Rest in peace, PC World
The print edition of PC World is no more, and its demise marks the end of the general-interest computer magazine. Former editor Harry McCracken wrote this tribute.Read More »Rest in peace, PC World
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Give your antivirus software a workout
Via PC Magazine, I found the AMTSO website, which is designed to test your antivirus software for proper operation. I think this is good for two reasons. One, it gives you a chance to see if antivirus software is operating properly. Two, it gives you a chance to see how your browser and antivirus software behave when something bad is going on. Read More »Give your antivirus software a workout
Antivirus progress
When Microsoft Security Essentials first came out, it was an improvement in antivirus performance. Now, it’s middle of the pack, according to PC Magazine. That’s great. Vendors are finally taking performance seriously.
What that means is that by replacing MSE with F-Secure Anti-Virus 2013, Kaspersky Anti-Virus (2013), Sophos Anti-Virus 10.2, ESET NOD32 Antivirus 6, Norton Antivirus (2013), Avast Free Antivirus 8, or Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2013, you can speed up your computer. Considering Norton Antivirus was once bottom-of-the-barrel in the performance arena, I see this as a good thing.
Of the bunch, Avast is the only freebie. Though if your ISP offers one of the others as part of your subscription, or you don’t mind paying for antivirus, the others are an option. But maybe, just maybe, if I replace Microsoft Security Essentials with Avast, Peggy will quit calling me at dinnertime and telling me my computer is slow. But I doubt it.Read More »Antivirus progress
The trouble with bringing your own software
PC Magazine is advocating a bring your own laptop, with your own software approach to business. It likens it to mechanics who bring their own tools.
The trouble is that while mechanical tools in a toolbox operate autonomously and don’t interfere with one another, software residing on a computer does.Read More »The trouble with bringing your own software
PC Magazine’s tips for buying your own cable modem
PC Magazine published a few tips for people looking to buy their own cable modems and ditch the monthly rental fee It’s also helpful if your existing modem quit working and you need a new one. Modems don’t last forever. It also contains a reminder: Make sure you know whether your modem is just a modem, or a combination device that routes as well.
Read More »PC Magazine’s tips for buying your own cable modem
Exploiting Twitter
It’s interesting that I read two things about buying Twitter publicity today: John C Dvorak’s experiment for PC Magazine and an interview with my classmate and friend Ken. The idea is that people buy Twitter followers to make themselves look bigger than they are, whether they’re celebrities trying to make themselves look like they’re on their way up rather than down, or, like the scam my friend discovered, indie book authors trying to build a following.
Why PC makers love tablets, or should
PC Magazine has a nice analysis of why tablets are selling well and will continue to sell well, but they aren’t taking over the entire industry.
PCs are mature and not changing a lot at this point, while tablets are changing a lot. That’s good and bad.Read More »Why PC makers love tablets, or should
No, it doesn’t take a “serious hacker” to crack wi-fi through WPS
John C Dvorak is raving in PC Magazine about Netgear wireless routers and range extenders and how easy WPS makes it to set them up–and providing some very seriously flawed security advice along the way.
“Note that WPS is crackable by serious hackers using brute-force attack, but any SOHO user not dealing with government secrets should be fine.”
Read More »No, it doesn’t take a “serious hacker” to crack wi-fi through WPS
Dvorak: The future of retail is search
This week in PC Magazine, John C Dvorak said the future of retail is search. He’s right.
The CP/M-DOS forensics don’t prove much
I saw the headline on Slashdot: Forensic evidence trying to prove whether MS-DOS contained code lifted from CP/M. That got my attention, as the connection between MS-DOS and its predecessor, CP/M, is one of the great unsolved mysteries of computing.
Unfortunately, the forensic evidence doesn’t prove a lot.