ASC Newsletter

Must have downloads:
Refer to my downloads page to get these critical applications!

In this issue:

►eWaste event in Santa Barbara

►Do you know what Phishing is?

►Restore transparent background for icon labels

►Stop taking my icons away!

When was the last time you had your computer cleaned?

Call for an appointment!
(805) 968-6366

Ad-Aware 2007

eWaste event in Santa Barbara

Is your garage overflowing with electronic waste items (computer parts, monitors, keyboards, TV's, etc.)? If so, this is your weekend!

On Sunday, July 29th and Monday July 30th, Electronic Waste Management is hosting a FREE recycling event at Santa Barbara City College. No charge to drop off all of those eWaste items. Click the link below to get more info:

http://www.noewaste.com/calendar/index.htm

Is your computer getting slower?
Pop-Ups driving you crazy?
Is it just acting weird?
You may be infected with spyware. Try one of the programs to the left, and if that does not work...
Please call me!

Windows Defender

Do you know what Phishing is?

I am ashamed to tell you the following story. But in the hope of spreading the information, I will do so:

A few days ago, I received an email from an eBay user who had posted a question to me. If you use eBay, you'll know that when you are selling an item, it is common for people to send you an internal eBay email, asking for info about the item. It is also common for a seller to post a follow up to a buyer who had posted a question. Well, I was looking at some items and it only seemed a little suspicious that I was getting an email. So I clicked on the "respond" button and was brought to the eBay site and asked to enter my login information, so that I could respond. Lots of red flags were popping up in my head as I was entering the information. Only after I kept getting kicked out of eBay (for improper login info) did I look at the address bar. I should have seen something like: http://login.ebay.com but what I was seeing was http://login.ebay.213.45.34.205.com

Do you notice the difference? The end of the domain name did NOT say ebay.com. I was being scammed.

I immediately changed my password, and breathed a sigh of relief. Don't let this happen to you. NEVER click on a link from inside an email, when you need to logon to a website. Instead, manually open your browser and log in to the site as usual.

You have been warned.

Restore transparent background for icon labels

Look at the picture on the left, is this what your desktop looks like? Each icon has a background color behind the text? Most people are not happy about this, but Microsoft has made it difficult to figure out how to fix it.

Transparent-background Icon Labels

Here is how:

Right-click My Computer. Choose Properties. Click the Advanced tab in the dialog that appears. Click the Settings button in the panel labeled Performance. Click the Visual Effects tab in the Performance dialog. Check the box titled Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop. Click OK, OK.

Here is the link to the entire story on PC Magazine's website: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2024065,00.asp

Is your existing system showing its age?
Don't forget, I build my own systems with the highest quality parts available.
If something does go wrong, you won't be speaking to someone in a foreign country, you'll be speaking directly to me!

McAfee's Stinger, downloadable virus removable tool

Other Important Downloads:

Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.0

Stop taking my icons away!

Many of my clients have complained that the Windows desktop cleanup wizard starts all the time and wants to sweep the desktop icons into a folder. With Windows XP, Microsoft automated cleaning up your desktop. This is actually a good thing since too many icons on the desktop can slow down your whole system. But many clients have stated, "Darn it, I want the icons on my desktop to stay there!" Here is how to get Windows to leave your desktop icons alone:

Right click anywhere on the desktop and choose properties. Select the Desktop tab and then click customize desktop. uncheck the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days and click OK to exit out.

If you have a wireless router, remember to enable security!
WEP is good, but WPA is way better.
Feel free to call for assistance.

	AS Consulting is now offering email and website hosting. It is rather affordable and (best of all), I personally handle all of the problems associated with your site (i.e., email addresses, domain issues, etc.) click here for all the info: AS Consulting provided Webhosting

	If you would rather not be on my newsletter list- no problem! Send me a quick email and I'll forever take you off. If you know someone who would like to be placed on my mailing list, have them drop me a line as well.
	The AS Consulting newsletter is brought to you by: Andy Shapiro, Owner AS Consulting You can reach me at: P.O. Box 1728, Goleta, CA. 93116-1728, Voice: (805) 968-6366, email: asc2@asconsulting.com, Web: www.asconsulting.com See you next month!