Microsoft to Release Anti-Virus Software

June 15, 2009 — Mrs. Mecomber

Seriously, I don’t know why such things make headlines anymore. When Microsoft was king of the Internet, I’m sure it was relevant. But there are so many other good antivirus programs out there already. Still, Microsoft is Microsoft…

Microsoft will soon unveil free anti-virus software
Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) is getting ready to unveil a long-anticipated free anti-virus service for personal computers that will compete with products sold by Symantec Corp (SYMC.O) and McAfee Inc (MFE.N).

A Microsoft spokesman said on Wednesday that the world’s biggest software maker is testing an early version of the product with its own employees. Microsoft would “soon” make a trial version, or product beta, available via its website, he added, but declined to provide a specific date.

The nice thing is that it is free.

It’s good, having security software separate from your operating system. I think this makes it more difficult for hackers to tinker with it. We’ll see how this develops.

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Posted in anti-virus, news. Tags: . Comments Off »

Updates and Upgrades Are SUCH a Pain

March 30, 2009 — Mrs. Mecomber

I spent the better part of the weekend in computer repair work. I helped my pal in Virginia clean his computer of a nasty virus (we did it through long distance telephone, that was fun :-p). And then I had my own problems to fix. Last week, a lot of my software programs got “updates” and “upgrades.” I really, really wish software manufacturers would just STOP DOING THIS. I have my programs set in a special way, JUST the way I like it. I don’t want it changed or messed with! My Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Messenger programs were working so great… then came the upgrade. YUK! They got rid of the “Send/Receive” button, messed with the formatting… there’s no more “Enter” button for the IM chat window… GRR!!! I wish Microsoft would leave well enough alone. After doing a lot of searching for something that would help roll the upgrade back (which I didn’t find), I finally dumped Windows Live Mail and went back to the old Windows Mail. MUCH nicer– nicer-looking and easier to use.

Which reminds me– I recently tried Microsoft Office 1007. Yikes. It looks nice enough, but the interface is so difficult to operate. That “Ribbon” design is a thorn in a lot of computer users’ sides. I found a terrific “skin” program for the MS Office 07– it’s called “Classic Menu for Office 2007.” It includes Classic Style Menus and Toolbars for Word, Excel, PowerPoint 2007, and more. The interface is gorgeous. And isn’t it terrific to see the good old days of MS Office?! I love it.

Classic Menu for Office 2007 retains the look and feel of Office 2003 (the best Office version ever, IMHO), but functions just like Office 2007 and includes all the newer features of the 07 suite. Go here for more screenshots of the software– gorgeous!

Classic Menu for Office 2007 is selling for $30, but there’s a free trial if you want to test it out first. The software has gotten excellent ratings from Softpedia, the Files Dudes, and others. Check it out!

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Posted in browsers, conversion programs, desktop publishing, word processors. Tags: , , , . 1 Comment »

When Vista Hangs During Startup

February 27, 2009 — Mrs. Mecomber

I saw this in one of my technology news e-magazines, and want to post it here for anyone else having this problem. There seems to be an issue with Windows Vista machines “hanging” (freezing, or, the screen stays black and the Windows logo never appears) after you hit the power button to the computer, or restart the computer. I had this happen the other day with my new computer, and it freaked me out. I’m not 100% sure that this issue is related to my problem, but I’m keeping my eyes on the situation and applying this fix if it becomes necessary. Here’s the scoop:

When you press the power button or click Restart on the Start menu to start a computer that is running Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows Server 2008, the system startup may fail. The system stops responding (hangs) and shows a black screen where the Windows logo typically appears. Additionally, the mouse pointer does not appear, and the hard disk drive (HDD) light does not flash. When the HDD light does not flash, it means that the HDD is not being accessed at that time.

When this problem occurs, you have to force the power off. Then, you must press the power button to start the computer again.

This problem occurs because of a deadlock in the remote procedure call (RPC) component.

Go to the Microsoft hotfix page to download the hotfix. A “hotfix” is the name given to fix a fix. Microsoft Updates routinely “fix” bugs and other problems, but sometimes the fixes create problems. Thus, the hotfix was born. Be sure to read the entire page of instructions, to make sure that this issue applies to your situation.

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Posted in help, Windows. Tags: , , , . Comments Off »

Windows Vista is Superb

September 14, 2008 — Mrs. Mecomber

After test-driving Windows Vista for a few months, I think I can accurately and adequately give the operating system a 5-star rating. Vista has proved to be exceptional in performance, usability, and style. I have found it to be much more reliable and intuitive than XP. I’ve gone back to XP on my husband’s computer, and it’s like the difference between a Ford and a Corvette. As much as I really liked XP, I am a convert to Vista!

Vista is much more stable. I was accustomed to getting the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) with XP, ME, and my 98SE. I have had only two system crashes with Vista in almost a year. That is phenomenal, in my opinion.

Vista is more intuitive. It has a terrific Search feature as part of the Start Menu. This is a terrific time-saver for me. As hard drives get larger and as we gather more information, I think Vista really did well with this feature.

I love the Windows Mail and calendar. Very convenient and easy to use. Vista comes with Windows Defender and a new-and-imporved Security Center.

Vista is drop-dead gorgeous. We all know how drab and dull XP was (only three colors, blue, silver, and olive?!). Vista is a work of art compared to XP and ME. The Vista Aero can sometimes use up a lot of resources, however. I shut it off when the computer is having heavy use (image and video editing).

There’s really much more to Vista than can possibly be covered here. I recommend the operating system, whether for personal or business use. And actually, if you are a small business owner and thinking about getting Vista, consider this excellent promotion going on now until September 30- get Windows Ultimate or Business version, and get compatibility assistance and free support from Microsoft to make sure everything goes smoothly. That’s a terrific deal! See here for more information.

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Posted in business services, Windows. Tags: , . Comments Off »
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