After 12 Years

After 12 years I am announcing my retirement. 

I appreciate your business for the last 12 years.  It's now time to retire and enjoy life a bit.

To those who I have helped, I appreciate your business and hope that in some small way I was able to assist you and make computers and networking more easily understood.  I wish all of you the best life has to offer.



Thanks again,

Dave  

Spring is here - Yippie!!

What a horrible winter we had  in central New Jersey.  Massive streaks of below freezing temps.  Enough snow with enough frequency to be annoying.  We're ALL so ready for warm weather.

Remote Support

I am focusing on remote support going forward.  With my schedule what it is, remote support enables me to serve customers more quickly and at a lower rate than house calls.  My remote support can be done in either of two ways.

First, immediate support.  Immediate support is when you go to my website and click on a specific link.  That link will run a program that enables remote support on a temporary basis.  Once the problem is fixed and I drop the connection, I cannot gain access again unless you run the program again.

For a more permanent solution and with your concurrence, I install a remote support program that runs in the background.  It only allows me remote access when I connect and enter a password.  Some customers prefer this method as it does not require them to be present and it does not require them to do anything on their end.

Both methods supply the same remote control capability.  Some customers prefer the temporary option, others prefer the permanent run in the background option.  I have a permanent option policy with regard to remote control.  That  policy is that I never access a customer's computer without pre-arranging the access.  If you have sensitive information on the computer, I do not access it.  I have no interest in your sensitive information.  I DO have interest in fixing your issues.

I have used remote support successfully for over 5 years.  My customers appreciate that they get their issues resolved in a more timely manner at a reduced rate.

Remote System Monitoring

I am also offering a remote monitoring service.  With the above mentioned concurrence and the permanent Remote Support software installed, I can check on you computer once a month.  This check will be

1. Verifying your Antivirus programs are up to date 
2. Verifying the disk cleanup utility has run.
3. Verifying the disk defragmenter has run.
4. Perform an overall computer health check.

Previously I serviced customer computers as they called me.  This sometimes causes problems in that the customer sometimes waits until they are in deeper trouble to call.  The once a month remote monitoring can hopefully catch problems before they become unmanageable.

As always, you may call or email me if you need to.

Have a great spring and enjoy the warmer weather.

Peace,

Dave

FIVE DEGREES??

This weather is ABSURD!!

Yes, this morning it was 5 degrees.  I thought last winter (2014) was bad.  This is now rediculous!!

Microsoft Maintenance Department

Recently I got a call from the "Microsoft Maintanance Department" advising me that my computer was causing error messages that were degrading their "server".  After some discussion the agent was going to transfer me to the remote support department so they could clean my computer for an as yet uspecified amount of money.  I played along acting clueless about what the agent was saying and also that I had a hearing problem.  Just before I was to be transferred, I asked what kind of scam was he trying to pull.  The agent quickly hung up.

My point here is that there is no "Microsoft Maintenance Department" or "Windows Service Center".  These are common scams designed to steal money and get control of the computers of unsuspecting users.  If you receive such a call, simply hang up. 

(The NEW) Windows 10

Windows 10 will be released in the fall of 2015 as a FREE upgrade.  I am currently using the Technical Preview release on one of my laptops.  I think it is a vast improvement over Windows 8.1, returning the start menu and start button.  This new operating system will feel enough like Windows 7 to make it easier for Win 7 enthusiasts to run Windows 10.  And it displays a new, fresh look while retaining the familiarity of Windows 7.  Anybody who has used Windows 8/8.1 with the Classic Shell add-on will be right at home with the Win 10.

Current O/S & Hardware Lineup

By now, virtually ALL personal/home use Windows XP pc's should be retired and recycled.  If you are still running an XP computer, you may want to give serious consideration to getting a new Windows 8.1 computer.  Your XP computer is at risk for serious security issues.  And Windows Vista users should also begin considering replacement.  Vista was not the best example of an easy to use, intuitive operating system.  Microsoft support for Vista will end soon, so it's also a goot time to consider a new machine.

Hardware is very reasonably prices.  I recently delivered a new Dell laptop to a client.  This machine has 4 gigabytes of memory and a 500 gigabyte hard drive.  It is perfectly adequate for average home/home office users.  It was priced at $ 379 plus tax.  Purchase, setup, transferring files & programs was priced out at $ 545 including tax.  We are well beyond the time when we used to have to FINANCE a computer purchase.

A Note...

Pitchers & catchers report to Yankee spring training in Tampa today.  In 8 days it will be March 1st.  Hopefully soon this god-awful weather will break.  Until then, stay warm. 

Peace,

Dave

It's time to cut AOL loose...

AOL??

Lately I've seen a number of computer users still using AOL for email.  A few are STILL PAYING AOL.  Here are some facts:

AOL used to provide dial up access to their website and email servers.  They charged for  this service.  While AOL may still provide dial up services, most users have long since changed their computer access to FIOS or cable companies.  These users do not need the services AOL bills for.  However they still dutifully pay their monthly AOL bill.  There is no need to pay that bill.  AOL has become an News/lifestyle website like Yahoo or MSN.  Anyone who has FIOS, Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T, or others for high speed internet access do not need AOL's internet access.  AND, if you choose to continue using AOL email, you don't have to pay for it either.  It's free and has been for a long time.

There are a few options other than AOL email.  Google's Gmail is an excellent option, as is Microsoft's outlook.com email system.  Both are free and provide excellent service.  Changing email systems is also very easy.  Simply send messages to your most frequent contacts stating that you are changing email providers and give them the new email address.  You may also put an "intercept" message (using the away / vacation function) stating that this current email id is no longer used.  Do not include your new email address.  Instead, put a sentence similar to "if you know me, call me for the new email address".  This may cut down on spammers following you to your new email. 

Please give consideration to changing to an email other than AOL, and definitely call them and get them to stop charging you for free services.

Have a great Holiday Season!

Peace,


Dave

Summer and Autumn in the rear view mirror!

December Already

Yep, it COLD, wet, cloudy weather!  Ah, New Jersey Living!  To those who left for Florida, take me with you, please!

Ok, so no takers, so I move on.

Phishing Messages

I have a friend who MAY have inadvertently replied to a Phishing message, and compromised her Banking information.  Of course, this brought up all kinds of account closings/openings, password changes and much more FUN activity.   If you receive a message from "your bank" or "your credit card company", don't click on any links.  Get out of the message and log into your institution from their own website.  If the message said your account was suspended or locked and you can get on, then the message was a false attempt to get you to give out your account information.  Be careful out there

XP Once Again

Anybody running computers with Microsoft Windows XP should buy a new computer immediately.  XP is not supported and is vulnerable to hacking attacks.  Microsoft is no longer fixing XP security issues, so it's a hackers dream to get access to all those XP computers out there.  Don't be a casualty!!  New PC's are inexpensive, PLUS there are deals out there for the holidays.  I can help.  Just call me at 732-568-4943 for recomendations.

Remember Pearl Harbor

Oh, and remember that our nation was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the Empire of Japan on December 7, 1941.  Take time from your day tomorrow to remember those who passed in the defense of our freedom.

All for now,

Have a Merry, Happy and a Happy New Year.

Peace,

Dave

Autumn is Fast Approaching!!

Where's Summer??

Notice the Chill in the morning air lately?  It's almost September, and almost time to get out the light jackets.  And almost time to begin plotting escape to Florida.  While it's nice not to have to run the A/C in the evening, I'd rather have to run it instead of anticipating the freezing temperatures that will be here all too soon.

My Remote Service

I am using a new version of my remote control software called Teamviewer. This version is branded with my logo and contact information and is easier to use for my clients.  And while there are some things that just cannot be done by remote control, a majority of tasks can be.  This allows me to offer a reduced hourly rate over site visits (also known as house calls).  That's why I am going to offer a discount over my normal low Remote Rate from now until the end of the 2014.  Check my pricing page for the news.

All for now.  I'll write more later.


Peace,

Dave

More Trechery

My wife got a call today from someone from the "Windows Service Center".  She called me to the phone.  The guy clearly was from India, and started to say he was calling about my computer.  I said with a rather loud exclamation "Really?".  He then hung up.  And I was SOOO ready to ask him all those fun questions like "What is my computer doing again?" and "Where are you from?" and "Are you employed by Microsoft?". 

If you get such a call, you can either hang up or have some fun by tormenting them until they hang up.  Anybody who makes such calls is scamming you, trying to get control of your machine to infect it and make it a zombie that will proliferate it's virus across the internet using yours and many others' PC's.

Have a great day.

Dave