One on One Computer Consultants (www.1on1cc.com)
April 2007 eNewsletter

New Computer Technologies and General Information

Microsoft Office Communicator 2007

The software giant has completely revamped its Communications software with the beta (test) release of Office Communicator 2007. If you’re using the Microsoft Office Suite of products, then this might be an addition that you’d be interested in looking at. With new PBX compatibility, it’s possible to include land line and cell phones into VoIP (Voice over IP) conversations. You can watch a short video at http://zdnet.com.com/1606-2_2-6170363.html or step through some screen shots at http://content.zdnet.com/2346-10741_22-59733.html.

NIST puts ban on Windows Vista

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which does research and sets standards for things like cryptography for government use, is among several federal agencies that have put a moratorium on the use of Vista . According to a spokesman, this is standard procedure until the new operating system can be proven to be compatible with existing software applications. The NIST took the same approach with the release of Internet Explorer v7.0, blocking their employees from downloading the software through the company server.

Virus/Spyware/Spam Warning  & Updates

Gozi Trojan

Why do you have to keep your anti-virus software updated? In January 2007, a user reported that several accounts on web sites he visited from work and home had been hijacked. An examination of his home PC revealed a previously unclassified malware file. It was named "xx_ymvb.exe" and resided in the "C:\Documents and Settings\<username>" directory. When scanned by 30 leading anti-virus products, none of them detected the malware specifically; however, several of them using heuristics detected it as a "suspicious" file or "generic" threat. On February 4, scans by the same 30 vendors using updated signatures identified the Trojan. The Gozi Trojan is being used by a Russian web server to harvest identity information previously thought to be protected through the encryption of SSL (Secured Socket Layer).

Warezov Trojan

This malicious code, also know as “Stration”, uses instant messaging programs to infect computers and place the unsuspecting user at the hands of hackers. The user will receive a message something like, “Check up this”, and a link to a file, “file_01.exe”. Once infected, the instant messaging service will start sending the same message to every name in the address book.

"Free" Software Downloads

DOS Boot CD

Many of the newer desktop and laptop computers are eliminating the 3.5” floppy disk drive. Let’s face it, they can’t hold much data, no one uses that much, and they really weren’t the most reliable media in the world. But, to upgrade some motherboard BIOS software and some device (like hard disk drive) firmware, you need to boot to DOS. Espen Ringom of Spain has compiled an ISO file that can be used with most popular CD burning software to make a bootable DOS CD. His version even allows you to access NTFS (Windows XP/2000) and FAT (Windows 98/ME) file formats. Once you have the CD, any DOS based updates can be copied to your computer’s C: Drive; you load the DOS Boot CD into your CD drive; reboot your computer to the DOS Prompt; and run your DOS based programs from the C: Drive. (You’ll have to set your computer to boot from the CD drive before starting your computer.)
Go to: http://espen.se/index.php?subaction=showcomments&id=1090874357&archive=&start_from=&ucat=9&

7-ZIP v4.42 Archive Software

Tips & Tricks  

Minimum System Requirements

Whenever you consider upgrading or installing software, be sure to check the “minimum system requirements”. You can either check the software package or the manufacturer’s web site. The manufacturer will really give you the “minimum” requirements for their software. In order for your software to operate at an optimal level, along with the other applications on your computer, you need much more than the “minimum” amount of RAM (Random Access Memory). As the newer computer systems get more and more powerful, the software manufacturers are trying to keep pace by making their products more robust and with more “bells and whistles”. All of this requires more and more memory. Gone are the days when 128 Meg of RAM was enough to power your computer. Nowadays, 512 Meg of RAM is considered the “minimum” for most software. The new Microsoft operating system, Vista , has a minimum requirement of 1 Gig of RAM.

How much RAM is in your computer? To find out; right-click on “My Computer” and left-click on “Properties”. Desktop computer systems with the video built into the main board, and laptops, will report slightly lower values of RAM, since it is “shared” with the on-board video chip.

For more computer Tips & Tricks go to the One on One Computer Consultants Tips Page at:
( http://www.1on1cc.com/tips.htm )