Big city security in a small town

April 15, 2012 – 3:15 pm
Computer security not important in this shack, found in remote Blue Range of Arizona

Computer Security May Not Concern You

 

Whether you live in the big city of Tucson or the hamlet of Oracle your PC and your website live in the world wide web. This blog is a reminder that even though we may live in a secure and easy going town where we leave our car unlocked as we run into the post office all of our computers don’t.

Millions of companies report each year they have been victims of hacking. Websites being defaced or otherwise compromised is a top complaint. While securing your own laptop is generally as easy as keeping your operating system updated and your virus checker ready, securing your online presence can be more difficult.

If you own a website you are at an increased for cyber-attacks. Your web server is a powerful instance than can be turned to the darkside much more easier than the computer you type on as you read this. Since you and/or your website administrator rent space on a server directly connected to the web you are ultimately responsible for your website’s security. The increased public access, nearly advertised, presence of the web server makes it a prime target for folks looking to mask their activities using someone else’s computing power. Most experts agree it’s more ‘when’ will your web server be attacked, rather than ‘if’ it will be compromised.

With the obvious vulnerabilities inherit in a website server comes a larger responsibility to security and disaster preparedness. Here are some easy steps to start down the right path to being security mindful.

 

  • Backups are 100% essential since oftentimes recovering from a serious breach will ultimately fall to restoring from backup files.
  • Updating your applications that run your website is important. Content management systems are especially vulnerable if out of date.
  • Trust your web host and engage your website administrator. They together with your awareness are the first lines of defense.
  • Keep an eye on your website. New errors, weird happenings, might be early warning signs.
  • Use strong passwords and change them regularly – the easiest and most overlooked step.
By admin | Posted in online technology, Security, Technology Education | Comments (0)

Client Q &A for March

April 1, 2012 – 1:19 am

One of our monthly care website clients’ asks:

Do you know why the website is larger when it is opened in Internet Explorer than with Chrome? 

The overall size, and also font size, of your website is browser-dependent; which means that each browser chooses font size and zoom size based on preset or user-defined settings. Website designers generally design sites to accomadate the most browsers by using % measurements rather than fixed measurements. Imagine the number of possible platforms nowadays with which to view a website? Phones, laptops, tablets, to TV screens.
So your browser (and its version), your operating system, your monitor dimensions, video card settings, etc. can all create a differing display. This is a top challenge of our job.
Specifically to answered your question, it’s likely that your browsers are interpreting the basic code differently. In the current versions of Chrome and Internet Explorer (9) this is called zoom, while in previous version you may find a menu item called ‘text size’ that can be manipulated.
The fundemental language of websites (HTML) is purposely designed to be flexible and relative so as to accomadate the most browsing platforms – and thus each viewing of your page will essentially be different for each person. It’s a brilliant component of what we call the World Wide Web.

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Is Your Website Asleep?

February 29, 2012 – 4:00 pm

Wake the sleeping dragon with content

When discussing websites with clients I find myself stumbling into the same word again and again: content. Content is the information each web pages hold – it’s the words that your visitors and the search engines read. Content is the key to a quality website that gets found. Design and flow and interactivity might keep a visitor around a while but its the content they are looking for and its the content that likely got them there in the first place. The depth, quality, and useability of the content on your site correlates directly with the amount of visitation your site gets.

 

content writing

When content on a website gets old the site becomes a sleeping dragon. The search engines of the world know its hiding out in that cave in mountains so there’s no need to go up there and check on it. When the dragon awakes and does a couple laps around the clock tower then the towns people take notice. When your website is fresh on the books its just a baby dragon without much girth so its best to make extra noise to establish some notoriety. Maybe the town’s people will then send some intrepid searchers to check on you every once in a while.

 

The best advice is simple advice. Write. Write new blurbs for products, write more about yourself, write stories of how you helped a client and those pieces of content will each one be a reminder of your presence and authority in your sphere. At the same time with each new article your belly full of keywords will grow. Use a CMS-based (content management system) framework like Joomla or WordPress and publishing and editing all your page snippets should be hassle-free.

 

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Avoiding the “Windows Update” mistake

February 2, 2012 – 3:52 pm

So you think your machine is all up-to-date do ‘ya? You have a virus program that seems to be chugging along and everything appears to be secure and stable? Nothings popped up telling you that your out-of-date program is dangerously insecure – so tally-hoe!

Lack of updated Windows and virus protection is, in  my opinion, the number one reason a computer technician like myself gets a call. That’s exactly what happened with a client last week – let me share with you.

Angie gave me a call because her virus checker told her she had a trojan horse and then her computer locked-up and shut down. When I got to her 4 year old Dell laptop it appeared totally dead-on-arrival. She was hoping just to save the tax data she had stored on it.

After an hour and a half of labor and scanning I was able to clean the computer of the virus and get it back to normal. But that’s not the end of it; I had to figured out the why, the what happened? Angie had assured me it was all up-to-date and she was really “on it” in keeping things current. She was always clicking that little annoying ‘update now’ in the bottom right corner. Good enough, right? Not always.

First, there is often some manual intervention to get all the needed updates going (try going to Windows Update directly in your desktop search bar). Second, unless your running Microsoft Security Essentials your virus checker needs a check-up, too (the definitions might be updating but not always the application.) Further you might need to update your web browser manually, too.

Last, and most importantly, if your computer is never shutdown it can never update correctly. Closing the lid is not shutting down. If, like most of us, you sleep your computer every night rather than shutting it down those updates you keep saying yes to are never gonna get installed. Some updates can required a handful of restart cycles to install correctly.

If you have any questions you can always call us here at FarquharTech. Happy updating!

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Spotify Rocks. Seriously.

December 15, 2011 – 3:21 am

First and foremost,

I love Spotify.

Why? Because I love music, lots and lots of music, at my fingertips, always. It’s a DJ, a musical dictionary, an entertaining toy, and a very complete selection of music.

What is it? A small web-connected app that runs on my laptop and desktop that gives me instant search and response to any band that crosses my mind. After finding a band, or song, or whatever, I am directed to the nearly complete discography of ga-jillions of artists without a seconds wait.

I’m talking any music anytime with just a handful of ads for free. Easy, fast, endless are all words that come to mind. If it seems like I can’t stop spewing about Spotify, well, I can’t.

It’s really added a lot of spice to my music listening. Is it time to add some flavor to yours?

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Dusting isn’t just for nic-nacs

June 1, 2011 – 4:38 am

Take care of your computer and it will take care of you

As a reminder for everyone to maintain their computers I thought it include this photo of the dust ball I pulled out of an Dell laptop recently. The machine was suffering from random shutdowns and the client complained of it being HOT. I thought it likely that the computer was shutting off automatically after reaching it’s maximum operating temperature. Well it was hot all right, way too hot (like running without water in the radiator for days hot). Don’t let this happen to your computer as well – as you can guess, it’s really bad for it.

Dust ball found in radiator of Dell laptop

This dust ball is the most likely culprit of your computer's failure.

 

This was an exceptionally bad case of dust-induced overheating. The client, to his credit, had tried to blow out the fan and air intakes and also recognized it was overheating. When I first turned on and analyzed this computer the CPU was operating at nearly 90 degrees Celsius.  I really can’t believe this computer still functions at all and that the whole thing did not just melt down before my eyes.  I turned it off, let it cool, and took it apart.

After digging deep into the cooling system I tracked down the culprit and fished it out of a corner of the fan .  It was a massive dustball that was intermittently getting in the way of the fan blades.   After some more dust flew I reassembled and looked at the temps. Everything was cool and running smooth – at times the CPU was a mere 40 degrees. I tweaked a couple Windows settings and the machine was running great for its vintage.

 

While not every computer is built with such a poor design as to trap dust in the fan box, its my suspicion that even this machine could have been saved with a regular blast of compressed air through it’s vents.  For those curious about the intricacies of this laptop surgery the picture below shows the likely place for dust collect in these Dell Inspirions.

Dust ball haven in Dell Inspirion

If your gonna get into this project make sure you read up on the radiator removal process in the Dell Service Manual. Or better yet call Farquhar Tech at 509.315.1144.

By admin | Posted in Computer Repairs, Technology Education | Comments Off

The times [Google's algorithm], they are a changin’

May 7, 2011 – 4:55 am

Changes to Google’s algorithm have been in the news a lot over the past month – and for good reason. This is big business and should be bigger news. When the world’s largest pathway to the Internet’s boundless info and profit possibilities changes what it displays people best take note.

 

Google’s Search Tweak Puts A Company At Risk

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/03/135809341/googles-search-tweak-puts-a-company-at-risk

 

Google Tweaks Algorithm To Spot ‘Content Farms’

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/22/135625124/google-tweak-s-algorithm-to-spot-content-farms

 

For those of you not watching the mighty search engine’s every move, over the last month Google made a big change to how it finds sites, rates them, and displays results. Remember Google can tweak and edit their search and display patterns however they like. Google is in the search engine business – it’s not a public service – so it makes sense that changes within their search algorithm would be most beneficial to their own products.

 

A lot of the news surrounded the big content management farms, like about.com, whose search and find numbers dropped dramatically. This is supposedly due to Google now deducting points for unoriginal, cut and paste syndication type content. Whatever the case, many of the large info aggregators on the Internet lost dramatic search engine visibility and their profits will likewise feel the crunch.

 

The big winners are those with lots of original content. Blogs, especially those hosted at Google’s blogspot.com are sure to be winners, as are massive media outlets that are already continuous content production centers. Those with content that can be found word for word elsewhere are sure to take a hit. And that may be exactly what Google was hoping for, reward sites with current content while weeding out some of those annoying about.com results written by a less-then-reliable source.

 

For small business websites this means fresh content has never been more important. Because now that the Google is peering even deeper into the subtleties of each and every page, those with lots of quality, original, and informative content  may just come out on top.

 

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RAM makes all the difference

April 10, 2011 – 7:35 pm

Upgrade your RAM, increase your productivity

I just finished adding 2 GB of RAM to a client’s computer and wow!…

This RAM, or Random Access Memory, is solid state memory that is installed in your computer and forgets when the power is turned off.  It is used to swap information around when the power is turned on. It’s  a place for your operating system (Windows) to store and again randomly access things it needs in the process of doing operations for you. RAM is important to your computer’s speed and thus important for your productivity. Waiting for your computer to do something is clearly not good for your getting things done. RAM is now an especially cheap upgrade these days, and almost all consumer computers could use a healthy RAM upgrade.

After adding 2GB to the measly 1GB the client computer came with the difference was night and day. Previously the computer was overwhelmed, always trying to catch up, and using the comparably slow hard drive to do what the fast RAM should be doing. Windows needs lots of resources to run at its best and adding the extra RAM allows it to do so. Windows 7 and Vista are especially RAM hungry.  What’s most unfortunate is that many consumer computers from your local Costco or BestBuy actaully came with not-enough-RAM, or the bare minimum. Once you begin to open applications and browser tabs it gets eaten up quicker than expected and everything slows down.

My opinion, unless you bought a well-stocked super computer within the last year with atleast 4GB your computer can use a RAM addition.  Windows operating systems can perform well and quick but they need the proper resources to do so, more often than not a computer manufacturer skimps on the RAM to build a price-point computer for a consumer, but in the end we all end up losing on the productivity side for the hundred dollars saved.

RAM can be added to most modern desktops and laptops. To see how much RAM your computer has installed at present go to ‘Control Panel’ then ‘System’.  Find Farquhar Tech on facebook.com for recent posts on determining your memory possibilities using the Crucial online tool – or give us a call anytime.

In Spokane right now we have a special 2GB upgrade for eligible machines (with pick-up and drop-off) for $104, that includes a Windows hand-picked cleaning as well. Increase your productivity today.

 

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The solution is: claim your places

February 11, 2011 – 7:49 pm

I was talking with a local small business owner who was looking to begin building his web presence. His small but successful landscaping business has taken off over the last two years and he’s looking at the web as the obvious next step for increased visibility in his market. We both agreed a simple well-branded one-page website would be a good start but what else are the first steps a blossoming business should do to get started and thus in-control of their online self.

While it seems great and exciting to start fancy-ing up a website, for small businesses with little content it may be a bit pre-mature to start developing a massive site with tips and blogs and viral videos. In the case of my client, who’s sentiment is “ let’s not forget I just mow lawns” an expensive and high-maintainence website really doesn’t make sense yet. But, be assured he still wants to make sure people find his business listing if they go looking for it- likely after seeing his branded vehicle out on a job.

The solution is: claim your online places. Many businesses owners do not know they already have a few “websites” out there. A business is listed at google, yelp, and bing and that listing needs to be claimed, reviewed, and updated with your own content. I find these three notable listings are a good place to start updating and claiming your data, after which you can seek out harder to find directories to check up on.

To start go to maps.google.com and search for your business in your city. Once you find it look for “edit this listing” and if you need to create a google login with which to manage the account. Add photos, and hours, and services, and double-check all the info presented. To verify the account google will set up a situation where they call you and give a verification number to later enter. Follow all the steps and pay attention to the ‘percentage complete’. This listing update is free but there are many ways to give money to google for increased visibility as well.

Next go to yelp.com and find you listing. Claiming your listing is very similar to google, but additionally yelp allows special offers and other features that increase visibility for free. Add videos and photos and content. Getting reviews from clients and customers can quickly move your listing up the ladder at yelp so encourage people to review your product or service.

Finally, go to bing.com and find bing local listings center. Make sure your using Internet Explorer and navigate to your listing. With bing you may have to create it from scratch. Do so. The verification process is more in-depth with Microsoft generally sending you a real old-fashioned letter with a verification code on it. These steps are worth it to add viability to you listing and make sure you, instead of someone else, have final control over it’s content.

For small emerging businesses that are just getting their feet wet in the internet realm these can be good steps to not only make your business more search engine friendly but also to start with getting content together. After you fill in all these pages with information and photos and ‘about you’ blurbs there will be enough information put together to have a good start on your own website. Happy computing!

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Netbook or laptop? Make a good decision based on your needs

January 28, 2011 – 12:30 am

It’s time to buy a new computer to cart around with you where ever you go and all those little tiny, itsy-bitsy computers that are floating around seem perfect. These days there are literally a hundred and one options for you next portable computer, and prices range from a few hundred dollars to well over $1000. We’ll take a look at the decision making process for your next portable technology buy, but first some definitions.

Netbook – a 7-10” screen, lightweight computer designed for wireless connectivity and Internet use, built on specific low-energy / low-heat processors like the Atom. No CD/DVD drive, Windows 7 Starter, expects to operate with resource efficient applications, gets bogged down by too much work

Laptop – any portable computer with general screen sizes 14-15”, built with a wide-array of processors that are faster and better at multi-tasking, has DVD/CD drive and more input/output ports, generally faster & more adept at most programs. HD graphics more likely, full size keyboard

Performance laptop – higher-end laptops that have screens, video cards, and processors designed for intense use, competes evenly with desktop machines but generally at a higher cost, also lightweight and thin compared to mainstream laptops, may include modern mobile technologies like SSDs

Solid state disk drives (SSD) – the cutting edge mobile data storage system, no moving parts and very fast, more expensive than traditional drives, but clearly the wave of the future in terms of rugged storage for light and thin devices, cost increases dramatically in proportion to size

Buy a netbook if you already have a home computer or robust laptop and just want something to take on trips to read your e-mail and check reservations on the web. Things that most people do with their smart phone anyways. Think about buying a more sizable laptop if you want to watch movies, work with your photos in a graphics editor, layout a newsletter, or manage multiple windows at the same time. The Acer Aspire and Lenovo IdeaPad are great, hip looking choices for just what you need them to do, but make sure you’re not expecting them to run everything Adobe at once and respond immediately to the flick of your figure.

If your trying to escape the waiting game of your old computer and are ready for a machine that responds when you ask it to and leaves you speechless at its start-up time then it may be time to start looking at some performance laptops. And if your eying a performance machine like the MacBook Air you’d be amazed at the prices for spec competitive Windows 7 machines with SDD.

As is the day-to-day case in 21st century technology the netbook world is moving fast. It was in the past that netbooks were clearly inferior to regular sized laptops but times are changing, and for some money netbooks can match the performance of there larger counterparts. This is not the case with the general array of $300 tiny computers. These machines have limited processing speed and usually just 1GB of ram. Additionally, Windows 7 Starter is very lean and people are finding that they can’t even change the desktop background with this slimmed down operating system.

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