Where Do YOU Stand on Net Neutrality? - Episode 24

Just what IS Net Netrality and why does it matter to you? If you're an Internet user (and you are because you're reading this blog), then you don't want anyone to be able to control what you access over the Internet, right? You don't want your ISP to decide which sites are appropriate for you to view or limit your ability to download audio or video, right? Your ISP doesn't want to do that either. The rub is that the telecommunications carriers (like AT&T or Verizon) who provide your ISP with access to the Internet want to be able to exercise THEIR First Amendment rights not to be forced to carry other folk's speech if they don't want to and want to be able to charge according to bandwidth useage. It's like the way you pay for your cable TV or cellphone. The more channels you have or the more minutes you use, the more you pay. The telecoms believe that regulations requiring them to treat all data transmissions the same way (in order NOT to discriminate against content and service providers) will curtail future innovations that will improve and enhance the Internet because they will NOT BE ABLE TO INCREASE THEIR PROFITS SUFFICIENTLY IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THOSE THINGS....and we all know how badly the telecoms need to increase their profits, right? Anyway, that's what I get out of it.

Yesterday, the Sensenbrenner-Conyers Net Neutrality Bill was approved by Congress by a vote of 20-13. This bill says it is a violation of the Clayton antitrust Act for broadband providers to discriminate against any web traffic, refuse to connect to other providers, block or impair specific (legal) content and says if a broadband provider gives priority to a particular type of traffic, it must give priority to all traffic of that type. So, what does that mean? Beats me....! I'm still confused! Still, we had a good discussion and laid the groundwork for future discussions about Net Neutrality. One last question: Are we being forced to choose the lesser of two evils here? Are we better off with more government intervention to protect us from discrimination or should we just sit back and see what the law of supply and demand does to the prices we're paying for access to the Internet and the ability to see and hear what we want to while we're surfing?

[And the Views continue...]

Online is Forever....

Have you ever experimented with web design with one of those free webhosting accounts? Look pretty awful? Ditched it and went on to better things, including maybe letting somebody else who actually knew what they were doing design your website?

Hey, what about that online forum you hung out in a coupla years back until you got really ticked off at one of the other posters and flamed him or her big time (that'll teach 'em to mess with YOU...)? If you think all that's behind you, think again.

Don't be surprised if one of those online embarrassments shows up in a Google search weeks, months or even years from the date you originally posted it. When I say "Online is Forever," I'm not just voicing an opinion. It could get even worse if the government has it's way. Your ISP may be forced to keep your logged activities online in case law enforcement needs to find out what sites you may be visiting while they look for those elusive terrorists or try and stamp out kiddie porn (it's for the children, you know....). It won't really matter that you're not a terrorist and that you, too, have strong feelings about the threats our youth may encounter online. AND, if that does happen, who's going to pay for the additional storage space your ISP needs...you, the customer, or you, the taxpayer. Same difference, if you ask me.

[And the Views continue...]

Will IE7 Tempt Firefox Users to Return to Internet Explorer? - Episode 23

Even though I didn't, Kristi did take the time to download IE7 and play around with it this past week. She even gave Microsoft points for some long needed improvements...unfortunately, it seems to be too little, too late.

I actually did download and install IE7 BETA but never even got as far as playing around with the features because it changed the desktop icons I had for opening graphic files. Yes, I know it was IE7 that did it because they actually changed during the installation process. That may sound silly to some, but to others, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I expect a specific program to open the images I place on my desktop and don't appreciate somebody else (especially not a computer application) deciding that's not the program I should be using. I guess I just resented having that choice taken from me, kinda like having those annoying pop-up windows suddenly appear that I didn't ask for....Anyway, Kristi did a pretty good job of being objective (well, as objective as a diehard Firefox user can be) and did give credit to Microsoft for FINALLY putting tabbed browsing into IE. She also admitted that the addition of an anti-phishing feature contributes to increased security, but was a bit annoyed that IE questioned every website she tried to click through to.

Even though I didn't try IE7 myself, I did take some time to do some research on how it compares to "other" browsers. The feature that Kristi and I both adore about Firefox is the seemingly endless choice of add-ons/extensions that can enhance Firefox for users who have different preferences for how they want a browser to act...all for FREE! Out of curiosity, I did visit the Microsoft website to see what kind of add-ons they offer for IE and found plenty....but not for FREE.

If you're considering upgrading your IE6 to IE7, just remember that it is a BETA release and you can expect some bugs. That's the whole point of BETA, to find and squash the bugs before the official release. MS does give everyone the option of reporting bugs, requesting features, and expressing their opinions during the BETA phase of development. My own personal opinion is that the biggest hurdle Microsoft has to overcome is the not so shiny reputation of past versions of Internet Explorer and the seeming disinterest in doing more than just patching it. It took the phenomenal rise in popularity of Firefox to wake them up and make them pay attention to what we've been saying for years. Users of IE who have never used another browser and don't have any intentions of switching should be thankful to Mozilla for helping MS "get the lead out" and doing a complete retooling of the browser. They will benefit by a more secure and more user-friendly interface. I, however (and I feel free in speaking for Kristi in this one) do not intend to give up Firefox. IE7 just doesn't offer anything that's going to radically improve my browsing experience...and Firefox doesn't mess with my desktop....

[And the Views continue...]

What's Up with Windows Defender? - Episode 22

In 2004, Microsoft acquired Giant Software, the maker of Giant Anti-Spyware. That was a good move. Giant Anti-Spyware was a top-rated anti-adware/spyware tool and I can vouch for it's ability to find and eradicate the stuff. It even worked with Windows 98! Enter Microsoft...and Giant Anti-Spyware became Microsoft Anti-Spyware BETA 1. The first thing I noticed was that the MS version no longer worked with Windows 98...what a letdown! Other than the loss of that feature (which was a much needed one in my case), MS Anti-Spyware BETA 1 was just a rebranding. In February of this year, MS released the retooled and updated Windows Defender BETA 2 and yep, there's a big difference in how it works compared to the BETA 1 program.

For one, it acts like a service and not an application. That means that it runs in the background doing its thing and the only time you know its there is when your input is needed. Gone is that feeling of security that I used to get from seeing that little icon in the right-hand corner of my taskbar along with my AVG Anti-Virus icon. Kristi, on the other hand, sang "Hallelujah!" when the icon disappeared. Having dealt with icon overload from using her dad's machine (according to C2, his machine has icons stretching over 1/3 across the bottom....wonder how he ever gets anything done if he has THAT many programs running....), she's really developed an intense dislike for too many icons in the taskbar. After the initial confusion and after a little research, I decided that I, too, was happy with not having another icon in my taskbar. I know Defender is running because I do see the icon appear when it's doing its scanning thing. Luckily, it's never bothered me for input, though, and I'll be snide here and assume that's because I use Firefox and not IE (More about THAT particular subject on our next show). I also must admit, however, that I'm pretty discerning about the types of websites I visit and you won't find me surfing a site that's a possible threat. You can take that however you want but I'm sure you know what I mean. I only use reputable download sites. I don't play online games and I'm not into nekkid guys and gals adorning my screen.

We do encourage you to try Windows Defender for yourself and make your own decision about its value to you as a user. You can download it from the Windows Defender homepage at Microsoft. If you're a current user of the BETA 1 Anti-Spyware program and want to find out how the two compare and you have a few more questions before you take the leap, check out the FAQ page. If you want to know what others have discovered about using Windows Defender...well...GOOGLE IT! Just type "windows defender reviews" in the search window and you'll find pros and cons from folks who have used it. Just like we keep telling you about ANYTHING you want to download from the 'net, do your research first. Every program is not for every user. That doesn't mean it's a bad program. That just means it may or may not work for you. Oh, yeah, don't forget to check out the system requirements for running Windows Defender to make sure your PC is capable of running it!

[And the Views continue...]

You Get a Line and I'll Get a Pole...NOT! - Episode 21

Remember when going fishing meant a relaxing, lazy day at the pond and the ones being hooked ended up on the dinner table? Well, there's a different type of fishing out there today and the only real difference is in the spelling (phishing) and in who ends up on the dinner table...

If you've been online for any length of time at all, you've no doubt gotten those e-mails from people claiming to represent a bank, credit card company, eBay/Paypal or even small countries and they all want the same thing....personal information that you wouldn't normally share with anyone except the legitimate companies with whom you do business. These are the "phishermen" of the Internet world. They're not looking for something to put on the dinner table; they're looking for enough personal information from enough people so that they can legitimately raid bank accounts and charge up big credit card bills....and they do it with your blessing...well, not exactly your blessing but they do have your permission; permission you gave them when you provided them with your personal financial information. You may have been tricked into confirming your bank account number, credit card number or eBay/Paypal password by clicking a link and going to a spoofed website where you provided the right information to allow the perpetrator to become you long enough to benefit financially while you got stuck holding the proverbial bag!

That scenario can easily be avoided by following a few simple steps to educate yourself about phishing e-mails and how they work. During Views from the Coop, we shared several websites that contain some great information for educating yourself:

• eBay's Spoofed E-Mail Tutorial


• The anatomy of a Phishing Scam at How Stuff Works


• The Federal Trade Commission Consumer Alert on Phishing

We also shared some sites where you can find tools to help you recognize phishing e-mails:

• Netcraft, an Internet services company based in Bath, England


• The eBay Toolbar Site where you can download a free toolbar that lets you know when you are on a legitimate eBay or Paypal website


• Internet Explorer 7 with new anti-phishing features

There are also websites where you need to report the attempted fraud or if you suspect you have been a victim:

• The Anti-Phishing Working Group, a volunteer organization that creates a repository of phishing e-mails and websites.


• Scambusters has a list of resporting agencies

You also need to report attempted phishing e-mails to the company the e-mails are trying to spoof. You can forward a copy of any eBay phishing e-mail to spoof@ebay.com and for Paypal spoofs, forward them to spoof@paypal.com. If you suspect you have been a victim of a phishing scam, you also need to notify your banks or lending institutions, credit card companies and the major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union.

You may also want to visit Websense Security Labs to get up-to-the minute reporting on major phishing scams.

There are hardware AND software tools to help you filter out suspected phishing e-mails so you can get help to remain vigilant. Just remember that education is the key to recognizing phishing scams and vigilance is the key to stopping them!

[And the Views continue...]

Who Needs Windows XP Service Pack 2? You Do!

Steven Leonard is a big fan of Microsoft's Anti-Spyware BETA and just found out that it's been upgraded to Windows Defender. Fan that he is, he couldn't wait to download Defender and did. That lead him to downloading the IE 7 BETA but before he could add that to his PC, he noticed that it has to have Service Pack 2 for XP installed first. WELL....!! His first question was, "How the heck to I know if I've got SP2 installed?"

If you've asked yourself the same question, let me tell you how simple it is....or would your rather listen to the podcast? You don't have time to listen, you say? OK, this is what you do:

• Find the My Computer icon on your PC (if it's not on your desktop, you can find it when you click on Start)


• Right click the icon


• Click Properties

On the General Tab under System,you will find out what flavor of Windows XP your PC is running....including the Service Pack information!

If you don't have SP2, then you need to install it. Why? Check out the Top 10 reasons to install Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) on Microsoft's website. If you have a slow connection and don't think your system can handle such a big download (and it's pretty huge), then you can get a FREE CD from Windows with NO SHIPPING CHARGES. Believe it or not, Microsoft even enocourages you to share this CD with your friends! (I do encourage you to visit the Microsoft website to make sure your PC is Service Pack 2 ready! If it's not, you can have a real mess on your hands!)

(*NOTE: If you use Windows Automatic Update to stay current with your Windows updates, you probably already have SP2. April 12, 2005 saw the last day you could choose NOT to install SP2. If you hadn't downloaded and installed it by then, it would have been automatically downloaded and installed for you. This is only for people who use Windows Automoatic Update to download/install updates. If you do that manually by going to the Microsoft Update page, you successfully avoided having SP2 fed to your PC.)

[And the Views continue...]