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Tips for buying a new computer

By: Michael Cottier, Tue Dec 27th, 2005

Copyright 2006 Michael Cottier


A computer is perhaps the most important part of our daily lives. We see it everywhere from our homes to the places we work. Since it is used so much in our lives, we want to make sure that a PC we purchase is a good computer that will be able to do everything we want it to, and last a long time.

But purchasing a new computer is not as easy as you might think it is. Sure you could shell out lots of money and buy a brand PC, but sometimes you are spending money on speed and features you don't even need. They also come with offers and built in software that they dangle in front of you to stay ahead in the business. You can also custom build your own computer, but is it really going to be cheaper then if you bought a brand PC with the same features? Since I have been using, and buying computers, for the past 12 years I know exactly what you need to look for when buying a fully assembled desktop computer. Use my tips below and you will save time and money.

- You need to know what hardware you will need. If you don't know, talk to someone who has knowledge of computers, and tell them what you will be using the PC for. They should know what you will need. Once you know what you should get, then look for a computer that meets those needs.

- Make sure the store you buy your new computer from has great service and are willing to stick by their computer.

- If you will be using the computer for video games or other graphic related applications, you need to have a good graphics card. Most motherboards come with a built in graphics card, but usually that is not suitable for high end graphic demands. Purchasing a nice ATI or NVIDIA graphics card would be a good idea if you plan on using the PC for graphic related applications. There is a slot available to slide your new graphics card in if you choose to buy a separate one.

- The computer and hardware parts should have a warranty. Most hardware comes with long and good warranties, but just to make sure you might want to purchase a warranty from the store that you are buying the PC from. This way if something goes wrong a few years down the road, they still have to fix it or replace it!

- The next thing you need to consider is the computers case. A good computer case should have USB slots available on the front of it, for easy access, and in the back. It should also have a powerful power supply (for additional parts) and at least 1 fan in front of the motherboard to keep the computer cool. Flash drives can also be found sometimes built into the front of the PC, for instant access to your flash media. These are very handy and should be considered especially if you have a digital camera.

- Another very important aspect of your PC is CD/DVD drives and burners. A DVD burner is what I recommend for everyone, since the price is basically the same as a CD burner, but it will also play DVD's and regular CD's, plus be able to burn DVD's and regular CD's! Two types of burners for the price of one!

- Your computer's mouse is how you interact with your PC. The latest mouse technology available is the optical mouse, which uses a laser light instead of a mouse "ball". Old fashioned mouse balls got stuck and were hard to use sometimes, with an optical mouse that problem is no more.

- Perhaps the most important aspect of a computer is the monitor. No longer are we in the realm of old fashioned CRT monitors. The LCD monitor is now readily available when you purchase your new computer, and in my opinion should be required. LCD monitors are so vivid and crystal clear that you will never want to go back to an old CRT monitor. LCD monitor's also consume less power and take up less space, plus they come on much faster.

- Almost as important as the monitor, is the sound system and speakers. Good sound on your computer can really make a difference, especially if you play a lot of games and listen to a lot of music and watch movies. Desktop speakers have gone down significantly in price and in combination with a good sound card your experience will be complete. I recommend a sound card from "Creative" called Sound blaster Audigy.

- Your operating system is a very important factor of how well you will love or hate your new PC. I have always used Windows, so I recommend Windows XP, or in the future, Windows Long Horn. There are of course other choices like Linux, and you could go for a Mac too. Just make sure you have experience with the operating system that you choose.

- Last but not least is your printer. If you are a photo hound, and use a digital camera a lot, then you definitely want a high quality printer that can print out all of your photos. Another good idea to consider is an all in one printer that can scan, copy, and print with just one machine.

That is all of my advice for you when buying a new desktop computer. Follow those steps and maintain your computer properly, and it will last longer and function better.
About the author: For more information on customizing your computer to fit your needs, with step by step help from an expert, go to:http://www.computer-customizing-guide.com/

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Has Someone Stolen Your Identity? Here Are 8 Ways to Tell

By: Howard Goff, Mon Aug 14th, 2006

Right now, someone could be using your identity to start a new credit card, to get a loan, to drain your checking or savings account. In some cases, you might not find out about the theft for weeks, sometimes even months. Unfortunately, the longer it takes to discover the crime, the more damage will be done and the harder it will be to rectify that damage.

Thankfully, there are some ways for you to detect identity theft before the problems progress too far. Below are some of those methods.
1. Errors on your credit report - By checking your credit report yearly, you'll be able to determine if anyone is opening up accounts in your name without your permission. Otherwise, you may not learn there is a problem until you need to take out credit.

2. Mail problems - One of the least-technological ways to commit identity theft is stealing mail. If you aren't receiving mail or if you aren't getting items in the mail that you are expecting, such as credit card bills, then you may be a victim of identity theft.

3. Being rejected for credit you didn't request - As you may already know, if a creditor rejects your request for credit, he or she must send you a letter in the mail explaining the reason for the rejection. If you begin getting these letters, but you haven't been requesting credit, then that's a good sign someone is using your identity.

4. Being the victim of pretexting - Pretexting is a scheme involving the Internet or the telephone. Someone contacts you claiming to be a legitimate organization's representative, then they'll ask for your personal information, possibly a PIN number or a checking account number. If that has happened to you and you've given out that information, then there's a good chance you'll be a victim in the near future.

5. Changes in your credit balances or checking account amounts - Unexplained changes in any of your financial accounts should be a big signal to you that something is not right. That's why it's a good idea to check all of your balances weekly and compare them to your estimates. As soon as you spot a discrepancy, you need to follow up with your financial institution.

6. Being denied credit - Sadly, some people don't discover they have been identity theft victims until they go to buy a car, get a second mortgage, or open a new credit card. If you thought you had good credit but are getting denied, then it's a good time to check your credit reports, even if you've already done your yearly check.
7. Being contacted by debt collectors - When you start getting calls or letters about unpaid debts, which you don't recall having, you should never automatically pay them. Instead, send a written request for more information about the debt. By law, the creditor must supply you with this information.

8. Having some types of spyware on your computer - While not all spyware leads to identity theft, you need to realize that it can pose a serious threat to your privacy. Your passwords, credit card information, and online activities could have been monitored by unknown third parties, which leave you vulnerable to an attack.

If you want to learn more about how to detect and prevent identity theft or if you have been an identity theft victim, you need to read Identity Theft: A Resource Guide from PCSecurityNews.com. The ebook is available at http://www.PCSecurityNews.com.

Direct Link: Has Someone Stolen Your Identity?....

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Why Easy To Use Software Is Putting You At Risk?

By: Darren Miller, Thu Dec 1st, 2005

Can Easy To Use Software Also Be Secure?
Anyone who has been working with computers for a long time will have noticed that mainstream operating systems and applications have become easier to use over the years (supposedly). Tasks that use to be complex procedures and required experienced professional to do can now be done at the push of a button. For instance, setting up an Active Directory domain in Windows 2000 or higher can now be done by a wizard leading even the most novice technical person to believe they can "securely" setup the operating environment. This is actually quite far from the truth. Half the time this procedure fails because DNS does not configure properly or security permissions are relaxed because the end user cannot perform a specific function.

If It's Easy To Develop, Is It Also Secure?
One of the reasons why operating systems and applications "appear" to be easier to work with then they use to is developers have created procedures and reusable objects to take care of all the complex tasks for you. For instance, back in the old days when I started as a developer using assembly language and c/c++, I had to write pretty much all the code myself. Now everything is visually driven, with millions of lines of code already written for you. All you have to do is create the framework for your application and the development environment and compiler adds all the other complex stuff for you. Who wrote this other code? How can you be sure it is secure. Basically, you have no idea and there is no easy way to answer this question.

Secure Environments Don't Exist Well With Complexity
The reality is it may look easier on the surface but the complexity of the backend software can be incredible. And guess what, secure environments do not coexist well with complexity. This is one of the reasons there are so many opportunities for hackers, viruses, and malware to attack your computers. How many bugs are in the Microsoft Operating System? I can almost guarantee that no one really knows for sure, not even Microsoft developers. However, I can tell you that there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of bugs, holes, and security weaknesses in mainstream systems and applications just waiting to be uncovered and maliciously exploited.

How Reliable and Secure are Complex Systems?
Let's draw a comparison between the world of software and security with that of the space program. Scientists at NASA have know for years that the space shuttle is one of the most complex systems in the world. With miles of wiring, incredible mechanical functions, millions of lines of operating system and application code, and failsafe systems to protect failsafe systems, and even more failsafe systems to protect other systems. Systems like the space shuttle need to perform consistently, cost effectively, and have high Mean-Time-Between-Failure(MTBF).

All in all the space shuttle has a good record. One thing it is not though is cost effective and consistent. Every time there is a launch different issues crop up that cause delays. In a few circumstances, even the most basic components of this complex system, like "O" rings, have sadly resulted in a fatal outcome. Why are things like this missed? Are they just not on the radar screen because all the other complexities of the system demand so much attention? There are million different variables I'm sure. The fact is, NASA scientists know they need to work on developing less complex systems to achieve their objectives.

This same principal of reducing complexity to increase security, performance, and decrease failures really does apply to the world of computers and networking. Ever time I here associates of mine talk about incredibly complex systems they design for clients and how hard they were to implement I cringe. How in the world are people suppose to cost effectively and reliably manage such things. In some cases it's almost impossible. Just ask any organization how many versions or different brands of intrusion detection systems they have been through. As them how many times the have had infections by virus and malware because of poorly developed software or applications. Or, if they have ever had a breach in security because the developer of a specific system was driven by ease of use and inadvertently put in place a piece of helpful code that was also helpful to a hacker.

Can I Write A Document Without A Potential Security Problem Please?
Just a few days ago I was thinking about something as simple as Microsoft Word. I use MS-Word all the time, every day in fact. Do you know how powerful this application really is? Microsoft Word can do all kinds of complex tasks like math, algorithms, graphing, trend analysis, crazy font and graphic effects, link to external data including databases, and execute web based functions.

Do you know what I use it for, to write documents. nothing crazy or complex, at least most of the time. Wouldn't it be interesting that when you first installed or configured Microsoft Word, there was an option for installing only a bare bones version of the core product. I mean, really stripped down so there was not much to it. You can do this to a degree, but all the shared application components are still there. Almost every computer I have compromised during security assessments has had MS-Word installed on it. I can't tell you how many times I have used this applications ability to do all kinds of complex tasks to compromise the system and other systems further. We'll leave the details of this for another article though.

Conclusion
Here's the bottom line. The more complex systems get, typically in the name of ease of use for end users, the more opportunity for failure, compromise, and infection increases. There are ways of making things easy to use, perform well, and provide a wide variety of function and still decrease complexity and maintain security. It just takes a little longer to develop and more thought of security. You might think that a large part of the blame for complex insecure software should fall on the shoulders of the developers. But the reality is it is us, the end users and consumers that are partially to blame. We want software that is bigger, faster, can do just about everything, and we want it fast. We don't have time to wait for it to be developed in a secure manner, do we?

You may reprint or publish this article free of charge as long as the bylines are included. Original URL (The Web version of the article)
http://www.defendingthenet.com/NewsLetters/WhyEasyToUseSoftwareIsPuttingYouAtRisk.htm


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Computer Network Installation

By: Adrian Griffiths, Fri Oct 28th, 2005

Computer network installation can be daunting but with a few guidelines you can install a good network at your home or office. Networking allows computers to share peripherals, and allows one computer to backup the data of another. Also networks can enable a single computer to act as an Internet access point for the entire network without the inconvenience of fitting a modem and telephone extension for each computer.
Planning This involves defining business requirements and growth plans to build a framework for connecting computers and other equipment in the organization. Good network planning eases the process of a suitable network installation. Here users need to consider usage requirements and assess who will manage the network. Usage, maintenance, expansion and security issues also need consideration.
Hardware requirements Once the planning has been done, the next stage involves understanding what hardware will be required and what hardware your network will support. These can include back-up devices, uninterruptible power supplies, network printers, etc. Once this is determined you need to understand how many network points will be required. Hubs and switches should have sufficient ports for the various connections. Also there should be enough scope for growth and expansion in the future.
Network design Here various aspects like the kind of topology, network operating system, the right network interface cards and cabling needs to be considered. If the network is small, a basic topology like ring, bus, mesh or star may be used. But if the network is complex, a hybrid of two or more technologies may need to be implemented. The location of the network cables, various devices, hubs, switches, servers, printers, firewalls, routers and modems needs consideration. Building or leasing regulations that may affect the cabling also need to be kept in mind. Security issues, both within the organization and on the Internet also need consideration.
Support services Here you need to consider resources like consultants, support staff, other in-house staff and where they are located. You will need to consider the staff for management, security, maintenance and training. Employees will require to adopt new habits while using the network and sufficient training needs to be provided in this regard.
Networks can help people share information, efficiently access the Internet, and work collaboratively. As networks become necessary, it is important to know which technologies will work for your organization. To help make an informed choice on what technologies, hardware and support systems to use, Vipersystems offers its turnkey solutions. Our services enable your organizations to install suitable networks that are easy to upgrade and expand.
About the author: Adrian Griffiths, write article and provide consultancy to Viper systems

Direct Link:Computer Network Installation

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Data backups are the biggest security threats!

By: Gary, Sun Jan 22nd, 2006

Gary, a network security consultant with Fortune 500 companies, and an editor of data-recovery-reviews.com argues that data backups actually hinder corporate IS security and makes a case for offsite backups.
Gary J, security consultant of the Disk storage and network security portal,starts off every conversation with IT senior management with the question 'Did u ever stop to think that data backups are the biggest security threats facing your company today?'
The usual response from corporate IT big-wigs is 'No way. Data backups are supposed to help us recover from security threats and not a security threat'. And where are backups usually stored? Backups are usually stored in the most accessible part of the office for easy backup data recovery!
Gary Joseph calls for a contrarian view on physical data backups. Physical data backups may be necessary, but you have to keep them under lock and key. Most organizations store corporate data securely in ultra- tight security data centers. Corporate data centers also have an elaborate network of firewalls, demilitarized zones and honeypots to reduce security risks to the system. However, corporate data center management never ensures that backups of even the most mission critical applications are secure.
Gary , with his vast internet network security consulting experience, calls for a move to online offsite data backups. This ensures that the data backups are not only stored in a secure separate location but also are automatically catalogued and immediately available for data retrieval in case of a data center disaster.
Offsite data backups have become quite popular in recent times in corporate data centers, due to the ease of use and automatic provision of business continuity without any elaborate BCP planning.
Gary's organization is a huge supporter of offline data backups and suggests that offline data backups are the future and can even be combined with technology offshoring initiatives in order to save money in creating the offline data center.
This article may be re-published in its entirety as long as the author Bio is included in full,including the links to the author's website and contact details




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