Essential Free Programmes To Keep Your Computer Secure

Web & Tech

SECURITY-CENTRE


SECURITY

The first order of business when purchasing a new computer — or in keeping your existing computer safe — revolves around ensuring that your computer is saved harmless from external malicious intrusions: malware of all sorts, including viruses, Trojan horses, worms, spyware, adware and any other sort of infection which might impact on your computer’s ability to perform the tasks you set for it.
Herewith, then, six pieces of essential free software to download and install.
Anti-Virus Software: Now, you could go out and purchase Norton Anti-Virus and pay anywhere from $35 to $99. Or, you could download and install a very effective Anti-Virus alternative, AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 7.289, which includes automatic update functionality, the AVG Resident Shield (which provides real-time protection as files are opened and programmes are run), free Virus Database Updates for the lifetime of the product, and AVG Virus Vault for safe handling of infected files.
A firewall: Perhaps the most effective free firewall is ZoneAlarm 5.5.062.004, which includes four interlocking security services: a firewall, an application control, an Internet lock, and Zones that control the ‘door’ to your computer, allowing only traffic you understand and initiate. Just be sure that during setup that you don’t opt for the paid version.
Anti-Spyware programmes: The two best free anti-spyware programmes are Spybot - Search and Destroy and Ad-Aware 1.05, which together will eliminate spyware from more than 22,000 different companies spying on you through your computer. Another must-have security tool, and recent addition to the anti-spyware arsenal, is Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner v1.13.02, which detects a multitude of spyware, adware, Trojan, keylogger, foistware and trackware components — in only seconds.
In addition to the programmes above, smart computer users run the latest version of the McAfee Stinger, a stand-alone utility used to detect and remove specific viruses. McAfee Stinger is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but will root out viruses, Trojans and worms missed by the programmes above. Stinger utilizes next generation scan engine technology, including process scanning, digitally signed DAT files, and scan performance optimizations. If your computer is acting up, and you’ve run a scan employing the programmes mentioned in the first part of this article, McAfee Stinger will likely find the malicious miscreant that has infected your system, even when the other programmes haven’t.
On Tuesday January 11, 2005, return for more essential programmes to install in order to take full advantage of your computer’s capabilities.

Fiberals: Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them

BC Politics

FIBERALS

With only 163 days to go to the next provincial election, the campaign for the hearts and minds of British Columbians is well underway.
As Bill Tieleman wrote in his November 25th column for the Georgia Straight, “the recent information mailing about the province’s economy … is nothing less than pre-election Liberal Party propaganda, as well as false advertising paid for by taxpayers.”
Where the B.C. budget for 1999 was balanced under the New Democratic government, and the 2000 budget had a record surplus of $1.5 billion, upon their election in 2001 the B.C. Liberals racked up the largest two deficits in provincial history, adding more than $5 billion in debt to the province’s books between 2001 and 2005.
Although Gordon Campbell’s Liberals cut taxes for the rich by $2 billion dollars within a month of their ascension to power, in the following two years the Fiberals actually hiked taxes by $1 billion, most of which hit lower-and middle-income earners.
David Schreck, of Strategic Thoughts.com, also weighs in on the Fiberals reign of mismanagement of the B.C. economy, and the half-truths and outright lies that have been propagated in the thinly veiled, taxpayer funded, multi-million dollar Liberal Propaganda Achieve B.C. ads that have littered the airways and filled up whole pages of newspapers across B.C.
Caring British Columbians are not about to sit back and allow the Fiberals to hoodwink us into voting for them a second time. To that end, the Hospital Employees Union has released this ad, to provide information and historical insight into one of North America’s most regressive governments.

VanRamblings Returns … well, kind of …

VanRamblings

CUPE With an interregnum of almost two months, the time has come to once again begin a regular posting to VanRamblings.
The reason for the absence of VanRamblings since October 4th? In part, the cessation of publishing occurred as a response to a car accident the administrator of VanRamblings suffered on September 26th. In part, the absence of publishing occurred because the administrator had taken on an intensive month-long project with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation throughout the month of October (even bloggers need to put food on the table, and pay the bills).
Mostly, though, VanRamblings has been absent from your life because the administrator of the site has been involved in a union organizing campaign to afford employees at the Vancouver yard of Cardinal Transportation the opportunity to be treated with respect and dignity in the workplace.
For some insight into a current core issue which prevents the counting of the vote that was held in the workplace on November 23rd, have a look at this recent ruling of the British Columbia Labour Relations Board.
As it happens, school bus drivers in other jurisdictions are standing up for their rights, so there is hope for Cardinal school bus drivers (and aides) in Vancouver (although, to be honest, the Saskatchewan government is certainly more labour friendly than is the case in British Columbia).
VanRamblings is back, although posting will likely be only sporadic for the next while as action takes the place of reflection.

VanRamblings to Resume Publishing Later In November

VanRamblings

VANRAMBLINGS-TO-RETURN

Later this month, VanRamblings will once again commence daily publishing. November has proved to be a particularly busy month for the administrator of VanRamblings, as the administrator — in what some might view as a foolhardy show of bravado — took on three separate projects during the course of the month, one of which would appear to be coming to a close this next week, another which is due to move into Phase 2 (with three more phases to go), and the final project ongoing but due for a degree of rationalization.
Details on at least one of the projects mentioned above will be published on VanRamblings towards early December.
In the meantime, you may wish to surf around the website, to gain a sense of just what it is we are attempting to accomplish.
Although the main thrust of the work undertaken by VanRamblings falls into the realm of progressive politics, we do not concern ourselves solely with the nature of social interaction in contemporary society. To that end, VanRamblings publishes regular, non-political columns, covering issues such as …

  • Web-tech (Tuesdays), where we focus mainly on security-related issues, but cover, as well, the gamut of hi-tech and information technology. This column resumes later in the month.
  • Television (Wednesdays), providing all the latest casting news, ratings, information on specials, and home entertainment-related issues.
  • Video & DVD (Thursdays), reviewing all of the week’s new releases.

In addition to the regular columns, VanRamblings will continue its coverage of the British Columbia political scene (where coverage will ramp up dramatically as we edge ever closer to the May 17, 2005 provincial election, an absolutely crucial Canadian election), Canadian politics, the environment, and issues of concern to Vancouverites, where we’ll continue to cast a wary eye on issues ranging from development, the Greater Vancouver Regional District and Translink boards, and other political bodies, and more.
Please accept our apologies for the prolonged cessation in daily publishing. We’re on our way back. See you here later in the month.