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E-Mail Hoax NOT
From Atlantic.Net Billing Dept.
WARNING: If you receive an e-mail with a subject line reading: "atlantic.net
's accounting dpt notice" or something similar, do NOT open
it!!!!
Some Atlantic.Net members have reported receiving a Trojan-infected
e-mail with the following message: "Internet Billing Notice.
Please press "open" and read the attached Billing Notice.
Note if you do not read this withing 24 hours we at atlantic.net
regret we will have to terminate internet service."
Our billing department has sent out no such e-mail
notification. We regret any inconvenience this has caused
our members and are grateful to those members who brought this to
our attention.
If you suspect your computer may be infected, please run a virus-scanning
program from a site such as Trend
Micro or Symantec
to detect and remove the Trojan from your machine. You can learn
more about the latest viruses that may affect you by visiting Surf,
the portal for Atlantic.Net members.
E-Mail Hoaxes:
Catch Them Before They Nab You
Junk mail certainly didn't take long to move from the corner mailbox
to your e-mail inbox. And those offers for cheap prescription drugs,
plastic surgery, pornography, and "unbelievable" deals
aren't the only e-mails designed to clog up electronic mailboxes
in a matter of moments.
Also circulating out there are e-mail hoaxes. One good indicator
that you've received
an e-mail hoax is when the message prompts you to forward it
to as many people as possible, usually within the next hour. Hoaxes
generally contain three elements: a hook, a threat, and a request.
To hook you in, an e-mail hoax will play on your greed, your sympathy,
or your concern for your loved ones' safety. It will threaten you
with bad luck, play on your guilt, or label you a fool for not participating.
And, of course, it will request that you forward it to your friends
and family. By forwarding
these hoaxes, you make yourself and others vulnerable to more spam
and possible virus attacks.
What follows are some examples of recent e-mail hoaxes:
• Gift
Certificate from Applebee's
• "If
You Believe in God" Chain Letter
• Licked
Envelope Cockroach Infestation
• WTC
Sympathy Hoax
• Target
and Vietnam Veterans
If you have reason to believe an e-mail you received is a hoax,
you're probably right. So, check
it out before forwarding it on. And don't forget, it's possible
for e-mail with attachments to contain a computer virus or worm.
The best way to avoid downloading a virus is never to open files
from people you don't know and never open files when the sender
doesn't specify what attachment is included. Also, beware that many
viruses attach themselves to all outgoing mail — without the
sender ever knowing that they have inadvertently spread the virus.
To avoid spam, don't give out your e-mail address online without
studying the site's privacy policy, and delete
e-mail from senders you don't know. Finally, use Atlantic.Net's
SpamScope
to eliminate e-mails from unwanted addresses and reduce your risk
of downloading infected files.
Written by Ross Schmadebeck
Surfin' Safari:
Sweets for Your Sweetheart
This Valentine's Day, why not set your special someone's heart to
jumping with a unique gift that shows exactly how you feel.
• Gift
baskets can offer a wide range of sweet and savory surprises
for your sweetie.
• Delight him ... or her ... with red
hot or romantic lingerie for that special evening together.
• Roses
show that special someone your sentimental side.
• Bring out his inner monster, cookie
monster that is, with these sweet treats.
• You may just replace diamonds as your girl's best friend,
with jewelry
designed to dazzle her.
• With monogrammed items all the rave, engraved
gifts commemorate and immortalize any holiday.
• There's no excuse to forget about your mom when you can
send flowers
anywhere in the U.S.
• Since Valentine's Day falls on a Saturday this year, why
not book a weekend getaway
for some fun in the sun.
• Don't break your Romeo's New Year's resolution by giving
high-calorie confections. A book from his favorite
author might be just what he's looking for.
• When in doubt, choose the right music
and make her feel truly blessed to call you sweetheart.
Written by Ross Schmadebeck
Surfer Dude Answers
Your Questions
He's the PC professor, the gigabyte guru, the ruler of ROM. He's
Surfer Dude!
Q: Everybody's got a problem. Mine has to do with
the size of the icons on the desktop. Frequently ... not every time
... when I turn my computer on, the icons on the desktop come up
very large, much too large for regular use. I restart and they come
up "regular" size. Any suggestions? Thanks. — JM
A: Mohn, icons can be such a pain sometimes. But
this almost sounds like a problem with the resolution being used
by your video card. Here's one way to test this theory:
• The next time the icons appear too large, right-click on
any blank area of your desktop.
• From the menu that appears, choose Properties.
• Choose the Settings tab, and write down the Screen Resolution
you see here.
• Repeat this procedure when the icons appear normal size.
If the resolutions are different, then it sounds like the video
card in your machine might be having some problems. If this is the
case, one suggestion would be to download the latest drivers for
your video card, because if it's a software-based problem, this
might fix it. However if it is hardware-based, the card itself might
need to be replaced.
If the screen resolution in each instance is exactly the same, it
would indicate that the Windows operating system might be experiencing
a few glitches. Should this be the case, Microsoft
has technical help available for free via e-mail, and they might
be able to pinpoint the problem for you. As this lies outside the
realm of Internet technical help, our Call Center would be unable
to assist you. However, both Microsoft and the maker of your video
card should have extensive help files available online. Also, should
you require any assistance in replacing hardware, both the hardware
maker and a local computer technician can be invaluable.
I'm stoked dudes and dudettes! Surf's up, and I'm off to catch some
gnarlatious action! — SD
Got a Question?
If you're stumped by a technical conundrum,
just Ask
the Surfer Dude, and we'll share the answers in future issues.
Deeper Than the Ocean
 This
Valentine's Day, hide his gift in a wine and cheese basket, light
some candles, dim the lights, and ask him to chill the wine. When
he opens this customizable Message
in a Bottle from Personal Creations, he'll know just how deeply
you care. You'll find other great gift ideas at
The Surf Shop.
Tech Tip: Digital Domination
Nowadays, even Kodak
is shifting its primary focus from film cameras to digital. If you're
looking to join the millions of digital camera owners out there,
these tips should help you choose the right camera and get the best
pictures for your budget.
• Digital cameras are specified by the number of megapixels.
Simply put, a megapixel is the number of pixels a camera can take
per inch of photograph. Think of the whole dpi
thing with printers. Same concept.
• Bigger is better. I know it sounds cliché, but when
it comes to digital photography, the more megapixels, the sharper
the image. That's not to say 2.1 megapixels is bad, but if you want
to print an image larger than a 5" X 7" print, then you're
going to need more megapixels. 4.1 or 5.1 should do nicely.
• Card
type also distinguishes one digital camera from another. Different
cameras use different cards, like Compact
Flash, SmartMedia,
Memory
Stick, and more. Don't be afraid of all these memory options.
Just remember, the bigger the card (i.e. 256 MB versus 128 MB),
the more pictures you can save on it.
• Zoooooooooom. Try to find a digital
camera with both optical and digital zoom capabilities. The larger
the optical zoom, (i.e. 4X or 10X), the less likely it is you'll
need additional lenses.
• A memory
card reader is essential. Most cameras can directly connect
to your computer, but without rechargeable batteries or an AC adapter
(both can cost an extra $50 each), you're going to waste the energy
of your disposable batteries. For $15, a memory card reader for
any card type can download the images to your computer without wasting
precious battery power.
• Print from home. Digital photography allows the photographer
to print images at home with your color printer. But some companies
are making printing an "anywhere" option. Canon recently
launched their "85-second
photo lab" where their compact portable printer connects
directly to your camera anywhere, anytime, without the need for
an outlet.
• Nothing beats the original. Noritsu,
a division of Kodak that makes commercial photo lab equipment, has
just launched a new type of photo lab. Their new photo printers
can print images from digital media the same way as from negatives.
The result is a digital photograph as authentic as a standard photo.
Not every photo lab has this technology, so if you find one that
offers it, take advantage. The cost is usually the same, if not
cheaper, than printing the images at home. Plus, they look and feel
like real photos.
Written by Ross Schmadebeck
Got a question for Atlantic.Net's Technical
Support team? E-mail us at support@atlantic.net.
Business Advances for the Traveler
For most businesses, small or large, traveling is necessary on some
level. Whether to meet new clients, deliver purchases, or simply
travel from work to home, technology has made it possible to move
about the world and never be out of touch.
Can You Handle It? APC's
TravelPowerCase is a all-in-one charger. Besides having the
ability to carry everything, including PDAs, laptops, cell phones,
and more, this bag lets you recharge all of your accessories using
one outlet. A Universal Power Adapter connects to airline, auto,
or standard AC power outlets.
Mobility is the Name of the Game. Laptops recently
entered a new stage of mobility. Not only does the Pentium
M chip allow these portable machines to conserve battery power
and generate less heat, it provides an installed wireless network
card. Just sit down, turn it on, and connect to any wireless network.
Back It Up! Tired of floppy disks that can't even
hold image files? Sick of CDs that scratch too easily? Thanks to
portable memory
drives, travelers can easily take up to 256 MB of files with
them and connect to any computer via a USB port. Some devices are
as small as a keychain! Small, stylish, and reusable, mini memory
drives are the perfect way to protect and transport your data.
Why Not Web Host? When you need to show a client
your product information or services, consider simply uploading
your files to your Web space. Atlantic.Net's Unlimited Dial-Up account
includes 15 MB of storage space that can be accessed anywhere, anytime
via any connection to the Web. Need more room? Check out Atlantic.Net's
variety of Web hosting packages
to fit any company's needs and budget.
For more information, check out Atlantic.Net
online, e-mail sales@atlantic.net,
or call (877) GO-ATLANTIC
(that's 1-877-462-8526).
Written by Ross Schmadebeck
Mail
Atlantic.Net
2815 NW 13th Street, Suite 201
Gainesville, FL 32609
Phone
For sales, service, or support, please call:
• Toll-Free: (877) GO-ATLANTIC
(That's 1-877-462-8526)
• In Gainesville, FL: (352) 375-2912
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