Login   |   What the?

Welcome to the CyberGuru newsletter!

This has been sent to clients, prospective clients, family and friends who have used or shown an interest in CyberGuru's computer solutions.

Information on how to unsubscribe appears at the bottom of this email.

We hope you enjoy this email and look forward to serving your computer solutions needs in the future.

In this issue:

A word from the Chief Guru: Christmas Wishes from CyberGuru

Ten years ago, in 1997, when CyberGuru commenced operations, the internet was very different to how it is today. Technological advances in broadband and speed have enabled more of our population to experience a different world.

A few weeks ago I was shown a video on YouTube titled "Did You Know 2.0"

(also known as "Shift Happens"), it features facts about the growth of the world's population and knowledge in the information age, particularly via the internet and the world wide web. Quoting from the video, it says that "world is changing rapidly", and that we are "living exponential times". The video was quite moving and had several messages for the viewer, so I thought I would share some of the value information I learned:

- Years for a market audience of 50 million - radio: 38 years, television: 13, computer: 4.
- Number of internet devices: in 1984 - 1,000, 1992: 1,000,000, 2006: 600,000,000.
- At the time of the production of the video, there were over 2.7 billion searches on Google per month.
- If MySpace were a country it would be 8th largest on the planet.
- The amount of technical information is currently doubling every two years, by the year 2010 new information is expected to double every 72 hours.

The video is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U. It is a little over eight minutes long, it is highly recommended viewing. For more information on this video, please visit http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com.

As another successful year draws to a close, we would like to thank you for your continued support and custom this year, and look forward to working with you again in 2008. We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Rather than sending out Christmas Cards this year, the money saved from printing and posting cards will be donated to Christmas hampers for the St Vincent De Paul Society. Please view our Christmas card from us to you, available from http://www.cyberguru.com.au/christmascard2007.htm.

We hope you enjoy this special bumper edition of the CyberGuru Newsletter, our final one for 2007. If you would like to learn more about the computer solutions CyberGuru provides or if there's anything CyberGuru can do to assist you or your organisation now or in the future, please contact us.

Chris Jeffery
Proprietor/Chief Guru

Since our last issue of the CyberGuru Newsletter, Microsoft launched what is known as "Windows Live Wave 2", and a suite of new products free of charge.

You may be familiar with some of the Windows Live products already, such as Hotmail, Messenger and Spaces, however as part of the "Wave 2" launch, Microsoft has continued to integrate these with other online services such as MSN Video and develop enhancements in programs provided within Windows such as Photo Gallery and Mail. In addition, there are some new services, including Writer and Events.

For more information on Windows Live, visit http://www.windowslive.com. To download the Windows Live Suite (where you can download Mail, messenger, Photo Gallery, Writer, Toolbar and OneCare Family Safety as a package), visit http://get.live.com.

If you have children, you may be concerned about what they are accessing on the internet, particularly over the upcoming holiday season. Some years ago, the Australian Government introduced an initiative titled "NetAlert", designed to protect families online. As stated on the NetAlert website, "NetAlert is part of the Australian Government's ongoing commitment to providing a safe online environment for all families, especially children."

The website provides a range of features including advice about protecting children online, information about free internet content filters (including the ability to download or order a free filter), or make a complaints about content on the internet, or report internet activity that is inappropriate or illegal.

The Australian Government NetAlert website can be found at http://www.netalert.gov.au.

This article is available from our Hints, Tips and Tricks page at http://www.cyberguru.com.au/helpdesk_hintstipstricks.htm.

A couple of Christmas seasons ago, the CyberGuru Newsletter provided some fun and interesting downloads. To get you through the next holiday season, here are some more downloads. Please note that CyberGuru cannot assist in the installation or running of these downloads nor be liable for any problem which may result from the use of this software. Please contact the publisher of the download for further assistance.

This article is available from our Hints, Tips and Tricks page at http://www.cyberguru.com.au/helpdesk_hintstipstricks.htm.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is a popular antivirus product that is used on many home and non-commercial PCs.  

Please note we do not recommend this product, and are therefore unable to support it. However some clients have requested some basic information to download and install it as an alternative to other programs we recommend such as Symantec Norton Internet Security, Symantec Norton 360 or Avast Home Edition.

This how-to guide is available from our How-to Guides page at http://www.cyberguru.com.au/helpdesk_howtoguides.htm.

With security such a big issue in computers these days, it is essential that all computer users have installed on their computer a firewall to prevent hackers gaining unlawful entry into your computer.

Whilst we previously recommended ZoneAlarm, the free version does not support home networks, whereas Comodo Firewall Pro is free for commercial use and supports networks.

This how-to guide is available from our How-to Guides page at http://www.cyberguru.com.au/helpdesk_howtoguides.htm.

Windows Vista enables you to easily import your photos and videos from your digital camera using AutoPlay and Windows Photo Gallery.

This how-to guide is available from our How-to Guides page at http://www.cyberguru.com.au/helpdesk_howtoguides.htm.

For several Christmases now, CyberGuru has been offering new and current CyberGuru Hosting and Design clients a free $50 credit from Google AdWords towards their ad campaign to start acquiring new customers. 

For the third year in a row, the offer has returned for clients who would like to see for themselves how effective Google AdWords advertising can be thanks to a business partner, Ilisys Web Hosting.

Google AdWords ads only appear to people who are actively seeking information that's relevant to the products and services being advertised.

These ads enable you to convert targeted prospects into customers by appearing in the right place, and engaging them at precisely the right moment. The fact that these prospects are online, actively reading pages and using search terms related to your product or service means they're likely to be interested in what you have to offer. It also means they're likely to act by clicking on your ad to visit your site for more information or to make a purchase.

For more information and to activate your $50 credit, please visit http://www.cyberguru.com.au/solutions_design_web_publicity_googleadwords.htm and complete your details. Our friendly AdWords professionals will be in touch with you to help you set up your campaign.

Looking for a Christmas present for someone new to computers? CyberGuru is selling some second-hand computers, including a Compaq Armada E500 laptop with docking station, running Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Office XP and Norton security protection products. All computers are complete and fully installed and are in good working order and would be an ideal machine for a new computer user or student.

Unfortunately, these computers are provided "as-is" and therefore no technical support or warranty is provided.

Full specifications and pricing is available upon request. If you are interested, please contact us.

1. Anywhere you hang your @ is home.

2. The e-mail of the species is deadlier than the mail.

3. A journey of a thousand sites begins with a single click.

4. You can't teach a new mouse old clicks.

5. Great groups from little icons grow.

6. Speak softly and carry a cellular phone.

7. C:\ is the root of all directories.

8. Don't put all your hypes in one home page.

9. Pentium wise; pen and paper foolish.

10. The modem is the message.

11. Too many clicks spoil the browse.

12. The geek shall inherit the earth.

13. A chat has nine lives.

14. Don't byte off more than you can view.

15. Fax is stranger than fiction.

16. What boots up must come down.

17. Windows will never cease.

18. In Gates we trust.

19. Virtual reality is its own reward.

20. Modulation in all things.

21. A user and his leisure time are soon parted.

22. There's no place like http://www.home.com 23. Know what to expect before you connect.

24. Oh, what a tangled website we weave when first we practice.

25. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to use The Net and he won't bother you for weeks.

For the first bug of Christmas, my manager said to me See if they can do it again.

For the second bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.

For the third bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.  

For the fourth bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Run with the debugger Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.

For the fifth bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Ask for a dump Run with the debugger Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again. 

For the sixth bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Reinstall the software Ask for a dump Run with the debugger Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.

For the seventh bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Say they need an upgrade Reinstall the software Ask for a dump Run with the debugger Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.

For the eighth bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Find a way around it Say they need an upgrade Reinstall the software Ask for a dump Run with the debugger Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.

For the ninth bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Blame it on the hardware Find a way around it Say they need an upgrade Reinstall the software Ask for a dump Run with the debugger Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.

For the tenth bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Change the documentation Blame it on the hardware Find a way around it Say they need an upgrade Reinstall the software Ask for a dump Run with the debugger Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.

For the eleventh bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Say it's not supported Change the documentation Blame it on the hardware Find a way around it Say they need an upgrade Reinstall the software Ask for a dump Run with the debugger Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.

For the twelfth bug of Christmas, my manager said to me Tell them it's a feature Say it's not supported Change the documentation Blame it on the hardware Find a way around it Say they need an upgrade Reinstall the software Ask for a dump Run with the debugger Try to reproduce it Ask them how they did it and See if they can do it again.