Web browser security, paragraph formatting

Riches Communications Newsletter

Issue 11, November 2003

In this issue:

- Web browser security
- Paragraph formatting
- Other web sites of interest

Web browser security

'Spyware' is becoming a common problem for a lot of computer users. While the term originally referred to the activities of advertising-supported programs on the internet, spyware is now taken to mean any software that installs itself on a system without the user's consent.

A common example of a computer compromised by spyware is where a user types in the address of a search page such as Yahoo or Google in their web browser, but is redirected to another 'junk' web site. Often this site changes the user settings and becomes the default home page whenever the browser is reopened. This hijacking is relatively minor compared to other potential problems that can arise through spyware.

From our own web server stats we know that 90% of the visitors to our site use Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Unfortunately (and probably due to its popularity), Internet Explorer is also the most insecure web browser software! It is installed by default on many systems and integrates with a wide range of other common programs, making it the ideal way to gain access to a computer.

What can be done? There are free programs that can be installed to clean up and prevent spyware, two of the most popular being Ad-aware and Spybot-Search and Destroy. Download them and see what is lurking on your hard drive - the results may surprise you!

There is another simple solution - use a web browser other than Internet Explorer. For Windows users, Mozilla is an open-source alternative web browser that has been developed. Mozilla currently offers a more secure environment than Internet Explorer and also has some new innovations such as tabbed browsing and popup blocking. Macintosh users can also choose to use the Safari web browser software, which is another more secure alternative to Internet Explorer.

To learn more, read this detailed article on spyware.

Paragraph formatting

Paragraph formatting for most business writing in English usually employs one of two styles; unjustified or justified.

Unjustified text is flush with the left margin only. This is also referred to as 'ragged right' text, due to the uneven appearance of the right side of the text. The advantages with unjustified text are that the spaces between words are even and it is easy for the eye to return to the beginning of the next line. Hyphenation is sometimes used to reduce the amount of white space at the end of line.

Justified text is flush at the left and right margins. To most readers it appears neater, but to achieve this effect the word processing or page layout program has to adjust the spaces between words. This often produces a distracting 'river' of white space running through a block of text.

For best readability, unjustified text is recommended. The first line of each paragraph should also be slightly indented, except for the first paragraph in a text or paragraphs after a heading. Indents need only be slight enough to help the eye pick up the next paragraph; too large an indent can look out of place. When writing a letter indents are often omitted.

Other web sites of interest

Apple iTunes - popular music software now available for Windows

SoYouWanna.com - as they say on the site; teaches you how to do all the things nobody taught you in school.

Modem speedtests - check the speed of your dial-up, DSL or cable modem