The term spyware covers a broad range of computer security threats: semi-mainstream services that display ads, programs that subvert your search results, keyloggers that steal passwords and on-line transaction information, even Trojan horses that allow nefarious hackers access into your system. But in some ways spyware is all the same - you didn't knowingly install it, and it slows your computer by using system resources without your permission.
A recent addition to the world of antispyware programs is Microsoft Antispyware. Although this product runs only on newer Windows operating systems such as 2000 and XP, it provides reasonably good protection and at a great price - it’s free! And, there’s a lot more to it than basic antispyware. For example, it also includes a function called “Browser Restore.” A common spy-ware tactic secretly changes your homepage or search engine to that of a commercial site. Browser Restore allows such unauthorized changes to be undone and reset to your preference. Another component called “System Explorers” provides a handy way to look at what’s going on inside your computer. Although a bit techie in nature, it reveals any programs that are set to run when your computer is started, all programs that are currently running, any toolbars that have attached themselves to your browser and other information that could be really useful to the folks at EIT when helping you correct problems. “Tracks Eraser” is another interesting tool. It allows you to erase the contents of the browsing history bar in Internet Explorer as well as any cookies that have been placed on your system and delete any stored data used to auto-complete on-line forms or passwords. If you need to straighten up IE between users, this is a quick way to get back to a clean canvas in a hurry. Part of the program’s “Real Time Protection” brings any suspect system changes to your attention and waits for your approval or rejection of the proposed event before allowing any changes to take place. Rejected or blocked events are added to a list and continue being blocked without further intervention. You can easily review this list and allow specific blocked events if need be. Like many other system security products, MS Antispyware must be updated in order to recogfied by setting updates to occur automatically at an interval and time that fits your schedule. For example, setting updates and system scan to start every Wednesday at 12 PM would let the process complete while you’re at lunch.
So, where can you find this program? It’s as close as the “Spring 2005 County Support” CD sent to your office by the friendly folks at EIT. Look in the “Security” part of the CD’s menu for MS Antispyware. This is version 1.0.509 but you can download the most recent version 1.0.614 at Microsoft.com. Look in the “Popular Downloads” section. You can learn more by clicking the “Using Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware” link at http://eit.tamu.edu/resources.html
To enroll or browse Centra events, click the Centra Symposium link from the EIT webpage at http://eit.tamu.edu. If you miss an event or would like to view it again, go to http://eit.tamu.edu/recordings.html or click the Public Recordings link in Centra to view recorded events.
Friday Online with EIT– Technology Q&A/Centra Helpdesk, 7/15/05 at 9:30am with Jennifer Bring your questions, issues, concerns about Centra or other technologies and we’ll help you out with answers, suggestions and resources. At the last Q&A we solved some perplexing GroupWise issues and explained some Acrobat features, among other things. No question is too big or too small!
Element K online training available We have online training from Element K available. To request an account or get more information contact Jennifer Jahedkar at jenj@tamu.edu or 979.845.2290 or Susanna Coppernoll at 979.845.2250.
The Brazos Valley Macromedia Users Group-Summer Wilson The Brazos Valley Macromedia User’s Group will meet July 19th from 11:45 to 1:00 at MicroAge in College Station. For more information please visit http://bvmmug.tamu.edu
The Brazos Valley Web Guild-Summer Wilson The Brazos Valley Web Guild will meet August 5th. For more information visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bvweb/
Possible URLs to link from your Websites this Month
FCS - Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy - http://www.jumpstart.org/
AG and Natural Resource - Texas Pest Management Association - http://www.tpma.org/
4H - Today’s Horse - http://www.todayshorse.com/
Remember that a web site should be set up like a grocery store, allowing users to read the posted signs to get what they need and get out quickly.
When you’re in the grocery store, have you ever noticed the magazines by the check out stands? Did a headline, article or picture ever catch your attention? Think about that when you’re putting link phrases on your website. You too want to catch people’s attention! You don’t have to sensationalize, like some magazines may, but your link phrases should have sufficient information to describe content and attract attention. Some samples include: "download TNT PDF file" or "view the full version in HTML," or "for the text version select this link" Samples for images ALT tags may include: "picture of Texas Cooperative Extension logo" Can you imagine a magazine with “read this, read this, read this” on the cover? That’s as enticing as “click here” over and over again. Yikes! Create meaningful link phrases that make sense when read out loud.
Did you know that you can make a PDF from anything you can print using the full version of Adobe Acrobat? It’s easy, and whether you’re in Microsoft Word or Excel, in Wordperfect or Quattro Pro or even in a web browser, you can use the same process. From the application you’re working in choose File, Print and select Adobe PDF instead of a local or network printer.
You can choose to print part of the document like only page 3 or specify many other options just as you can with a physical printer.
After you choose your “printer”, a dialog box will open. Give the PDF file a name and click Save. That’s all there is to it! With Acrobat, you can also combine multiple documents from different applications into a single PDF file. Choose File, Create PDF From Multiple Files. Browse to find each of the files you’d like to combine. Note that they can be all different types of files.
The files will be added to the document in the order they appear, so you might want to move them up or down in the list. To do so, simply click to select a file then click the appropriate button to move up, move down or even remove. Then click ok. It will take a few minutes, so be patient as Adobe Acrobat opens each file in the appropriate application and brings them together to create a single PDF file. And a single PDF file is a lot easier to save, send, submit and retain! Other applications can create PDF files too, including Cute PDF Writer, which was included in the County Support CD . Visit http://eit.tamu.edu/pdf.htm to learn more about PDFs.