Over the last couple of months, I spent a lot of time
cleaning up computers for customers, relatives and friends.
Anti-virus programs are among the worst culprits in
cluttering your computer and hampering your productivity.
The articles below address anti-virus issues on Windows computers.
Be Happy, Healthy and Prosperous,
Andrew
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In This Email:
1. Article: How to Not Get a Virus
2. Article: How to Remove a Virus
3. Article: Get Rid of Anti-Virus Programs
4. Article: Get Out of the Car
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Quotes:
- Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of
reason to believe.
~ Voltaire
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1. Article: How to Not Get a Virus
There was a time when computers were vulnerable to viruses.
About 5 years ago Microsoft closed the remaining holes in Windows.
Today, as long as you keep Windows up-to-date,
and you use the default security settings,
you should not get anything bad on your computer.
To get something bad on your computer, you have to
install it yourself, usually by being tricked.
These are the ways you are likely to be tricked.
Here is what to watch out for.
1. Email zip attachments.
In Outlook, you can click on any email attachment safely,
including zip attachments.
However, programs can be included inside zip attachments.
Once you open up a zip attachment, do not click on
any programs inside, unless you specifically asked
someone to send you that program.
Be especially wary of zip attachments sent to you from
your boss and your customers. These are the ones you are
most likely to open by mistake.
2. Other attachment files with macros.
Excel spreadsheets and other attachments that can run
programs can harm your computer.
When you open these, they tell you that macros are disabled
by default. If you turn on macros, you put your computer at risk.
Only turn on macros if you know the source is safe.
3. Websites that say your computer is infected.
Websites cannot run programs on your computer unless you
click OK when asked if you want to run something.
Unless you trust a website, do not run any programs from it.
Websites that say your computer is infected are trying to
trick you. Do not run programs from them, unless you know
the website is legitimate.
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2. Article: How to Remove a Virus
If you are tricked into installing a virus, you can restore
your computer to how it was before the infection.
Windows has a feature called System Restore that saves and
restores your computer's system settings.
To get into System Restore, go to Start, All Programs,
Accessories, System Tools, System Restore.
When your computer is not infected with a virus, you should
occassionally create a restore point yourself.
In System Restore, select Create a Restore point, click Next
and save your current settings.
Windows by default automatically creates restore points before
installing Windows updates, so you should have some other restore
points already set.
If your computer becomes infected with a virus, go into
System Restore and select Restore My Computer From an Earlier Time.
Pick the most recent restore point before your computer was infected.
Run System Restore and the virus should be gone.
Run Windows Update after running System Restore to make sure
your computer is up-to-date. You can find Windows Update under
Start, All Programs.
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3. Article: Get Rid of Anti-Virus Programs
Article 1 above explains why you do not need an Anti-Virus
program to protect you.
Article 2 above explains why you do not need an Anti-Virus
program to remove viruses.
Anti-Virus programs actually make your computer more vulnerable,
because they prevent Windows from automatically keeping up-to-date.
Anti-Virus programs are instrusive, they slow your computer,
pop-up messages and interfere in the running of other programs,
all hampering your productivity.
Anti-virus programs cost money.
Remove your anti-virus software.
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4. Article: Always Get Out of the Car
Picked up my niece from school today, and after annoying her
for a bit, I stopped by a couple of stores looking for something.
She said, "I will wait in the car."
I told her, she should always get out of the car.
"Always get out of the car" is one of those entries in my
version of that book that we all keep of Rules To Live By.
Even if it is only for a minute, I always try to get out
of the car. It makes me feel like I did something.
My niece reminded me of a story my dad told.
My dad had a factory in Live Oak. For fifteen years he drove
70 miles each way to and from work. He built the factory from
nothing to a big operation with hundreds of workers.
I used to work there in the summers and on school breaks.
From the outside all you could see were the corrigated steel
walls. Inside was an impressive place with hundreds of sewing
machines, cutting tables, a warehouse of fabrics and thousands
of finished shirts being shipped.
One day when we were coming back from a trip, my dad thought he
would swing by the factory so my sisters could see what my dad
had been doing all these years. He wanted to show off his factory
and made up an excuse that he needed to pick up something.
He pulled up to the factory door and said, "Do you want to
come in and see the factory?"
All they had to do was open the car door, get out and walk
ten feet to the factory door.
"Nah, we will wait in the car," my sisters said.
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Gainesville, FL
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