Windows 10 recommended settings

Tech Talk #31 – August 6, 2016 Now that you’ve got your free upgrade to Windows 10, here are some settings you should probably change and why.   If you don’t have a touchscreen and never want Windows 10 to run in Tablet Mode, click on Start > Settings > System and then click on Tablet mode about half way down the list. Turn off the touch-friendly setting at the top. Under When I sign

Ransomware – what it is and how to protect yourself from it

Tech Talk #30 – July 23, 2016 Ransomware is malicious software that attackers use to encrypt your pictures, documents, and other files for ransom; demanding payment from you to get them back.   The ransomware code encrypts files stored on local and network drives using RSA public-key cryptography, with the private key stored on the attacker’s command and control servers. The ransomware then displays a message which offers to decrypt your files after you pay up.

Google history

Tech Talk #29 – July 9, 2016 The more time we spend on the internet, the more advertisers and search engines know about us. But what do they know? And what, exactly, are they tracking?   When we use Google to search for something or use Gmail, or watch videos on YouTube or conduct any other type of activity through a Google product or service, Google collects data and establishes a personal profile which it uses to distribute

Start me up

Tech Talk #28 – June 25, 2016 We’ve had a Start menu in Windows since Windows 95. It’s changed a bit in every version of Windows until that darn Windows 8 came along. I think some folks at Microsoft took a look at PC and laptop sales and decided we’d all be using tablets or phones, so they created a way more mobile device friendly operating system and figured that’s what people would want.  

What is the internet and how does it work?

Tech Talk #27 – June 11, 2016 We get the word “internet” by combing the first parts of the words interconnected and networks. The internet connects millions of smaller networks, each owned independently, but connected with all the other networks.   Arguably, the internet has changed the world more than any other technology in history and has had the fastest adoption curve of any technology in history.   Here are the major components of the

Windows 10 not for you? Don’t worry.

Tech Talk #26 – May 28, 2016 Microsoft is giving away the latest version of Windows, Windows 10. And they’re getting pretty aggressive about it – even marking it as a Windows Update.  The upgrade can happen even if you don’t explicitly ask for it.   If you’ve decided Windows10 isn’t for you, or if you want to have some control over when your computer gets the upgrade, open your favorite browser and search for

Keep secure by updating your software

Tech Talk #25 – May 14, 2016 One of your biggest security threats doesn't come from Internet criminals or online identity thieves. It comes from you and your out-of-date software.   The folks who write the programs we run on our computers spend more time on how their program works and looks than they do on security. Internet criminals know this and spend lots of time finding security in flaws in popular programs.   Java,

Basic software for your new computer

Tech Talk #24 – Apr 30, 2016 Now that you’ve got your shiny new computer, you’ve probably noticed that most your familiar programs weren't included. Oh sure, with the built-in Windows apps you can look at and edit the pictures in your Pictures folder and play the music in your Music folder. And there’s a Calculator app and News and Weather apps, and you’ve still got your standbys like Notepad and Wordpad, but let’s make

Bad foundations and repaving computers

Tech Talk #23 – Apr 16, 2016 The whole Windows 10 upgrade is pretty cool because it leaves all your files and programs alone while upgrading Windows. Think of it as picking up your whole house and everything in it, replacing all the floors, and then putting everything back the way it was.   But what if your pre-Windows10 computer was a little bit unstable? Maybe as a result of previous malware attacks, an iffy

Back that thing up

Tech Talk #22 – Apr 2, 2016 Windows Backup and Restore Backing up the documents, pictures, music, and more on your computer has never been more important. A bad sector on your hard drive, a power outage, an encryption virus, or another catastrophe could take all of your personal files away from you.   The good news is backing up your computer has never been easier.   Since we don’t want to back up the