Last January, I asked you what your list of first installs on a computer was. We all have our own suite of applications and utilities that enjoy first dibs on a new/reformatted PC, and easily hours are spent locating the apps’ homepages and clicking on their respective download links.
With Ninite however, the process is streamlined. Simply visit ninite.com, choose the applications you want, and the site builds a customized installer for your convenience. And theoretically, it gets even better: if you’re really familiar with slipstreaming additional software onto your Windows installation disc, you can integrate your customized installer into Windows setup, potentially allowing a computer that’s usable from the get-go once you log in to your new Windows installation for the first time!
Top 8 Programs That Can Make Your Computer Run Faster: "It’s a common problem among computer users: after a few months, our computers become weighed down by programs and all sorts of other junk, and inevitably become sluggish. For the less tech-savvy users, this may induce thoughts like “Why is my computer so terrible?” or “I guess I could always upgrade this… what-cha-ma-callit RAM thing”."
Fake antivirus software programs, also called rogue security software, are programs that seem to be antivirus programs when in fact they are not. They either are disguised viruses, trojans or try to sale another product to the user. Like “normal” trojans rogue security software is often difficulty to remove from a computer system as it usually uses background processes to protect uninstallation or tampering. Remove Fake Antivirus is a portable software program for the Windows operating system that has been designed to uninstall 27 different rogue antivirus software programs from the computer system. The following rogue security software programs can currently be removed with Remove Fake Antivirus:
Cyber Security
Alpha Antivirus
Braviax
Windows Police Pro
Antivirus Pro 2010
PC Antispyware 2010
FraudTool.MalwareProtector.d
Winshield2009.com
Green AV
Windows Protection Suite
Total Security 2009
Windows System Suite
Antivirus BEST
System Security
Personal Antivirus
System Security 2009
Malware Doctor
Antivirus System Pro
WinPC Defender
Anti-Virus-1
Spyware Guard 2008
System Guard 2009
Antivirus 2009
Antivirus 2010
Antivirus Pro 2009
Antivirus 360
MS Antispyware 2009
A click on the start button will initiate the process of removing these rogue security software programs from the computer system if they are installed. It starts by stopping running processes and removing the programs from the computer. The program seems to be updated fairly regularly by the software developer which makes it likely that new rogue antivirus programs will be added to future versions. Remove Fake Antivirus is available for download at the developer’s website. (via Raymond)
I would like to just share that I was afraid of Gmail at first too.Now I could not live without it.(That is a bit dramatic.I could live without it but it wouldn’t be as much fun)I didn’t want to move from Outlook to Gmail.My friend Ken Scott sent me an invitation and I created an account in November 2004.I didn’t actually start using it until July 2005.After I made the effort and I migrated my data I have never looked back.
I am going to deliver some specifics that I like about Gmail better than Outlook.I am going to speak specifically to the client and OWA.There is a point that collaboration using Exchange can be better than Google Apps.I highly recommend Google Apps and Gmail for the Small and Medium business but I will not get into that in this discussion.
The Web Interface:The Gmail web interface is a better product that OWA (Outlook Web Access) for the following reasons.
1.OWA Requires ActiveX and Internet Explorer for full functionality
2.Gmail is written in Ajax and works in all major browsers this makes Gmail available anywhere on a computer that has an internet connection.
3.Gmail is hands down a faster product.Not just by a little but it blows OWA out of the water in terms of speed.
Message Preview:
1.I like the message preview in Gmail.It gives the subject and the first words of the message.This makes the preview process a lot faster.It also prevents a virus encapsulated email from automatically running on your computer. (not that you would need that since Gmail filters for virus’s freely)
Spam Filtering:
1.The spam filtering in Gmail has always been more accurate than Outlook.It is very frustrating in Outlook when you find something in the Junk folder and tell Outlook that email from that specific sender is a safe sender and the next mail from that person still ends up in the Junk folder.
Labels VS Folders:
1.I love labels.They are more powerful than folders.Outlook has tried to enter into this by using Categories.Kudos to Microsoft for Trying.But the categories in Outlook only focus on contacts.Here is why I like labels.Let say I have purchased an SSL certificate for a client.When I receive the confirmation email I will then label the email as “Purchases” and “Client A” now if I want to search for that email two months from now I can do a search or go to the Purchases or Client A folder.
2.Colored Labels.I love the fact that I create rules for specific clients that whenever they send me an email they automatically get labeled and each label is a different color.This helps me find emails visually.
Nested Email Strings:
1.The nested email strings save so much space and time.An entire conversation with multiple people shows as a single email with parenthesis and the number of conversations in the thread.You can read the unread conversation or expand the entire thread if needed.Outlook breaks each of the emails into separate emails.If you have had a long conversation or a project conversation over an extended period of time those emails can end up all over the place.
2.The conversation in the inbox - Screenshot
3.The conversation Expanded - Screenshot
4.Each email does not get created new since it is nested with the previous conversation.This also saves space.
Google Labs
1.Google Labs rocks.You can go to the Google labs and add multiple applications that will make your Gmail do much more than email.
1.No more un-manageable and corruptible personal folders.
2.Google Apps free supports 7GB of email right now.
3.Google Apps Premium supports 25 GB.
Offline Copy
1.One of my concerns was that all of my email is online and if they go out of business or have a server failure all of my email is gone.Gmail has an offline version that will run in your browser even if you lose internet connectivity.
2.You can use Outlook and IMAP or 3rd party software to download a copy off all of your email.I actually use Outlook with IMAP to download a copy of all of my email and it retains my folder structure.
Gmail can be used in Outlook or Web Interface.
1.You can straddle the fence and use Outlook from your office and have the Web interface available to you on the road or at home.I have a client who uses Gmail this way.It is not my favorite way but they are the client.
Synchronization
1.For the Blackberry Google provides Google Sync with synchronizes Calendar, Contacts and email via IMAP.Blackberry also has a Gmail client.
2.For the Iphone Google does Exchange Active Sync for Email, Contacts and Calendar.
CONS:It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t list some Cons.
1.You can’t do envelope printing like you can with Word and Outlook.
a.You can do mail merges by exporting your contacts.
2.The tasks are not currently synchronized.( There may be some 3rd party software that can be purchased to synchronize tasks)
3.There are specific collaboration things that Gmail does well and doesn’t do well.(once again outside of the scope of this conversation)
