Windows Vista Support Ending April 11, 2017
Microsoft will be officially ending support for the Windows Vista operating system on April 11, 2017. After this date Windows updates will cease and Vista will no longer receive security patches and bugfixes. Microsoft recommends moving to a newer version of Windows to continue to stay secure and up to date.
While in some cases it may be possible to install a current version of Windows on hardware running Windows Vista, it is usually best to upgrade to more up to date hardware along with the operating system, in other words, purchase a new computer.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns about transitioning from Vista to a new version of Windows.
~Ted Eiler
Reduce Monitor Eye Strain and Sleep Better with f.lux
Have you noticed that your computer monitor is bright and readable during daylight hours but intense and overwhelming during night hours? f.lux is a program available on Windows and Mac that adjusts your monitor’s color temperature according to where you live and the time of day.
A higher color temperature is displayed during the day that is crisp and invigorating like the sun, and a lower color temperature is displayed at night that is more warm and calming like light from a candle or fire seen at night. Read more…
Major Windows 10 Update Arriving April 11, 2017
Named the Creators Update, Microsoft is issuing it’s second major update to Windows 10 since it was released in July of 2015. Read more…
Stop Unwanted Windows 10 Upgrades
People continue to experience hit and miss success with the free Windows 10 upgrade, often running into problems with certain programs no longer functioning, printers not working, and network file sharing breaking, to name a few. In some cases the Windows 10 upgrade installs so poorly that the user’s computer becomes non-bootable afterward. In light of these potential problems, many users are erring on the side of caution and avoiding the upgrade to Windows 10 altogether. Read more…
Common Sense Password Practices
With all the online hacks and security breaches going on these days, I would like to share a few pointers on what goes into a good strong password.
- Complexity: In general I recommend a password that is at least 8 characters, contains a number, an uppercase letter, and a special character such as ! or @ if allowed. Although common words and names are easy to remember, you want to avoid these and go with a sequence of characters that are more random and obscure. If you insist on using common words and names for memorability, try replacing letters in the word or name with numbers or special symbols. For example, you could take the word list and turn it into 1i$t.
