IN THIS WEEK'S ON-LINE ISSUE:
   1.   Thinking About Broadband Internet Access
   2.   Updates Last Week
   3.   Smart Shutdown for Windows
   4.   Another Look at Xandros 4
   5.   Just For Fun
   6.   My Computer Security Software Recommendations
   7.   Securing Your Wireless Router
   8.   Hard Drive Replacement Time
   9.   Recommend my Terry's Computer Tips Newsletter to Your Friends

Welcome to the on-line version of my Terry's Computer Tips newsletter.

My emailed newsletter is sent weekly to individuals who have subscribed to the newsletter. Click here to subscribe. It's free!

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1.  Thinking About Broadband Internet Access

If you're still using dialup Internet access for use from home, you should start thinking about "broadband".

What's broadband? That's the term for getting your Internet access via a cable or DSL connection, or even a fiber-optic connection if that's available to you.

During the roll-out stage of cable and DSL Internet access, there weren't too many choices. If only one was available in your neighborhood, that's the one you got.

For some of us, that's still the case. Although I live in a relatively large city (Baton Rouge), my area of Baton Rouge does not have DSL access available. The phone company's equipment servicing my subdivision is not compatible with DSL. Unfortunately, just a few years before the DSL rollout started, the latest-and-greatest phone switching equipment was released — and it turned out to be incompatible with DSL.

In today's broadband world, most cable and most DSL providers have 2 to 4 service options. Basically, they've got a cheap option that is a lot faster that dialup, but still throttled significantly. Then, a couple higher-priced options with higher downstream and upstream speeds, and then the highest priced option. They also vary the additional features, such as the number of email addresses and the size of the mailboxes.

One thing you should consider is the price of the equipment -- the cable modem or the DSL modem. Another is the length of service contract you're signing. What if cable lets you sign up and doesn't require a 12-month committment, but the DSL provider requires a 12-month committment with cancellation penalty?

Just like considering the fine print in a cellphone contract, you need to pay attention to the broadband provider's contract, too.

I'm sure you've heard all the anti-DSL comments from the cable people and the anti-cable comments from the DSL people. Flip a coin. If you've been using dialup, you'll be pleased with either option.

But, beware. Once you've tried broadband, you'll never want to go back to dialup!

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2.  Updates Last Week

Microsoft (operating systems, email, web browser, office suites):
Mcrosoft releases almost all updates once per month, on the second Tuesday. The next Patch Tuesday is scheduled for this coming Tuesday — August 8th.

Firefox (web browser, http://www.mozilla.com, free):
Firefox v1.5.0.6 was released on August 2nd, quickly following the release of 1.5.0.5 last week. The new version fixed an issue with playing Windows Media content.

Opera (web browser, http://www.opera.com, free):
New release of Opera last week. Version 9.01 was released on August 2, 2006. There are a lot of fixes. Opera recommends this update.

Netscape (web browser, http://browser.netscape.com, free):
No update last week. Current version 8.1.

SeaMonkey (web browser, email, HTML editor, newsreader; http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey; free): New update last week. Version 1.0.4 was released on August 2 and includes stability and several security fixes.

Eudora (email, http://www.eudora.com, options: paid, sponsored or free/lite):
No update last week. Current version 7.0.1.0, released 12/21/05.

Mozilla Thunderbird (email, http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird, free):
Thunderbird version 1.5.0.5 was released July 27th. This update included several security and stability fixes.

OpenOffice (office suite — spreadsheet, word processor, presentations, graphics, web design; http://www.openoffice.org; free):
Version 2.03 was released during late June.

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3.  Smart Shutdown for Windows

After I wrote in a recent Special Edition newsletter about creating Windows XP icons to quickly shutdown, reboot or log off your system, reader Chet Zaorski wrote to tell me:

Terry,
 Here's an easier way to shut down Windows.  I have been using this for a long period of time, no spyware included, and is free and no messing around in the registry.
Chet

Smart Shutdown

Thanks, Chet. This looks like a pretty interesting program with a lot of different options. It's great to find out about useful freeware.

The Smart Shutdown web site (Slawdog E-Solutions, Inc., www.slawdog.com) says this about the program:

Slawdog Smart Shutdown is a free, commercial-quality shutdown utility for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, and 2003. The program is based on an easy 1-2-3 interface and has an immense number of shutdown options. It allows you to shut down, log off, reboot, lock, turn off, hibernate, disconnect from the Internet or network, enter standby mode in Windows, and shut down and reboot computers in your network--all both manually and automatically. Its built-in Smart Shutdown technology can shut down your computer if you are inactive for a specified period of time. Plus, with its Easy Shutdown technology, you can shut down your computer with just a single click. The program displays options available in your OS only, supports command line options, and uses little system resources. In addition, our exclusive Dependable Timer System technology, ErrorGuard, and other similar features give you a 99.8% guarantee that your system will be shut down on any occasion, according to our recent tests. Slawdog Smart Shutdown will run on all versions of Windows.

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Part 1  Part 2  Part 3

Volume 2, Number 07 — Sunday, August 6, 2006
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Copyright © 2006 Terry A. Stockdale.  All rights reserved.