0
Here are a few selected RT’s and assorted information from the StopSign Twitter account you may have missed this week. Did we miss anything? Please let us know by leaving a comment below.
- RIP J.D. Salinger. @gabbycat let us know (via @TerryMoran) that the @NewYorker made all of J.D. Salinger’s short stories available online.
- There was a lot of chatter online regarding Apple’s announcement of the iPad. What do you think about it, and do you plan on getting one?
- @eWeekSecWatch had an article titled “Possible Worm Prank No Laughing Matter“.
- @zdnet posted the story “RealPlayer haunted by 11 critical vulnerabilities“.
- @mashable gave us food for thought on our favorite toolbar with their story “Google Toolbar Keeps Tracking Your Browsing Even After You Choose Disable?“.
- It’s @mashable again with their post “More Security Flaws Found in Internet Explorer“.
- @CVG_UK tells us that a hacker claims “I have read/write access to the entire system memory…” on the Playstation 3. Is this good or bad for PS3 gamers?
- Author and uber-blogger @GuyKawasaki tweeted 15 reasons a business’ security gets compromised“.
- @ParentsLoveKids helps remind us all there’s a reason it’s called dope with their post “Sheriff Uses Software To Scare Kids Away From Drugs“.
And here’s a StopSign blog post we talked about on Twitter, too…
- We released a new blog article titled “7 Tips for Better Email Etiquette“. In it you’ll find ways to not only be courteous, but also to make sure that your point gets across.
Thanks for taking the time to check out our blog! We want to hear from you on the @stopsignblog Twitter account and here on our blog, so don’t be afraid to ask us a question, give us some feedback or just say “Hi”.
In today’s world, email is as much a part of our lives as any other tool, and knowing the proper etiquette to use when writing an email can be the difference between looking like a professional or looking like a fool. Today we’ll go over some basic email etiquette that’s generally considered to be the norm.
Every form of communication has some general guidelines, and email is no different. Whether you’re drafting professional correspondence or writing an email to your family across the country about your kid’s latest school play, following these simple rules when emailing will keep those who read your email engaged and interested.
- What’s the subject?
In your excitement to get your message out there, don’t forget to add a subject line to your email. Without it the reader is hard-pressed to tell the difference between your email and run-of-the-mill spam. Short, but descriptive text regarding the heart of your email will give those on the To: list more incentive to open it and read it as soon as possible instead of missing it completely or marking it as spam.
- Who’s your audience?
Your email should be properly addressed to the correct person or people. Make sure that the email addresses you use are correct, current, and valid. Without a valid email address your message could get into the wrong hands, and depending on the sensitivity of the email, could make you look foolish at best, or compromise your data at worst.
- Don’t SHOUT it out!
The use of CAPITAL, or upper-case, letters should be kept to a minimum, just like any online messaging medium. (Including online forums, blog posts, IMs, text messaging, etc.) Proper Internet and email etiquette dictates that you may use all caps, but only in moderation, and generally only for emphasis. You don’t want to start out like Oprah did her first day on Twitter. Turn off your caps lock key before you start typing.
- Keep geek-speak to a minimum.
Using too many slang words, Internet acronyms, or overly “techy” terms (“URL” vs. “website”, “ping” vs. “[Internet] response time”, etc.) can damper the effectiveness of your communications, especially of the recipient of your email doesn’t know or understand their meaning. Keeping everything in layman’s terms casts a broader net of comprehension and will get your point across much better.
- Brevity is the soul of wit.
Nobody wants a digital version of “War and Peace” in their inbox, so keep emails short and to the point. Not only will you get your message out there faster (because it won’t take as long to write), but keeping the content distilled to the it’s basic essence will help ensure complete understanding of what you’re trying to get across.
- Keep things light.
Have you ever noticed how anything written online “sounds” different than it might be if said aloud? That’s because without a human voice behind the words, none of the inflections or tonality used in normal speech are present to let the reader know things like humor, sarcasm, or irony. As such, you should always strive to have a light, non-confrontational “voice” in your digital communications. Without it your content may seem more heavy-handed than you intended.
- Who are you?
You may have your email address in the From: of your email, but not leaving a closing “signature” is not only a little rude, it’s a wasted opportunity to thank the reader for reading, and maybe even to add a link to your website or alternate communication method such as a different email, phone number, or office location. We recommend that you close an email just the same way you would a hand-written letter. Additional details or contact information optional.
Keeping these email etiquette tips in mind when writing will not only make your emails look more professional, but they’ll also be sure to keep those who receive them from losing interest in your messages.
Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/epublicist/ / CC BY-ND 2.0
Here are a few selected RT’s and assorted information from the StopSign Twitter account you may have missed this week. Did we miss anything? Please let us know by leaving a comment below.
- @Twitter_Tips Twitter becoming crucial for journalism research: http://j.mp/60aOS7
- @KING5Seattle Toyota recalls 2.3 million vehicles: http://bit.ly/7fwIbN via @msnbc
- @tobych Super new library, Cheat Sheets for Developers: http://bit.ly/4W2TdO
- @SueScheff What parents need to know about Cell Phones http://bit.ly/8w0zmx San Saba News #parenting
- @gift_girl Wishpot is featured in the January 2010 issue of @SacParentMag! So honored!
- @KING5Seattle Bellingham Father in #Haiti to bring back adoptive kids: http://bit.ly/92Fenx
- @binhog737 RT @AirlineReporter BLOG: Man Arrested After Tweeting Bomb Threat http://bit.ly/6sGrfX
- @KING5Seattle President Obama pays tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: http://bit.ly/4NYZa9
- @OC_Melanie Going to Starbucks? Help Haiti while you’re there! http://ow.ly/XTft
- @SueScheff RT @JaneBalvanz If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders. via @Abel2xnavarro
- @KING5Seattle Warning about fake #Haiti fundraisers on Facebook: http://bit.ly/6Jd6qK via @msnbc
- Via @arstechnica “ENUM: Dragging telephone numbers into the Internet Age” http://bit.ly/4NExZi Interesting AND scary, all at once.
- RT @TechCrunch: Twitter’s Answer To Facebook Connect http://bit.ly/5Fax12
- @DivaJulia Conan lists Tonight Show set on Craigslist. THIS is why we love him. http://dippedincream.com/?p=4213
- Via @KitsapSun “Kitsap students learn to prevent bullying and harassment” http://bit.ly/6fcZ4I #cyberbullying
- @BloggerCentral Boy Genius Report: T-Mobile responds to Verizon’s lower pricing by lowering smartphone prices http://bit.ly/6UPqZu #BC
And here are a couple of StopSign blog posts we talked about on Twitter, too…
- Via @stopsignblog Five New Years Resolution Suggestions. http://bit.ly/6mqBAV Please RT
- Via @stopsignblog 62 Common Internet & Texting Acronyms http://bit.ly/80c9D0 Please RT
- Via @stopsignblog Sure-Fire Ways to Keep Spyware Away http://bit.ly/5NixFd Please RT
- Via @stopsignblog Beware of Haiti Relief Scams! http://bit.ly/7i8lIr Please RT
Have a great weekend, and keep those tweets coming! We’d love to hear from you on the @stopsignblog Twitter account and here on our blog.
Some of you may have noticed that Windows OneCare Live has recently been flagging StopSign as malware. This is a false positive! This happens sometimes among Internet security software providers. We’ve been in contact with Microsoft’s team, they’ve acknowledged that it’s a false positive, and they’re working on a resolution.
Here’s a quote from an email by our lead software developer regarding this issue:
I’ve just received an email from Microsoft stating that they believe that they have correctly fixed the false positive problem, and the fix will be included in the updated set of definitions, which should be published in the next day or so.
When the update is released publicly we’ll make an update to this post, so please check back if you’d like to know when the fix to this false positive is live.
UPDATE (01/22/2010): The Microsoft Malware Protection Center has confirmed the false positive and fixed the original bug. Here is an excerpt from their email confirmation:
Thank you for your recent inquiry about StopSign Internet Security and the issue you reported. The definition library for Microsoft Windows Defender has been updated to version 1.71.2391.0. We believe this new definition library contains the updates necessary to address the issue that you raised. This new definition library is now available for users who subscribe to the automatic definition update mechanism, as well as users who choose to manually update their definition library.
However, you may have noticed I wrote “…the original bug.” It looks like they have a new false positive in the safe file affected last time, and we have a new update request in to them. More details as we get them.
UPDATE (03/03/2010): The Microsoft Malware Protection Center has released a new signature to fix the false positive (“Adware:Win32/Exact“) addressed in this post. This should close out the false positive.
It’s hard to believe that in a time of crisis people could stoop so low as to try to scam people trying to help out those in need. The Haitian earthquake disaster of January 12th 2010, however, has seen it’s fair share of scammers preying on those who would help.
If you’re looking for a way to donate to help the people of Haiti, we suggest you go directly to the charitable organization(s) themselves, or through a trusted source, in order for you to not fall for a scam. To help you find a reliable source we have put the links of a few organizations who are taking the donations and putting the money to good use.
- Red Cross Donation Page
Clicking on this link takes you to the Red Cross donation form online, where you may choose how you would like your donation distributed.
- Google Disaster Relief Page
You may also visit Google’s page to donate to other charities such as UNICEF and CARE.
- If you’d like a really simple way to donate, you may donate to the Red Cross via a text message. Just text the word “HAITI” to 90999 and $10 will be sent to Red Cross relief efforts.
UPDATE: USA Today has an article about the FBI fielding over 170 Haiti fund-raising scams recently. The FBI has a team of computer analysts and fraud investigators reviewing the scam complaints.
Image courtesy of the American Red Cross.
Steering clear of spyware can be a difficult thing to do, especially with all the clicking you have to do just to get the information you’re looking for. A single-click here, a double-click there, lather-rinse-repeat this process for a few months and generously sprinkle that time with a few instances of drive-by downloads and a couple of missed opt-ins and before you know it your once speedy computer is slower than molasses in January.
Spyware happens, but there are things you can do to help stem the flow of it on your computer. By making a few easy-to-adopt changes to the way you browse the Internet and taking an extra minute before you download something, the tips we’ve compiled below will help you stay spyware-free.
- Watch where you’re browsing:
Spyware (and malware in general) tends to get on your computer from a shady source. Staying away from untrusted or unknown websites is an easy way to fight spyware. If you need to download updates or specific software packages your best bet is to get it directly from the manufacturer’s website (i.e. go to adobe.com for Adobe Acrobat updates). If you’re looking for software in general (i.e. you’re looking for DVD burning software but don’t know of a specific maker) then try a major download site like tucows.com or download.com.
- Download with caution:
A popular tactic with spammers is to send you to a fake website that looks like a legitimate one. Spyware makers have taken that lead and run with it for their own purposes. Stay one step ahead of them both by making sure you’re looking at, and downloading from, the site you’re actually supposed to be on. You can learn more about detecting fake websites in one of our previous blog posts.
- Read the Fine Print:
There are 2 common places to look for the tell-tale signs of spyware on a website you aren’t familiar with:
- The download or info page:
Some software or websites, by their very nature, need to contact the mothership every now and again. Anonymous usage statistics, passing along pertinent information such as items in a shopping cart before you purchase, and things of that nature are part and parcel of getting things done online. What you don’t want, however, is to have things like your social security number, credit card, or email address passed around without it being absolutely necessary. Entering your Visa number in a shopping cart is one thing, but there’s no real reason for that cart to ask for your SSN. Keep an eye out for oddities like that when you’re browsing, and make sure what they’re asking for makes sense.
- The EULA:
“What’s a EULA”, you ask? A EULA is an acronym for “End User License Agreement”. It’s where all the technical and legal mumbo-jumbo is put in (or before) a download (or install). Most people consider reading the EULA a nuisance and click on “yes” without having read a word. Keep in mind that acceptance of the EULA is a legal agreement you’re entering into with a software vendor, and if you don’t read it you won’t know what you’re agreeing to. Give a EULA the once-over before you install anything and make sure that everything is on the up-and-up.
- The download or info page:
- Get protected, stay protected:
Your antivirus software, in all likelihood, won’t do anything for you about spyware. It’ll work viruses all day long, but spyware is a different beast, and you need special antispyware software to deal with it. To make sure you’re completely protected you need to make sure your computer is protected with both antivirus and antispyware software. The one-two punch of antivirus and antispyware software will go a long way in keeping your computer as free from infection as possible.
Pretty simple stuff, actually. A lot of it is common sense, but keeping those things in mind when you’re browsing the Internet will help keep your computer protected from spyware.
If you don’t have a spyware solution for your computer yet, please consider StopSign® as your antispyware software. It’s a breeze to use and active members get 100% free US-based support.
Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/bfishadow/ / CC BY 2.0
If you’re new to the Internet or texting on your cell phone you may be confused by all the acronyms and text shortcuts used by more experienced users. To help you out we’ve compiled a set of 62 common acronyms used in text messages, IMs, social networks, and anywhere else that people want (or are required) to use fewer typed characters to get a thought or idea across to someone else. We’ve listed each one like this:
acronym: definition
example use
Please note that even though the acronyms below are written in ALL CAPS, it’s not necessary to use the capital letters, and most people tend to mix upper- and lowercase depending on the situation anyhow. Keep in mind that if you do use caps for the acronyms themselves it’s generally not considered poor netiquette even though typing in ALL CAPS is usually read as “shouting”.
ABT: About
What was that movie abt?
ADN: Any Day Now
ADN the printer will be done with my reports.
AFAIK: As Far As I Know
AFAIK the info is correct.
AFK: Away From Keyboard
Wife just got home. AFK for a bit to say “hi” to her.
ASA: As Soon As
I’ll be there ASA I’m done with work.
ATM: At The Moment
Can’t chat, I’m busy ATM.
B/C: Because
I love chocolate b/c it’s delicious.
B4: Before
What happened b4 it started raining?
BB: Blackberry
Just got 5 new messages on my BB.
BIO: Bio (Bathroom) Break
Hold on, I need to bio.
BRB: Be Right Back
I have to run to the store. BRB
BTW: By The Way
BTW your sister called earlier.
F2F: Face To Face
Let’s have a F2F meeting about the proposal.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
You can find the answers in the FAQ.
FWIW: For What It’s Worth
I like that color, FWIW.
G2G: Good To Go
Two more signups and we’re G2G.
GL: Good Luck
GL with meeting your boyfriend’s parents tonight.
GN: Good Night
I’m going to bed. GN.
GTK: Good To Know
Sewing buttons is something that’s GTK how to do.
HTH: Hope That Helps
The answer is 42. HTH
IANAL: I Am Not A Lawyer
IANAL but it seems like he’s within his legal rights.
IAW: In Accordance With
I put it together IAW the instructions that came with it.
IDK: I Don’t Know
IDK the answer to that.
ILU: I Love You
You got me the DVD? ILU!
IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
IMHO that color looks terrible.
IRL: In Real Life
Bob? Yeah, he’s not just an Internet friend. I know him IRL.
JK: Just Kidding
I’m running 20 minutes behind. JK I’m right around the corner.
KBD: Keyboard
I love my new wireless KBD.
KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid
Don’t make it complicated. KISS.
KIT: Keep In Touch
It was nice seeing you again. KIT!
L2R: Learn To Read
It’s right in the instructions. L2R, silly. :)
L8R: Later
Gotta go. L8R, bud.
LOL: Laugh(ing) Out Loud
Your text made me actually LOL!
MOTD: Message of the Day
It’s time to change the MOTD in the break room.
MYOB: Mind Your Own Business
Even if she did say that, I suggest you MYOB and stay out of it.
N/A: Not Applicable
Those instructions are N/A to this test.
NC: No Comment
I heard him say it, but NC. I’m keeping my mouth shut.
NP: No Problem
It’ll be NP to finish this within the hour.
NSFW: Not Safe For Work
Don’t open that website in the office, it’s NSFW.
NVM: Never Mind
Did you find my pen? Oh wait, NVM. I found it.
O/S: Operating System
What O/S are you using?
OIC: Oh I See
OIC what you mean!
OMG: Oh My Goodness
OMG that new haircut looks so good on you!
OMW: On My Way
I just left work and I’m OMW to meet you.
OOS: Out Of Sight (Scope)
That new car is OOS.
OTOH: On The Other Hand
OTOH you may be right about this.
POV: Point Of View
From my POV there was nothing there.
RTFM: Read The Fine Manual
Next time RTFM that came with the printer before you open it up!
RU: Are You
RU going to be at the next meeting?
SO: Significant Other
Tina is bringing her SO to the restaurant.
THX: Thanks
Thx for the pictures!
TLA: Three Letter Acronym
He uses TLAs all the time in his messages.
TMI: Too Much Information
She told us all about her surgery last week. TMI!
TTYL: Talk To You Later
I need to go to sleep now. TTYL.
TYVM: Thank You Very Much
TYVM for those reports.
UR: Your/You’re
UR car’s alarm is going off.
URL: Uniform Resource Locator (e.g. a website’s address)
What’s the URL to the website you told me about earlier?
W8: Wait
W8 for me before you go.
W/E: Whatever
W/E you want to eat for lunch is fine with me.
YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary
It worked on my computer, but YMMV.
WRT: With Regard To
WRT your meeting request, I think that’s fine.
WTH: What The Heck
My mouse just stopped working WTH?
Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
Back to top