Tag Archives: Windows (Microsoft)

Free software tools that add to your anti-virus protection

Posted on August 19, 2010 by | 1 Comment
I constructed this image using :image:Computer...
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From this week’s review and comment on the news.  Here’s some free software that can make a big difference on the security for your computer:

- http://www.slimwareutilities.com/

  • SlimComputer – to turn off the unneeded programs, toolbars and promotions that come pre-installed on a new PC
  • SlimClearner -  is the world’s first software that lets you clean and optimize Windows systems using a crowd-sourced approach. SlimCleaner uses aggregated-cloud feedback to recommend optimal settings for programs, start-ups and services.
  • SlimDrivers – uses crowd-sourcing to spider and aggregate millions of devices to keep the device drivers up-to-date. Using a cloud-based system, SlimDrivers not only detects when a driver needs updating, but also identifies the proper executable for your system and initiates the driver install automatically.

- https://browsercheck.qualys.com/

  • Checks and identifies security issues in your browser.  Very nice software.  It detected some plugins on my machine that were out-of-rev.

- http://www.cloudmarkdesktop.com/

  • Protects your inbox from spam, phishing and viruses.
  • Filtering for IMAP, POP, Exchange and Web mail accounts

You’ve probably got enough information already, but if you’d like to read more:

Free software tools can add to your anti-virus protection

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Best Free Autoresponder

Posted on April 6, 2009 by | 1 Comment

How do you get an autoresponder that’s free and provides the features that the big boys use? From Verizon through manufacturing firms, I’ve had dozens of clients ask me "What’s the best free autoresponder available?" over the years.

We should probably start by answering the question, "What is an autoresponder, and why would I want to use one?" In its most basic form, an autoresponder is an email program that automatically responds to emails that are sent to it. This type of system will automatically respond with things like FAQs , product information and vacation messages.

High-end autoresponders provide features which allow people to opt-in and opt-out of your email list and provide double opt-in (also called closed-loop opt-in) capabilities.  These types of features are absolutely necessary if you have a list of more than a couple of hundred names, or if you’re trying to run a real business.

One of the best free autoresponders available is open-source and will run on both Unix/Linux and Windows machines. It’s called phplist and can be found at their website .  This software isn’t the easiest to install, but does have good basic instructions and can be installed by most system administrators without much trouble.

Be aware that even though this is the best free autoresponder, it isn’t the best thing to use if you are sending emails that are time-critical or if you don’t have time to follow-up on sites that blacklist you.  Sending out emails to bad email addresses (old, or expired) or to mail trap boxes will cause you to be blacklisted very quickly, which means that your email will start bouncing in a big way.  I’ve seen cases where competitors have subscribed one of these mail trap boxes to a competitor’s email list so that each time email is sent to the list it is immediately rejected — something that can be avoided by using double-opt-in.

If you’re looking for something very simple and use Google Lab’s email features (it’s very easy to get a free account if you’re not using it right now), check out the "Vacation Time!" feature to get a free, simple autoresponder.  There is also a more advanced feature you can use:

"If you’re sick of typing out the same reply every time someone emails you with a common question, now you can compose your reply once and save the message text with the "Canned responses" button. Later, you can open that same message and send it again and again," explains Chad Perry .

After enabling "Canned Responses " in the settings page for Gmail Labs, you’ll see a new drop-down when composing a message. The "canned responses" option can be used to save a new message or to load an existing autoreply. It’s interesting that Gmail saves the messages as hidden drafts: you can find them if you search for label:drafts , but they’re not visible in the Drafts view.  This isn’t quite the same set of features and functionality offered by phplist, but it may do for you or your business.

If you’d like more information on any of these points, or anything else related to Marketing Technology, post a comment letting me know.

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Using Parallels to Run Windows on a Mac Actually Improves Windows Performance

Posted on June 19, 2008 by | Leave a comment
Parallels Desktop features hardware accelerated 3D graphics, and runs many Windows games, including Half-Life 2, shown here.

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[Listen here to get the inside information from the people who make parallels about how it will help your Mac run Windows while it's still running the famous Mac Operating System!]

Parallels, an award-winning virtual machine packages, enables Mac users to run Windows, Linux or any other operating system and their critical applications at the same time as Mac OS X on any Intel-powered Apple computer. Since being made available in June 2006, the product is now in its 3rd generation.

Parallels is the company made famous for being the first to enable Macs with Intel processors to run Windows programs. In technologist terms, this was like solving the common cold – something people had wanted forever.

Since being launched, Parallels Desktop for Mac has been recognized with more than 30 major industry awards and was the first non-Apple product to ever win the MacWorld Magazine Reader’s Choice Award. Some other notable awards include the MacWorld Magazine’s “Editor’s Choice” Award (the “Eddy”) and PC World Magazine’s “Innovation of the Year” Award.

Now, about two years later, Parallels has sold more than 1 million copies of the Parallels Desktop for Mac software. It is the top-selling Mac utility program and sales have been made in 102 countries.

Is it coincidence in that time span the Apple Mac market share worldwide has climbed from approximately 3 percent to nearly 7 percent? Hardly … the Parallels software has eliminated the wall that previously existed between PCs and Macs and the virtualization technology has been a catalyst behind enterprise Mac adoption.

On 16th May, 2008, Ben received on behalf of Parallels the Red Herring 100 Award, a selection of the 100 most innovative private technology companies based in North America out of more than 800 closely-evaluated companies that are leading the next wave of innovation.

Ben Rudolph
Director of Communications
Parallels
Ben Rudolph – A biography

Ben has worked in both information technology and biotechnology and describes himself as a total tech nerd who loves tinkering with gadgets, hardware and software. In his role as the evangelist for Parallels that means he can either talk at the deep technical level with the “gearheads” or provide a “tech 101″ overview to someone who doesn’t know a USB port from a tawny port. Ben is a frequent and popular speaker at industry conferences and at Apple stores.

Parallels is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and service providers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

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WoM! The Tips to Windows on Mac From the Man Who Wrote the Book

Posted on June 19, 2008 by | Leave a comment
Mac OS X 10.2

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You can run Windows on Mac. But it’s not possibile to run Mac on Windows. Apple is creating waves and business of Mac is growing at rapid pace. Apple’s retails stores have also been a factor in greater sales of Macs. Half of all sales at Apple Stores are to people who are new to Macs, according to Apple.

  • Sales of Macs to Windows users have accelerated. This is partly (or primarily) because Macs can now run both its native operating system, Mac OS X, and Windows, making it the most versatile computer you can buy.
  • Windows users are looking for an alternative to their current computer because they feel inundated with viruses, spyware, and hackers that take advantage of security flaws in Microsoft’s operating system.
  • The use of Intel chips in Macs — the same as is used in Windows PCs — has changed the game, both for home and work use. The issue of Windows compatibility is largely erased as Apple hardware can now run Windows. Both home and business users can think of the ability to run Windows as a safety net – it’s there if they need it.
  • Home use has started to affect the landscape in the office. As more home users buy and use Macs, they’re coming to their bosses and asking for Macs instead of Windows. As a result, Macs are now being considered by more workplaces than in the past. Even IBM is going to let its employees use Macs if they like.
  • Apple’s marketing has been remarkably effective. The Mac vs. PC ads have become a cultural touchstone, and made more people interested in Macs who normally would not have been.

Although you can run Windows on a Mac, the reverse is not true – at least not legally. But hobbyists have figured out a way to run the Mac OS on some generic PC hardware, and one controversial company — Psystar - has actually started selling generic PCs with the Mac OS preinstalled.

Dwight Silverman
Author – Running Windows on your MAC
Houston Chronicle Columnist

Dwight Silverman – A biography

Dwight Silverman is the computing columnist and technology blogger at the Houston Chronicle and cohost of “Technology Bytes,” a weekly radio show on KPFT-FM. Dwight is also author of Running Windows on Your Mac, a new book published by Peachpit that reveals how to use Microsoft Windows on your Mac.

Berkeley-based Peachpit has been publishing the industry’s best-selling books on the latest in graphic design, desktop publishing, multimedia, Web design and development, digital video and general Macintosh computing since 1986. Its award-winning books feature step-by-step explanations, time-saving techniques, savvy insider tips, and expert advice for computer users of all sorts. It is the home of the internationally recognized Visual QuickStart Guide series, the design imprint New Riders and its highly popular Voices That Matter series, and is the publishing partner for Adobe Press, NAPP, Apple Certified, and others. Peachpit is part of Pearson, the international media company. Pearson’s primary operations also include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. Learn more at www.peachpit.com and www.pearson.com

The Houston Chronicle is not only a newspaper, it’s a Web site that attracts about 2 million page views a day. Chron.com is the leading local Web site for reaching Houston’s online population. With more than 6 million unique visitors per month, chron.com is the city’s most visited local Web site, complete with up-to-the-minute breaking news and exclusive online content, including coverage in Spanish. The perfect complement to the printed Houston Chronicle, chron.com provides more expansive detail, story packages, links and the latest updates throughout the day.

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