Online Computer Tips Monthly Newsletter - August 2009
Latest Virus/Security Alerts:
Firefox Security Vulnerabilities
Mozilla has released two new versions of Firefox, 3.5.2 and 3.0.13, to patch two critical security holes.
"We strongly recommend that all Firefox users upgrade to this latest release," Mozilla said in a blog posting about the security issue.
The first vulnerability could let an attacker run arbitrary code on a person's computer by sending specially crafted authentication information called certificate.
The second vulnerability, disclosed last week, involves a flaw in certificate authentication technology that could potentially let an attacker gain access to encrypted information or issue a bogus update to Firefox.
July's Poll Results:
Are you planning on waiting until Windows 7 is released before buying a new computer?
- 43%
No
Tip of the Month:
How to change your computer's name
Computers have different identifiers that distinguish them from other computers and devices. One of these identifiers is the computer name or host name. Most of the time when you buy a computer it comes with a generic name or even a bunch of meaningless characters and numbers. This may be fine for many users but other users like to customize their computer name especially if its on a network with other computers. It makes it easier to tell which computer is which and if you share files and printers then it helps keep things clear.
The easiest way to change your computer's name is to right click on the My Computer icon and choose Properties. For Windows XP go to the Computer Name tab and click the change button and type in the new name for the computer. For Vista click on Advanced System Settings and then on the Change Settings button. From there click on the Computer Name tab and then the Change button. After you change the name you will have to restart the computer for the new name to apply.
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Cools DDR1 or DDR2 memory modules
Improves overclocking performance on all memory modules
Optimized for the OCZ XTC heatspreader design
2 60mm ultra-low noise fans deliver superior cooling
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Important Windows and Office patches:
Microsoft Vulnerabilities
This month Microsoft will release 12 security bulletins with fixes for serious vulnerabilities for a variety of products. 7 of the 12 bulletins will be rated critical which is Microsoft’s highest severity rating.
The critical bulletins will cover remotely exploitable flaws in Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Office and Windows.
The other have an important rating and will include patches for bugs in Windows, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Windows Messenger and Microsoft Word.
Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 are affected by five of the bulletins.
If you dont use Automatic Updates then make sure to visit the Microsoft Update site and get your patches installed.
Rather than throw away those used ink cartridges and cell phones you can recycle them for free and for charity.
Readers Question of the Month:
Cant find flash drive in My Computer
Lyle writes in with a Windows question.
Q. I have a USB flash drive that works fine at home but when I bring it to work it seems like it finds it fine but it doesnt show up in my computer. If I look at my computer I have my C drive, CD rom drive and my other drive letters that go to the server. Is there a reason that its not showing up at work? Maybe its being blocked?
A. This is most likely happening because your computer is trying to assign it a letter that is already taken. This happens a lot when you have mapped drives on a network. The way to fix it is to go into Disk Management and assign your flash drive a letter higher than your last mapped drive. You can even use Z if you like to play it safe.
After months of rumors and speculation, Yahoo and Microsoft announced a 10 year search deal that the two companies positioned as a means to create innovation in the search market and an effective way to battle Google.
Under the terms of the deal, Microsoft will power Yahoo's search site while Yahoo will manage the sales force for both companies' premium search advertisers.
Yahoo said the deal will result in savings of about $200 million, and $275 million in annual operating cash flow.
Microsoft will get a 10 year exclusive license to Yahoo's core-search technologies and Microsoft will be able to use Yahoo's search technologies for its own Web search platforms. Microsoft Bing, meanwhile, will be the exclusive algorithmic search and paid search platform for Yahoo sites.
That does not mean, however, that Yahoo's search will redirect to Bing. Yahoo will still "own" its user experience on Yahoo properties, including search, but users will see a "powered by Bing" note at the bottom of search results.
Microsoft made an unsolicited bid for Yahoo in February 2008, but after much back and forth, a bid for Yahoo's search business, and a proxy bid for Yahoo by billionaire investor Carl Icahn, a combined Microsoft-Yahoo never came to fruition.
