From the desk of Gerben Van Dyk

• Google Calendar
  Google's calendar is one of the best Web 2.0 and Ajax apps there is. It just shows that web applications can be as good as desktop applications.

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• Google AdWords: Campaign Summary
  If you've got Adwords you already use it. It's a good tool to use. Takes a bit of time to master.

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Hi,

I’m always on the lookout to help me secure my pc and those of my family. Below is a list of top 10 security measures I’m using and recommend:

1. Always try and use a hardware firewall. For home users, this
   would normally be an ADSL firewall/router. These offer a lot better
   protection than Usb ADSL modems.
2. Secure your Wireless connections. Follow the manual or ask a friend or your child but do not let unsecured wireless connections exist for a long time.
3. Avast - I’ve been using this Antivirus program for quite a while now. It caught a few nasties over the years. Easy to install, regular updates and not too much strain on the system
4. ZoneAlarm - Now owned by CheckPoint. The personal firewall is easy to instal and use. Does not have too much annoying messages. A personal firewall is an essential tool to have on your pc. Any firewall is better than nothing. Windows firewall is ok but doesn’t give you too much information. It’s fine for a casual user however.
5. Firefox NoScript - The plugin allows you to selectively select which sites are allowed to run Javascript. It’s a pain when you’re continually browsing new websites, but offers good protection.
6. Stay up-to-date - Microsoft offers regular updates that also fix security issues. If you stay up to date with your Windows Update it will offer better protection.
7. Educate yourself and your family. Safe internet use is also how to recognise a scam, phishing, virus, spyware, adware and other nasties.
8. Use safe passwords, if you can’t remember them you could consider using Roboform, Password Safe or KeePass. I personally use KeePass a lot. If you absolutely have to remember them without software then use something that helps you to remember like a phrase at the bottom of your watch or a model number on your glasses. An acronym could also help (as in: I Like High School Musical 3 becomes: ILHSM3)
9. Run anti-spyware programs such as Ad-Aware, Spy Sweeper, Spyware Blaster or Microsoft Defender. Don’t get programs pretending to be anti-spyware, get them from a reputable source. Either direct from the manufacturer or from a reputable download site like Tucows.com
10. Make backups. Maybe this should be #1! If it can go wrong it will someday. Better to be prepared. It’s a pain and can will cost you money but get an external harddisk and get backing up. What and how to back up is not in the scope of this article.

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Technorati Tags: Internet, security, Software

• Freeware Nonags - Free Software Downloads
  Good resource about Free software tools

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• Download - Personal (PSI) - Vulnerability Scanning - Secunia.com
  Great way to check for software problems.

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• Data Center Knowledge: Data centers, design, power, cooling
  (tags: sql database)

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Google is 10

Larry Page met Sergey Brin in the summer of 1995. They started their search engine named BackRub in 1996. On the 15th September 1997 they registered google.com. On the 4th September 1998 they file as a US corporation. The rest is history, as they say. But I don’t think the story is over yet. It’s an interesting read nonetheless. See more on this entertaining website:

http://www.google.co.uk/tenthbirthday

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Google Chrome is a new browser. Do we need another one? Well, looking at the features and knowing the might of Google is behind it, it’s worth looking at. Google released a comic strip that explains Chrome in more detail. A fun way of releasing what could be a boring list of features. See it here:

http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/

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Technorati Tags: browser, google, Internet, Software

How to retrieve protected content and cached websites using 2 little known tricks.

As a reader of the excellent IT News site I receive daily updates. The following article caught my eye:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/22/accessing_restricted_sites

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Technorati Tags: google, Internet, Software

I like Firefox as a browser. I’ve got the feeling that it’s more flexible than Internet Explorer. I started using it when I saw the tabbed approach and was sold immediately. I hesitated a while when Firefox 3.0 came out as I like to keep my Bookmarks synchonised between all my computers. I used Google Browser Sync for that but from Firefox 3.0 it stopped working and will not longer be supported.

I found a great replacement in Foxmarks so I’m back using the latest version. So here is my list of top 10 Addons: [Read more →]

Technorati Tags: browser, firefox, Internet, Software