By now we are all aware of that complex passwords made up of random letters, numbers,, and special characters are harder to hack. This government directive takes that concept to a new extreme. GOVERNMENT DIRECTIVE NUMBER 88-570471 In order to increase the security of all company computing facilities, and to avoid the possibility of unauthorized use of these facilities, new rules are being [...]
One of the first computers, the Mark II, contained 750,000 components and weighed 5 tons. Grace Hopper worked on the Mark II and discovered the first computer bug when she found a moth that had flown into a mechanical relay causing it to malfunction. The moth was removed and the computer was deemed to be de-bugged, a term we still use today.
UPS Its Not Just For Shipping! Anyone who has lived in Colorado for more than a year or two knows that summertime and lightening go together like milk and cookies. You just cant have one without the other. Unfortunately, lightening also can wreck havoc with your computer by literally frying its circuitry. So, it comes as no surprise that most computer owners Ive worked with have taken the [...]
No Mouse? No Problem! If you've been around computers from their beginnings like I have, you may recall the time when character based programs were all we had. A time where the mouse did not exist, the graphical user interface (GUI) was still under development. A time when those F keys on the keyboard were actually used for something, and hotkey combos ruled when it came to navigation. Today [...]
The answer is: Almost certainly! It comes as no surprise that cyber thieves are out to steal our personal information and corporate secrets. What is surprising is that a recent report from the research firm GartnerG2 claims that more than 20 million computers have some sort of malware installed and the report covers only a subset of the many forms of malware on the loose. Personally speaking, I [...]
It’s 9:00am and payroll has to be out by noon when you discover your hard drive has failed. Or maybe you emptied that recycle bin a bit prematurely. Perhaps you dropped your laptop while it was running or even worse your laptop or computer was stolen. Recent studies have shown that 50% of all hard drives will fail within 5 years. In addition, only 25% of us have an automated reliable backup. [...]
Wireless is one of the hottest technologies available today for home and small business networking. The idea of being able to roam with your laptop around the office, living room or backyard while still being connected is a very appealing concept. With no holes to cut or cable to run, some service companies are quick to push a wireless solution without even mentioning some of the major issues and[...]
Bang for your computer-buying buck has never been better. A basic bare bones system can be purchased for around $500 or less. So, is it time to replace your old computer with a new one or is it worth the investment to repair or upgrade your existing system? Some experts would say that a business should replace their computers every 2-3 years and consumers every 3-5 years. Others would suggest a [...]
Going Apple? As Microsoft Windows continues to evolve the burden of maintaining it keeps getting heavier and heavier. With new security flaws being discovered on a weekly basis we are expected to continuously download and install patches for an already patchy operating system. Viruses, malware, and spyware have reached new proportions forcing Windows users to spend more and more time and money [...]
The Desktop is Dead! Long Live the Desktop! There is no doubt that mobile computing has transformed many aspects of our daily lives. Laptops, notebooks, IPads, tablet PCs, and smart phones are all the rage. The appeal of having access to all that computing capability all of the time and just about anywhere is irresistible. So it is understandable that there are some who are already predicting the [...]
