This drivel is for Cybercitizens that would like some extra information or help with regards to traveling the corridors of Cybersafe safely and effectively.

Here are some applications that would make your computing experience on the Internet more enjoyable and add functionality to your Internet experience.

A. Make sure that you learn how to do a backup of any data on your hard drive. Data includes but is not limited to MS Office documents that you might create such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Publisher etc etc. Any application that you use that saves data should have that data backed up. I HIGHLY recommend that you load your Operating System (Windows 95,98,ME, 2000, XP whatever) on C drive (boot partition) and put your data on D drive (different partition). That way if you install a piece of software that hoses up your OS where the computer wont boot you have not lost your data. You can then reinstall your OS and your data will be untouched.

B. Make sure you have a good anti virus application that does real time file scanning as well as E-mail screening.
I have used Norton Anti Virus for many years and believe it is one of the best. McAfee has a good product as well. If you go to http://www.grisoft.com you can download a FREE anti virus program for home users that is very good too. Viruses can destroy data , mess up your Operating system on your computer and propogate itself from your computer to other people on the Internet via your Email program IF you are using Outlook or Outlook Express. Computer Viruses also WASTE OUR TIME. The time spent on virus prevention and fixing the issues once a virus does get through costs companies of all sizes billions of dollars per year.


C. Make sure that you run "Windows Update" on a weekly basis to keep your computer software environment current. Click on Start and then go all the way to the top until you see Windows Update. Download and install any CRITICAL updates that Microsoft shows you. Microsoft products are full of security bugs that must be fixed and they seem to release patches all the time for the bugs in their software.

D. Make sure that if you are on the Internet a lot or have a cable modem or dsl connection (high speed) to the Internet to have a personal firewall. Zonealarm is one of the best software firewalls on the market and there is a free version for home users. You can download this by going to http://www.zonealarm.com . Firewall software keeps people out of your computer. It is sort of like a computer gate. It keeps your stuff on your computer on your computer and keeps hackers and snoops from the outside out of your computer.

The BEST solution for a personal firewall for folks that have Comcast @Home or Road Runner or another Cable Internet provider is to go out and purchase a router/switch/firewall combination. Doing this requires a little bit of courage and networking know how. If you are not familiar with how to set up a basic peer to peer home network connected to the Internet then you would have to find someone locally that can help you. I recently went out and purchased a Linksys Router/Switch/Firewall. I plugged my cable modem into one port and then I plugged in all of my computers (2 at the moment) into the switch side of the device. I configured my static IP address that Comcast @home provided me to my router which in turn acts as a DHCP server for my internal private network.
Routers are virtual gates that shuffle data packets from one network to the other and keeps people OUT of networks that they do not belong in. I access the Internet through my Router/Switch and the firewall KEEPS everyone out. The device is configured through a web browser interface which makes it very nice.

E. If someone sends you an e-mail stating that "thus and so" is an e-mail virus and instructs you to do something then please DO NOT DO ANYTHING. There are a lot of virus HOAXES floating around on the Internet where folks are passing along every rumor they can find to everyone in their email address book. Go to http://securityresponse.symantec.com/ for the latest security and virus threats on the Internet. I have over 12 years of IT (Information Technology ) experience and this site is the one I use. :)

F. In order to talk to me via audio you will need the following products installed on your computer

1. Microphone, speakers and soundcard on your computer. You probably have these things already
2. A software application that allows voice chat such as Yahoo Instant Messenger or PalTalk or Netmeeting
3. Go to http://www.yahoo.com or http://www.paltalk.com to download either of these Instant Messenger programs and install them. Once you do that you can run the audio wizzard to configure your audio settings

Like I said earlier I have 12+ years of experience in Information Technology. I am currently a LAN Manager at the Public Works Commission at the Naval Weapons Station in Charleston. I am a contractor working for the Navy and I help take care of one of the Local Area Networks that has 150 computer users and 8 file/print servers. I live and breath techology in other words. :) If you go to http://jesus-connect.net/world/filebase/useful_tools.htm you will see that I have uploaded some useful tools (software programs) that you will find handy for computing on the Internet. If you feel that there are some other tools that are missing from this new archive please email me at jcmoffitt@jcmoffitt.com and let me know. I will find what you are looking for and upload it soon.