Blue Sky Tech - Useful Resources

We encourage everyone to develop their skills in computer use and care. Having a good understanding of the system you rely on for work or pleasure is the best way to ensure that you get the most out of your investment! Several Internet resources are available to help you do this.

Self Training sites

E-mail is by far the most popular service on the Internet. This site can teach you the basics of online communication in about ten minutes.

http://www.learnthenet.com/english/email/000mail.htm

This is a dictionary and search engine that finds computer and Internet technology definitions. Very useful if you are working your way through a computer book.

http://www.webopedia.com/

These folks specialize in new computer books and carry over 10,000 different titles. You can find beginner's guides or manuals for obscure programming languages – most sold for 50% off the retail price. We visit the store often…

http://www.halfpricecomputerbooks.com/

System Security sites

This is a comprehensive security checker that looks for potential risks in your PC configuration. a² Online-Check also shows you the "public information" from your PC which can be accessed by anyone else via the Internet.

http://onlinecheck.emsisoft.com/en/Default.aspx

Here is a fairly reliable pop-up and pop-under blocking technology integrated into an easily-used Internet Explorer toolbar.

http://www.panicware.com/process_download.html?prdid=PSPRO

When you are wondering if you have a virus that slipped past your antivirus software, you can use this online version to check. It tests for viruses, Trojan horses, and some spyware.

http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?productid=symhome&langid=ie&venid=sym

You could also buy the Symantec Norton Antivirus which provides your computer with a much more comprehensive protection including "real-time" protection:

Free Software sites

Please note that sites offering shareware or free software have a reputation for passing on computer virus infections or placing spyware onto your computer when you download a program. Protect yourself by ensuring the download is from a reputable source and reading any user agreements very carefully. We find this site useful because it provide reviews of shareware and freeware programs.

http://www.download.com

Local Search sites

Several search-focused homepages are particularly popular here in B.C. MyTelus, for example, can provide you with a phone number, street address, and scalable map for a business or person with a listed phone number. Try them all out – all have their uses.

If the sites listed here have been useful to you, tell others about this page. We welcome your suggestions for other sites particularly useful to those who are teaching themselves to make the most of their computer! Contact us at support@blueskytech.org if you know of resources that would be helpful.