Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the more frequently asked IT questions and their answers are listed below.

• What is IT Consulting?

  •     IT stands for Information Technology.  By that we mean Personal Computers, servers, printers, hand-held computing devices, Internet connections, and the networks that connect all of these things.  Our consulting includes teaching you how to use the things you already have, fixing the things that are broken, installing upgrades, expanding your systems, implementing security, or just about anything you need.  We don't stop at just telling you what to do, we can actually do it for you.  We can be as hands-on as you want, or as unobtrusive as you need.  You're the boss.

• Who are your clients?

  •     We work for you.  Most of our clients are small businesses that don't have a dedicated IT staff.  Some of our clients have only 1 or 2 PCs, while others have several servers and a larger network of computers.  Occasionally we will have a client that would like us to work on their home PC.  This is not a problem for us.

• I'm completely lost.  Can you help me?

  •     You bet!  We can sit down with you, one-on-one, and answer your questions.  We'll show you how to use your computer, and then how to use it more efficiently.  Whatever your skill level, we can help you understand your computer better.

• Should I use CD-R discs or CD-RW discs?

  •     That depends.  If your CD burner can't write CD-RW discs, you'll have to use CD-R discs.  CD-RW discs are made to be reusable, and can be erased and reused up to 40 times.  They also tend to cost a bit more.  CD-R discs are inexpensive and designed to be used only once.  Most computers are capable of reading CD-R discs, but many won't be able to read CD-RW discs.  Because of this, if you are burning a CD to give to someone else, you probably want to use a CD-R and close the disc.  If you are backing up files and plan to reuse the same disc several times, you want to use a CD-RW disc.

• What are viruses, worms, and Trojan horses?

  •     The Symantec Security Response (formerly the Symantec Antivirus Resource Center) web site has an excellent FAQ on this and other related topics.

• I already have antivirus software.  I bought it a long time ago, or it came already installed when I bought my computer.  That's all I need, right?

  •     Wrong.  Most antivirus software includes a year of free "definition updates", but some "pre-installed" antivirus software will only allow updates for a few months.  In either case, if the allotted time has expired, you absolutely need to purchase a new definition "subscription."  You simply can not afford to use old definitions to try to stop viruses.  Several new viruses are discovered nearly every day.  Sooner or later, you'll become infected.  Even if you've been renewing your subscription every year, you may need to replace your old software version.  Sometimes a new type of virus or worm is discovered that can't be described well enough by a definition, and the software itself has to be upgraded in order to detect it.  Vendors may also add features that you may find desirable, such as the ability to detect and remove spyware, but the new features are only available if you buy the newer version.

• Can I just use an "online" virus scanner?

  •     No, these products don't do a full job.  They will usually do a good job of removing a virus once you've been infected, but they don't do anything to prevent you from becoming infected in the first place.  Use the online scanners to get a second opinion, but definitely buy a full antivirus product and keep it up to date.

• I don't download files from the Internet and I don't swap disks with anyone, so I don't need antivirus software on my computer, right?

  •     Wrong.  While that may have once been true, today you only need to connect to a network to be potentially exposed to a virus.  Of course, the biggest network of them all is the Internet, and most computers connect to the Internet from time to time.

• What if I  can't afford antivirus software?

  •     If you're a home users, and you don't use your computer to run a business from your home, you may be able to install and use some FREE antivirus software.  There usually isn't any tech support available for the free stuff, so if you don't know your way around your computer, you might want to just pay for commercial software, such as Norton Antivirus.  Check out the Links page for some links to the free stuff.  Business users should always look to commercial software, but talk to your accountant about possible write-offs for computer equipment and software.

• I already have the latest antivirus software.  That's all I need to worry about, right?

  •     Wrong.  You also need to update the operating system and other programs that run on your computer.  A great place to start would be the Microsoft Windows Update site.  You should also consider some type of firewall, especially if you have a broadband Internet connection.

• How can I tell if an E-mail warning about a virus is a hoax?

  •     Please refer to the Symantec Security Response HOAX page for more information.  Other good sources of information are the Hoaxbusters Home Page and the Urban Legends Reference Pages.

• I deleted a program with a teddy bear icon (Jdbgmgr.exe) because a friend warned me that it was a virus.  Now I found out that it was just a hoax.  How do I get the program back?  Do I need it?  What does it do?

  •     In most cases, you probably don't need to worry about this, although you should have learned a lesson or two about hoaxes.  For more information please refer to this link.  If you absolutely need to restore the file, please refer to this link.

• Why should I get a high speed Internet connection, if I'm happy with dialup?.

  •     You don't HAVE to get high speed Internet, but if you do, there is so much more you could do with it.  You can update your operating system faster, download antivirus definitions faster, send and receive files faster, etc.

• Isn't high speed Internet access expensive?

  •     High speed Internet connections do generally cost more than a regular dialup connection, but that cost may be offset by certain other factors.  In some cases you may even be able to save money.  Are you paying for an additional, dedicated phone line for dialup access?  Do you have a local ISP, or do toll charges apply?  Does you ISP charge additional fees if you go over your allotted amount of connection time per month?

• How much faster is "broadband" Internet vs. dialup?

  •     In our area, Mediacom is now offering cable modem service at 3 Mbps download, or about 3000 Kbps.  Qwest DSL is now available at 1.5 Mbps, or about 1500 Kbps.  That's roughly half the speed of the cable modem service, but DSL generally has faster uploads.  Compared to dialup, both of those numbers ROCK!  Considering that your average 56 Kbps modem really only has an average transfer rate of about 33 Kbps, you can see that broadband can be, roughly, 50 to 100 times faster.  Once you get a taste for broadband in your home or office, you'll wonder why you put up with that old modem for so long.

• I don't think high speed Internet is available in my area.  Is it?

  •     You might be surprised.  There are many high speed Internet carriers today.  While some services may not be available to you, others might.  Besides cable modem and DSL, there is also satellite technology (available to just about everyone, but targeted toward rural areas where other forms of broadband aren't available).  In some areas, companies today are using variations on wireless technologies to bring high speed internet to places not otherwise accessible.  There are a few  local areas where Fiber To The Home (FTTH) is available.  In some limited parts of the country we're starting to see a strange beast called BPL, which stands for Broadband over Power Lines.  This is broadband that actually uses the power lines to bring high speed internet access to any AC outlet in your home.  Costs, services and actual speeds vary, but if you want high speed Internet access, you can probably get it.

• What is Spyware?

  •     Spyware is a term used to describe software that transmits personally identifiable information from your computer to some place on the Internet without your specific knowledge.  If that wasn't bad enough, much of this software is buggy and can cause your computer to behave oddly, slow down, or simply crash.

• How can I reduce the amount of spam getting into my inbox?

  •     The Federal Trade Commission has a very good article about this.  In addition, you may wish to consider installing anti-spam software.  Anti-spam software can be installed on each computer, or if your business has its own email server, there is software that can stop spam right at the gateway.  Another great place for information, including hints for reducing unwanted PAPER junk mail and unwanted phone calls is here.

• Do you have a list of your PGP public keys?

  •     Yes.  Please refer to the PGP Keys page for more information.