ETC Computerland

Welcome to our monthly round-up of tech tips, news and web wisdom.
If you have any questions you’d like us to address, please contact us at web@etccomputerland.com.

Don’t be fooled by Flash

Dean La Velle
Web Services Consultant

There is a wonderful product by Adobe Systems called Flash. It’s a tremendously powerful piece of graphical editing software that allows pros to create truly breathtaking illustrations, slideshows and video integrations.  It also allows these same folks to destroy your website and wreck your business.

Flash has many legitimate uses on a website -- to create a “gritty” image for a rock band, or to deliver high-end graphics to gamers or on movie sites, and most impressively, to deliver platform-independent video (think YouTube.com).

No one, however, should use Flash exclusively to build a website.  Unfortunately, many do. And in so doing, they eliminate many of the most effective features of the World Wide Web.  Using Flash will make it:

  • Extremely difficult for search engines to find, understand and rank your site (only Google & Yahoo can even “read” Flash sites)
  • Impossible for visitors to bookmark your site, or any page in it
  • Impossible to copy text from your website and paste it into an email or document – like your phone number, or property for sale, for instance
  • Impossible to use your “back” button to see earlier pages on the site

Other problems with Flash websites:

  • Designers tend to use – and overuse – sound effects. Remember, many of your website’s visitors will be at work and don’t want to announce to the office that they’re on your chainsaws-for-sale website
  • You’ll need to hire a Flash developer to make even the littlest change to your website
  • Designers tend to focus on image (“flash”) over substance. Instead of focusing on selling your product or service, most Flash designers will present you with eye-candy rather than an effective sales tool
  • Your visitors can’t simply print the page they’re looking at – that functionality has to build in (at extra expense)

So before you pay for that Flash website, remember, you’re getting a lot more than you bargained for – and it’s not a good thing!

 

WATCH OUT FOR Antivirus 2008 2009

Chris Stegner
Service Manager

Within the last month we at ETC ComputerLand have seen an explosion of computers infected with one or two varieties of spyware called antivirus 2008 and antivirus 2009.  This type of malware is known as “ransom ware”.  Ransom ware means that the spyware uses scare tactics to attempt to obtain credit card numbers from individuals.  A fake virus scan will initiate itself on a person’s computer.  This scan will return with a wide variety of spyware and viruses.  The user is then presented with a screen that states for just $19.95 this program will take care of all of the viruses.  Unfortunately, this is just a scam to harvest credit card numbers.

One of the ways to contract this spyware is by going to websites with slightly misspelled names *DO NOT GO TO THESE SITES* such as http://www.ebya.com or http://www.yahooo.com etc. Antivirus 2009 also can hijack good WebPages to propagate itself.

One of the key ways to spot ransom ware is on the screen for the End-User License Agreement (EULA) *The part of a standard software installation that makes you click next a lot and then I Agree.  You will usually not see an option to disagree, and it will be very hard to find the corporation responsible for the software listed in the EULA. Finally, the uninstall option will generally not work, and the installed software will probably not even be listed on the uninstall screen.

Call a tech or a computer savvy user to help you out if you fear you may be a victim of ransom ware.  We at ETC ComputerLand can help you determine if you need the software in question. 

Be careful out there.

 

Why Email Starts Fights!

Chris Simmons
Marketing Coordinator

Edward Muzio, CEO & President of Group Harmonics recently explained why the best messages to communicate via email are “facts” or “data”.  The reason?  Words only represent 7% of the overall intended message.  A person’s tone makes up 38%, and visual cues make up 55% of what we say.  This is why emails are so often misunderstood.  With email a person’s tone or visual cues are missing from the intended message.

So if tone or visual cues are needed in communicating an emotional or sensitive issue, say it in person or pick up the phone.

 

Congratulations Northeast Missouri Rural Health Network!Community Foundation of Quincy

As many of you may already know, GiFT is a monthly computer and technology giveaway sponsored by ETC ComputerLand to benefit local not-for-profit tax-exempt agencies who are in good standing with the state of Illinois and/or Missouri and whose principal offices are within 30 miles of Quincy, IL, and Kirksville, MO.

Click here for instructions on setting up a monthly reminder to sign up for GiFT.

REGISTER NOW!

December Features
Don't be fooled by Flash
WATCH OUT FOR Antivirus 2008 2009
Why Email Starts Fights!
GiFT
Archived Newsletters
Presidium

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