4 Free Things Every Computer User Should Have.
Whether for business or professional use, these are the top four things that I always find myself recommending.
The first is Dropbox. No matter how easy software and hardware manufacturers try to make computer networking and file sharing, the technology still remains out-of-reach for most normal computer users without help from technology professionals. Dropbox pushes all the complexity aside, allowing people to share files with different devices, and different people, all by installing one little program. It also acts as an off-site backup, giving an additional layer of security for your important files. Easy-to-use, accessible from computers and smart-phones, and a great, cheap, safe backup solution, Dropbox always makes my list of most-recommended products.
The next must-have software is Malwarebytes. Without question the most important tool in my, and many other technology professional’s arsenal in the fight against viruses and malware. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING is better when trying to clean an infected computer. Take it from someone who makes their living removing malware, anti-virus software is not enough. I’ve never removed a malware infection from a computer that did NOT have an anti-virus product installed. The first thing a good piece of malware does is either hide itself from the anti-virus, or actually disable the anti-virus product. The first thing I do when confronting an infection is install Malwarebytes. In over 70% of the cases, it’s all I have to do. Save yourself some time, and money, get Malwarebytes. If you ever are the unfortunate victim of a malware infection on your computer, before you call the professional, do yourself the favor of running Malwarebytes. You might just find that you fixed the problem yourself.
As malware removal accounts for almost half my business here on Pine Island, I have one more product that I strongly urge anyone who uses the internet to take advantage of. OpenDNS. While the subject is rather complicated, and full of technical jargon that is bound to bore most normal folks to tears, I feel that the OpenDNS service is important enough to risk it. Without delving too deeply into the subject, OpenDNS offers a method of filtering your web traffic before it ever reaches your computer, providing a way of stopping a potential infection before it starts. Their website does an incredible job of explaining what it is, and how it works, and most importantly, in easy to follow steps, it will show you how to take advantage of their free service. An important thing to keep in mind is that when dealing with malware, there is no silver bullet that will keep us 100% safe. Everything we can do, anti-virus, firewalls, Malwarebytes, and OpenDNS, all of these things provide only a paper-thin layer of protection. But when used in conjunction, all of these products add up to a thicker layer that can help mitigate the threats that await us. Keep in mind, however, the thickest layer of protection is us. Learning how to develop safe web-surfing habits, and learning how to recognize suspicious activity, is the most important defense in our fight.
My last recommendation is directed mostly at small business owners. Many of us already use Gmail, it is a great free email service. Many people do not realize, however, that Google has really taken things to a whole new, business-friendly level with Google Apps. The service is free for up to 10 users, making it ideal for small business looking for a robust, flexible, easy to use email and calender system. It allows you to use your own domain name, such as mine, tarpontech.net, as the basis for your email accounts, like my adam@tarpontech.net, but your email is handled by gmail, so that you can log into any computer or device to check email. But that is only the beginning. I work with many small businesses that are looking for a method of sharing calenders and documents, as well as have the ability to share email and email account access. In the past, we had to rely on expensive hardware and software solutions, often running into the ten’s of thousands of dollars. Now, Google Apps does everything these other solutions accomplish, and more. Whether you are a service manager looking for an easy way to keep appointments scheduled for multiple employees, an executive assistant trying to keep your employer organized, or a small office who is just trying to look more professional, Google Apps is the answer. On top of ease of use, and the ability to access it from anywhere, it removes the concern of backing up your email, as everything is hosted by Google, so even if a computer dies, you won’t skip a beat when you need to get to your email or scheduling calender, all you’ll need is another computer with internet access. While I strongly recommend you leverage an IT professional to help set-up your Google Apps account, if you have a little tech savvy, and a little bit of time, I found the setup process relatively painless.
Here’s a list of links for the products
