Over the past three years, we have used, tested, and installed dozens of products that not only clean your computer system of virus’ and spyware, but also keep it clean to minimize the risk of harmful items re-infecting your computer. We have also compiled several key tools and office utilities that we install when doing a new system build or OS installation.

Now these tools, utilities, games, and add-ons have been compiled into one program, Dr. Torgo’s eSource eSsentials. The programs are broken down into basic categories and can be installed right from the Torgo interface.

As an added bonus, Dr. Torgo’s eSource eSsentials also includes a comprehensive system management and inventory tool. Using this option, you can query any part of the computer system from network to disk storage and get a complete, thorough, and accurate list of your system details. There is even an option to export the query results to a TAB delimited file that can in turn be imported to MS Excel, SQL, or any other compatible database or tracking program.

Dr. Torgo’s eSource eSsentials is available now for the introductory price of $19.95. It is a large download (over 340MB), so please be patient.

Let me preface this post by stating I have a lot of respect for TechRepublic. Their website is a treasure trove of computer specs and information. We rely on them when researching products or procedures and for just catching up on industry gossip. But I have a beef... again... with their love and affection for Windows 7 and their hatred of Vista.

Take this mornings article "10 reasons Vista haters will love Windows 7" by Debra Littlejohn Shinder. I don't know how much Microsoft is paying her (and many other 'objective' techies) to constantly push the "You will LOVE Windows 7" mantra down our throats. The article focuses on how great the aesthetics of Windows 7 are compared to evil Vista. Some of the reasons center around security and improved boot time, but come on... Windows 7 is going to convert the die hard XP users because of aesthetics? You've got to be kidding me!

Was this review written with the casual weekend user in mind? You know, the ones that only use the computer for Solitaire and online banking. We've been developing websites, writing software, using MS Server Products, and using numerous Adobe and third party development products on our Vista machines for a year and a half. Initially we had to do some tweeking, but nothing more over the top than any other OS install (including Ubuntu and Windows 7 BETA). All of the eye pleasing changes are nothing more than a service pack for an already outstanding OS.

"According to reports, Windows 7 has added support for multiple heterogeneous graphics cards from different vendors." And this is done how? By a paring of drivers and OS hooks that allow this to happen. The same thing that is done with a service pack. Yet somehow, it is so much better when it's repackaged as Windows 7 rather than a Vista update.

It gets even more sickening. Reason number 8 is " Side-by-side windows auto-size" with such riveting changes as "Even better, if you drag the window back away from the edge, it goes back to the size it was before. How cool is that?" Not very, Debra. I'm underwhelmed. Reason 9 is that "Home networking gets simple." Well, it already was simple, if you knew what you were doing. Face it, you could make the most colorful one-click interface on the planet and people will still have no idea how to set up a network. Not that its a bad thing, but the simpler you make it, the stronger the tendency to relax security and accounting so that people can connect their machines at the push of a button.

Number 10 is the ultimate in cyber-cheese... "Taskbar preview really works." Well, it may work... for you. Did you ever think their are people who want it to work the way it did on Vista? I prefer the uncluttered pane view of Vista to the desktop hogging multi-slide preview of Windows 7. The preview screens in Windows 7  are so small, you can't make out any detail on them other than a basic shot of what the screen is showing. You still have to open the window to read the details. 

But wait! Now comes Windows 7 and the world is a much better place! Just look at those preview panes compared to the ones our Fascist Vista users were forced to put up with. BTW: I like them better the first time I saw them On a Mac!

I for one will probably wait on Windows 7 because just like every other major OS release (including Vista), this one will have it's share of shakiness and instability no matter how many Microsoft press corps... I mean 'objective' technical journalists... tell us Windows 7 is going to make our computing lives better, cure cancer, and predict winning lottery numbers.

Great job, Debra. Buy something nice with your check... like Vista Ultimate!

... Stepping down from soapbox.

The Conficker C Internet worm is a brand-new, sophisticated computer virus that latches onto Windows PCs via unreliable websites and infected downloads. It exploits weaknesses in Microsoft's operating system and conceals itself on a hard drive, laying dormant until April 1 when it will "call home" and search for new instructions from its originator, say Internet experts.

While hundreds of computer viruses have been unleashed and eliminated since the 1980s, what's scary about Conficker C is that no one knows what it does or what it intends to do. It may prove to be the world's biggest April Fool's joke, or it could have the potential to take over your machine and steal all your personal data.

To help, eSource will offer our Virus and Spyware service for 15% off  during the month of April. All you have to do is mention that you saw this blog! Hopefully, it will not be very destructive and fairly quick to repair.

Say it aint so! Yesterday I started reading reviews, previews, and watching the trailer for RtCW2. I then jumped on some boards to check out the excitement level and expectations from some of the other fans of this game. I then read a post from an observant fan who said that at the end of the video, there was no logo for PC-DVD! Well, after a day of hyperventilating, someone finally shed some light.

So, don't worry. According to their GTTV interview, there IS a PC version of the game coming out. I'm a huge Enemy Territory fan and I hope that the multiplayer version really moves the franchise forward. Otherwise I will have to find a clan that plays Sins of a Solar Empire.

People are very passionate about their OS and even their browser. CanSecWest wrapped up this week and it featured the always popular Pwn2Own contest in which hackers try and breach software or OS's set up by the organizers. This years winner used browser exploits to get control of 3 computer:

   Not hardly. We've been evaluating Windows 7 for the last couple of months and all I can say is 'OK.. thats nice'.

To me, Windows 7 seems nothing more than Windows Vista SP2. I've read countless 'objective' reviews from journalists who drool over this product like they're on the Microsoft payroll . Lets look at the wonderful new features and see just what is happening:

• Windows 7 Desktop: Don't expect a new shiny interface. It's Vista but with some slight tweeks to the 'Start' menu and task bar at the bottom. The desktop also features Shaky Windows... Which means if you grab a window and shake it, the rest of the windows minimize. To get them back, just shake any window again. I'm underwhelmed.
• Windows 7 supports more hardware: Well, so does Vista... Now! It took a while, but the driver library for Vista has become robust enough to support most any and all hardware scenarios we see in the shop. You have to expect that the new version will support more hardware because its building on what is already available and will soon be available to Vista as they are developed. I have been running Vista on my development PC for a year now and have no issues with compatibility.
• Windows 7 has a smaller footprint: It's in Beta right now. Suffice it to say the final product will have to include all of the currently missing (still under development) add ons as well as the final packaged product. I've read that Windows 7 will not install bloated apps by default, but will allow the end user more flexibility in which options to install. This is a good thing.
• At least its not Vista: I personally don't understand what the backlash of Vista is all about. Again, I've been writing commercial software and websites with Vista for over a year. Initially, I'll admit, it was lacking in driver support and some software support. But with SP1 and subsequent updates, it has become a very robust platform for home and business users.