The Red Brick Times

Hellooooo from Atlanta. I've been here all week taking technician certification training for the complete line of equipment produced by these guys. They manufacture a line of wide format (36" x unlimited length) integrated printing/scanning/copy solutions. It's used primarily by companies in the construction industry (architects, engineers, construction companies, etc.). Blueprinters have used this equipment for a long time so I've been around it a lot but only from the user/networking end. Installation and maintenance is a new thing for me and, to be honest, more of a stretch than I anticipated. The others in class with me all have extensive experience repairing digital printers where I don't have that background to build on. I'm an old dog trying to learn a new trick. Woof woof.

The hotel I'm at (an extended-stay Marriott) has wireless networking, which is a cool thing, but means that like it or not, everyones computers are on the same network. It's virus central around here. In this situation all it takes is one well infected system to start an outbreak. Sheesh.
Posted 7:14 AM by whatley (4) comments

       Comments:

I went to KIP website and saw, under products, KIP folding systems. Are you going to come back with one in your pocket? My brother visited once and pulled out the flimsiest excuse for a keyboard that I ever saw. It was rolled up plastic with rubber keypads. It tended to stay curled for a while and gave no tactile feedback. It was pretty funny. Are you going on the road with a case full of tools and isopropyl alcohol swabs? I cannot see the heads of the tiny little screws any more without some kind of bifocal. Makes it difficult to disassemble things that are best left assembled. But I always was curious.

# posted by  Andy : June 17, 2005 10:37 AM
 
God's own toolkit, yessireebob. I dunno about swabs though. Ya gotta draw a line somewhere.

There have been 6-8 people in each class so far. Youngest age: 20, Average: 35, Me: reading glasses. I'm here three more days next week covering two more devices.

# posted by  whatley : June 17, 2005 10:23 PM
 
What kind of Ether-prophylactic does the best-dressed wireless visitor wear these days to prevent the spread of viruses? It reminds me of the early days of inkeeping where people slept 6 to a bed and dozens to a room. Everybody got up in the morning with fleas and lice.

# posted by  Andy : June 18, 2005 2:13 AM
 
Lodgers sharing a bed is a pretty good metaphor. Wish I’d have thought of it.

To really understand the answer you’ll first have to know what all you’re trying to protect yourself from. This page is a good start but, sad to say, there’s lots more. Secondly let’s refine your question by adding “and I want the protection for free”.

Two pieces are needed for reasonably comprehensive protection. First you’ll need good anti-virus software that updates regularly and monitors email regardless of the email client you use. I like AVG by Grisoft. There’s a link to it on our “cool tools” page. Next comes a software firewall. ZoneAlarm by Zone Labs is well regarded. I activate it whenever I’m on any network that I don’t have control over, such as when I need to log my laptop into a clients network or, in this case, using the wireless of the hotel I’m staying at. I haven’t linked to it in “cool tools” because it’s more complicated to use and assumes an understanding of what a firewall is and does. Nothing you can’t handle but you will need to read the tutorial and get a basic familiarity of what’s going on.

Both of these utilities have enhanced versions you can purchase but I think the free ones are sufficient in most cases.

# posted by  whatley : June 18, 2005 8:26 AM
 
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