Did You Miss Me??

Well, even if you didn't, I'm back!!! Run and hide or welcome me into your web-world - your choice! The virus bastards may have gotten me down for a bit, but they won't keep me down! In fact, now that I have a new operating system, I'm hoping to see a lot less (if any) virus at all. You see, windows sucks(who knew?) well, probably lots of you)it's like a giant sucking vacuum for virus. Apparently the jerks who create malicious mayhem target windows because something like 97% of computer users rely on it. They put their virus where they can hack the most info and create the most trouble. Which means they target windows. Not that windows really sucks...it's just so very vulnerable due to the sheer number of people targeting it.

I keep up to date on my anti-virus stuff; I run anti-spyware and that sort of thing regularly. And still about once a year I get some major crud that requires major extraction by a local tech shop. I, like most computer users, am resistant to change. But I'm tired of losing files, bookmarks etc each time I get infected. I'm tired of the down time and expense. I'm more and more worried about on-line transactions 'cause the people who hack and create virus and steal our account info are getting better all the time. My tech guy has had a dozen people in lately who clicked on something that looked exactly like a legit microsoft warning, only to get infected and get ripped off. They had to change bank accounts, passwords etc. There have been many more, like me, who didn't lose money but had to come in for help. Some of the pop-ups infect your computer when you click the upper right corner to 'x' out of them. Oh, and there are little animated ads and pop-ups that you don't even have to click on to get infected. These jerks just keep getting slicker and tougher to beat. It's their job to get into your computer and sell your info.

Enter Linux. I've heard about Linux before and had spoken with my tech shop about it the last time this happened. The shop I go to is a small, family owned place. Nothing fancy, just some great, committed folks who are generous with their time, expertise and chocolate. Yeah, you heard me right. Chocolate kisses to be exact. Now, there are a bunch of different versions of Linux and they can all be downloaded free. They work approximately the same as what I had before except - DANG - this system has speed! Some things are set up a little differently but my daughters and I have had no trouble adjusting. There are plenty of tutorials available so I don't expect any problem. You know what I like about this too? My tech guy could have charged me a lot of money to set me back up the way I was before. He could have charged me to do this free download and get me set up with Linux. I called around and was quoted nearly $200 by a well known tech group. My guy charged me $59.00. That was to salvage as much of my old files/info as he could (including bunches of photos) and to give me a disk, new cable and get it all up and running so I could take my tower home, plug it in and go. Oh, and he gave my daughter and I an in shop lesson, and showed me how to do some things myself should the need arise.

I want to get a second computer, and when I do, I will buy it from the tech shop that did this for me. I will refer everyone I know to them.

Well, enough of that. I am sooooo happy to be back up and running. See you all again soon!