Leo's Answers
A Weekly Newsletter From
Ask Leo!
Leo Notenboom
Hello!
*** Contents
*** This Week's New Articles on Ask Leo!
Is the WiFi connection provided by my landlord safe, and if not, how
should I protect myself?
I'm a cable internet user now, but I'm moving into a new apartment where the
landlord provides free wireless internet to me and two other tenants in the
house. I just have to supply a wireless adapter/card for my PC. How do I take
advantage of my new landlord's offer and at the same time protect my personal
electronic information from the other tenants--and my landlord--when I cannot
control the router?
|
I almost said, "just turn on your firewall and you'll be fine".
And then it dawned on me that no, you wouldn't be fine. Far from it, in
fact. And that's the reason I'm touching on this scenario again, even though
we've really discussed this exact problem a couple of times before, albeit with
slight differences.
Continue reading:
"Is the WiFi connection provided by my landlord safe, and if not, how should I
protect myself?"
http://ask-leo.com/is_the_wifi_connection_provided_by_my_landlord_safe_and_if_not_how_should_i_protect_myself.html
* * *
How can we protect ourselves from botnets?
The "Money Section" in USA Today recently had a cover story about the
exploding negative influence (attacks, whatever) of Botnet scams and related
evil-doings. The thrust in part seems to be that our current malware and virus
protections may be woefully inadequate. Do you have an opinion about this
expanding threat that you'd like to share with your faithful readers? How might
we give ourselves greater protection from what is clearly an insidious attack
by those who wish to use the Internet for their own gains - illicit in the
extreme?
|
The article in question, "Botnet scams are exploding" gives a fairly broad overview
of how botnets operate, and the massive amounts of illicit activities that
occur because of them.
My opinion? Simple:
Computer users don't take security seriously enough.
Continue reading: "How can we
protect ourselves from botnets?"
http://ask-leo.com/how_can_we_protect_ourselves_from_botnets.html
* * *
Is this an email hoax? Will forwarding an email help a dying
child?
I received a chain letter containing a poem allegedly written to a dying
child, and with the claim that AOL and ZDnet would donate 32 cents (Zimbabwean)
towards the cost of an operation every time the letter was forwarded. My first
reaction was to ask if it is technically possible for someone to keep track of
a chain in this way. Perhaps you might discuss this. My 2nd reaction was to
check it out on Snopes, which confirmed the hoax, but didn't actually discuss
whether it is possible to trace a chain.
|
It's been a while since I've touched on this topic, so it's overdue.
Forwarding an email will not help anyone. Forwarded email cannot be
tracked.
Let me say that again: forwarded email cannot be tracked. So don't
forward it. Please.
It's an email hoax.
Continue reading:
"Is this an email hoax? Will forwarding an email help a dying child?"
http://ask-leo.com/is_this_an_email_hoax_will_forwarding_an_email_help_a_dying_child.html
* * *
Does my router have a firewall or not?
I purchased and installed a broadband router. Specifically, a wireless
Linksys WRT54G. I thought this provided a firewall and I had planned to
uninstall Norton Systemworks which is giving me problems. However, the router
does not appear to include a firewall. It does not need any sort of
configuration like Norton, such as sites to let through or to block. I have
looked all through the documentation and no mention of a firewall.
Did I buy a model without a firewall or was I mistaken about a router
including a firewall?
|
Your router does, and does not have a firewall.
And I totally understand that this is confusing.
I'll try to clear it up...
Continue reading: "Does my router
have a firewall or not?"
http://ask-leo.com/does_my_router_have_a_firewall_or_not.html
* * *
What is the System Idle Process and why is it using most of the
CPU?
What is the System Idle Process and why is it using 96 to 99% of the
CPU?
|
This is a great example of things we geeks probably take for granted, that's
not always obvious to the rest of the world.
I mean, really, a process that regularly takes up 99% of your CPU's time
must be a bad thing, right?
Nope, not at all. Just the opposite, in this case.
Continue reading:
"What is the System Idle Process and why is it using most of the
CPU?"
http://ask-leo.com/what_is_the_system_idle_process_and_why_is_it_using_most_of_the_cpu.html
* * *
What do normal people do?
What's the average non-technical computer user to do when faced with
incompetent technical support?
Continue reading: "What do normal people
do?" 
http://ask-leo.com/what_do_normal_people_do.html
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*** This Week's Most Popular
The ten most popular articles in the last 7 days on Ask Leo!
- How
do I put a picture in a comment on myspace.com?
- How do I make
a new MSN Hotmail account?
-
How do I delete history items from my Google tool bar?
- Why
is my Task Manager disabled, and how do I fix it?
-
Svchost and Svchost.exe - Crashs, CPU maximization, viruses, exploits and
more.
- How do I
change my MSN Hotmail password?
-
What are MSN HotMail's POP3 and SMTP settings for Outlook Express?
- What
are the POP3 and SMTP settings for Hotmail?
-
My desktop Recycle Bin has disappeared - why, and how do I get it
back?
- How
do I hack into someone's account?
*** Popular Articles from the Archives
This week's article on botnets reminded me of
this podcast from three years ago:
Why are so many infected?
I recently heard that some study showed that over 80% of Windows computers
on the internet were infected with some form of spyware or virus. That's 4 out
of every 5 computers. That's both amazing and scary.
Continue reading...
Why are so many
infected?
http://ask-leo.com/why_are_so_many_infected.html
*** Thoughts and Comments
I noted a quiet little "milestone" of sorts for Ask Leo! this week.
On the right side of the home page of ask-leo.com, down a little, you'll see a section
labeled "archives", where you can click through to a list of every article
posted on Ask Leo! since day one.
The counter displayed there quietly crossed the 1500 mark this week.
Now, that includes everything; not just answers, but the archived
newsletters, podcasts, and even an administrative post or two. Still. 1500
ain't bad.
*
Several people commented, both on the site and privately, on my experiences with
Microsoft customer support. Most commiserated and appreciated my posting
the experience.
I had cause to call a different customer support this week: that of the
delivery service UPS - I was having problems installing the shipping software
that my wife's business uses on ... well, it turns out on the very same
computer on which I had my earlier activation issue. While I do have issues
with their software's design and configuration, the technical support was
prompt, clear and very helpful. With a little investigation and with their help
I was able to quickly figure out where I'd screwed up.
As much as we like to bash bad service, I think it's just as important that
we also recognize when things work. UPS WorldShip tech support did just fine by
me.
*
As always, if you appreciate this newsletter or the site, one of the best
ways you can say "Thank You!" is to link to Ask Leo! or simply to tell a friend or colleague. Just
send folks to askleo.net.
'till next time...
* * *
Some of Leo's other sites: The
Ask Leo! Store, Leo's Online Business
Card, Forwarded
Funnies, Taming Email, MovableType Tips, Leo's Blog, Buy Leo a Latte (or a Beer), A
Letter To Myself, Dolls and
Friends, Corgwn.com
*** Newsletter Administration
Do you have a question? A comment, perhaps? Visit http://ask-leo.com/ask to submit your
questions.
I'll be honest: I'll try to respond, but I get a lot of
questions every day - I just can't answer everyone. Rest assured, though, that
even if you don't hear from me directly, every email gets read.
Leo's Answers Newsletter is a weekly publication of
Ask Leo! and Leo A. Notenboom. It's also
available as an RSS feed at this URL: http://ask-leo.com/newsletter.xml.
Archives of previous newsletter issues can be found on the Ask Leo! web site,
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Newsletter contents Copyright
© 2008, Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software, LLC.
Continue reading
Leo's Answers #120 - March 21, 2008
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Source: Leo's Answers #120 - March 21, 2008
