computer info for children image
Kevin
I have Nortons antivirus program and Spy Sweeper. I stay away from dirty sites and mostly use the internet for school, work and chatting with my friends. Occasionally I surf but mostly for research purposes. Some funny sites like ebaumsworld, tomgreen.com and such. Am I doing everything I can to protect my computer?
Answer
There are actually two seperate questions here:
What is the best way to protect my computer from viruses?
Am I doing everything I can to protect my computer?
Overall - it's the computer itself you want to protect. This includes protecting it from viruses, spyware, full drives, low ram, unneeded files, hackers, children and other family members as well as protecting the computer from yourself.
If you secure your computer and maintain it, use smart choices in the programs and habits you use, your computer will last longer than the 3 - 4 years it's designed to last.
Let's start from the outside in -
Router
This works like a hardware firewall. The router doesn't respond to most of the "are you there?" tactics hackers use. If some hacker's scanning for victims and manages to find you despite the security ... they'll see the router not your computer.
If it's a wireless router - secure it, secure it, secure it! Change the admin password. Put an encrypted password to connect. Look up all the ways to secure your particular router. Write down the settings.
Computer
Firewall
You need one. Yes, you do. And no, Microsoft's is NOT enough. Get Zonealarm, it's free. (link is below)
Browser
This is how most people see the internet. There's a high chance you're using the "blue e" aka Internet Explorer. This is not a good habit as IE hasn't been worked on (beyond fixes to problems people complain loudly about) in YEARS. It's big, slow, out-of-date, allows all kinds of nasties in, insecure, inflexible, and a major target for hackers.
Get Firefox - it's also free, sleek, faster, more secure, blocks pop-ups, is very customizable, easy to use, and once you start using tabs... you'll get frustrated with IE.
There are also very simple ways to NEVER see a banner / iframe / image ad again - it's an add-on to Firefox called Adblock Plus. I also recommend the automatic filter for Adblock - Filterset.G Updater.
All free (Links are below)
Other programs that find stuff on the net (file sharing, instant messengers) are also a security risk. I don't know what you have / use, so I'd recommend looking up "securing thenameoftheprogram" on google.
Get and install all updates to all your programs - Windows, your browser, your anti-virus, your anti-spyware, your router, you name it.
Ok, now we get to do the clean up part:
Anti-virus
Viruses can look through your computer, send your info to nasty people, fill up your hard drive, fry your computer... the list is endless.
I recommend AVG (Link is below)
Anti-spyware
Spyware / Adware / Malware are under the same category. Spyware watches what you do and sends the info to someone else. Adware shows you pop-ups regardless of your security settings. Malware is all of the above and more.
Ad-aware, Spyware Blaster and Spybot Search & Destroy are my recommendations and the links are below.
Uninstall programs you don't use.
Download "CCleaner" to find the files that are just clutter (temporary files, browser histories, browser caches, etc)
Get into the habit of defragging and checking your disk for errors (both are options under "My Computer", right click on your hard drive, choose "properties", click on the "tools") twice a month. You may want look up how to automate this through Scheduled Tasks.
Protect your computer from yourself and others:
Make each user on your computer their own Windows profile - and only give them (and yourself) limited accounts.
The only time you need full (admin) access is to install programs.
Make each person password protect their account.
Get into the habit of changing ALL your passwords once a month. Don't write down your passwords in a place others can find / use. Make passwords that use both numbers and letters and that are hard for anyone else to guess - I recommend keyboard patterns.
Do yourself a huge favour and get a UPS - uninteruptable power supply. This goes one step beyond a power surge protecter and gives you time to shut down the computer, saves your router, etc from losing their settings or being fried by power fluctuations.
Maybe you should print off this list and check it once a month...
There are actually two seperate questions here:
What is the best way to protect my computer from viruses?
Am I doing everything I can to protect my computer?
Overall - it's the computer itself you want to protect. This includes protecting it from viruses, spyware, full drives, low ram, unneeded files, hackers, children and other family members as well as protecting the computer from yourself.
If you secure your computer and maintain it, use smart choices in the programs and habits you use, your computer will last longer than the 3 - 4 years it's designed to last.
Let's start from the outside in -
Router
This works like a hardware firewall. The router doesn't respond to most of the "are you there?" tactics hackers use. If some hacker's scanning for victims and manages to find you despite the security ... they'll see the router not your computer.
If it's a wireless router - secure it, secure it, secure it! Change the admin password. Put an encrypted password to connect. Look up all the ways to secure your particular router. Write down the settings.
Computer
Firewall
You need one. Yes, you do. And no, Microsoft's is NOT enough. Get Zonealarm, it's free. (link is below)
Browser
This is how most people see the internet. There's a high chance you're using the "blue e" aka Internet Explorer. This is not a good habit as IE hasn't been worked on (beyond fixes to problems people complain loudly about) in YEARS. It's big, slow, out-of-date, allows all kinds of nasties in, insecure, inflexible, and a major target for hackers.
Get Firefox - it's also free, sleek, faster, more secure, blocks pop-ups, is very customizable, easy to use, and once you start using tabs... you'll get frustrated with IE.
There are also very simple ways to NEVER see a banner / iframe / image ad again - it's an add-on to Firefox called Adblock Plus. I also recommend the automatic filter for Adblock - Filterset.G Updater.
All free (Links are below)
Other programs that find stuff on the net (file sharing, instant messengers) are also a security risk. I don't know what you have / use, so I'd recommend looking up "securing thenameoftheprogram" on google.
Get and install all updates to all your programs - Windows, your browser, your anti-virus, your anti-spyware, your router, you name it.
Ok, now we get to do the clean up part:
Anti-virus
Viruses can look through your computer, send your info to nasty people, fill up your hard drive, fry your computer... the list is endless.
I recommend AVG (Link is below)
Anti-spyware
Spyware / Adware / Malware are under the same category. Spyware watches what you do and sends the info to someone else. Adware shows you pop-ups regardless of your security settings. Malware is all of the above and more.
Ad-aware, Spyware Blaster and Spybot Search & Destroy are my recommendations and the links are below.
Uninstall programs you don't use.
Download "CCleaner" to find the files that are just clutter (temporary files, browser histories, browser caches, etc)
Get into the habit of defragging and checking your disk for errors (both are options under "My Computer", right click on your hard drive, choose "properties", click on the "tools") twice a month. You may want look up how to automate this through Scheduled Tasks.
Protect your computer from yourself and others:
Make each user on your computer their own Windows profile - and only give them (and yourself) limited accounts.
The only time you need full (admin) access is to install programs.
Make each person password protect their account.
Get into the habit of changing ALL your passwords once a month. Don't write down your passwords in a place others can find / use. Make passwords that use both numbers and letters and that are hard for anyone else to guess - I recommend keyboard patterns.
Do yourself a huge favour and get a UPS - uninteruptable power supply. This goes one step beyond a power surge protecter and gives you time to shut down the computer, saves your router, etc from losing their settings or being fried by power fluctuations.
Maybe you should print off this list and check it once a month...
What type of die-cutting machine can cut shapes that I design?
genesis
I have never used a die-cut machine, but am interested in finding one that can precisely cut silhouettes for a children's book I am working on. Does such a thing exist? All I seem to find in my research is that all these machines must use existing shapes. Is it possible to have the "shape" on my computer and send that info to the cutter to cut out?
Thanks for any help!
Answer
The Cricut machine has a hookup that can be sent from your computer to the machine. The downside is that the machine just draws it for you and you have to cut it out yourself.
I don't know much about the Xryon Wishblade, but I know it can be hooked up at a PC too. Check the link below and see if it's what you are looking for.
Good luck.
The Cricut machine has a hookup that can be sent from your computer to the machine. The downside is that the machine just draws it for you and you have to cut it out yourself.
I don't know much about the Xryon Wishblade, but I know it can be hooked up at a PC too. Check the link below and see if it's what you are looking for.
Good luck.
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