastoras, a senior security analyst at the security firm Sop hos says, ??A new underground economy is evolving.” This new economy is for the most part illegal and to date impossible to stop completely.As of late the Chinese hackers have thrown their hat into the game and have taken the zombie computer business to the next level. Senior Pentagon Advisor Paul Strassmann recently said, ??As of September 14th 2007 there were exactly 735,598 computers in the United States infested with Chinese zombies??.Large groups of zombie computers can be used to form a ??botnet?? or network of slave computers. This network can be used to send out millions of spam mails in a short period of time. Slave networks are also used to commit a Dos attack. Dos attacks, or Denial of Service, target a particular website and overwhelm the server with information requests until the server can no longer handle the load. These attacks or in no way secretive, and once discovered are easily shut down.There will be a period of time however when site traffic will be disrupted by the Dos attack. Larger more sophisticated networks such as those used by governments or large firms have defensive measures in place to prevent damage
Saturday, May 29, 2021
You Don’t Have To Be A Programmer To Fix Computer Errors
sooner or later you will most likely get an error of some kind (there are thousands to choose from) and you'll start searching for ways to eliminate that error as quickly as possible! Some of the more common errors I have had to deal with over the years are: windows freezes, long program hang times, computer crashes (very annoying!), Runtime errors, fatal errors (sounds serious), blue screen of death, and others … Just imagine trying to troubleshoot your Windows operating system by yourself, and figuring out which program, entry, corrupted registry key, etc… is actually 'causing' the error to begin with… That task might not sound daunting for a Microsoft programmer, but for the 'normal' person, there are better things to do with your time (like watching grass grow) So you have the choice then, of paying a computer technician $ 60 - ??? dollars to come out to your house and fix your computer errors and problems for you… or you can download a highly effective 'registry cleaner' and run a scan on your computer by pushing one button.Registry cleaners are actually designed (by computer programmers) to eliminate errors, clean, fragment and compress your windows registry (a location within Windows where all critical data about every program loaded on your computer is stored) .Most registry cleaners will find problems and fix them, but some of the better programs will allow you to schedule when they should run automatically (set it up and forget about it). And they will allow you to control and manage startup programs, set system restore points in case anything bad happens, and actually show you where specific problems were found and what kind of PC errors they are.There are a few things each person who is serious about keeping their computer running as fast as the day they brought it home should have in their “maintenance arsenal” : * A good registry cleaner * A good spyware remover * A good anti virus program * A good anti spam program Having these tools can and WILL save you a lot of grief! Who wants their identity to be stolen because of spyware running on their system ? Who wants all their valuable data corrupted and unusable because of a virus that slipped through and infected your entire system? Who wants to put up with a slow computer that gives you errors every time you turn it on? Not me! The investment in a good registry cleaner can do the most good for your computer,
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Vinyl Records- A Different Perspective
As we continue to see the sales of CDs fall, it is obvious that the distribution channels of music are changing. But there is no disputing that digital downloads are the new norm for many people to acquire their music, be it one ninety-nine cent download or an entire album. As I ponder these changes, I still think that the vinyl record, as prehistoric as it is, is gaining popularity as well as making new fans and believers that this is the best audio format that can be heard.
As a vinyl lover, I am pretty set in my ways; no one has to convince me of the staying power and musical greatness of the vinyl record. So I was thrilled when I had a chance to interview a young man who shares the same views as I do.
I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with a nineteen-year old vinyl lover from Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada named Steve Robertson; who was gracious enough to share his thoughts and views about this old, yet treasured format. What follows is a short discussion with Steve as he shared his passion and love for vinyl records.
I asked Steve what drew him to vinyl, why does he prefer this audio format?
Vinyl just sounds so much better; it has a unique sound that cant be duplicated. There is a feeling of satisfaction when actually holding a physical product. And the cover art, not only from the past, but from new artists, is another reason I prefer vinyl records over any other format. I also get a sense of satisfaction in knowing that when I buy an artists work on vinyl, that I am supporting the musicians who release it, it just isnt another free download, explained Steve.
I asked Steve how long he has listened to vinyl and about what format his friends prefer.
I have been into vinyl for several years now and vinyl is huge in British Columbia and most of my friends prefer it as well. We both like the clear sound and experience you get when playing a record. And we are interested in DJ-ing, so it fits right in. Last year I purchased a pair of Stanton turntables that have certainly helped me in my DJ-ing efforts and I plan on upgrading very soon to take it to the next level. I love the control that I have playing the music that people want to hear. The goal of a DJ is to take two different songs and blend them together in a smooth seamless way without the crowd knowing. Taking elements of one record and blending them into the other, you can then skillfully mix out the first song until it is just the new track playing. Its like creating a new song and new music in a way.
I really think that vinyl is coming back, it sure is in our area. If my friends and I had to pick, records would be our choice and the best option to hear our music. But, they are harder to acquire, our nearest vinyl shop is an hour and a half away, so we buy most of our vinyl online.
The Pregame
You constantly hear it every time you go out or make plans “stop by my house and we’ll pregame then head out”. This clubbing phenomenon has become in itself part of the whole clubbing experience and thus deserves some attention with some pregame and pre-clubbing tips.
Lets face it drinks are not exactly the cheapest thing in a club, in fact you sometimes leave the club feeling violated after a night of drunken credit card spending and ATM withdrawals with 9 dollar service fee's. So to lessen this problem to a degree we all know the best thing to do is to get a headstart on your drinking at your pregame party. Have a few friends get a bottle or two prior to entering the club, this will help you get a headstart and probably cut your drinking bill by half.
Another tip related to the drinking situation is something that i have learned the hard way. Ask for drink prices BEFORE you order a drink, because as the night progresses and your blood alchohal level rises with every hour that passes you start ordering drinks left and right and when the time comes that the bartender says 15 dollars for the shot you just downed and you reach in your pockets only to feel air you have a serious problem if your friends are nowhere to be found. So always remember ask for drink prices and make sure you have the funds before downing a shot.
When you finally arrive at the club, you have to accept the fact that it might just be a terrible night for the club you have chosen and your better off leaving and going to another spot. The worst thing to do is go to the front of the line and ask a bouncer how it is inside. Do you really think that they are going to say “dont waste your money, it sucks” ?. No they are not, they are going to tell you that its just getting started, or its packed, or the music is great or some cheap excuse to get you inside to make them more business. The most relaible way to find out is just find someone that is leaving and has just walked out the door, stop them for a second and ask them their how it is inside, chances are they will tell you their honest opinion unless they are trying to screw you over or have some fun.
If the case is that their is a line across the street, and you dont have any connections to skip it your next best chance is to start walking up and down it and hope to god you find someone you know. When you find someone start making casual conversation and then get you and your group closer and finally just get together with them in the line, make sure you have conversation flowing the whole time between you both as well as not pay attention to other people in the line .
A lot of times you will have people standing outside the club that claim to be the almighty promoters when more then likely they have to ensure they get themselves in much less get you or anyone you know in. Dont ever think a promoter will actually do something special for you if you do not know them, many times a promoter will offer some kind of discount, or say he will make you skip the line only to get you there but when it comes down to it they wont help you out with anything and your stuck waiting in a line. So save some time and dont listen to any promoters magic offers.
Friday, May 21, 2021
What Certification Should You Pursue After The CCNA
Once you've got your CCNA, you're ready to move on to the next level, the Professional certifications. For years, Cisco had one Professional certification, the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification. Over time, Cisco has expanded this level of certifications to include the Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) and Cisco Certified Voice Professional (CCVP).
With security and voice being the two most rapidly expanding areas of today's networks, some new CCNAs consider going after the CCSP or CCVP without first adding the CCNP to their resume.
While it's temping to hurry up and get a Cisco security or voice certification, the best thing you can do for your networking career is achieve your CCNP certification first, then decide on the CCVP or CCSP.
Why? Because the CCNA is just the tip of a very large iceberg when it comes to routing and switching. It's a very important accomplishment, and the CCNA is indeed the foundation of your networking career, but you need to add on to that level of understanding routing and switching before moving on to more specialized areas.
Two examples are OSPF and BGP. You learn about the theory of OSPF and some basic and intermediate configurations of that protocol in your CCNA studies, but the knowledge you acquire of OSPF in your CCNP studies is invaluable. As for BGP, there is no BGP in the CCNA curriculum, but it is a great idea to have some BGP knowledge in today's networks. It's also good for your career.
I know it is a huge temptation to go after the security and voice certifications while not paying attention to the CCNP. Do yourself a huge favor and add the tremendous amount of routing and switching knowledge needed for the CCNP to your knowledgebase, and you can then move on to the CCSP or CCVP. Even better, you'll be better prepared to climb the biggest certification mountain around - the CCIE!