Cannon Communications | e-Newsletter January 2005

E-Mail Worm
Mass-Mailing Worm Infects Computers Without Use Of E-mail Attachment
The recent discovery of a new variant of the "Mydoom" e-mail worm has some anti-virus companies on the alert for similar deviant malware. This version of the Mydoom worm, although not considered a high-risk mass-mailing worm at this time, does not attack and infect a computer when a recipient opens an e-mail attachment. Instead, when the recipient clicks on a text link located within an e-mail message, the recipient's machine connects with an infectious Web site. The Web site then downloads the worm onto the recipient's computer! So you must not only be on guard for mass-mailing worms and viruses when receiving e-mail attachments, but you must also be more cautious than ever when clicking on links within e-mail messages.

Just like other mass-mailing worms, this Mydoom variant takes advantage of a vulnerability in the Internet Explorer browser found on Windows-based computers. (The worm does not infect Macintosh, Unix, or Linux systems.) The worm finds e-mail addresses within the infected computer and mass-mails messages containing links to the infectious Web site. Similar to most other e-mail worms, the Mydoom has a "spoofing" feature that disguises the actual source of the e-mail by randomly selecting e-mail addresses from the infected computer's system to be shown as the "sender" of the e-mail. Thus, if a person receives the e-mail worm from a co-worker or relative, chances are the person it shows being sent from was probably not the person who actually sent it.

Remember, the ultimate responsibility of protecting your computer against worms and viruses lies with you. Many viruses and worms not only spread via e-mail, but also through the sharing of files when using floppy disks, zip disks, CDs, and networks, as well as when downloading software from the Internet. We encourage each of our users to install and utilize virus scanning software, to update this software on a regular basis, and to scan all incoming e-mail attachments before opening them even if the attachment shows coming from a reliable source!

Back to Top

Dial-Up vs. High-Speed Internet Access
What's The Difference?
According to a recent Nielsen/NetRatings report, a majority of American households now use a broadband, or high-speed connection to the Internet instead of a dial-up connection.

Although what people do online hasn't changed much over the past few years, the frequency and duration of online activity has increased due to high-speed connections.

In any given evening, a typical family of four might be online at once with Dad preparing tomorrow's dinner menu; Mom wrapping up work from the office; and the kids playing online video games, instant messaging with friends, or maybe even researching homework.

A survey from the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that 69 percent of Internet users with a high-speed connection go online each day, compared to 51 percent of dial-up users. The survey also found that people using high-speed connections stay online longer.

With a high-speed connection, people are able to walk up to the Internet for a quick "infosnack." They can check their e-mail, a sports score, the local weather forecast, or the latest headlines without having to wait several minutes to log on to a dial-up account.

If you can't receive high-speed Internet service right now because of your location, have patience. Beginning mid-April, we will be able to offer affordable high-speed Internet connections to virtually everyone throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and the upper-Midwest no matter where they live or work. Call our office today for more information and how you can get your name on our no-obligation Priority Waiting List.

Back to Top

Ask The Help Desk
What Is A PDF?
Question: I hear people talk about opening and reading "PDFs" that are sent as e-mail attachments. What is a PDF and how can I read them?

Answer: PDF is an acronym that stands for Portable Document Format. It is a file format created by Adobe Systems Incorporated using a software program called Acrobat. A document converted into or saved as a PDF preserves the look and integrity of the original document, but allows the creator of the document to share it with anyone electronically regardless of whether the recipient has the same hardware or software platform as the document's creator. This technology truly simplifies the document sharing process and allows documents to be easily shared on the Web, via e-mail, etc. PDFs are commonly used for catalogs, maps, presentations, white papers, e-books, and computer manuals.

PDFs can be opened and viewed by either a PC or a Macintosh as long as the computer's user has first downloaded and installed Adobe's free Acrobat Reader software program. If you do not have the Acrobat Reader software program installed on your computer, you can download it for free at adobe.com.

If you want to create a PDF, you will need to purchase Acrobat Standard, Acrobat Professional, or subscribe to the "Create Adobe PDF Online" https://createpdf.adobe.com/index.pl/2018370443.24001?BP=NS6&v=AHP service.

When using a Macintosh computer running OS X, you can save a document as a PDF from your Print Dialog Box. Just print like you normally would but when the Print Dialog Box appears, click your cursor arrow on the "Save as PDF..." button rather than the "Print" button. Give your new file a name and click "OK." You'll have a fast and easy PDF. Additionally, Macs come with Apple's Preview software program installed. It works well as an alternative to Acrobat Reader.

Back to Top

Great Sites To Check Out This Month
Counting Calories And More While Online
http://CalorieControl.org - Is it time to start counting calories again now that the holidays are over? Head to the online calculators located at CalorieControl.org. The site not only includes calorie calculators but also an exercise calculator, body mass index calculator, weight maintenance calculator, and a healthy weight calculator. Additionally, the Web site provides lots of helpful tips and articles on exercise and eating healthy.

The 100 Greatest Movies Ever Made
http://afionline.org/tvevents/100years/100yearslist.aspx - This site from the American Film Institute provides lists of some of the best features in America's film history. A panel of 1,500 leaders from the U.S. movie community selected the contents of each list. Lists include the 100 greatest movies, the 100 funniest movies, the 100 greatest movie stars, the 100 most thrilling movies, the 50 most villainous villains, the 50 favorite movie heroes, and the 100 best movie songs of all-time. The favorite movie list includes five Steven Spielberg films and four films each by Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder. Jimmy Stewart and Robert DeNiro both had starring roles in five of the selected movies. Can you name the films?

Repair Your Broken VCR
http://fixer.com - Has your VCR gone on the blink? Don't throw it away. First follow the easy step-by-step instructions found at this site. Fixer.com claims that most VCRs can be repaired with no prior electronic experience and no expensive equipment. The site also has a neat technique for ejecting a stuck videotape and the instructions do not include the use of a sledgehammer!

Your Online TV Game Show Resource
http://tvgameshows.net/ - Utah resident Ken Jennings won an amazing 74 straight games as a contestant on the TV game show Jeopardy! During his winning streak, which lasted from June 2, 2004 to November 30, 2004, Jennings set dozens of Jeopardy! records including the highest number of correct responses in one show (45), the highest number of cumulative first ring-ins (2,575), the most Final Jeopardy! correct answers (51), the most number of games locked up after Double Jeopardy! (65), the largest winning margin in series history ($73,200 on July 23rd), the highest number of category sweeps (94), and, of course, the all-time record for most total winnings on a TV game show series ($2,522,400). To find out all you ever wanted to know about TV game shows, their hosts, the contestants, and even daily updates on TV game show news and scores, check out this site!

The 2005 PGA Tour Gets Into Swing This Month
http://www.PGA.com/ - The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) kicks off its new season this month with visits to Kapalua, HI, Honolulu, HI, San Diego, CA, and La Quinta, CA. (It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it.) Vijay Singh will attempt to defend his number one player status against last year's top contenders that include Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Stewart Cink, and others. The PGA's official site provides tips on improving your game, tour event schedules and ticket information, the latest PGA news and standings, player bios, and more.

Back to Top

Short Tutorial
See Graphics Within Incoming E-mail Messages
One of the protective features added to Outlook Express for Windows XP users who have installed Service Pack 2 (SP2) is the ability to block images from being displayed within incoming e-mail messages. However, what's the fun of receiving e-mail messages from friends or sources you trust unless you can look at the graphics and images? Microsoft provides an easy option to allow images to appear within messages either on a per e-mail basis or for all e-mail messages. To see the graphics within messages on an e-mail-by-e-mail basis, with your Preview Pane open, do the following:

1) Click your cursor arrow on the gray bar located just below the subject line of the message. It will say, "Some pictures have been blocked to help prevent the sender from identifying your computer. Click here to download pictures." If you click anywhere on that gray bar, the pictures for that particular e-mail will appear for as long as you have that e-mail open.

2) If you go to a different e-mail and then come back to this message, you will need to click on that bar again to see the images within the message.

Note: If you don't see the gray bar, open the message in its own window and follow steps one and two above. Otherwise, click your cursor arrow on the "View" menu and drop down to "Layout." When the "Window Layout Properties" window appears, make sure "Show preview pane header" is checked.

If you want to be able to see all pictures on all incoming e-mail messages that contain images, you can disable this blocking feature. Here's how:

1) Go to the Outlook Express "Tools" menu and drop down to "Options."

2) When the "Options" window appears, click on the "Security" tab. About half way down the window you'll see an item titled "Download images." You will see a box next to the words "Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail." If you uncheck this box, it will allow images to be viewed again just as they were before your SP2 update.

3) Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save your new settings and close the window.

Back to Top

We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you up-to-date on what's happening in the fascinating world of the Internet. However, if you'd prefer not to receive these journals on a monthly basis, click here to be removed.

Thanks for your business and best regards,

Cannon Communications - Your Hometown Communications Provider

(We have used our best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein. However, we do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any and all liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.)

©2005 Cornerstone Advertising Group Inc.

Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this e-Newsletter are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.