Success Story: PCS Inc.
When PCS, Inc. first contacted JG Consulting Service, they were in really bad shape. This company had an outdated ARCNet coaxial cable network with 286 and 386 workstations running an early version of Novell Netware. The file server was inadequate for the job and greatly underpowered. None of the workstations were running Windows and there was no ability to email customers. This company used a legacy DOS turnkey database product called Dataflex to host all of their data. Data entry into the system took the form of typing in information from printed sheets. After the data was entered and validated (a separate process), various reports were done and the data was massaged into a common format that was transmitted to a third party for data warehousing or printed on a 132 column line printer.
My first task was to upgrade the network backbone. PCS Inc. opted to upgrade to 100Mbps Ethernet as well as upgrade all of the workstations to HP Workstations running Windows XP. This presented issues as the old DOS applications did not like Windows XP, so an affordable customized solution was decided upon and implemented.
Even though the legacy DOS software was still being used in the background, it was possible to upgrade the server to a server-class machine (with backup) and get them running Novell Netware 6.5. Their legacy print queue system was eliminated in favor of modern printing capabilities. A business class laser printer was installed and a business class internet connection was added.
Processes that used to take 4-8 hours to complete were now being accomplished in several minutes or even seconds in some cases. Customers renewed their faith in the company because of their renewed embrace on current technology. JG Consulting Service also customized much of the legacy software to comply with modern standards. All in all, this company moved from the dark ages to the information age with a minimum of cost of time.
Virus, Malware and Spyware
Infections from trojans, invasions of privacy and security from Malware and the omnipresent prying eye of spyware have become epidemics in the world of computing. Most users these days are not aware that they have an average of 50 illicit programs or trackers on their computer at any given time. Where do they come from? Phishing scams, seemingly benign things on MySpace and Facebook and even visiting a site to download MP3s, software or movies can infect a PC without you ever knowing it. Once a single trojan virus takes over a known process, it paves the way for other illicit software to make its way to your machine. Over time, your data is at risk and your computer performance slows to a crawl. Your internet connection speed is negatively affected and your private data is wide open.
All of this can be prevented. Sure, diligent and frequent scans for these problems can locate and eliminate them, allowing you to regain your lost integrity, confidentiality and performance, but some simple techniques can keep these problems from recurring. I will discuss all of these items with you if you use my services.
Not so fast!
Updated on 4/1/09. A friend of a friend got an April Fool's virus which slipped right past his brand-name anti-virus software. He tried some "freeware" solutions to eliminate the virus but was unsuccessful. After trying everything, including calling tech support at the antivirus software manufacturer and calling his ISP, he decided to take the infected PC to the local "Nerd Squad" for repairs. $150 later, he was told that they needed to reinstall the operating system, which would result in the loss of all of his data. In frustration, he declared that he was just going to go buy a new computer for $549. I told him to wait and that I would take a look. Using a trusted mix of software, I was able to completely clean his PC in under one hour. Not only was the virus problem fixed, I also sped up his PC by a factor of 3. He is no longer considering getting a new PC. I charged him $39.95 to get rid of the virus and $19.95 to kill the spyware infesting his PC.
But it Looked Real!
Updated on 12/9/09. A client said that they got a pop up window that said "Symantec Antivirus - We have detected a virus on your PC. Click here to initiate repair." After clicking, their PC got infected with a virus. This was actually a fake dialog posing as Symantec Antivirus. I identified the problem and cleaned the virus, also educating the user on how to avoid this in the future (both automatically and manually). It cost him under $50 to fix this mess.