Terry's Computer Tips - Newsletter
October 29, 2006

Volume 2, Number 20 — Sunday, October 29, 2006

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

3.  It's A Scary Thought...

I'm starting to see something scary happening in PC land...

First, I'm seeing a number of friends actively investigating Linux as their choice for their PC operating system. All these people have been avid Windows users for a long time and avid Windows XP users, too.

They're starting to dual-boot their computers with Linux and Windows XP. Some even have second (or third) computers that are dedicated to Linux.

These people are not the classic computer geeks of the past who used Linux. They're every-day people who use Windows XP for their jobs and for personal computing, too. Now, they're beginning to "swear at and swear off" Windows.

These changes seem to be driven by combination of things:

• Microsoft's prices and upgrade strategies are one issue, although the changes have been occurring all year;
• the continual attacks by viruses, spyware, adware and trojans against Windows computers
• the frustration of expense and computing power requirements of fighting those same viruses, spyware, adware and trojans;
• the maturation of the Linux system into something more familiar;
• the release of Xandros 4 Home Edition Premium (and the non-premium versions, too) that are aimed at people who want to leave the continual expense of the Windows computing world; and
• the near-Windows experience of the Linux interface.

Microsoft's latest announcement of the End User License Agreement terms for Windows Vista are likely to drive a few of these people over the edge. Of course, for those willing to put up with the Vista license, the hardware requirements of Vista virtually drive almost any user to a purchase a new computer anyway. The necessary fast processor, 2 GB memory and 512MB graphics card just don't exist in most of our computers.

But, Microsoft doesn't say we need all of that!

You don't really believe the "minimum requirements" or even the "recommended hardware," do you? If you do, I've got a bridge for sale...

When you buy a new Windows computer, be careful not to "under-buy." Get the hottest processor model, but back down one or two notches in speed -- that's where you'll find the best price/performance ratio. Spend the money to get more memory now. You'll like the extra capabilities and you'll need it later. I use Crucial memory for new computers or upgrades -- compare the prices between memory upgrades with your manufacturer and buying memory from Crucial. I've saved a lot of money that way -- and memory is easy to install.

Back to the scary stuff -- A couple friends who have long been PC gurus have already been experimenting with Mac computers. Sure, the Mac is not the open architecture of the PC. But, it doesn't have the problems, either...

...as I said — I'm starting to see something scary happening in PC land.

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4.  A Free Firewall Alternative

Subscriber Peter Killick wrote recently to tell me about a free firewall alternative that he's been using, which is about to be available as a commercial product:

Hi Terry,

Re free wirewalls: I haven't tried the Kerio firewall you recommend since Sunbelt took it over, but I found the original Kerio free version totally reliable.

Reason I haven't tried the Sunbelt version, I'm currently running with Kaspersky Internet security suite 6, which appeared as a free six-month trial on a UK magazine cover disk a couple months back. It's very comprehensive and contains its own firewall, which seems pretty good. (I do still also use Counterspy to hunt down the very occasional adware that Kaspersky fails to stop; otherwise this suite does everything.)

But for the real subject of this mail, I don't know whether you are aware of the quite new Ashampoo firewall. From my experiences with other software from this German company and with German software in general (eg Magix Audio Cleaning Lab, Nero Burning ROM, Ragtime Solo, Virtual CD, etc) this will be something really good.

There's a free version at: http://www.ashampoo-root03.com/webcache/html/1/product_2_0050_.htm and a new heavy duty paid for version is coming out before the end of this month, currently on a half price pre-order offer at: http://r.ashampoo.com/mailings/1/061006_en.htm until October 23.

I'll probably revert to this Ashampoo product combined with the free AOL Active Virus Shield (which, as far as I know is effectively powered by the full antivirus part of the Kaspersky suite) and Counterspy when my free Kaspersky suite six month period expires - because the renewal costs for Kaspersky are GBP 40 per year which I can't afford.

I think that combo will offer almost as much as Kaspersky at very much less cost.

Sorry I can't report on the effectiveness of the Ashampoo firewall just yet, but I thought you might like to have a look at it while the launch offer is still around. The free version looks very user friendly. From memory, when I installed Kerio I didn't know much at all about what was going on, and that problem looks like it may have been addressed by Ashampoo.

Best, Peter

Thanks, Peter. I appreciate the email.

I suggest reading more about the AOL Active Virus Shield. They're taking a lot of flak over the EULA.

Here's an article at ComputerWorld.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Volume 2, Number 20 — Sunday, October 29, 2006

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