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Craig Crossman
National Newspaper Computer Columnist
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DRIVESHIELD OFFERS A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROTECTION
I recently read about an individual who got so disgusted
with all of the malware on his computer, he decided to throw it away
and just buy a new one.
Granted this was a rather extreme reaction, so much so that it made
the news. And while I feel his reaction was tantamount to throwing
away a car because the ashtrays were full, I also believe his
frustration reflects how so many of us feel when it comes to the
daily assault on our computers we have to face as we go online.
All of us know about the anti-virus software, the spam filters, the
firewalls and the multitude of other prevention products we load
onto our computers in an attempt to stave off all the bad stuff. And
while I'm about to tell you about a product with a rather different
and novel approach to the problem, it's a solution for certain
scenarios but certainly not for everyone. Still, the more I think
about it, there are a number of situations where this could prove to
be the perfect solution to all of the cyber problems out there.
DriveShield PLUS from Centurion Technologies uses a simple approach
to the problem. When you are finished for the day or whenever you
reboot your computer, DriveShield PLUS puts everything back to the
exact way it was when you first started your computing day. Since
you began everything with a perfectly clean, non-infected hard
drive, it stands to reason that your next computing session will be
infection-free when you put it back the way it was.
To begin and before you install DriveShield PLUS, you must be sure
your computer is free of anything bad. You can reformat your entire
hard drive and install whatever original applications you like or
need. Once applied and before you ever go online, you then install a
copy of DriveShield PLUS.
From that point on, DriveShield PLUS will know to return your
computer to that original condition whenever you reboot. The idea is
that no matter where you go, what you do or to whatever you may be
exposed, it really doesn't make any difference because when you
reboot, your computer is returned to it's original pristine
condition.
Now while at first blush this may sound like the perfect solution to
everything, it really isn't. Most of us know that as we continue to
use our computers that things are constantly being changed, added
to, updated and modified and most of these things are changes we
want to occur. The Windows operating system is constantly making
changes, watching how we work so that certain components that aren't
being used are omitted in an effort to make things work faster. Plus
applications can be adding things of which we may not be aware but
are necessary. Take the web browser for example. As you surf,
cookies are being added and changed to keep track of where we went,
passwords, etc. Then there's the obvious changes like those new word
processing documents you create, new email received and saved. I
know you'd want them to be there the next time you restart your
computer.
So if a major part of using a computer is change, how can something
like DriveShield PLUS be recommended? Because there are many
scenarios where it's applicable. For example, let's say you want to
lend your computer to someone. Installing DriveShield PLUS is a
perfect way to insure that whatever they do while they use it won't
effect you in any way because when they bring it back, you'll know
that the hard drive's contents will be exactly the same way before
you lent it to them.
In the educational environment where computer labs expose their PCs
to students doing whatever, DriveShield PLUS puts them back at the
end of the day. The same can be said for public libraries, Internet
café's and other public venues that offer computers to be used. Many
retail outlets use DriveShield PLUS so that at the end of the day
with customers banging on the keyboards, deleting things they
shouldn't delete and surfing to places they should surf, the
merchants know that in the morning, all will be exactly the same as
it was the day before. In fact, according to Centurion their product
is the reason all those Apple Computer stores let their customers
play on their Macs. That's because all those Apple stores use
Centurion's MacShield Enhanced Edition so at the beginning of the
next day, they are back to their original configuration. Sweet.
Now Centurion realizes that not all of us want our computers to
forget everything and that's why you can use DriveShield PLUS'
"Persistent Storage"
feature. This lets you define specific folders and areas such as
your emails, My Favorites, Pictures, Documents and other similar
areas to be persistent. In other words, these areas will not be
forgotten when you reboot with DriveShield PLUS in place.
As I said, DriveShield PLUS is not for everyone because its method
can be a bit extreme. But if you're fed up with all the cyber-junk,
and if you can see your way through to make it work to your
advantage, then this is one utility that should be in your arsenal
of products that fight the good fight.
DriveShield PLUS for Windows and MacShield Enhanced Edition each
sell for
$59.99 per license.
www.centuriontech.com
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| Craig Crossman is
a McClatchy-Tribune newspaper columnist writing about computers and
technology. He also hosts the nation's longest running nationally syndicated radio talk show on
computers and technology, Computer America, heard on both the Business TalkRadio
Network® and the Lifestyle TalkRadio Network®, weeknights at 10PM Eastern
time. Visit his website at http://www.computeramerica.com |
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