Import Test : Web/Tech

Antivirus Protection

Matt Scales — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 11:00:00 GMT

The foundation for any computer's security is an up-to-date antivirus program. It's very likely that campus computers connected to a college's network have a antivirus program already installed. Home computers tend to come with a trial version of an antivirus program that must be purchased once the trial period ends. Most of these programs will update your computer automatically one or more times a week with the latest virus protection files. They typically require a paid subscription for this service which is renewable each year.

The two most popular antivirus programs are Norton (Symantec) and McAfee. Also well regarded is Kaspersky Anti-Virus. A local computer repair shop uses Kaspersky to diagnose and repair any computers brought in due to virus infections.

For the those looking to save money, Avast offers a free antivirus protection program downloadable at their site. Avast charges their commercial clients for their product, but offers a home version free of charge. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of the other products, Avast offers good security that updates frequently and works quietly in the background.

Downloading and Installing Programs

Matt Scales — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 11:00:00 GMT

The majority of educators have not taken a computer course, but rather have developed their computer skills through practice and perhaps a workshop here and there. One of the most valuable computer skills is the ability to download and install a program on your computer. Since a few of the upcoming "Surfing Safely" posts will offer free programs to upgrade the security of your computer, knowing the download and install process will be a great help. For those of you unfamiliar with this process, the following guidelines should be of use.

Generally when a web site offers a program to be downloaded you simply click on the download link to start the process.
If you are using the most common browser, Internet Explorer, a window should open up warning you about the danger of downloading files from sources you are unfamiliar with, and giving you several choices at the bottom of the window. Choose "save" as your next step.
Choosing "save" will open up your download window. At the top of the window you should see "Save in" followed by a default location. Clicking on the arrow next to the default location will provide you with a list of available locations for your downloaded file.
For greatest ease choose "desktop" as your desired location. This will mean that the file will be visible on your computer screen once the download process is complete. Some people prefer to load to a specific folder such as "mydownloads" which is fine as long as you can locate the file.
Click on "save" and the download process will begin. It may take a few seconds, several minutes, or somewhat longer depending on the size of the file and the speed of your Internet connection.
Once the download process is complete, locate the file on your desktop or the specified folder. Double click on the file to begin the installation process. There may be a screen or two which asks a question of you, such as where you would like to install the program. Generally, simply accept the suggested default and you should be fine.
Your program should now be installed. (You may be asked to restart your computer to complete the installation.) There will often be a new icon on your desktop to access the program and it should be also be listed in "all programs" under your "start" menu.

Note: Left clicking with your mouse executes an action. Right clicking generally brings up a menu of options. If you want to be sure of the safety of a downloaded file you may want to right click on it before installing the program. Among the choices you will generally find the option to scan this file for viruses. It doesn't take long and will give you an added measure of security.

If you have any further questions about this process or other computing questions feel free to use our comments section to ask for assistance.

Surfing Safely

Matt Scales — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 00:02:01 GMT

We're all being encouraged to make use of the Internet... visit the blog, teach an online or hybrid class, add a web component to your regular class, bank online, shop online, etc. Yet we're also aware that the web has many hazards including viruses, spy-ware that tracks our online movements and may collect personal data, and hackers who may attempt to gain control of our computer. If you have ever been a victim of any of these problems, you know how troublesome they can be. Fortunately, there are a few relatively easy precautions you can take to significantly protect your computer(s) and yourself from these risks.

In the coming week the Blog will feature some suggestions for improving the security of your computer. While our office computers generally have some safeguards provided by our college networks, they can still be at risk. The majority of problems generally occur with home computers, particularly if they are used by multiple family members. As our use of the computer and Internet has increased many educators are doing a significant amount of their professional computing at home.

While we will offer you a number of suggestions, please try not to feel overwhelmed by the choices. Even if you can add one additional level of security to your computer, that may represent a significant upgrade in your protection. If anyone has additional ideas or recommendations based on their experience in this area feel free to comment.

Search Tips

Matt Scales — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 10:00:00 GMT

Do you know how to use the +, -, and " " marks when doing a web search? To learn how to use these techniques and other strategies read the web article "Search Engine Math" for hints on effective search queries. http://searchenginewatch.com/facts/article.php/2156021

Search Engines

Matt Scales — Wed, 06 Oct 2004 10:00:00 GMT

There are essentially three major types of search sites - primary search engines, meta search engines, and focused search sites. Primary or general search sites such as Google, Yahoo, and AlltheWeb have their own database and search software (engine) and suffice for the majority of online searches. They typically produce hundreds of thousands of results, but users generally focus on the first few pages. Many of these search engines also have a categories for more defined searches such as image searches, music searches, shopping, news, etc. Meta Search engines such as Dogpile and ZapMeta typically forward your query to multiple primary search engines and present you with the results in an integrated fashion. Preferences for one over the other frequently depend on the way in which the results are organized and presented. Finally, there are search engines that focus on a specific subject matter or area of concentration and typically limit the number of databases that they survey. Scirus, a science search engine is a one example. In the future, we will be adding additional search sites to represent our various academic disciplines and professional interests.