Village at Apache Wells Computer Club Meeting 20 Nov 2008
For last season’s minutes go to: www.geocities.com/vccvcc2000/minutes.html
Note the LINKS list at the far right -->>
Minutes of 20 NOV 2008 follow:
Convened by Stanton Rickey
Village members present were: Jim Albach, Bill Brown, Myrna Dirk, Jim Erickson, Arlene Frolick, Fran Geisler, Marian Grider, Clare Manz, Peter, Hal Miller, Char Miller, Jan Patton, Jack Prasloski, Pat Prasloski, Stanton Rickey, and Rich Russo,
The slate of officers for re-election was unopposed and the following were re-elected for the Nov 2008-Apr 2009 Season.
PRESIDENT: STANTON RICKEY
TREASURER: MARIAN GRIDER
PROGRAM DIRECTOR: PETER
Marian Grider reported that the Club Treasury amounted to about $1400.00. Annual Dues are set at $10 for the season.
Stanton Rickey announced that Wireless connections to Cox High Speed is available to ALL anywhere in the clubhouse area 24/7, and will now be available 12 months of the year. Arrangements have been made with the HOA to pay Cox fees for the summer months. Bring your own laptop. The Club Desk Top Computer is available for Paid Up MEMBERS ONLY.
VIRUS SECURITY is extremely important. There are 5 classes of viruses: WORM, VIRUS, SPYWARE, 1ST PAGE CAPTURE which takes over your Internet Home Page, and MALWARE which can erase all or part of your hard drive.
Peter admonished all to BEWARE OF ATTACHMENTS sent by well meaning folks who pass along jokes and other cutesy comments to a wide number of recipients. WORST are those FWD TO FWD TO FWD passing thru several individuals, any of whom may unwittingly spread a virus. Your best procedure is to SAVE ATTACHMENTS to DESKTOP, then right click and Scan with AVG or AVAST before opening.
Peter recommended installation of both AVG Free (or AVAST), and SPYBOT 1.4 to achieve maximum effectiveness.
The older 1.4 version of SPYBOT works best, and is even stronger than SPYWARE DOCTOR or Ad-Aware. AVG is set to automatically update daily. SPYBOT should be run monthly.
Spybot 1.4 is available here--> DOWNLOAD
Most of us are currently running AVG 7.5 as an anti-virus program, however it MAY soon be terminated in favor of version 8.0, which added a firewall. This has bogged down most computers. Many folks have run into problems with the newer version, so the best advice is to stick with version 7.5 and hope that its life will again be extended. If you have AVG 8.0 running without trouble, keep it.
Version 8.0 available here--> DOWNLOAD
Another ANTI-VIRUS alternative is AVAST, which can be
downloaded FREE HERE--> DOWNLOAD
When installing AVAST it is imperative that AVG first be uninstalled. To perform this action go to: CONTROL PANEL, then click on ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS and highlight AVG, then click OK.
SPYBOT has a complicated procedure. Install the 1.4 version of this program.
-Next find “SEARCH FOR UPDATES”. Run that.
-Put tick marks in ALL the boxes. Click on “DOWNLOAD UPDATES”.
-Now click on “IMMUNIZE”
-Then Click on the green X marked “IMMUNIZE” It will then announce that you are fully protected. That brings the program up-to-date.
-Time to scan your system. Poke through SEARCH and DESTROY to find the button marked “CHECK FOR PROBLEMS” A full scan takes 20 minutes or so. EVERYTHING it finds should be removed.
-Put a tick in every box and click on FIX. That should do it.
Avoid installing WINDOWS SERVICE PACK 3. It’s still buggy. When a popup box appears saying: UPDATES ARE AVAILABLE, best you ignore it.
Beware of any popups offering free SPYWARE SCANS. Often they are scams that do the opposite and install viruses on your computer, which are difficult and costly to remove.
Likewise, SPAM messages often entice you to click on UNSUBSCRIBE to stop them coming. Actually the opposite happens and they verify your computer address. IGNORE THESE SCAMS
ADEONA is a program that protects one from theft by tracing a stolen laptop. When activated by a thief it calls home and reveals its whereabouts. Go to: http://adeona.cs.washington.edu/index.html
Arlene Frolick advised that GOOGLE has a new FREE 411 service that finds and connects you to a local business without having to look it up in the phonebook or paying for a 411 service. Simply dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (or 1-800-466-4411) from any phone and speak the city and state location and business type. You will be directly connected to the business for FREE. Handy for ordering Dominos Pizza from your cell phone at midnight. Not for residential numbers unfortunately.
Peter demonstrated the practical use of a BLOG by showing excerpts from a blog of his summer vacation in Europe. Both photos and text can be inserted and shared by interested viewers. Go to: http://www.parisbeyond.blogspot.com/ for an example of what you can do.
These minutes and all future COMPUTER CLUB MINUTES during 2008-2009 will be posted at: http://www.villagehoa.blogspot.com/ For last season’s minutes go to: www.geocities.com/vccvcc2000/minutes.html
Here are the links we referred to in the Club Meeting on Thursday
Computer Club Minutes NEW 2008-09
http://villagehoa.blogspot.com/
Past years' Club Minutes
http://www.geocities.com/vccvcc2000/minutes.htm
Serving OnLine Seniors for downloads and PC repairs
http://www.sosmesa.com/ Davis PC fixes at 7435 E Main St, Mesa
Laptop security freebie calls home
http://adeona.cs.washington.edu/index.html
Avast free A-V download
http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html
Computer Club Minutes 2008-09
http://villagehoa.blogspot.com/
ELF Yourself
http://www.elfyourself.com/
Fake Windows security alert
http://community.ca.com/blogs/securityadvisor/archive/2008/10/14/two-good-looking-windows-security-centers-one-fake-one-real.aspx
Biggest Fake virus
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081017-report-fake-antivirus-programs-claim-30million-victims.html
Canada Do Not Call List
https://ioptout.ca/
JibJab Humor
http://www.peteyandpetunia.com/VoteHere/VoteHere.htm
Pachelbel's Canon Rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7Jh1BV1EOc
Arlene's Google Free Phone Number Look Up On your phone dial 1-800-GOOG411 and try it out. Amazing
CLASSIFIED AD: Stanton purchased a new laptop running VISTA. He has an HP Desktop and Monitor running XP, FOR SALE. $100 OBO.
See you there, STANTON RICKEY, Club President
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