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Quote of the day:
Computers make it easier to do a lot of things, but most of the
things they make it easier to do don't need to be done. - Andy
Rooney (www.brainyquote.com)
The meeting opened at 10:00 AM with 16 members in attendance.
Announcements:
Paul Davidson chaired the meeting, as John Barker was away. He
opened the meeting with a cute joke not unlike John Barker's (wink).
Peter Kennedy read an article from the Toronto Star about a bear climbing
into a local fishing guide's boat.
Bob Young read through an article about problem's with Microsoft's Windows
Genuine Advantage (WGA) which concluded that, very shortly, unless
WGA is installed, Windows will stop working in 30 days. Microsoft
hopes this will put an end to Windows piracy, we'll see...
He also read an article from a guy who tried installing Ubuntu Linux
on an older notebook PC and did have some problems getting his wireless
working. Linux is a little more challenging than Windows in some
areas, but is steadily improving, and no virus, worms or trojans so far...
Some recommended free versions of Linux include: Freespire, Xandros,
OpenSuse and Fedora Core; google for their respective home pages. Most
also come in a “live CD” version that you can try without
installing on your PC.
Sturg brought in a bundle of Kubuntu Linux CDs for evaluation. Kubuntu
can be run as a “Live CD” that doesn't change your computer
in any way, or Click the Install Button and follow the prompts to set
up a “Dual Boot” system. TIP: Use an old PC
that you have sitting in a closet, not your everyday Windows machine. Experience
malware-free computing!
Paul then opened the floor to questions:
Name |
Q&A |
Details |
OS |
| M.I.G.S. |
Q |
Is it safe to use automatic updates default settings? |
2000> |
| Bob |
A |
It depends on whether you have a legitimate copy of Windows
XP or 2000. Only legal versions will pass the WGA authentication,
then you have access to all updates and patches. Illegal
versions will only be able to download critical updates, but that
will likely change soon (see above).
That said, legal Windows users can safely use automatic updates. Go
to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Security Center
and look at the bottom of the screen for Manage security settings
for:
Click on Automatic Updates, as shown, and you
will see this:
From top to bottom, think of the choices as: Beginner,
Intermediate, Advanced and Expert, shown. Choose the option
that works for you. Click OK and your done. TIP: If
you choose Automatic, set when to update and time of day
first, so you can see that it is working. |
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11:00 AM: Coffee Break
Re-convened at 11:15AM.
Paul told another cute joke and then:
Name |
Q&A |
Details |
OS |
| M.I.G.S. |
Q |
What do we do if we think we just released a Trojan on our system? |
All |
| Bob |
A |
Do not reboot, run all your security tests. Then, use
Start > Run, type “msconfig” without the quotes
and hit Enter. Read and un-check any unrecognized programs. Then,
reboot and run all your security tests again. If they
come up clean, you should be OK.
If necessary, use msconfig again, to verify that the unrecognized
program(s) have been removed from the list. For more info,
google for the questionable program's name. |
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| M.I.G.S. |
Q |
How can we opt out of Windows Updates WGA? |
2000> |
| Sturg |
A |
Use “NetChk Protect” to bypass Windows Updates and
WGA completely, it is free to use for one year. Google for
the website. |
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