My Comments November 27, 2008

The Manifold Failings of Microsoft Vista by LA

You said 2 months ago:

From all the reviews I have read on Vista, it’s not an operating system I want to pay money to upgrade to any time soon. I have had XP on my desktop and laptop computer for a few years now and am very content with it. I don’t have many problems at all. At work we are under an older version of Microsoft as well but I can’t recall which one. Working at a bank, I deal with banking programs not typical microsoft office programs. The only time I have used Windows Vista was at John Tyler when in the computer lab or library. Maybe the system is more user friendly than the review I have read and I’m pretty good on computers. I wonder how the ratings for the next operating system by Microsoft will play out.

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Netiquette Schmetiquette… by mdholden

You said 1 month ago:

I have heard about netiquette before, but it was good to re-emphasis the importance. I know I am guilty of a few of the don’t as well. People truly don’t think when they e-mail if they would say the same thing if they were in person. I know I personally have been offended by what people have said in emails. I also get annoyed getting forwards from people who have forwarded this to everyone in their list and it’s a mile long email. Most of the time it’s information I don’t even care about and it gets deleted before I even open the e-mail. I know I am going to reread emails before I send them to make sure I am saying what I want to say.

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Wireless Network Access by annwill

You said 2 months ago:

I didn’t realize at Starbucks that you had to have T-Mobile or a starbucks card to use their internet. I know it’s a booming place and it’s one I have considered going to when having problems with my internet. Now that I know I wouldn’t have access, I would use a different place. Chesterfield County Libraries also have free wireless internet. I was surprised to find out that you can even access Powhatan Libraries internet from the parking lot. It was new to me that the Richmond Airport has internet access as well. I have only been to the airport once, but I am not surprised they have that access to people. It’s amazing now many places have the free internet access as a convenience for us.

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Installing a Netgear Router at Home by mnd103

You said 2 months ago:

I have never heard of the brand Netgear, I use a Linksys wireless router and cable modem. It seems you had really good sucess getting everything set up and installed currectly. Who do you have your wireless internet with? I have been pretty happy with Verizon except for the problems I have encountered at my current apartment complex. Overall, I would don’t think I would go back to dial-up internet after seeing the difference in a wireless internet.

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The Mojave Experiment by kim74

You said 2 months ago:

I agree that letting users use a product before hand to decide for themselves if they like it is a great idea. I didn’t realize until doing my own research that the “Mojave” Experiment didn’t involve any hands on experiments with the participants. How can they form an opinion by watching a short video that shows a glimpse of what the system can offer? I wonder how the ratings would have changed had the participants actually been able to use the software on their own.

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About Me…Dawn Holden by mdholden

You said 2 months ago:

Hi Dawn. Like you, I feel like no one cares about the “first introductions” and I am not one who wants to share anyways. I just started at the SCS this semester and those introductions have really helped me to relate to people better and learn backgrounds. I appreciate it more now even though it seems almost all the people in my classes are older than me with much more experience…I am 21 and just graduated from John Tyler.

Good luck with your schooling!

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My Family by mikereining

You said 2 months ago:

Mike, you have two beautiful little girls!

How do you like Richmond compared to Charlotte, North Carolina? I’ve been to Charlotte a few times before and it’s nice down there. I have lived in Richmond my entire life though.

Phishing…Internet Fraud October 4, 2008

Working in a bank gets you very aware of all different types of fraud in the world today. Phishing, also known as “carding” or “spoofing,” is internet and e-mail fraud. It starts with you receiving an e-mail from a fraud pretending to be from a reliable company or financial institution you associate with. They ask you to “update” or “validate” your financial accounts, social security number, passwords, or other personal information. They will look real but in reality it’s someone trying to get you to willingly give them your information without realizing its a scame.

 

Wachovia Bank has a list of tips on how to minimize the risk of fraud at http://www.wachovia.com/helpcenter/page/0,,5184_5274_5457,00.html . This list explains some important information like not sharing your pin number, canceling lost cards immediately, storing financial information in a locked place, and to regularly review your account activity. They also have a Customer Fraud Assistance Prevention brochure http://www.wachovia.com/file/new_fraud_0728.pdf, which explains how to minimize your risk by taking preventative measures. This includes checking and emptying your mailbox frequently, not giving our personal information, not writing your PIN number down, and using a shredder to destroy personal information. This brochure also goes into detail of what to do if you are a victom of fraud or identity theft.

 

BB&T Bank offers advice on phishing as well in the form of a short video. They show you examples of how phishing can occur with e-mails saying, “Click here to update your account,” “There’s a problem with your account,” and “Enter in your ATM card number and PIN.” They explain how phishing trys to steal passwords, personal information, or give your computer a virus. http://www.bbt.com/about/privacyandsecurity/phishing.html

 

By being careful and taking preventive measures, we can avoid becoming another person subject to fraud.

Home Network September 27, 2008

I have used many different types of internet connections at home from dial up, to DSL, and now Cable Modem. I installed a Verizon DSL connection at my previous apartment. At my current apartment we have Verizon Cable internet. I didn’t have a choice as to what kind of internet connection I wanted to purchase at my apartment. It was either pay the apartment complex for cable internet or you are unable to get internet at all. Since I had no other options, I went with the cable modem internet.

I didn’t have many problems installing the home cable network connection. I already had a Linksys wireless rourter from my DSL connection. I just had to purchase a cable modem and I decided on a Linksys as well. Installing them was quite easy with the CDs and installation guides. I had my brother make sure I connected everything right and install the network on each computer. We also came up with our own network name and password protected it.

For months the network worked like a charm. I never had issues getting on-line or staying on-line. However, around the time school started up the internet started messing up. Time after time, for weeks, I was unable to get on-line. My computers stated that I was “on-line” with a “good signal strength” but internet explorer said otherwise. Finally, the apartment complex told me it was an apartment-wide issue and they were working to get it fixed. A week or two later Verizon came out and installed more cable lines. There were too many people trying to get on-line and there wasn’t enough lines to support the whole complex.

After they fixed the issue and installed more cable lines, I have rarely had issues the past few weeks. Having installed the network and re-install it as well, I have learned how to set it up and some problem solving techniques. I am not sure I would ever go back to dial-up even with the issues I have had.

 

The Mojave Experiment September 20, 2008

Before this class, I had only heard of the Mojave Experiment and knew it had something to do with Windows Vista. The first website I found was http://www.mojaveexperiment.com/html/, which explained that the experiment was to see what users thought of Windows Vista when they didn’t know it was Vista. The code name was “Mojave” and it was supposed to be the next operating system. Studies showed that 94% voted “Mojave” higher than had rated Windows Vista before then had seen the demo. None of the respondents rated “Mojave” lower than they had rated Vista before. The average score for Vista before the Mojave Experiment was a 4.4, and after the demo “Mojave” was rated an 8.5. The studies included both videotaped and non-videotaped participants. These contestants were using Windows XP, older versions of Windows, Apple software, and Linux software.

 

According to http://www.friedgeek.com/2008/08/04/the-mojave-experiment, they think the Mojave Experiment was a train wreck. Since the studies were just people watching demos of what “Mojave” can do, no one was able to be hands on and learn for themselves. The site goes through many quotations people said about “Mojave” but they were based on the video they watched. How can you really rate new technology if you can’t experiment with it yourself?

 

According to http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/mojave-experiment-goes-live-doesnt-fail-to-annoy/, they really wonder how the ratings jumped from a 4.4 before the demos to a 8.5 afterwards. Had people really heard horrible things about Vista prior and they were enlightened to how wonderful it was after seeing a short 10 minute video? They believe that Windows did not use any scientific method for this “experiment.”

 

From what I have heard from friends that have Vista is that it is not user friendly. I know a few people who have struggled with getting many programs to work because of all the safety features build in to protect from viruses. But when you have to work ten times harder to allow programs access, is it really worth the upgrade?

Hello class!! September 1, 2008

My name is Ashley. This is my second blog I have created but I am still getting used to how wordpress works. I had to create a blog for an english class I am in at the SCS this semester as well. I hope you enjoy my blog!