Now many of us celebrate at different times and in different ways. That is not what this post is about.

I come from a traditional christian background and as such, my celebrations are anchored in the philosophy that background has given me. However, I do not believe that basic human kindness and charity are specific to any given background. We all have within ourselves the capacity to reach out to others and make a difference regardless of the season. This is just a time when we are reminded of the importance of doing so.

One of my favorite times is the 24th of December. This is the day that has been set aside for my 3 children, their significant others and 3 grandchildren spend time with me celebrating the season. Next year (possibly even this year), we will have another join us as my oldest daughter is expecting. While a busy time, it is also a time and memory that we jointly share. Good food, warm company and the expressions of the little ones as they open their gifts are pearls of memory that bind us as a family.

To one and all, I wish peace and happiness, now and in the future.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com

I received an email like this the other day. My subscriber’s email went like this…

“hi, ilike your website, but i am not comfortable withhaving to downloadall these reports. i end up with too many computer problems and security issues when i do this. i will have to pass on the reports. thank you.”

One of the ways that I and many others use to provide information and value to someone that has signed up on our list, is to make available to them, products and information that will in some way help them to achieve their goals. Here at wbobr.com, the main focus is on sharing information that someone doing business online might need.

My response to this subscriber was that his concern is a very valid one and that there is no requirement to download any material that may be presented to the subscriber list. You see, the other hat that I wear is one of an IT Tech, and I applaud those that do not indiscriminately download material to their computers.

When you think about it, if you are in the business of making money online, your computer is your business. For it to go down due to a virus that you received from a report you have downloaded would be a business disaster, unless you happen to have a second system already setup with the programs and information that you use daily in your business.

As an IT Tech, I recommended that if folks were unsure of a source they were downloading from, that they keep a folder on their desktop and maybe call it ‘To Be Scanned’. Then once a file has been received, right click on the folder and scan it before you even open the folder or the file. Unfortunately, there are a lot of folks out there that don’t care if the files they are sharing are clean or not. And, even the ones that do care, can inadvertently have a virus on their system and not realize it until it starts creating system issues.

Your first line of defense, is as this subscriber mentioned, to avoid downloads. This may not always be practical as much of the information you are going to need and learn from is going to come from downloads. Your second line of defense will be your virus scanning software. There are many different types of free antivirus protection software available. One that I use is called Avast. Now Avast can be a real pain when downloading because it does thoroughly inspect the file as it is downloading, but for myself, that is a small price to pay.

I used to recommend AVG, but lately they have been adding a toolbar to the browser windows and for my part, if they are adding something I didn’t agree to, I won’t be giving my recommendation.

Another line of defense that you should have in place is a firewall. These days, most people have a router or a combination modem/router from their Internet provider. A router provides you with a hardware level firewall. This is not always adequate as in many cases where folks have wireless routers setup, they have failed to lock down their connection. In this case, you might not get a virus, but you may be paying for a connection that someone else is using. So, if you have wireless, make sure the connection is locked down. I always advise that a software firewall is used in addition to the router. I don’t consider the one that comes with XP to be very useful. However, there are some free versions of software firewalls from Sygate and Zone Alarm that work well.

One other area I strongly suggest that you install protection for is the area of spyware. The product I use is called ‘NoAdware’, and I have been impressed with the job it has done in helping to remove the junk that builds up overtime from the internet. I have found that it tends to focus on Internet Explorer mainly, and is weak on Firefox or Opera. It gives you a free trial, which if I recall correctly, will request payment if it finds something to remove. Don’t quote me on that. It is best scheduled overnight as it may ask to close open windows when it purges the spyware it finds.

Many Internet providers are also helping their customers by providing free installs of virus protection and firewall software. So, before you look elsewhere, check if your ISP has software for you to use.

Well now, that was a rather long winded post. A subject as you can probably tell that I feel strongly about. If you use a computer to do business, it should be one that you feel strongly about as well. If you are uploading files to your web hosting account for others to download, do not expect that host to catch a file that contains a virus. I was fairly sure that hosting providers did not scan for viruses, but to verify, I contacted the support at Host Monster. Their reply, I am sure will be one that is typical to the web hosting industry.

The Linux platform is one that does not tend to attract viruses, as Kyle mentions. However, as the hosting provider does not run virus scans on the files uploaded to it, it would also not find and remove an infected file that someone uploaded. This was what I meant when I said that someone could upload a file to be shared from an infected computer. When it comes to folks like myself, and most online marketers, this would be done unintentionally. But, it does happen and as the one receiving files, you must put a defense in place to help you to avoid infecting your computer.

Ok, that is enough from me on this subject. I would like to hear what you have to say. Feel free to list anyfree antivirus protection software that you have found to be of good quality and that you think might benefit someone else.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com

Unless you work with a cover on your keyboard, there will come a time when it takes on that grungy look that is anything but appealing. In fact, you may even wonder if there are things growing in there.

Dirty hands, hand lotion, food, dust and dirt all tend to collect on and under the keys of a keyboard. Hand lotion, which is something us Canadians tend to use a lot of, will not only transfer to the keys, but will also attract dirt and grime to the keys. Kids are notorious for having sticky fingers and of course whatever it is on their hands will also end up on the keys. Then of course there are those furry companions that just love to share this toy with you.

Clean hands is one of the first things that can assist in keeping your keyboard clean, but many of you will not be the only one using it. Take into consideration that kids and even pets will be adding to the build up that you are seeing. If looking at your keyboard makes you shudder, it is time to be cleaning your keyboard and one method of accomplishing that is to give it a bath.

Disclaimer: This has not been tried on a wireless keyboard, only a standard keyboard with a PS/2 connector. The image included here shows what a PS/2 connector looks like. Most PS/2 connectors are identified by their small round shape and purple color. A wireless keyboard is just that, wireless and usually requires batteries. As well, this is definitely not something you want to do with a laptop keyboard or one that is in some way integrated into another electronic component.

In order for this method to work, you will need two keyboards. The one that is to be cleaned will need to be replaced and given sufficient time to allow the internal electronics to thoroughly dry.

Contrary to what most believe, getting wet only damages a keyboard if it is connected to a source of electricity, like the computer. When it is disconnected, it is safe to get it wet.

Power off the computer, unplug the keyboard to be cleaned, and plug in the replacement keyboard. Take care to not force the connector as you do not want to break the guide pin or bend the other pins inside the connector.

Next fill the bathtub with a few inches of warm water and add a squirt of dish liquid once the water is done running. Keyboards do not need bubble baths. Immerse the keyboard, keypad side down and swish it around to loosen grime that has built up under the keys. It is surprising what all comes out of there. Then turn the keyboard keypad up and let it soak for 15 to 20 minutes. If it tends to float, a full shampoo bottle makes a handy weight.

After soaking, take a stiff bristled brush and scrub the keys paying careful attention to all sides. If you angle the brush a bit, you can reach in along the sides of the keys better. In all I generally do four scrubbing passes that focus on a specific side of the keys. Once the keys are done, scrub the remainder of the keyboard.

When you are done with the scrubbing, once again turn the keypad side down and swish it around to help remove any additional dirt and grime that was loosened. Then thoroughly rinse the keyboard to remove any residue from the dish liquid and drain.

Now place the keyboard in an area where there is good air flow and allow it to dry thoroughly. I generally will let it sit for at least a month. It is key that the internal electronics are completely dry before reusing the keyboard.

Now you have a clean replacement for the next time you decide it is time to be cleaning your keyboard.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com