Wayne's Small Biz Tech Blog

Gifts from Christmas' Past

Time keeps moving forward. My father passed this last October. Mom is unable to live on her own and now lives with us. My brother and sister are preparing the house we grew up in to be sold. Things are changing quickly.

While going through the house my sister found a stack of old VHS tapes. One was a tape labeled "Home Movies". The videos on the tape were shot between 1953 and the mid 1960s. There were videos from early birthdays, family Christmas parties, backyard cookouts, parades, and family members having fun. Each snippet is accompanied by organ music as played by my father. 

I vaguely remember when my father created this tapes. Most, if not all, of the videos had been filmed on 8 mm film. Dad was managing a camera department when a new machine came in that transfered old films to the then new video format, VHS. He transfered the films to VHS between customers. It helped him sell the machines, he said, by being able to show customers what it could do. In reality, I think he made the tapes for us, his wife and kids. It was a lot of work especially since he played and recorded his own music by himself just for the tapes.

I also remember that when my dad brought the tape home, we weren't all that interested in watching it. He would tell us how interested the customers were and want to play the tape but I was a teenager at the time. I had more important things to do than watch old scratchy films, even if they were on VHS cassettes now.

My father's gift at the time wasn't appreciated. Last weekend I watched the original VHS tape with my sister Debbie.Then I converted it to DVD so it would be easier to watch and easier to send to other family members. I watched the DVD with my Mom yesterday and with my wife tonight. I sent a copy of the DVD version to my brother so he can watch it with his family on Christmas Eve. There are a lot of memories on those tapes, and a lot of family history. Many in the videos have passed on. Some, like my father, just recently. Thank you Dad for putting those 8 mm films on VHS. Otherwise they would have been lost forever since I don't know anyone with an 8 mm projector these days.

Thank you Dad for taking the time to create the video and music to be handed down to future generations.I hope one of my kids someday will convert it from DVD to whatever the next great format is and tell the stories we tell about it to their kids.

I got a lot of presents and gifts growing up. I only remember a very few of them. This gift my father gave us that was so unappreciated at the time is one that will be remembered for a long time to come. I wish I was able to tell him when he was still here. I wish I was able to sit with him this Christmas and watch the tape with him. He would know how much of what he did is appreciated now.

This Christmas my wish for you is that you appreciate the things you have and have fond remembrances of things past.

Fighting Spyruses

I miss the old days. We had computer viruses back then, but to infect your computer you had to actually do something stupid. They usually came in email messages and you had to click a link to launch the virus.

These emails usually had silly subject lines like the "I love you" virus. One of the companies I worked for had to spend thousands because one of the programmers opened up that virus and it infected the software install CDs. Of course when we announced it, a lot of our customers had a good laugh over the thought of a computer programmer with a pocket saver and taped glasses opening an email that said "I love you".

No one was laughing when the bill came from the PC repair companies for removing the viruses, rescuing important data, or setting up expensive backup systems in anticipation of a virus attack. 

Next, of course, came spyware. This usually just slowed your computer down to a crawl. Again, business owners weren't laughing at the spyware removal bills.

Now we have what I call "Spyruses". These are viruses that get into your system just like spyware. They act like spyware and nag you until you do something. Once you do, the virus is activated. An like a medical virus, they are always mutating. Over the last three months, I haven't had two by the same name behave the same.

The two I see the most right now are what are called rogue antivirus programs, AntiVirus 2009 (or 2008 or 2007) and AntiVirus 360.  They both work the same, just like spyware. You download a free Internet application or helper application and unknown to you, you get the spyware too. Often, you will be told you need a video codec to watch a video either on a website or attached to an email. You give all the approvals to download the codec so you can see the video, and the "spyrus" is in your system. There are other methods they use, but they all seem to prompt you to download something that seems innocent enough. 

The virus names are intentional and misleading, to hopefully cause confusion with the real antivirus programs Norton AntiVirus 2009 and Norton 360. Norton software is developed by Symantec and they do a very good job protecting computers from viruses and spyware. In fact, I use Norton products to protect my computers. NORTON PRODUCTS DO NOT WARN YOU THAT YOU HAVE VIRUSES IF YOU HAVE NOT INSTALLED THEIR PRODUCT! If you get warnings and you have not installed a Norton product, it is most likely one of these viruses.

Once the spyware part gets into a system, the nagware starts taking over the computer. Over and over again it tells the user their system is infected. "Click Here" to download the most recent and best antivirus software, it says. The system gets slower and slower. If the user clicks the box, they are prompted to enter a credit card number. Once the credit card is given, the real nightmare begins. The virus is in full effect, and the "bad people" have the credit card number and associated information for their own use.

These are sophisticated virus programs. I had one set the flag for Windows as an unregistered version once the virus was removed. I had to completely rebuild Windows while saving the customer's data and programs. Almost all versions of the virus disable spyware removal tools and websites. The latest one I worked on disabled all the installed anti-spyware and anti-virus software programs AND made it impossible to run any new software programs, including software tools to remove viruses.

So what do business owners do to protect themselves? Here are some tips:

1. You get what you pay for with freeware anti-virus and anti-spyware programs. They sometimes work, many times don't. They are not a viable solution for any size business. In my opinion and experience, this includes protection software "included" by Comcast and Verizon as well as any software who's name ends with "Free". Use established products from Norton (Symantec), Trend Micro, Kapersky, and McAfee.

2. If you get any type of message saying to have viruses or spyware that you don't recognize, or have any suspicions at all, run your anti-spyware AND anti-virus software scans immediately. Resolve all issues that your software finds.

3. If your software no longer runs or the symptoms remain, download and run these spyware/malware tools ONLY IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCED IN DEALING WITH COMPUTER PROBLEMS. Severe problems, sometimes even unrecoverable problems, can occur from using any of these tools, so they need to be used AT YOUR OWN RISK. If you are not comfortable with this type of risk, do not download and skip to #4. The best tools IMHO for resolving spyware based viruses are Spybot and Malwarebytes.

4. Find a qualified PC technician (like Malibu-Blue!). Avoid the big box stores, especially if you haven't backed up your data recently. We at Malibu-Blue treat your computer as if it was our own. Find a computer repair company you feel comfortable with and know they realize how important saving your data is and how important your PC (and a timely repair) is to your business. 

Spyware and Viruses (and even Spyruses) are here to stay. The first step is to make sure you are protected as best you can be so you don't become a victim. The second step is to make sure you have a plan in place and someone to call  in case you do.

One customer of mine knew all about this virus. Unfortunately his computer became infected when he accidentally bumped something near the mouse pad when the "Click Here" nagware message appeared. When something like that happens, the best plan sometimes is to just shut down the computer and call for help.

The Higher Bigger Chair of Domination! Ugh.

Early in my career Mark, the Vice President of the company I worked for, asked me to accompany him to a customer site. Apparently, the customer was angry and wanted to discuss the problems he was having with our software.

As soon as we arrived at the customer's office and sat down, I was uncomfortable. I didn't know why, but I was getting angry inside. The customer was talking down to us, almost as if we were children he was disappointed in. I couldn't believe that Mark, a person I had a lot of respect for, was allowing this customer go on berating us without a fight. He was behaving uncharacteristically sheepish and even considering giving the customer his money back, something he rarely did without cause.

I couldn't take it anymore. As the "tech guy", I got up and told the customer "Hey, we can either go on talking this B.S. all day or go fix the problem. Get someone to show me the problem". I thought I was going to be fired that day but didn't care. Didn't know why, but something wasn't right and I had to get away.

Long story short, the customer wasn't using our software right. Our software was manufacturing software and his employees didn't know how to manufacture. Simple as that. Our software was doing exactly what the employees were telling it to do. The problem was them, not us. After proving it to the customer, he backed down and even apologized. He didn't get his money back.

But what had happened? Why was I uncomfortable? Why did my boss lose his confidence and allow himself to be so, well, dominated?

It was my first introduction to "Power Tactics".

This customer used the basic power tactic of setting up his office with his chair bigger and higher than the others in his office. He sat up high looking down on his visitors. It was a setup that screamed "I'm better and more important than you!"

It somewhat worked for the customer that day. He dominated my boss, at least until he was proved wrong. In the long run, he lost. It made me realize that ifyou need to resort to tactics like this, it's a cover up for your own insecurities. I've seen this theory proven over and over in my 20+ years in sales and management since that day. In the long run this customer was dealt with from then on accordingly.

Oddly enough I've run into people using "power tactics" over the last week. One was the "higher bigger chair of domination", as I like to call it, mentioned above. I no longer get angry. I just play along with their game these days. "Smile and wave" tactics right back at them, as the penguins from Madagascar  like to say. I chuckled all the way back to the office after that meeting.

The other meeting was with a person a little more educated in power tactics. Apparently having read "The 48 Laws of Power" (1998 Robert Greene), she happened to hit on 18 of them(I counted) during our brief exchanges. Knowing that these type of people are overly self-serving makes it easier to decide at what level you want to work, or be associated, with them.

Using power tactics, especially the "48 Laws" can be dangerous. One business owner I know who is a "48 Laws" disciple damaged his company and lost a good employee when he gave the book to his personal assistant. The power struggle and games that ensued were outrageous. The assistant, who was crucial to the business owner, finally left the company with all bridges burned. Her new style wasn't helping all that much in her new endeavors either, the last I knew.

Again, people who want or feel they need books like the "48 Laws" actually need to reevaluate what they want to achieve. Some "power tactics" can be helpful (did you know if you are going into negotiations with someone, you should sit on their left and definitely not opposite from them. The person on the right is the most cooperative. The person directly opposite on the other side of the table is the most resistant.). Others are misguided (do you really need to study "Get others to do the Work for you, but Always Take the Credit  - Law 7 of The 48 Laws of Power"?).

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