Junk mail (spam) is becoming an ever increasing problem.  Here is some advice on reducing your Junk mail woes.

Popular free web based email services are  prone to junk mail because they all have the same domain name ie: hotmail.com, yahoo.com etc. Its easy for spammers to guess email address's. They just get a computer to generate millions of names at hotmail.com for example and fire the junk out in the knowledge that some will land in an inbox, when an email address is discovered its targeted more and more as the address is marked as valid and  sold to other spammers. If you are a victim of spam and you use one of the freebies then your best bet is to open a new email account. The trick to avoid Spam in the first place is to create an email address that is not easily guessed. Instead of  johnsmith@hotmail.com  use a combination of letters numbers upper and lower case . EG. j0hnSm1th@hotmail.com   Other freebies that are PC based (pop3 email accounts) eg terra.es  or freeserve.co.uk suffer the same problem for the same reasons. Another way spammers get you is by buying databases of email addresses from businesses that require you to give an email address when filling out forms online or on paper. Some people make a business out of collecting and selling email addresses. to get around this one  have a second email address that you only use for this purpose.  Only give your regular email address to people or organizations you trust. Another trick is to spoof email addresses, you receive an email you think is from a genuine person but it is actually from a spammer using a trick so the email address of the sender appears to be a genuine person. This little trick gets the email past junk filters  because you will probably see it in your junk box and want to read it. And of course Never Never reply to Spam, if you do you will really see your inbox grow.

Warning to Skype Users please read.

Camposol computers recommends that if you are on a broadband connection you do not use SKYPE unless you are fully aware and understand  the following facts . SKYPE is not a standard VOIP system, it is what is known as  "peer to peer" VOIP. When you install skype software Your PC becomes a Skype VOIP server and as long as your PC is connected to the Internet you are part of  a huge worldwide peer to peer network of computers, this cannot even be stopped by logging out of your Skype account or shutting down the phone software  as the server continues to run in the background without your knowledge.  when you signed up you agreed to allow SKYPE to use your bandwidth and computing power for routing other peoples phonecalls, article 4.1 of the terms and conditions states: "4.1 Permission to utilise your computer. In order to receive the benefits provided by the Skype Software, you hereby grant permission for the Skype Software to utilise the processor and bandwidth of your computer for the limited purpose of facilitating the communication between Skype Software users. ". In simple terms this means that your PC could be used to route  other Skype users phone calls, using up valuable resources on your PC and slowing down your internet connection.  Please read this article recently published by "computer world" Also Skype make it clear they will not be held responsible for security issues and intrusions into your PC from being connected to a network in this way.

Some things to consider In Spain

Virus Threats

Spain is a hive of virus's and Spyware  you  must  have adequate Antivirus and Anti Spyware programs that are kept up to date. If you use Windows make sure its a genuine copy and always download all available security patches from Microsoft as soon as possible. a Firewall is also strongly advised for broadband users, Windows XP  and Vista have a basic firewall built in that is adequate for normal security. If you are a business user or you have sensitive Data on your Computer and total security is an issue then purchase  high quality software rather than rely on the freebies we mention. Check out our Virus info page

Power Supply

The mains power supply is very unstable in Spain especially in the summer months. If you value your PC a good quality UPS (battery back up unit) is a must. We can supply Units from 75€. at the very least you must protect your PC with a quality Surge protector or your PC will die for sure.

Keep Your PC Cool

Due to the high summer temperatures in Spain its essential to have your PC cleaned internally at least once a year. Our standard service ensures all vents and cooling systems in your PC are clean and working correctly. Laptop computers made for the UK market often  suffer from poor cooling systems and need the same attention.

Bodgit & Scarper PC Repairs

There are a lot of so called PC experts advertising in local papers and shop windows, so check them out first, they are sometimes people who have limited knowledge trying to earn a little bit of cash on the side and not normally insured so if they mess up your machine it can be very expensive.  Also buying  expensive equipment from an unlicensed trader is risky as they are soon caught by the authorities and closed, so bang goes any warranty you thought you had. As a licensed S.L company we are bound by law to guarantee everything for two years. Don't be afraid to ask to see the certification of the engineer working on your PC.