Every couple of days now I receive phishing attempts aimed at PayPal users. In each case checking the link within the email shows if you click on the link you won’t go to a PayPal site.
The text of the link shown to the users appears to be a PayPal site, but by hovering over the link in Outlook the actual site address is shown and it isn’t a PayPal site. Some email clients won’t show you the actual address and for some web based email clients, you need to enable the Status bar on your browser where the actual address is displayed. In the iPhone, if you press and hold on a link the address is shown along with options on what to do next.
In all cases you shouldn’t click on the link. The site may be one of the sites which aim to trick you into filling in a form and provide your details. More recently, just by clicking on a link, the link could take you to a site and infect your computer using one of the many exposures in software on your computer.
If you want to go to the site, open your browser and enter the address of the site you want to go to. Don’t click on the link in the email.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Serving Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Friday, 13 July 2012
Alert: PayPal - Please, update your personal information!/Your account access has been limited
Thursday, 12 July 2012
MyAnswers: How do I shut down a Windows 7 without applying the updates?
The following MyAnswers solution 2229 is now available:
How do I shutdown a Windows 7 without applying the updates?
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Mozilla Thunderbird email users should now consider migration plans to another actively developed email client
I read recently the Mozilla project is now reducing the resources they put into the Thunderbird email client and will in the future no longer have any fulltime developers dedicated to Thunderbird.
The core issues for me are:
1. There will be no fulltime developers actively developing Thunderbird.
2. There are no plans past 2013 for Thunderbird.
Thunderbird is a popular email client with over 20 million users. This is an example of where the Open Source model doesn’t work. If every Thunderbird user paid just one dollar, the income generated would probably close to exceed the direct income Mozilla generates in total, excluding the contribution from Google. The majority of income for Mozilla is payment from Google for having Google as the default search engine for Firefox.
Since users don’t generally directly contribute financially to the project they are not the client. The client in this case for Mozilla is mostly Google.
For users there is no rush to make a decision. I expect Mozilla Thunderbird will enter an extended period of maintenance which for many people may be sufficient. For example many people still use Outlook Express. Development for Outlook Express stopped around 2005-2006 and Outlook Express users and generally very happy with their software.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require computer support
in the Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and surrounding areas.
MyAnswers: Why I'd recommend that business users not use Microsoft Windows Live Mail.
The following MyAnswers solution 2226 is now available:
Why I'd recommend that business users not use Microsoft Windows Live Mail.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
MyAnswers: Migrating from Outlook Express to Outlook 2010/2007
The following MyAnswers solution 2225 is now available:
How I migrated a user's emails and contacts from Outlook Express to Outlook 2010. The same technique can be used for Outlook 2007.
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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Microsoft Windows 8 Pro upgrade for $39.99 (USD?) announced
Microsoft have just announced what I think is a bold but necessary move. They’ve announced on their blog that Windows 8 Pro will be available as an upgrade for all existing Windows users using XP, Vista and Windows 7, for an amazing $39.99 (via download). This is probably in US dollars and whether it will be the same for Australians I don’t know, but if there is a small variance it shouldn’t make much difference.
Starting at general availability, if your PC is running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 you will qualify to download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $39.99 in 131 markets.... Read More
The reason I say this is a bold but necessary move, is a lot of people will be put off with the new interface and would put off purchasing Windows 8. Many people love Windows XP and are still reluctant to move to Windows 7. Some see Windows 8 as potentially another Windows ME disaster about to happen. For me, having users who want to start in the Desktop mode to have to first start in Metro mode already sounds annoying. Microsoft’s low cost upgrade changes all that.
For the first time, if Microsoft’s Windows 8 doesn’t cause too many problems, it may be possible to upgrade all machines in a home or small office environment to the one operating system and to do that cost effectively. That is a huge bonus.
My approach will be to first test Windows 8 on one machine and see what devices continue to work and what devices don’t. For example some printers, scanners, camera software, email clients simply won’t work or be available. Those using Windows XP who still use Outlook Express will lose Outlook Express if they move to Windows 8. They have to decide if the move is worth it.
For me I’m typing this post using a netbook running Windows XP. I chose Windows XP because at the time XP and Vista were the only choices for a netbook (linux didn’t appeal to me) and Vista would have run like a dog. XP on the other hand has proven to be light and fast and even to this day the netbook has been one of my best investments. Will Windows 8 run on the netbook? What won’t work?
As soon as Windows 8 Pro is released to market and I have the chance to install Windows 8, I’ll start recording what does and doesn’t work and make the information available to clients via MyAnswers.
To me this is indeed a very smart move by Microsoft and one that Microsoft needed to make, or otherwise they’d continue to see their market share decline as it has for the last couple of years. This move may just get people to refocus on Windows for a short while and that is what they need.
The upgrade period will run through to the 31st of January 2013. I’d suggest clients seriously consider at least purchasing the upgrade for each computer during this period, but do sufficient testing to make sure all your existing software and hardware you need to use works with Windows 8 Pro.
- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problems.
No problem too small.
Alert: Transfer of 1,500.00 EUR to your account in ANZ Bank
The suggestion I give to clients is never click on a link in an email to go to a site you need to log on to. In addition, if it is convenient to you, have your banks remove your email address. I don't provide an email address to my bank so every email I receive I know is a scam. This has had no impact on my using bank services and if anything, it may even mean I don't get unnecessary or unwanted marketing material.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.