The Computer Section Archive

My current computer is REALLY great. I got it at the end of Summer 2002. Its great and I've not really had anything to complain about, so that's amazing! :) I got it custom made through a local computer store in Guelph called Datamatrix (no more stinky Future Shop for me!) and its super. Because some people like to know what a computer is set up with I'll have to list the specs soon.... not like its super astounding but it can handle anything I've tried to throw at it so I'm satisfied.

Currently there are some 6 or 7 computers in the house. Seems a little insane doesn't? Some of them are very old, as far as computers go anyway. Except for the ones I use most of the time, all of the computers have been acquired through my Dad's work, primarily as cast-offs or as Dad's "work" computer. I think 4 of the computers in the house are currently setup to be working. One Dad does work on, one Mom plays games on while waiting for the laundry, and one the other two are the newer ones used for school and internet stuff. Why are we keeping them all? Well I get this idea I really will want to mess around with Linux on a deeper level so those computers will someday be my guinea pigs as I won't be as afraid to bust them as I am on the computer(s) I rely on to get things done. And then there's the whole "home networking" thing, which I'd LOVE to try someday.

My previous computer was bought in the Fall of 1999. It's an HP (Hewlett Packard) and I wouldn't recommend it to anybody... at least not anybody that likes to have control over their computer, might want to upgrade something, or actually wants to know what its doing. If I didn't fall into that category, who knows, an HP might be an okay computer.

Anyway, I originally intended to wait until the whole year 2000 scary thing was over to get a new computer. I still wanted to do that even after ending up in computer science land at the University of Guelph. I had a computer that was okay and I tried to get it upgraded just enough to get me through the first semester... i.e. add a CD-ROM drive and get the memory up to 32MB. Well the memory upgrade never worked for some reason so its still got 16MB and the CD-ROM drive just doesn't seem to want to work anymore. Anyway, I learned quickly I needed more brain power in a computer to do Java Programming and I had an assignment due in a day or two if I recall. So we bought this HP, installed Java, I spent a day with it and finished the assignment. Yay. :)

Come 2000 I needed Linux for school stuff, so we arranged to have Future Shop install a new ~19GB hard drive, put the old drive's contents on it and install RedHat 6.1 on the original 6GB drive. Next I needed/wanted more memory ... back to Future Shop and well, without getting into any of the gory details, that was when our patronage of the store ended. I finally managed to have 192MB RAM correctly installed in the computer.

The only other "upgrades" of success occurred last summer with getting a scanner (also an HP, but for a scanner that seems to be okay) and I installed Linux Mandrake 7 over my messed up RedHat. :)

Then in 2002 (where that funny quote at the top came from) I tried to upgrade to have a *real* soundcard... tried the SoundBlaster Live! 5.1 which was a fine card but not what I wanted for my music needs. So unfortunately, while I had no problem returning it to the store, I had a pretty confused computer after that.... that was part of what led to another new computer. :)

Welcome to Linux Land

If you are Linux confused and don't know what I'm talking about you are pretty much in the place I was a few short years ago before I started into computer science.

Briefly put, Linux is a computer operating system which is related to the Unix operating system if you've ever heard of that. Don't worry if you haven't though. Linux has some pretty strong points which make it appealing to computer type people...

2) it's "open source" which means that much of the computer code that people write to build the operating system and the nifty computer programs that can be used by it is freely available to be looked at and even to be changed... but that's not recommended if you don't know what you're doing. I sure don't make it into the 'knowing what I'm doing' category yet!;

3) it's really great for programmers, networking things, internet things, all sorts of things, and its just getting better and better.

4) it's not a Microsoft product... not something that matters to everybody but there are a lot of real Microsoft haters and bashers out there.

As far as school work is concerned, and even access to some school services like setting up this website! - students, perhaps most especially computer science students, have to come to some kind of understanding with Linux. I have my computer at home setup to be able to use both Windows and Linux. I like to work by myself at home the best for doing work, but a few group projects have shown me how to work at school as well.

For the slightly more (or the very much) Linux-literate people that might be interested... I am currently running (on my new machine) Red Hat 7.3 (I know - a REAL distro!) which I managed to successfully install myself.... eventually. ;)

At some time or another people with computers, especially ones connected to the internet or a network, have to deal with the invasion, havoc and occasionally the destruction caused by a virus.

I encountered my first virus many years ago on one of our old computers... and the thing would tell you "Your computer has been stoned!". It took a long time for me to realise that message was caused by a virus. Thus it was also infecting every single disk we owned... and one of those disks was likely the cause, originally coming from somebody else's computer. Actually when I learned what a virus checker was (and that I had one!) I discovered that Stoned virus plus a few others kicking about.

Now anti-virus software is an essential piece of equipment for computer users. It is not a fool-proof way to protect yourself but it helps. This is the case because the cruelly clever little minds that make viruses (virii??) work overtime to help make their evil little creations evolve into more potent, harmful versions. These viruses work to circumvent all the things that software people do to fix the vulnerabilities that previous viruses exploited. This means that popular software is most heavily targeted so it will affect the greatest number of users.

So Microsoft products are very much picked on. Windows operating systems are the most attacked, as are the Outlook and Outlook Express email programs. Some viruses are very specific in what they attack. Also the more common anti-virus programs like Norton and McAfee are searched for loopholes to have the checker miss viruses or to render it unable to detect a new threat.

Here are some, mainly common sense, tips to help you out in the wild world of computing.

1) If people you DON'T know are sending you emails with attachments don't touch them. Delete them right away. Even if it is not a virus (which it usually is) it likely be junk mail anyway. So save your eyes the trouble of reading junk mail and don't bother risking it with the attachments.

2) If people you DO know are sending you emails with attachments that you aren't expecting, or that are sent to all sorts of people (like from all the people in their addressbook), or if the email itself isn't written in the usual style of the sender, or if anything else seems off about it - don't touch those emails either. If you are concerned about missing an important attachment or email from your friend, email them asking if they sent you something and what it is they sent to you.

Be careful here as some viruses do a wonderful job of faking who sent the email. Some viruses do attack your computer and send emails (and the virus) to everybody in your addressbook. But some "spoof" your address and make it look like you sent a virus to somebody when you didn't. I've been on both ends of this scenario. You've just got to keep your wits about you and be better safe than sorry!

3) Be careful where you download files from... if you don't trust the source, don't touch it. And it is always ideal to send the downloaded file through your virus checker. Oh, and stay away from illegal and pirated software... that's always a good plan anyway but what's to keep software pirates from adding a "little" surprise of a virus into the mix. It's just not worth it.

4) Be careful what floppy disks you put in your computer. Be careful of where they've been, what other computers you've used them in, who you've loaned your disk to or who you've borrowed a disk from. Remember to virus check your floppy disks frequently, especially if they visit a lot of different destinations.

5) note: Some viruses (i.e. the Klez virus) now open attachments automatically exploiting something stupid in Outlook email products. There is a patch for this apparently but it doesn't seem to work for me. A way around this patch not working problem is by increasing the security on Outlook (Express in my case). I couldn't find the site that told me to try this but here is what I did:

Click on: Tools > Options... > Security
Then make sure to check the checkbox saying "Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus".

This does not solve the problem, but it does help protect us 'un-patched' computer users. It means you can't get at any attachments - even the ones you know are safe. When you want to access those files to open them or save them you have to go back and uncheck that box, do what you need to do (actually, the best thing is to save it elsewhere on the computer if you are going to need the file often or for very long), and then recheck the box. What this process WILL do is not open attached files automatically, which is good when one of those files includes a nasty virus. :)

6) Be aware of the ever popular virus hoaxes. These sometimes cause more damage and havoc than actual viruses do, filling up email boxes with false warnings and users heads with fears and worries. I have a hunch when I read a forwarded email about a virus of whether its a hoax or no - and I'm usually right about it. But, I never go on hunches alone. I always follow up on the warnings - often emailing back the person who sent it to me telling them it is in fact a hoax. I've also emailed people telling them they sent a virus... something I think twice about before doing now because of spoofing. I've been helpful to some in doing this and have simply scared others by being wrong. ANYWAY, back on topic here... I always follow up the warnings by going to the McAfee site and look up the proposed virus. Sometimes I head over to see what Symantec (makers of Norton Antivirus) have to say about it or do a Google search if I am curious or need more information. Research and a little thought are the keys.

The Computer Section Archive

Articles and thoughts from a previous dimension of the Donna Dimension

Welcome to Linux Land