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The
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Greetings from
Polar's E-Connections Team
We think
you'll find the information contained in this newsletter to be a valuable
tool for enhancing your Internet experience. If, however, you'd prefer not to
receive these bulletins on a monthly basis, click HERE. |
The Blaster Worm - Protecting Your Computer
Microsoft has inadvertently
left openings or "holes" in many of its Windows-based computer
operating systems, i.e. Windows 2000, Windows XP. Creators of viruses and worms
have the ability to then exploit these vulnerabilities by creating
"malware" (short for malicious software) to attack people's computers
-- gaining access to users' operating systems through these holes.
The recent spread of the Blaster Worm was a wake-up call for everyone using a
computer that utilizes a Windows operating system. Microsoft is aware of the
problems these holes cause and has gone to great lengths to notify its
customers of remedies -- even going so far as buying full-page ads in recent
issues of the USA Today newspaper.
Microsoft encourages its customers (as do we) to go to http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
to learn more about how to protect your computer against future outbreaks
of worms such as Blaster. The site provides information on:
- Hardware and Software Firewalls
Suggestions are provided for older versions of Windows. Windows XP already has a firewall as part of its software. This site provides a tutorial on how to activate it. - Operating System and Security Updates
Microsoft no longer provides support for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE or Windows NT. (If you do not know what operating system your computer is using, the site provides a link to assist you in figuring this out.) Microsoft encourages you to upgrade your operating system to a current version of Windows XP. If you have a newer version of Windows, the site gives you step-by-step instructions on how to download recent security updates (patches). - Up-To-Date Antivirus Software
Although we've taken steps at our shop to help protect you from worms, viruses and spam, the ultimate responsibility remains with each individual user. Viruses and worms are not only spread via the Internet but also through computer networks, floppy disks, CDs, etc. Both Microsoft and we, your ISP, recommend that you install antivirus software onto each of your computers and that you download the most recent updates on a consistent basis. If you've ever been infected by a computer virus or worm, you know it's well worth the investment.
We're here
to assist you in making your Internet experience both enriching and fun. We
encourage you to simply take a few safety measures on a regular basis so that
you'll be able to continue to utilize and enjoy the Internet.
FREE - High Speed
Internet
Want FREE HIGH SPEED INTERNET from Polar?
Watch for our special at the end of this month!!
Ask The Help Desk - What
Do The Various Parts Of A Web Address Mean?
Question: I was wondering what all the parts of a website
address mean? They look like some sort of secret code.
Answer: It is a type of code but it's really no secret. Let's take
a look at a fictitious website address: http://www.yourdomainhere.com. A
website address is called a URL which stands for Universal Resource Locater. So
when someone wants you to send them a URL, they're asking you to send them the
address for the web page. Here's how this URL breaks down.
http - This is the protocol for the address. The "http" stands
for HyperText Transfer Protocol. It tells you that the address is using the
http "scheme" or technique to transfer web pages to you. It's the
most common protocol in use. Another common method is FTP or File Transfer
Protocol which is used for downloading files.
www - This stands for World Wide Web or the Web.
yourdomainhere.com - This is the name of the domain of the website and
the computer that hosts the website. Every site has a different name.
.com - This part of the domain name of the URL is called the
"zone." There are several different zones available but the most
commonly used one is .com (COMmercial). There are also zones for organizations
(.org), for network providers (.net), and for countries (.uk - for United
Kingdom).
What about the stuff that comes after the zone? Those are often the names of
folders that contain graphics or pages or the names of pages themselves. Pages
will have an ending like .htm or .html. Pictures have names ending in .gif or
.jpg among others. Folder names have no endings and are surrounded by slashes.
So, a page in a folder would look something like this...
http://www.yourdomainhere.com/webpages/articles.html. This means an html
page named articles.html is in the folder named "webpages"
on the host machine yourdomainhere.com on the World Wide Web
using HyperText Transfer Protocol. It's not too complicated once you
know the code.
Great Sites To Check Out This Month
Web Cams Of Fall Foliage
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/fallcolor/cams.html -
Autumn is a beautiful time of the year to do some traveling around North
America and get outdoors to see the many colors of nature. The vibrant foliage
on display by many types of trees and shrubs can be breathtaking. To get a
glimpse of what's out there, check out the links to the many web cams located
across the U.S. via the University of Illinois Extension Office's website. It's
the next best thing to being there.
Good Boy! - The Movie
http://goodboy.com/ - Jim
Henson Pictures (Henson is the guy who created The Muppets) and MGM have
partnered in the production and distribution of a new action movie called
"Good Boy!" The dogs featured in the film are a combination of actual
animals, special effects and CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery). Voiceover talent
includes Matthew Broderick and Carl Reiner. Check out the movie trailer located
on the movie's homepage. It looks like a great show for the entire family. It's
rated PG because of some mild crude humor.
Costumes For Halloween Or Pretend Play
http://kidsdomain.com/craft/_hcostume.html -
Are you looking for some ideas on making homemade Halloween costumes for the
kids this year? Well, this is just the site for you. It includes a listing of
needed materials as well as step-by-step instructions for over forty different
costume ideas. Whether your youngster wants to be a ladybug, a pizza slice,
Superman or a duck -- this site can help you out.
National Anthems From Around The Globe
http://imagesoft.net/flags/anthems.html -
There's no need to wait until the next Olympic Games to listen to the national
anthems of countries from around the globe. This site lists over 180 countries.
Simply turn up the sound on your computer and click on the country of choice.
Check out Liechtenstein's national anthem. Does it sound familiar?
Major League Baseball's World Series
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/ps/index.jsp -
This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Major League Baseball's World Series.
This site provides links to current and past postseason results, photo
galleries of dramatic playoff and World Series moments, listings of champions
by year and by club, listings of all-time batting and pitching leaders in World
Series history and much more. Let's play ball!
Short Tutorial - Deleting
Bookmarked Favorites From Your Browser
If you've been surfing the Internet awhile, you've no doubt
saved lots of your favorite websites on your browser using the
"Favorites" feature of your Internet Explorer browser. (These are
called "Bookmarks" when using a Netscape browser.) After time,
however, many of these sites are no longer of interest to you and you may want
to remove some of them from your list of bookmarked sites. To do so, follow the
steps below.
Windows Operating System and Internet Explorer Browser:
- Click your cursor arrow on the "Favorites"
menu on the menu bar.
- Select "Organize Favorites" from the
drop-down menu. The "Organize Favorites" window will appear.
- On the left side are four buttons, one of which
enables you to delete favorites. To delete a bookmarked web page, select
it by clicking on its name.
- Click your cursor arrow on the "Delete"
button. A dialog box will appear asking if you are sure you want to send
the link to the Recycle bin.
- Click "yes."
Macintosh
(OSX) Operating System and Internet Explorer 5.2 Browser:
- Click your cursor arrow on "Favorites" on
the menu bar.
- Drop down to "Organize Favorites" from the
resulting drop-down menu. The Favorites list window will appear.
- Select a favorite you want to delete by clicking your
cursor arrow on it.
- Press the "Delete" key on your keyboard to
remove the web page from the Favorites list.
- Repeat this procedure for as many favorites as you
wish to delete and then click "Close" to get back to your
original browser window.
If you
are using a Netscape browser with Windows or Mac OS9, follow this procedure:
- Click your cursor arrow on "Bookmarks" in
the Communicator menu.
- Drop down to "Edit Bookmarks" from the
drop-down menu. The "Bookmarks" window will appear.
- Select a bookmark that you want to delete by clicking
your cursor arrow on it.
- Press the "Delete" key on your keyboard to
remove the web page from the Bookmarks list.
We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It's
our way of keeping you posted on the happenings at our shop. If, however, you'd
prefer not to receive these bulletins on a monthly basis, click HERE.
Thanks for your business!
Best regards,
The E-Connections
Team
Polar E-Connections
©2003 Cornerstone Publishing Group Inc.
Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this eNewsletter are
trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective owners.