Don't Be Afraid To Click!

I recently purchased a Wi-Fi Internet radio. I decided on the Sangean WFR-20. If you're not familiar with Intenet radio, the concept is simple. The radio is tied, via the intenet, to a central database called Reciva.com. This web site collects more than 15,000 radio stations from around the world and places their streaming links in one area where your radio, once registered, can access them all. There's no need to have your computer turned on. Just turn on your radio and dial in the destination ( you do need a broadband connection and wireless router). One moment you can be listening to your local AM broadcaster, the next you can hear a station as far away as the Falkland Islands! It really is amazing! All stations come in crystal clear with absolutely no interference, fade, or distortion. It's like having the ultimate shortwave radio! And the Sangean WFR-20, in my humble opinion, is the best Wi-Fi radio around. This is the one to get! It's featured packed, looks great in any decor, sets up in minutes, sounds great, and is a real pleasure to use. Since getting this radio, my television sits silently in the corner.

The reason I mention all this is because of what I heard just the other night on Virgin Radio (now called Absolute Radio) out of the United Kingdom . I was listening to the Iain Lee Show and he mentioned to a listener that he NEVER clicks on any links he receives via email. Now, I can't say that I blame him. I'm pretty cautious as well when it comes to links emailed to me. There can be a lot of nasty things out there which cold wreak havoc with your Windows system! (Ah, but I run Linux. More on this in a bit).

I've taken a couple of precautionary steps that I'd like to share with you.

First, if I don't recognize the sender, I don't click the link. It's that simple. Why invite trouble?

Second, I run the Firefox browser. Firefox is open source and thus built, maintained, and supported by a community of hundreds of thousands of users. If anything bad is out there lurking on the web, chances are much better that many of the thousands who've developed Firefox will find a fix much sooner than the dozen or so employees working on troubleshooting IE at the home offices of Microsoft. In short, Firefox is more secure.

"An independent study shows that, in 2006, IE users were vulnerable to online threats 78% of the time. Firefox users? Only 2%."

In addition, Firefox also has thousands of Add-Ons which can be plugged into the browser to help enhance and secure your web surfing experience. I use one called Interclue. Inteclue allows you to preview a web page in a pop up window before visting the site.

"Interclue is the ultimate hyperlink multitool. Small icons appear on mouseover to warn you about dead links, Malware or Phishing Sites, etc, and for any valid links Interclue provides compact link previews, relevant extra information and useful next action buttons."

And lastly, I run Linux. Linux is immune to Windows viruses, Trojans, and malware. So even if I do accidentally click on a link I probably shouldn't have, because I run Firefox and Linux, I'm a heckuva lot more secure than Windows.

so Iain Lee,if you're reading this, do yourself a favor and get Linux and Firefox! Then you won't be afraid to click! (BTW, Iain, if you want, contact me and I'll point you in the right direction to get Linux...and a Sangean WFR-20.)

Get Linux.

The Big Snowfall!

Northeast Ohio got pounded with a huge snowstorm this past weekend. Everything closed down and I was holed up inside for the duration. When the snowfall had subsided, I was finally able to get outside and dig out. With my trusty Nokia phone, I snapped a photo of the piles of snow alongside the road and captured some video of my dogs romping around in it (video is at the end of this post).

Luckily, I had power and was able to log on to Kiowa Linux Beta 3 and surf the internet for weather updates and just use this great operating system. And Kiowa really performed well! Despite the fact that this is a beta release, it's incredibly stable! I talked with Kiowa's founder Matt several times during the weekend and he alerted me whenever a new package came online in Kiowa's repo. Pidgin Messenger works wonderfully well! XMMS is simply great! But the big attraction for me is how terrific Kiowa's version of Wine is!

If you've never used Wine, or are unfamiliar with it, Wine acts as a translator of sorts so you can install a needed Windows application. The absolutely great thing about Kiowa's Wine is how it works invisibly in the background. Just pop in your disk, find the Windows .exe file needed to install, double click, and Wine takes over. The software installs just as if it were on a Windows system!

Now, I'll caution you that not all applications are going to work. You'll have to check the Wine application database to see which applications work and which are still being worked on. But PhotoShop 7 installed in a snap! As did the compression utility Expander and Dropstuff (for when my Mac friends send me a stuffit file).

I've used a few versions of Wine and have found that Kiowa's version of Wine is by far the easiest to use. Get Linux, get Kiowa and get Wine. Then say goodbye to Windows.

Overheating

I've been having car problems. I have a 1999 Oldsmobile Delta 88 sityh 187,000 miles. I bought it for $2500.00 with 91,000 miles. It looks brand new and runs like a top! It was a real steal!

Lately, though, it stalls while I'm driving. I could be clipping along at 55 MPH and the engine will just stop.

I have it in for service. After speaking to the service manager, they think it may be an Ignition Module problem. Basically, this is the car's onboard computer. In layman's terms (and if there's a mechanic out there, feel free to correct me), as ignition modules age, they develop more heat and run hotter. They overheat and fail. Since all points,plugs, wiring, etc. run into this module, all the processes needed to run the engine are cut off and the car stalls.

Why do I mention this? Because it's similar with computers. Whether you're running Windows or Linux, if your computer shuts down without warning, it may be a bad cooling fan. Your processor needs to be cooled. A fan is mounted atop a heat sink which sits on top of the Intel or AMD processor chip. thsi fan is constantly turning and moving the hot air out and away from the chip. If this fan no longer works, heat builds, the chip runs hotter, overheats and your computer shuts down.

So if you're computer is exhibiting this kind of behavior, before you try an anti-virus program or re-installing your OS, check your cooling fans. Open the box and make sure all fans on your computer are turning and doing their job. Swapping out a fan is easy and inexpensive. A guide on how to do this here. But do a Google search for "Replacing CPU Fan" and you'll have more results to choose from. If you'd rather not do this yourself, any computer shop replace your cooling or CPU fan, even while you wait if necessary.

Then, after you get that fan replaced and your system running, get Linux.

My First Computer

I was surfing the web and came across this site which chronicles the history of computers through ads and other archival information.

I searched their site and happened on the Texas Instruments TI 99/4A. Here was my very first computer. I looked over the photos and ads and a flood of memories came back to me. Compared to todays' technology, the TI-99/4A wasn't much. But it allowed the user to program using the BASIC computer language. And using these simple commands, I was able to create, believe it or not, a few early computer games and other moving graphics.

Well, I was immediately hooked on computers ever since. And through those years, I toyed with other early PCs running MS-DOS.

Then the day came when my brother Dave mentioned that we should "go halves" and purchase a Windows PC. And Dave really wanted to get the best cutting edge technology that was currently available. To tell the truth, I was happy using a PC Clone (Leading Edge Computer) running MS DOS. I already had email and early internet access through the community based Cleveland Free-net). I didn't want to shell out the cash for a new computer. I wanted to wait for the next leap in technology.

I'll never forget what Dave told me. He said, "Mark, if you don't get on the learning curve now, you'll fall farther behind."

How right he was! I immediately saw this bit of wisdom. GROW with the technology. Learn along the way and as things develop.

As a result, we plunked down $2700.000 and purchased a Windows 3.11 Pentium 75 Computer with a 15 inch monitor, printer and HP flatbed scanner. Soon after, we had an AOL account and I was purchasing software for graphics, desktop publishing and web building. It was clear that a whole new way of computing had developed.

If the TI-99/4A opened up a new world, this Pentium system opened the universe!

And, right now, the same thing is happening with Linux. Linux is starting to explode on the computing scene. It's running desktop computers, cell phones, web sites and other devices and technology. Linux is being adopted by city governments, schools, and businesses around the world. Even top notch Hollywood effects and animation studios run Linux!

Get on the Linux learning curve now! Get Linux and grow with this dynamic and exciting Operating System. And the wonderful thing is, it'll cost you a lot less than the $2700.00 Dave and I paid to get on the first computer learning curve.

Windows, Linux, and Viruses

Yesterday, I got together with my nieces and nephew for little post Christmas gift exchange. (I got all three Pirates of The Caribbean movies! Woo-Hoo!)

During our visit, the oldest niece lamented that her Windows laptop was LOADED with all kinds of pop-ups and other problems. I suspect that she may have visited a malicious web site or shared a file that has compromised here operating system. indows simply isn't as secure as folks believe. And third party virus scanners don't catch everything and sometimes cause more problems than they solve.

Coincidentally, a recent thread on the Freespire Forums regarding Linux viruses prompted me to do a bit of research on the subject.

So, can a virus compromise your Linux system?

Well, the short answer is, "No."

A more involved and well written answer can be found here.

Please, do yourself a favor and read the entire article. You'll understand all the more why ditching Windows and getting Linux is the move to make this New Year.

And if there is one thing you can do in 2008 to make your year better and brighter, it's simply to switch to Linux! You'll say goodbye to viruses and malware and hello to a safe and secure computing experience!

(Oh, and I plan on getting Kiowa Linux for my niece's laptop soon.)

Fix Windows for good! Get Linux!

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I enjoyed creating the above comic strip. It's an innocent little poke at holiday spending. And, at this time of year, we all enjoy going out (or online) to do a bit of holiday shopping.

It's the unforeseen expenses that give us headaches. The things we don't budget for. A home plumbing repair, new brakes for the car, and possibly, repairing the family computer due to some virus or related problem.

And speaking of repairing computers, I'm amazed at the number of businesses that have sprung up claiming to be able to fix your Windows computer problems online or through phone tech support. Have you noticed the same? Just turn on your radio and give a listen. Companies advertise a "Quick Fix Online" and all will be well. They'll scan your Windows computer though the Internet and then pinpoint the problem and fix it...provided you hand them your credit card. And the charges for such a service can be quite hefty. Upwards of $100.00.

I'm going to show you how to avoid spending hundreds of dollars repairing your Windows system of viruses,Trojans and other Internet nasties. It's simple. GET LINUX! For the cost of a blank DVD or CD (About a buck), you can download Linux for free, burn the iso file to the disk and install on your PC (I outlined the process here).

Then it's goodbye to Windows and goodbye to Windows repairs. You'll no longer need anti-virus software or online repair services. Your computer will be stable and secure. You won't run into unforeseen crashes and problems due to Windows viruses.

An even better solution is to take that $100.00 you'd be spending to fix your Windows PC and simply put it toward a brand new Linux computer system (After all, it is Christmas). I recommend Kiowa Linux.

Make 2008 the year you move to Linux. It's easy to do. There is an active Linux community which will help you make the transition. There is also a large number of Linux distributions, to choose from. One is just right for you.

Top 10 Windows Headaches

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If you're reading this, it's probably because you've had many a problem with Windows (and you're looking for information on alternative Operating Systems). Here's my list of the top 10 things wrong with Windows. Do these sound familiar?

10. Slow system performance. As Windows writes, rewrites, and saves files to the hard drive, the system slows down over a period of time. In order to get an increase in performance, you need to defrag your hard drive. Defragging a Windows hard drive could take all night. Linux never needs to be defragged!

9. Repeated Cost. You have to buy Windows over and over again. When you purchase a new PC, you're buying Windows, yet again. You're not allowed to take that copy of Windows and install it on a second or third PC without first paying Bill and company, yet again. Linux is free. and once you own it, you're permitted to install it on as many PCS as you and your family own.

8. Pop-ups and Spyware. Windows is susceptible to so many internet nasties. Pop-up ads and spyware can easily burrow onto your system simply by visiting a web page. Linux is immune to spyware and pop-ups are few and far between thanks to the FireFox browser and its built-in Ad blocking.

7. Internet Explorer vulnerability. Internet Explorer is a great big hole in your Windows system. it allows hackers and others a portal to all your critical data. It's because Windows and IE are so tightly integrated. Linux uses Mozilla based browsers (Sea Monkey, FireFox, etc.) that run independently of the core operating system.

6. DRM (Digital Rights Management) trap. DRM is a way of keeping your songs locked onto one computer system. It doesn't give you the freedom (or limits your freedom) to move your digital music to other computers or playback devices. Linux is free of DRM and utilizes the free, open source .ogg file format which has better sound and compression than MP3.

5. Third party utility software slowdown. This is software has has to constantly run in the background looking for viruses and other attacks. This requires the use of system resources and results in slower system performance. Linux does not need firewalls, anti-virus or other scanning software. Linux is immune to Windows viruses.

4. Administrator Mode vulnerability. All Windows users default to an administrator account. Meaning every user has access to the entire system, data, documents and other files. f something infects one user account, because all accounts run at the adminisration level, everyone's account becomes infected. Linux requires everyone to run in user mode. No one runs in administration mode. If a user damages their account in some way, it it limited to their account only. They cannot access another user's documents or data.

3. Crashing and Freezing. When a software application in Windows crashes or freezes,the entire system crashes or freezes. Windows is so tightly woven into its software and GUI, that when something goes wrong in one area, it affects the other area. Linux is built on layers. The core OS is separate from the GUI and independent of software applications. If an application in Linux crashes or freezes, the operating system and GUI continue to run. Simply terminate the frozen program start it up again.

2. High cost of repair. When Windows becomes corrupted and things stop working, taking it to a computer shop for repair can potentially cost hundreds. If it's been infected with a virus, there's no guarantee the problem will be completely eradicated. Linux has a wonderful community of fellow users who are always on hand to help you through any problem you may have. In addition, some Linux distributions will sell you support at a very modest cost.

1. Virus and Trojans. If a user isn't careful, Windows can become quickly infected with a virus and, in many cases, render the system useless. Linux is immune to Windows viruses.

So, the only way to really get rid of your Windows headaches is to get rid of Windows and Get Linux.

Got a question about cartooning with Linux, or Linux in general? Email me at: georgetoon@gmail.com. If I use your question on my blog, I'll send you an original, signed George comic strip!

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