Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) Version 2.0

Microsoft Security Essentials or MSE Version 2.0 is now available. I have installed it on my everyday laptop. As my readers know, MSE is Microsoft's free anti-virus program. As my readers also know, I was an outspoken advocate for AVG for many years, but I have left AVG and migrated to MSE. I got tired of AVG's marketing ploys, constantly pushing their fee product and, in fact, they pushed so hard that some of my customers actually thought they had to upgrade and did so. Sad, but one more reason to check this blog once in a while!

I believe MSE to be a superior product all around when compared to other free anti-virus products. The principal reason I believe this is because Microsoft, more than anyone else, has the ability and knowledge to integrate their product with their own operating systems.

For those of you currently using MSE Version 1, Version 2 will be rolled out over time through Automatic Updates, but you don't have to wait for that and can download it and install it just as you did Version 1. And, you will NOT have to uninstall Version 1. Microsoft will take care of that for you as a part of the Version 2 installation procedure. You can get it, as I did, here: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/.

I encourage you to do so, and if you do not already use MSE, I recommend it to you without reservation. If you have another anti-virus you will need to uninstall it first.

Enough from me, or perhaps too much, but I am excited about this new version. You can read a real pro's review of MSE Version 2.0 online. Fred Langa's Beefing up Microsoft Security Essentials
will lay out the technical details for you. Check it out.

Security Updates

I see the MVPS HOSTS file for January is available today. Also, the January MRT was one of this week's Microsoft Updates.

This is a good time to run a complete scan with MRT. Then update, immunize, and run Spybot. Finally, download and install the new HOSTS file.

I will cover this tomorrow, but there is also a new version, Version 2.0, of MSE, and this is very good news.

And now a word from our sponsor

Actually, I am the sponsor. One of my little ventures is called Boothbay Region For Rent By Owner or BRFRBO. I guess the name says it all, but let me add that the Boothbay Region of Maine has become a very special place for our family. We purchased a small summer cottage back in 1974 in an area known as Ocean Point , which is in East Boothbay which is in Boothbay. On this web site we have listed several rental properties including some year-round but mostly summer cottages. Boothbay, as you may know, is on the ocean. I honestly believe that if you go there once for a long weekend or a vacation, you will want to return. Please check it out. Click on the photo or link below the photo to see our web site.

Visit the BRFRBO web site

How to Switch from a PC to a Mac

As reported here a little more than a year ago, I purchased a MacBook Pro 17" laptop. It sits around virtually unused. I have no calls from customers looking for support, either because they don't need any (can Macs be THAT good?) or because they wouldn't think to call a "PC Doctor" when they have issues with a Mac. Well, here's a confession: I need help with my Mac. No, as far as I know there is nothing wrong with my new Mac, it's a user issue.

To show that I am serious about using this machine, I recently purchased Microsoft's Office for Mac 2011. I had figured from the start that this was a necessary prerequisite for me to ever get serious about using a Mac as my primary computer. I also intend to buy, shortly, the new iLife product which includes a newer and enhanced version of iPhoto. I had heard so much about iPhoto and really wanted to use it to organize and edit my large library of photos. I began using a digital camera in 2001 (thanks to my 4 sons) and have accumulated nearly 40,000 photos, not one of which I would ever want to lose.

And now that my wife and I are about to move into our new home outside of Boston, I will have room to set up my MacBook in a place where it may well become my new "desktop" computer. Up to now, since moving from Vermont, we haven't had the space in our tiny rental home in Wayland. At least, that is my plan, and time will tell how well this will work out.

I will continue to use my Windows XP and Windows 7 laptops to make sure I stay current and can address any PC problems that may come up. I have yet to decide if I will resurrect my good old desktop machine, after we retrieve it and 99% of our home furnishings from a Waltham storage unit.

So this article from today's pcmag.com website is very timely indeed for me. If any of you has a desire to learn more about the world of Macs, I think you will find this a very helpful article, written for us PC users.

How to Switch from a PC to a Mac