While discussing things of the Internet, somebody once asked me, "Do I need a cloud?" This question showed me once again how misunderstood the entire "cloud" concept is as regards the Internet, misunderstood even by so-called experts who really should know better....

Few computer users remain who don't know their computer should have some sort of antivirus protection. Whether it's a Windows PC or a once-thought-to-be-immune Apple Mac, good antivirus protection is a must-have. Like most things related to computer safety and...

Many times per week, sometimes many times a day, I get phone calls from concerned folks telling me the same story. The story starts with, "I got a call from Microsoft…" But, sometimes, the story begins with, "A message from Microsoft popped up on my screen…" A similar...

Last week, we looked at the current state of Internet tracking, where companies spy on your physical location and record your activities, building profiles on you that can be used for both good and bad purposes. Coincidentally, since then, in a suit brought by the...

The Internet certainly isn't what it was when I first got involved back in the early 1990s. What started mainly as a way to freely exchange information has morphed into a raging, multi-billion dollar money-grabbing machine. Few people realize how their lives are being...

2017 looks to be a year of ramped-up attacks by Internet crooks. As if 2016 didn't have its share of mind-boggling cyberattacks and billions of dollars stolen, look for online criminals to tighten the screws even further this year, demanding increased levels of...

Even though it’s just another turning of the globe, New Year’s Day is supposed to be symbolic of new beginnings, new directions, new resolve and an opportunity to start over. Those being the laudable ideas that they are, consider the following resolutions to give...

Last week, we looked at the causes of electric power failures and surges, and how bad these events can be for our sensitive electronic devices like computers, TVs, etc. Contrary to popular thinking, power outages caused by direct lightning strikes are rare, accounting...

Electronic devices like computers, TVs and smart phones are very picky about the kind of electricity used to make them run and/or charge their batteries. Use the wrong kind of electrical power and, poof, your fancy new laptop is now a fancy, new doorstop. As described...

Electronic devices like computers, TVs and smart phones are very picky about the kind of electricity used to make them run and/or charge their batteries. Use the wrong kind of electrical power and, poof, your fancy new laptop is now a fancy, new doorstop. This is...

Every year about this time I have to reassess the Internet Christmas shopping situation. Billions of dollars in electronic form are flying down wires, bouncing to and from orbiting satellites, through the air and across the Internet, more this time of year than any...

If your computer uses Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, and you are not prepared, you may be in for a shock, come next spring. Next spring, on April 11, 2017, Microsoft will end all support for its still widely-used Windows Vista operating system. That means...

With the holiday season bearing down on us, Internet scammers and spammers are ramping up their efforts to more effectively trick us out of our money. Some of my customers are already reporting an increase in deceptive emails that seem to be targeted directly at them....

When the subject of IT (Information Technology) comes up, many people immediately think of Silicon Valley, Seattle, or emerging "tech hubs" like Austin, TX. The fact is, technology is everywhere, and our entire society is now dependent on the Internet. Oklahoma is...

Do you remember the news stories from last week, October 21, describing how a large portion of the Internet came crashing down because of hacker attacks? I do. Did you also read the story from four weeks ago, October 1, that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)...

Yahoo hacked, 500 million accounts stolen. FBI chasing criminals invading US election computers. Oklahomans victims in Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield hack. Internet crooks holding family photos hostage. It seems every time you turn around, here comes another news story...

Would you put a firecracker in your hand, light the fuse and then simply watch the fuse burn down until the firecracker exploded in your hand? You know the firecracker is going to explode and hurt your hand. Why would you not do something to prevent that from...

Do you own a small business? If so, you are a favorite target of the Internet bad guys. Have you and your employees been trained in how to protect your computer systems from Internet criminals? When you take my free, one-night class, “Fight the Internet Bad Guys and...

Do you own a small business? If so, you are a favorite target of the Internet bad guys. More and more, they are moving away from well-prepared big businesses and stealing from small businesses, who are often unable to cope with even the most basic cyberattacks. Answer...

Anyone who’s read my columns for any length of time knows how I frown on people scattering their personal information around the Internet for all the world to see.  Two University of Illinois students recently learned a lesson the hard way as their Internet profiles,...