Computers and Our Autonomy

I was watching the Terminator the other day, and it had me thinking about how computer systems have infiltrated our lives. It was funny because the original movie was set in the 80s when computer systems were still new and weren’t involved in so many of our day-to-day activities. Then the idea being that eventually the systems will take over the world, and destroy us humans as they saw us as enemies. It’s seemed pretty far-fetched at the time, but nowadays it wouldn’t be so out there. I remember when the newest thing in the car market was the computer system that controled the omissions in the engine. I’m not really sure how they were controlled before, but I remember then it was the latest fad to have your car controlled by a computer chip. It was the must-have thing and everybody bragged about their new purchase. Then it went from there. Computer systems were integrated into our appliances, climate systems, and security systems.

car computer systems

They were even put into our coffee makers and toasters. I know a guy who does Villanova air conditioning in PA, and he installs components that let you run all your home systems from your phone.  Who would’ve thought years ago that our toaster needed a computer chip in it. But now it is just common place. If you go down the street in a big city and you see someone run a red light, the camera will take a picture of their license plate and send them a ticket in the mail. There are even saying eventually there will be bar codes on license plates.

home systems

They are even looking into computer chips installed in our bodies. They will have all of our personal data including bank accounts, personal records, and helpful information stored right inside of us for easy retrieval. Some say that it is just a way for the government to keep tighter controls, but others say it’s an easy way for us to stay organized and efficient. Either way, computers pretty much run our lives now, and hopefully unlike the movie they won’t see us as the enemy that has to be destroyed.

Computer Updates

You know what one of the most annoying things in the world is to me? Computer system updates. No I know that sounds really silly, because having our system updated and running properly keeps everything running in line. To me though it seems to always happen at just the wrong time. I’m working on a very important presentation or spreadsheet, and my computer locks up because it’s going through an update. There have been times when I have lost all my data during such a period. So every time I see that little clock pop up on the corner of my terminal, I get really paranoid.

computer update

I fear the worst is about to happen. So what are your updates anyway, and why are they crucial to our systems. Well, updates happen for a number of reasons, and come at different times of development. After a piece of software is completed, the writers sometimes forgot to add an important pieces of data to the structure, so they need to send it out as an update. So what they will do is send a patch as it’s called to everyone who is registered to use the software, and it automatically installs itself in the code.


It is usually quick and easy and doesn’t affect the functionality of the program. Updates can also be a line of defense against spyware or malware. Hackers find a way to get into your system, and then the developers have to close up the hole so they can’t get in. So they may update the firmware to cover such losses. So there are numerous reasons our computer and related systems get updated, and it is very important to the life of our computer or any system we have. They just seem to rub me the wrong way because I feel like they’re coming it’s just the wrong times.

Turning to a Managed WiFi Solution

Turning to a Managed WiFi SolutionIt is more common than ever to have a remote workforce, tasks that can be outsourced easily are done to keep businesses competitive.  But with all these different devices how can your business support them?  Cloud based WiFi systems or an outsourced wireless solution allows you to keep paces and run your business.  There are WiFi providers that offer wireless network management  and here are some of the benefits.

Geographically Diverse

Traditional wireless networks have had to rely on physical hardware controllers for direct access points, but cloud based models allow for plug and play options across all locations.

Making Business Easier

Hassle free connectivity is the biggest benefit of using a WLAN management service.  This frees up your IT team since they don’t have to deal with network downtime or users contacting them constantly for access.  Your entire WLAN system is instead managed by a third party and it will be up to them to deal with any upcoming issues.  Here are the perks of having a managed WLAN solution.

Managing Risk

Protecting data is a challenge for every business and your WiFi network is part of that.  You need to take your customer’s privacy very seriously and the internet makes that job even harder.  If you have read a newspaper or been online in the past few weeks then you have seen what Facebook is going through in regards to privacy.  Public WiFi hotspots even make users agree to a terms of service policy before granting access.

Engaging Customers

If you are running WiFi access for you customers then you have a unique opportunity to engage with your customers, you can add surveys, promotions and all kinds of different content when they access your network.  This lets you understand your customers better and what they expect from you.

Completely Scalable

It is the goal of every business to grow and if you are using third party solutions then you want one that will grow with you.  Managed WLAN services have the ability to grow with you.  They have the advantage of having rapid deployment to managed increased use.

There are few if any businesses today that can function without some type of IT services and information technology has gotten more complex over the years.  Using third party services not only frees you up from the day to day management of your network, you can focus on growing your business while someone else takes care of your network security.

Protecting Yourself Online

No matter how much or how little time you spend online you are still going to have a digital footprint.  Even if you are the last person in the world without a Facebook or an Instagram account, yes you can still be found online.  The more time you spend on the internet the greater your exposure to identity theft.  Identify theft doesn’t just happen because you bought something once at Amazon and paid with your credit card.  If you use your credit or debit card at your local corner store that too can result on your information ending up on the web.  Protecting yourself online isn’t as complicated as you might think, let us help you protect your identity and secure your computer systems, it can drastically reduce your odds of becoming a victim to identity theft.

Protecting Yourself Online

Protecting Yourself Online

  • Each online account needs a different password, don’t use the same password for you online banking as you do your email or Facebook accounts
  • Make your password complicated, use letters, capital letters, symbols and numbers
  • Get a password manager to keep track of everything
  • Screen your social media accounts, be careful of what you post
  • Update your apps and software, updates patch security vulnerabilities in your apps and software so keep everything up to date
  • Get some security software on all your devices

Increase Your Security

Websites that you use regularly like your bank or other financial institution have security services like “two factor authorization”, once you input your information the site with send a text to your phone with a code that you will also need to input in order to login.  Eventually we will move to a system of fingerprints or retinal scans will be used as a login, smart phones like the iPhoneX already have facial recognition software available for users.

Your Email

One of the most common ways that your computer systems become infected is through your email.  You need to be very careful about clicking on links that come in an email.  If you get an email from your bank, for example, instead of clicking on the link in the email go directly to your bank’s website.  If you get an email from the bank, PayPal, the IRS or anyplace saying that your account is in jeopardy if you don’t verify your information, contact the institution.  These are called phishing scams and that is one way hackers get your personal information.

Shopping Online

Shopping online is generally quite safe, millions of transactions are processed everyday.  Your credit card and personal information is encrypted and often the merchant doesn’t store your information.  You should use a credit card when shopping rather than a debit card banks have fraud protection as part of your credit card agreement.

Identity theft is serious and it can take years to recover your credit rating, take the appropriate measure to protect yourself by protecting your devices.