I was doing some researching on the latest antivirus programs. It seems today the viruses are really not viruses at all; a virus is an entity that infects the host computer and replicate replacing executable files with its own code and corrupting and / or destroying the system.  Lately or the past few years infections are not viruses, they are considered malware or adware programs.  They do not replicate, but they do act like a Trojan horse, in which back in the day Trojan horses are used to create a backdoor into the host to control the computer or spy. Malware as I would like to call it, creates a worm like system collecting data, open up a backdoor using a robot as I would like to call it a drone that phones home to its creator. Also have seen some Malware use the rootkit technology that *hides* it’s existence from the user and its antivirus tools but creates malicious ways to use that computer. Such as key logging, browse snooping, browser redirections especially for search strings with google, yahoo, and msn.  Viruses these days are very complex and a long time ago I help construct the very first ones in its existence. So I do know how deep they like to embed even down to the bios level, but my question is that I get asked a lot is what antivirus is good to use.

I am not going to do what ¾ of the other techs will do and benchmark them, but I will tell you exactly what I have used and why I like it overall. There is a lot of techs out there that is hardcore to AVG, Avira, and even Avast or one I use these days called Microsoft’s Security Essentials. I personally think the best one is the one that uses fewer resources and doesn’t restrict you from your own computer.   Because firewalls these days are built into the router you use “Linksys, D-Link, etc… “And you are virtually behind a NAT anyways, and that means you are on a virtual network inside behind the router.

Now what about them corporate antiviruses? Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, etc. personally they are no different but maybe worse than the ones you find free, they are most attacked by the malware makers to exploit the users.

So how do you defend from the malicious places of the world wide web? Well my suggestion and in which I help teach typical users how-to safely browse the internet of today, it’s all about click smart.  Know what you are looking for and know what to not look for. Typically any antivirus will protect you from viruses, and don’t get scared by the media “viruses” that claim has hit the internet. Media uses Norton, Kaspersky, or even other corporate antivirus new flags as an internet news tactics.

If you are using internet explorer, I would recommend please stop using it. Closed source browser is ok and all but typically it’s always naturally flawed and it will always be a weak source to contracting viruses, I always advise users to use either Firefox with Adblock Plus and WOT.(Web of Trust) add ons. Or Chrome is another alternative.  This will help you when you are browsing because with AdBlock Plus you are stopping malicious 3^rd party adds that could possibly contain (malware) stopped at the source and while WOT will tell you if the link is OK or a reported bad site, and WOT also works with google searches. Which is awesome you will get no more fake sites listed on google with high ranking SEO that is a fake and rated very poor site.

Overall, it’s turned more into a personal reference now days of who uses what and why, no one has a real reason why they choose Avast over AVG or AVG over Avast, or Avira over both etc…  personally I use Microsoft’s products with Microsoft’s software. Why not? if you benchmark it on some of the top sites, MS Acquired an antivirus company that is strictly for this as a department. It works, it’s less a resource hog, and it I have not had an issue with it. It wont stop tool bars from being installed but to fix that is have to fix the problem that exist between keyboard and chair. In a corporate setting it is actually different, I would still use MS Security Essentials, but would focus more on their security software they also provide, I used to use Symantec and Trendmicro.

You know trying to do RavenPC is really tough for places like Las Vegas, It’s like look at this image for an example. Over 100’s of computer repair businesses a lot of 1 – 2 man operations. Not to sound negative, but if you think about it. It’s tough and trying to push for a shop location to also include my ideas has been really bumpy.

The question is how do you start a business in an economy like this? Let alone the mad rush of 100’s of computer repair guys making something to feed themselves at night charging less then geek squad but enough to buy new age trucks, corvettes, etc… I’ve been at this game for about over 10 years mostly been doing it on the side. It’s like RavenPC.Com I’ve had that since 1998, I’ve been on and off with pursuing the idea since 1998. So the idea was established in 1998 but over a decade now, I’ve learned more about running and operating a business in the past 3 years then I ever had before. RavenPC means a lot to me over the years and was inspired by a man named Ron with EaglePC, I’ve learned in a small town like Redmond Oregon I can really be successful just being myself and have the word of mouth advertising. I’ve created DorkMedia as my sister company to handle all website, graphic design, and other seo purposes so I don’t cluster up the RavenPC idea. One purpose of moving to Redmond Oregon was to make RavenPC established, and get my idea alive of what I want to do. I wont get into detail how I got pushed away from the idea and how it turned into a living nightmare that cost me my time wasted in a beautiful town of Redmond Oregon.

The Question of the day, if you want to be known what is the best beginner start up ideas to get traffic and advertising?

• CraigsList So far I’ve tried free listings with Craigslist, only turns out to get flagged for removal really quick due to competition cheating the system and causing me to get flagged to removed.
• Word Of Mouth Tried to get word of mouth going but it’s not have been successful.
• SEO placement but it’s hard in a big town like Las Vegas due to alot of competitors.

Couple of ideas, is Custom Vinyls made up and get them on my rear window. Also print out alot of flyers and get them on the cars in big malls, gyms, and other locations. Next to try is the PPC “Pay Per Click” Advertising.

So in essence doing a good job with good ol fashion service at a reasonable price should land me to be successful…. doesn’t seem like it in this town. Well maybe it is just the troubles of starting up is one major factor I am having, I have the plans to have it running and to grow become successful, open up chains of the store all around town and in other towns as well because I have the awesome ideas for it. I have the money goals, from start to growth. Having all this stuff planned out already and even a system to keep track of what is done and how it’s done with invoices and keeping up with accounting is a good start. But it’s all a waste if I can’t get moving and personally I’ve also learned that I can’t follow other leads from people, it’s what got me into the mess like my issues with Redmond Oregon with Redmond Computers. Failure leads to success if used right with the right planning and knowing the faults and failures, I’ve learned a lot with how to better planing, better to understand, and to better myself even in the field of IT Management. My failure with that was leaving behind my plan and my goals for another, instead of a business as an entity of mine contracted with RC. it ended up being an merger of myself as a human where I was to sacrificed my entity, goals, and plans for another. I can’t make sacrifices for people no more, regardless who it is or how it is.

I’m a decent guy, I care alot about people and always the customer. I wouldn’t be doing CSR for a local ISP if I wasn’t, I know server administration, I can network computers at a large business scale, I can create a virtualized network with vast products from VMware, Microsoft etc… I know how all different styles of operating systems from Mac, Linux, and every windows possible. It’s like my passion to know, and how to create what the customer needs and wants as if it was mine. I strongly believe that is also where I will be successful due to that knowledge and the care for the customer as if they are my family and it was my project as well. I’m a very organized person and I plan out how I create networks from scratch and I like to always keep it simple.

I’m a cancer survivor, I’ve been through a lot in my life. It’s a passion to do something I love in life and I want to build my self up and build something that my future generations can enjoy to help build and make it stronger. If I had a chance to start my business in Redmond Oregon again, I would do it. I think I have ways to even make it happen if that was the chance, only thing holding me back is money, way of survival and so on. It costs alot of money to make the move, but regardless I’m pretty confident that I will succeed.