Computer Info – November 20, 2002

 

This Week’s Meeting

            Larry Kebel will be discussing the writing of web pages – HTML – web page publishing and promoting, etc. this week and next week. 

 

Internet Providers

K2services  ( http://www.k2services.com )

            24 hour tech support

            Unlimited service

            Two local phone numbers for the DeBary/Deltona area

            $14.95 a month

                        7% discount for paying for 3 months

                        10% discount for paying for 6 months

                        15% discount for paying for a year.

                                                (407) 261-9942 or (888) 408-6773)

695online  (  http://www.695online.com )

            customer support 9 am to 10 pm Monday – Friday  (11am to 4 pm on Saturday)

            Unlimited service

            Mail-Block – blocks spamming

            Local numbers in DeBary – Deland - Sanford

            $6.95 a month – must pay for three months at a time.

            They have nationwide access

                                                (386) 253-8703

AT&T Worldnet  ( http://www.att.net )

      Brightmail Anti-virus Solution, powered by Symantec – automatic virus scanning
               Local numbers in DeBary and Sanford
               $16.95 a month for 150 hours – 99 cents per hour over that
               $21.95 a month for unlimited service
               $16.95 a month for unlimited service – for AT&T long distance customers (1st month free)
               They have nationwide access
               Quite hard to talk to them on the telephone to sign up – must do it online or have a CD.

Juno  ( http://www.juno.com )

               Has many phone numbers in the DeBary – Deland – Sanford area

               Has a couple of numbers for v.92 access

               Tech support is via the internet – or for $1.95 a minute via the telephone

               $9.95 a month for unlimited service

               You receive fewer advertisements than their free service

               It looks like you must sign up online or have a CD.

BellSouth  ( http://www.bellsouth.net )

               $20.95 a month for unlimited – special offer for $14.95 for the 1st three months

               MailGuard Service to protect against spam

               24 hour tech support

                                              (800) 4DOTNET

Big Zoo  ( http://www.bigzoo.net )

               $8.95 a month – or $6.95 a month when you pay for 3 months – or $5.95 a month when

                               you pay for 6 months – this is for 150 hours a month

                               other discounts offered

               A local number in DeBary and in Sanford

               Cannot pay with checks, money orders and certain credit cards

               No telephone tech support or customer support – except for billing

Future Business Solutions  ( http://www.fbs.net )

               24 hour tech support

               $20.00 a month

                                              (407) 682-3991

Earthlink  ( http://www.earthlink.com )

               Unlimited service

               $21.95 a month  -- special offer for new subscribers -- $10.97 a month for 6 months

               24 hour tech support

               Spaminator – helps to eliminate spam

               Local numbers for DeBary – Deland – Sanford

                                              (800) 719-4660

 

Scam Warning

               If a friend sends you a greeting card (via email) – and when you go to retrieve it, you are ask to download any ACTIVEX components  -- DON’T.

               There is a new card company called “FriendGreetings.com”.  When you get a card notification from them and click on the link, it will take you to their web page.  You will be notified that you have to install an ActiveX control in order to view the card.  When you begin to install, the first thing that pops up is the EULA (license agreement).  They are counting on you not reading it.  Part of this agreement is to have monitoring/spyware software installed on your computer which will report a vast array of data back to the company.  The other part that you agree to is to have the software send mail to EVERY SINGLE ADDRESS IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK.  Since there is no virus in the email, and since you have VOLUNTARILY agreed to install the ActiveX component, VIRUS CHECKERS WILL NOT CATCH THIS.

               **** Do not run anything from the internet which requires a EULA agreement !!!! ****

 

InternetAlert

               InternetAlert is a program marketed by Bonzi.  Can’t tell whether it is a good program or not.  It is described as a firewall where you can actually track down the ISP of the person who is attacking your computer.  But is it a good program and does it work??

               Here is a statement that I found on the internet about one person’s comment about the program and other programs written by Bonzi,  “Don't fall for cuteness. Besides BonziBUDDY this company markets InternetALERT. This program is described in the same terms as a firewall but it does not work as a firewall, it does not protect you from anything, quite the opposite, it is classified as "Evil Port Monitors" which open ports making your computer totally open for intrusion, instead of securing your computer's ports as a real firewall would do. Programs by Bonzi are also infamous for being very hard to uninstall for computer novices.”

               I do know that the statement about Bonzi programs (BonziBUDDY in particular) being hard to uninstall is true.