MyTechBar » Discussion

Should I try linux?

Pedro Borges — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:36:49 +0000

I have to format my computer and I have heard that linux is a good OS. Should I stay with windows or try Linux? Is linux a good alternative? Should I do a Dual-boot with Linux on one partition, and Win XP on another partition?

Safer Internet Day

Ricardo Pimentel — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:16:59 +0000

Today we celebrate the 6th edition of Safer Internet Day. This event is organized by the European INSAFE which is a network of cooperation projects that promote awareness towards a safer use of Internet. One hundred and twenty organizations from over 50 countries, including Portugal, will promote actions of awareness about safer use of Internet.
The Insafe network will launch a Safer Internet Day virtual exhibition where you can visit the pavilions of participating countries.

Excel: A very powerful tool!

Pedro Borges — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:22:01 +0000

For companies everywhere, Excel is a must. For individuals it is very useful and adaptable. For people who will use it to almost its full potential, then it is worth learning and investing time and money into training. For individuals who just want to use its simple functions, choose something more basic and less expensive as you will probably never need or use its full capacity. In some ways Excel it is a victim of it’s own success. It is such a powerful tool that it is almost impossible to learn how to use it from a manual or from the help topics provided. It can do things that we can’t even spell the names for.

The Dangerous Internet

Pedro Borges — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:36:21 +0000

Whenever you download a program/file from the Internet or click on a pop-up ad, you are making yourself a prey to a malicious program which can even steal your web identity. Spyware and adware programs are not choosy. They can affect anyone’s computer. They invade your privacy, spoil the functionality of your computer, and slow down your system. Every single piece of information that you enter on the Internet can be caught by an unauthorized person or entity. It can even allow unauthorized websites to creep into your system. Every step you take on the Web can be tracked and watched by someone else without your prior permission. Then, the data obtained about you can be sold without your consent or your knowledge. Each and every day, hundreds of thousands of Internet users are infected with a Spyware or adware program.

I am looking out for ways to protect my system against these malicious matter…

Windows Vista isn’t a bad OS

Pedro Borges — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:31:29 +0000

But it’s had its problems. Not all were Microsoft’s fault, but Microsoft’s name is on the box. It’s Microsoft they’re going to blame. People paid good money for Vista expecting to receive a racehorse, and Microsoft sent them a pig in a wig instead. Giving Vista users a free upgrade to Windows 7 wouldn’t affect Microsoft that much. Many of them would upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate. Many of them would use Windows Live, and Office, and other Microsoft products. And when it’s time to buy a new PC, it might just keep them out of the Apple Store.

Microsoft won’t do it. But it should.

The importance of anti-virus software

Pedro Borges — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:47:35 +0000

The threat of computer viruses is constantly growing, which makes it ever more important that when you choose an anti-virus program for your computer, you choose the right one. There are many anti-virus programs available with some more popular than others but popularity is not essentially what should be factored in when choosing an anti-virus program for your computer.

What things should be considered when choosing one anti-virus for your computer?

Google launched Chrome, their own browser!

Pedro Borges — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:16:17 +0000

It will be able to take a significant slice of the browsers market pie, but will beat Firefox or IE? Well, it is definitely a yummy option for the hundreds of millions of Google users who will be prompted to install it through a web search results page, or any of the several Google products. This will of course impact Firefox and IE, but then users will really decide that. Will they compete? Will they merge? Will Firefox fade like Netscape did? Or will users simply reject chrome?

The web only benefits of more and more competition but my concern in the long term is: where do Google stop?

Free and Open Source Software in Education

Pedro Borges — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:44:54 +0000

For a while, schools’ choice of office suites was limited to Microsoft Office or … Microsoft Office. But a viable open-source option has emerged: OpenOffice.org. Should they consider OpenOffice as good alternative to Microsoft Office? Will it make sense?