Anti-Virus: Remote Scanning

A nice tool to use online is the free virus scanning that most anti-virus companies offer as a way to give you a reason to buy their program. The problem for them is when you determine you have a virus the removal aspect of their anti-virus program that you would have to buy is pointless.

If you have a virus and even if you have spyware on your Windows operating system, you may as well start over by backing up important data, formatting your hard drive and install Windows. Yes, start over.

Here are the online scanners in the order I recommend them.

  1. Free Virus Scan – from Kaspersky has a lot of options and doesn’t require that you use Internet Explorer which is good for the people who are no longer on the Microsoft bandwagon and tired of being attacked with all IEs vulnerabilities.
  2. HouceCall – from TrendMirco is a good scanner than doesn’t require that you use Internet Explorer either. There are only 2 options so you have less of a chance to making the wrong choice when you scan your computer.
  3. ESET Online Scanner – from ESET requires the use of Internet Explorer or you have to download a small client program to run the scan utility. If you are going to buy a active/traditional anti-virus program I recommend you pay for the NOD Anti-virus 4 for $40/year or $60/2-years from ESET.

Remote Desktop Sharing

There are a lot of services and software that will allow you to share your desktop with one or more people so you can have a meeting, show a demonstration and generally share your computer desktop.

All listed are free to use:

  1. acrobat.com – from Adobe is a good service to share your desktop and have a meeting online with one or more people.
  2. dimdim.com – from DimDim is free and open source. If you want to run their software on your own server you can do that too.
  3. skype.com – from Skype now has a remote desktop sharing feature in their popular VoIP software. Download the 4.1 beta version for Windows and the latest version for OS X.

The above options are not the same as remote access to your desktop. The difference between remote sharing and remote access is needing to have someone on the other computer giving you permission to sign on. Where remote access software just runs waiting for you to connect to that computer anytime you want.

With the above options available it is difficult to realize how companies like Webex, FuzeMeeting and GoToMyPC/Meeting/Webinar/Assist stay viable businesses.

I will probably give quick tutorials on how to use the remote sharing features at a later time so check back often.