Viruses, Facebook, yadayadayada

Mother: "Well, doctor, I took my child to you for immunizations when he was 6 months old.  So why has he caught a virus now, at age 12?"

Doctor: "Mrs. Jones, your child has to have regular immunizations to remain immunized against certain viruses. Think of it as preventative maintenance, just as you would with maintenance required of your car."

The parallel? Let's say that you've installed malware, spyware, and antivirus programs on your computer.  Think you're safe now? Think again.  All of these need updated regularly...as often as possible.  I update Anti-Malware, SUPERAntispyware, ThreatFire, and Norton Antivirus weekly.  That's not all.  I have these programs perform full system scans as well, and just as often.

This week I examined more than ten (10) computers.  EVERY SINGLE ONE was infected. One of them had over 1,200 infections. It was so damaged by all of the intrusions that the operating system had to be reinstalled.

I also backup my files regularly. I also backup my files regularly. I also backup my files regularly. I also backup my files regularly. I also backup my files regularly. I also backup my files regularly. I also backup my files regularly. I also backup my files regularly. I also backup my files regularly. I also backup my files regularly.

On another (related) note, some of my Facebook friends have (unknowingly) sent messages to me; the product of a virus.  Little did I know (said tongue-in-cheek) that they were spying on me with a web camera!  NOT!

If you've received a similar Facebook message, don't even open it. Make friends with the DELETE key and trash that bad boy!!  Read from the page at the following link for clarification:

http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100413131613AAFlCoP

Stay healthy!

Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly. Backup your files regularly.

Communicating Effectively in the Digital Age

Land lines, pagers, fax machines, cell phones, email, text messaging, videoconferencing, Facebook, MySpace.

With so many avenues of communication available, we can, if we choose, avail ourselves to the world 24/7 and in a multitude of ways. Managing the methods we choose to communicate requires discernment. Knowing the mode to employ in a given situation and appropriately pairing the message with the intended audience and underlying context can be challenging.

With regard to modes of communication, age-related, "generational" norms and expectations have the potential to create missed opportunities if mutual understandings and familiarities aren't established.

By way of example: A phone call is placed and voice message (with brief details) is left, including the caller's cell number. Would it be reasonable to expect the recipient to respond using the same mode of communication? Would if be fairly reasonable if both parties communicated via cell phone and were capable of texting, to use a mixed-mode form of communication (call via cell phone, leave message, return message via text)?

Consider this scenario: Call via cell phone, leave message and return cell number, respond via Facebook? Pros to that approach? Cons to that approach? Unless one is aware of the surrounding circumstances the answer may remain elusive; equally so the timing of the communication...and any potential opportunities.

Technology is wonderful!

Effective communication in this day and age requires knowing not only how to communicate, but which modes are compatible for the sake of timing, clarity, compatibility, and expediency.