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This page contains some information that is mostly helpful for the customer with computer problems and information about computers that the customer might need.
Speedtest
This is a link to an internet speed test site. This is not always an accurate interpretation of how fast your connection is. There are variables that effect speed from time to time. This is, however, an excellent way to see if you are having a problem somewhere. I do not believe that putting a test server in our office gives you accurate internet speed test ability. A good speed test would be to Dallas or Chicago. Not too far away, but not right in the office either.
Speakeasy Speedtest
Free Software
This page itself has a lot of free software. There is a site that has alot of freeware that is useful to customers. Majorgeeks.com is a safe site that has alot of powerful freeware and shareware. There isn't much adware.. but if a product is adware, it is stated in the desciption.
Major Geeks
browsers
A browser is what you use to display web pages on your computer. Firefox is a very popular web browser, and for good reason. Firefox is built following standards that have been set for web browsers to follow. Internet Explorer does not follow these standards. Firefox is more efficient than Internet Explorer and has literally hundreds of features that Internet Explorer doesn't have. Internet Explorer has been known to also have security problems that can be very profound. Unless you have some very important reason to use it, I advise against it. It is generally found to be insecure, unstable, and featureless compared to other browsers.
Firefox
Opera
mail clients
Email clients generally all work about the same. Outlook Express is generally provided with a Windows computer. You are welcomed to use this, but there are many security problems with Outlook Express, and it also doesn't have as many features as several other clients that are available for free. Microsoft Outlook is more secure, and has more features but is fairly expensive. Thunderbird is very well made mail client that sports many features over the Microsoft programs, and is generally more secure. The trade off is features, and you know you want features.
Thunderbird
security
A Windows system needs to have a firewall of some sort enabled. If you are using Windows XP, there is a firewall built-in. Click "Start" and go to "Control Panel" and find the "Network Connections" icon and double click it. Right click on the "Local Area Connection" icon and go to "Properties", then to the "Advanced Tab". The firewall settings are here. Many of the popular Antivirus Software companies have firewalls either built in to their suite or available. There are several free firewalls for Windows, and you can see some of my favorites here:
Lavasoft Firewall (anything from lavasoft is good)
Sygate Person Firewall
adware and spyware
Adware and spyware are commonly found on customers computers when I install the dsl, and I usually do my best to remove it if it is causing a noticeable problem. The software I usually use is free for personal use and available here:
Ad-aware
Winsock Fix
Sometimes there are problems with the winsock after removing adware and spyware from your computer. The program below will help fix this problem. It is a good idea to download it before running a removal tool.
Winsock Fix For windows Xp.
antivirus
Antivirus software from Norton has become nearly useless in my opinion. The statement, "Well this is Norton Corporate Edition" is an ignorant statement. Corporate Editions of software only change the licensing of the software, not the functionality. You don't get better Windows XP just because it is corporate. You just have a different license. So, don't let someone tell you that just because they sold you a corporate version of something that it is going to work better. In fact, be leery of someone selling you corporate software, as it is probably not legal for you to have it.
Check out this guy's interpretation of what I am saying here.
Generally the free and open version of most software is better than the enterprise software (yes, even corporate!!). There are several antivirus venders that offer free antivirus solutions to personal users. Remember, these companies need support to keep offering their services for free, so if you were buying Norton, McAfee, or another Antivirus for 30 or 40 or 50 dollars a year, maybe you should try these for a few months, and if you like them show them some love. They are usually cheaper anyway. Here are a few:
Antivir (my personal favorite)
AVG (very popular with customers)
ClamAV (originally for unix, now has a windows port)
office
Microsoft Office costs a lot of money. Just for a word processor, presentation software, spreadsheet software, and so on... it is nearly $250. This seems outrageous to me. OpenOffice is a free and open source Microsoft Office alternative that can do everything Microsoft Office can and several things it can't do. OpenOffice has a word processor, presentation software, spreadsheet software, diagram graphics software, database software, and a mathematical equation software. You can output documents to several different formats including PDF and flash. You can use it to open and edit Microsoft Office documents, or create documents that others can view and edit with Microsoft Office.
OpenOffice.org
graphics
Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw are good products, but cost nearly a fortune. GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program, and can do anything that Photoshop and Corel Draw can do. It even supports the Photoshop plugins that Adobe and its users make. It features layers for profession editing, and supports every image format known. It also has several very useful scripts that make the most difficult effects easy.
GIMP
Anti-Spam
This is not a program for stopping spam. It is actually an attack against spam. Some spammers use programs that search webpages and find email addresses. By linking to this page, when a spam program searches our homepage and follows the link, their database will fill up with useless information. I think this is a good idea. Fight spam with spam. Spam filtering will be coming to mptelco soon enough.
Anti Spam
Movies
Liberty Theater in Carnegie Oklahoma is the oldest continually operated theater in Oklahoma. It has been remodeled on the inside and is a very nice theater. They have the best chili dogs I have personally ever eaten. Movies cost only $3.50 and drinks are only $1.00. The dogs are $1.75, and they make it well worth the visit.
Liberty Theatre
Eli Vaughan
This is my personal website. Content is mostly technical/boring stuff that i have done and will be doing. It is going to be full of information, written in my own eli language, and should never have anything vulgar, so anyone is welcomed to check it out.
elivaughan.com
Wichita Mountain Lodge - Evanna Betcher
Wichita Mountain Lodge is an awesome place. It has a beautiful view and is a lovely place to spend a weekend. Owned and operated by Evanna Betcher, you are sure to have a wonderful time. Check out the website for more information.
Wichita Mountain Lodge - Evanna Betcher
White Wolf Acres
White Wolf Acres breeds miniature cattle locally. The site was build by Kenny Stickel, for his grandpa Gary Howell. Gary is the owner, and breeder. The site has picture galleries, and showcases local auctions.
WhiteWolfAcres
News
Digg.com is an excellent news site that is driven by its users. An article gets submitted to Digg and, if it gets enough "Diggs", it ends up on the front page.This makes for the most interesting news come up first. It also gives the Digg user the chance to have a voice. The articles you like, you can Digg and contribute to. I also use it as my bookmark site. By Digging an article, it is in my Digg user Profile, and I can access it from anywhere. Sweet!
Digg.com
Putty
Putty is a free ssh client for winders.
Putty.exe
Java Policy Install
Java 2 Runtime
Launcher Policy File
Windows XP Service Pack 2
Full Installer
Open VPN Windows Clients
Run Only GUI
GUI Tool without change password ability
Full Installer
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