Start Pages
by
Robin Hall
You have run across start pages before may have had your own, but there are some excellent resources on other people's start pages that might get you surfing faster.
Run the query " start pages " at google to get an idea. Add " [you pick a term] maybe fishing, gay, baseball " to front or back of query and check them out.
This was the first one I recall: CEO Express Start Page
Basically these are all just fancy links pages but there are so many and if you find one or more you like, well bookmark them or set them as your homepage.
Start pages can be a neat resource. Build a fancy one of your own and share it with family, friends and business associates. Use one for the company start page. Be creative and have fun...
Friday, June 22, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
Internet Musings
Internet Musings
by
Robin Hall
You have read, heard or know most of these caveats so this will be a brief reminder. Oh, I spent extra time with online "dating."
1. Be as safe online as you can. If you are new to the Internet you can be much safer than old-timers if you pay attention first.
a. Keep your OS updated at all times. Leave Auto-updates on and check from time to time manually. In Microsoft's browser, go Tools / Windows Update and follow the prompts. Sometimes there will be an update listed that isn't automatic. I always click the Custom button.
b. Keep your firewall and virus scanner on auto-update as well.
c. Keep your other spam and spyware products up to date.
d. Run a full scan of each at least weekly.
e. Run chk disc / scan disc followed by a defrag weekly.
2. If you DL a lot of programs, consider one of the " sand box " sorts of software like Sandboxie. They can often prevent headaches.
3. If you visit a lot of ?questionable? sites like porn, for adults only of course, or various hate, pedophile and other dangerous sites for research and monitoring, consider one of the anonymizers " anonymous surfing " at the very least and run all of your spyware and virus scanners afterward. Be sure to kick the security settings in your firewall up to maximum.
Internet research will bring you to many sites that will try to whack you. Forewarned is forearmed. "Surf with your children" is a good motto in everything Internet and realize even a mistyped URL can bring you to questionable sites.
I have just taken up using a respected security suite and I let it do the work in this. I use no similar programs that run at start up. I do have several others and run the programs later on.
4. Especially if you are new to the Internet, plan ahead to protect your personal information.
a. Get an email on the web address and use it when collecting newsletters at questionable sites or entering sweepstakes etc. Have a unique name and password that are not related to your personal ISPs email information.
b. Fill forms with the least information you can to get what you want from your searching and never give out your SS #, real address, real name and the like UNLESS you are buying from a reputable online store like Sears, WalMart, Buy.com etc.
You will see a closed padlock in the upper right hand area of your browser at certified sites. Do NOT buy online unless you see this lock. I feel comfortable giving my debit card IF I see this lock. It is all but impossible to break the level of security the lock offers.
c. If you are buying higher end items or lots of items regularly get a powerful " password generator " then print these out and store the paper in a safe place.
d. Find a way to make up user IDs and store them in a safe place too.
5. I like NetZero for email and as a back up to my wi fi connection. I have had a NZ account for over 6 years now and it serves well. Your main ISP will have email so its up to you which to use. If you plan on staying with your own ISP, use that for most day to day emailing.
6. Another thing to shy away from or enter into with healthy cynicism, is Internet "dating." I have tried it and while I am too damaged for most people, I failed eHarmony's test for instance, the very notion of online dating seems flawed.
Are you likely to find someone special through a long distance relationship based on email or even video chat? Someone has to move for instance. There is the temptation to visit in some one's home as well. This is much too intense for a reality based life together.
A good rule of thumb is consider anyone you meet online to be no more than the level of a first date / blind date or the like no matter how well you think you KNOW them.
The cost can be huge just to even meet the first time, let alone more times, and don't get me started on trying to find someone in another country. Talk about spam. You sign up for International dating and you WILL get on more spam lists than you can count. This happens more on the free online dating services.
Have people succeeded? Some. The question to ask is why is it so hard to find a local person? IF you live in an isolated place or have very particular interests that you MUST share, say serious digital photography, a love of bassets, wine or flying, well have at it.
There are reputable sites to use but they all co$t. If you want to try one or more, read about the sites here: ConsumerSearch .
Look for Internet, then Online Dating. I use ConsumerSearch for checking out all sorts of products and services.
One way to do this, after you are sure you want to meet AND have adequate ca$h, is to take a mutual vacation. A weekend in Vegas, hang gliding in the Smokies, a wine tour. Get separate rooms of course and see how it goes.
Overall, online "dating" does not seem to be a good way for poor folks to meet.
7. Some excellent uses of the Internet include forums on just about any topic imaginable; fine sites for research; entertainment, I have several TV guides and use Netflix to rent videos for instance. There are games galore and not just crash & burn or endless role playing ones. I mean top level bridge, poker, chess and Scrabble, plus hundreds more.
8. Sometimes a pad of paper or a printed list of passwords, IDs, email addresses and the like will save your bacon. Store it somewhere safe that you will remember.
This was to be short and I got into a longer part with online dating. Oh well. Remember the words, safe Internetting, and things should "usually" go just fine.
by
Robin Hall
You have read, heard or know most of these caveats so this will be a brief reminder. Oh, I spent extra time with online "dating."
1. Be as safe online as you can. If you are new to the Internet you can be much safer than old-timers if you pay attention first.
a. Keep your OS updated at all times. Leave Auto-updates on and check from time to time manually. In Microsoft's browser, go Tools / Windows Update and follow the prompts. Sometimes there will be an update listed that isn't automatic. I always click the Custom button.
b. Keep your firewall and virus scanner on auto-update as well.
c. Keep your other spam and spyware products up to date.
d. Run a full scan of each at least weekly.
e. Run chk disc / scan disc followed by a defrag weekly.
2. If you DL a lot of programs, consider one of the " sand box " sorts of software like Sandboxie. They can often prevent headaches.
3. If you visit a lot of ?questionable? sites like porn, for adults only of course, or various hate, pedophile and other dangerous sites for research and monitoring, consider one of the anonymizers " anonymous surfing " at the very least and run all of your spyware and virus scanners afterward. Be sure to kick the security settings in your firewall up to maximum.
Internet research will bring you to many sites that will try to whack you. Forewarned is forearmed. "Surf with your children" is a good motto in everything Internet and realize even a mistyped URL can bring you to questionable sites.
I have just taken up using a respected security suite and I let it do the work in this. I use no similar programs that run at start up. I do have several others and run the programs later on.
4. Especially if you are new to the Internet, plan ahead to protect your personal information.
a. Get an email on the web address and use it when collecting newsletters at questionable sites or entering sweepstakes etc. Have a unique name and password that are not related to your personal ISPs email information.
b. Fill forms with the least information you can to get what you want from your searching and never give out your SS #, real address, real name and the like UNLESS you are buying from a reputable online store like Sears, WalMart, Buy.com etc.
You will see a closed padlock in the upper right hand area of your browser at certified sites. Do NOT buy online unless you see this lock. I feel comfortable giving my debit card IF I see this lock. It is all but impossible to break the level of security the lock offers.
c. If you are buying higher end items or lots of items regularly get a powerful " password generator " then print these out and store the paper in a safe place.
d. Find a way to make up user IDs and store them in a safe place too.
5. I like NetZero for email and as a back up to my wi fi connection. I have had a NZ account for over 6 years now and it serves well. Your main ISP will have email so its up to you which to use. If you plan on staying with your own ISP, use that for most day to day emailing.
6. Another thing to shy away from or enter into with healthy cynicism, is Internet "dating." I have tried it and while I am too damaged for most people, I failed eHarmony's test for instance, the very notion of online dating seems flawed.
Are you likely to find someone special through a long distance relationship based on email or even video chat? Someone has to move for instance. There is the temptation to visit in some one's home as well. This is much too intense for a reality based life together.
A good rule of thumb is consider anyone you meet online to be no more than the level of a first date / blind date or the like no matter how well you think you KNOW them.
The cost can be huge just to even meet the first time, let alone more times, and don't get me started on trying to find someone in another country. Talk about spam. You sign up for International dating and you WILL get on more spam lists than you can count. This happens more on the free online dating services.
Have people succeeded? Some. The question to ask is why is it so hard to find a local person? IF you live in an isolated place or have very particular interests that you MUST share, say serious digital photography, a love of bassets, wine or flying, well have at it.
There are reputable sites to use but they all co$t. If you want to try one or more, read about the sites here: ConsumerSearch .
Look for Internet, then Online Dating. I use ConsumerSearch for checking out all sorts of products and services.
One way to do this, after you are sure you want to meet AND have adequate ca$h, is to take a mutual vacation. A weekend in Vegas, hang gliding in the Smokies, a wine tour. Get separate rooms of course and see how it goes.
Overall, online "dating" does not seem to be a good way for poor folks to meet.
7. Some excellent uses of the Internet include forums on just about any topic imaginable; fine sites for research; entertainment, I have several TV guides and use Netflix to rent videos for instance. There are games galore and not just crash & burn or endless role playing ones. I mean top level bridge, poker, chess and Scrabble, plus hundreds more.
8. Sometimes a pad of paper or a printed list of passwords, IDs, email addresses and the like will save your bacon. Store it somewhere safe that you will remember.
This was to be short and I got into a longer part with online dating. Oh well. Remember the words, safe Internetting, and things should "usually" go just fine.
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