May 2009 Newsletter

News, Tips and Tricks

In today’s economy, how do we save money in the world of computing? Here are a few tips to help in this tough economy:

1) There is no need to be paying for computer security. Yes, you can purchase anti-virus and anti-spyware software; and you can continue to pay the annual “subscription” fee for those programs. But our experience indicates that the “freeware” security programs available to everyone are safe, excellent programs – and they are FREE. As most of you know we recommend AVG Free 8.5 and Windows Defender for your computing safety.

2) Speaking of “freeware”, there is a plethora of software available online for free, or for a fraction of the cost of brand name software. An excellent example of this of Open Office from Sun Microsystems. Open Office is a free program that mimics Microsoft Office and does it extremely well. So, instead of paying $149 to $399 for Microsoft Office, one can download and install of Open Office for free and have almost all the features of Office Programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. If you do not own this type of software or if your current version of Office is out-dated, Open Office is an excellent option to consider.

3) Use the Internet to investigate purchases, large or small, before you buy. You can get product reviews, pricing and availability from different retailers and distributors and so much more information from the Internet. You can even purchase online; yes it is ok to do this. If you have security concerns about online purchasing, call Jim at 847-644-0415. Jim can help you through the process of purchasing securely online.

Safe Computing

AVG Free is upgrading to version 8.5. Many of our customers have noticed that AVG is offering a new 8.5 version. And, once again, in the process of the upgrade it appears that you are being asked to pay for the new version. Remember, simply scroll down to the bottom of the window offering the new version and you will discover the link to the free version. If you have any problems with this, call Jim at 847-644-0415 for assistance.

Special May Offer – Valid until June 12, 2009

It’s Spring Cleaning time! And what better time to not only clean up the house, the garage and the yard, but also your computer. “Spring clean” your computer with the following services: clean, optimize, totally update and re-secure your system. Normally these services would cost $199. But through June 12th we will provide all these services for just $99. Plus we will upgrade your AVG to the new Free 8.5 version at no additional cost! Just mention this newsletter to get this excellent package of services.