Leo Notenboom

Leo A. Notenboom is the owner of Puget Sound Software, LLC and the Leo in Ask Leo!. Leo has been in the personal computer and software industry since 1979, as a software engineer, a manager of software engineers, and as a consultant. In 1983 Leo joined what was then a medium sized local company called Microsoft and spent the next 18 years in a wide variety of groups working on a wide variety of software. If you're running Microsoft Windows, if you've used a Microsoft development tool or Microsoft Money, or if you've ever purchased a ticket through Expedia, there's a good chance you've been touched by some of his work. And of course, since 2003, Leo has been answering your tech questions on Ask Leo!

Ask Leo: Secure Delete – What is it and do I need it?

Leo Notenboom / November 18, 2009

askleo

By Leo Notenboom

Although there are many software utilities that claim to be
able to delete data files from hard drives securely and
thoroughly, can’t you accomplish the same thing simply by
overwriting sensitive files with large, non-sensitive ones?

To be honest, it depends on your level of paranoia. I
suppose that also depend on the level of sensitivity of your
data.

But you are correct in the implication that a plain old
“delete” isn’t nearly enough.

Let’s look at that, and how far you might need to go.

Ask Leo: Secure Delete – What is it and do I need it? Read More »

Ask Leo: How do I keep my information on a shared computer private?

Leo Notenboom / November 9, 2009

askleo

By Leo Notenboom

A reader asks: “I share a computer and I want to know how to
keep my information private.”

Ultimately … you can’t. At least not easily, and even then
it depends on the data that you’re attempting to keep
private, and the technical savvy of the individuals that
you’re attempting to keep it private from.

There’s nothing like your own computer. But if you have to
share, there are a couple of things that might help. A
little.

Ask Leo: How do I keep my information on a shared computer private? Read More »

Ask Leo: Your computer was stolen. What should you do?

Leo Notenboom / October 26, 2009

askleo

By Leo Notenboom

My computer was stolen. It’s password protected, what files can the thieves see?

A reader asks: “My mid-tower computer was recently stolen in
a burglary. The Windows Vista home ultimate system was
password protected at start-up. What files can be accessed
by those trying to enter the system?”

It’ll take a computer savvy thief about 5 minutes to gain
access to everything on your computer.

Ask Leo: Your computer was stolen. What should you do? Read More »

Ask Leo: How do I keep from getting my account hacked?

Leo Notenboom / October 12, 2009

askleo

By Leo Notenboom

A reader asks: “My MSN HotMail account has been hacked into several times. If
I’m able to recover it, it just gets hacked again. Sometimes I can’t recover
it, and I have to start all over with a new account. What can I do to stop this
all from happening?”

Ask Leo: How do I keep from getting my account hacked? Read More »

Ask Leo – Someone is sending from my email address! How do I stop them?!

Leo Notenboom / September 29, 2009

askleo

PC Pitstop is proud to welcome industry veteran Leo Notenboom as a new guest contributor. Leo has been involved in the tech industry for nearly 30 years. After retiring from an 18 year career as a Microsoft Software Engineer Leo went on to create Ask Leo!, a free web site where he answers real questions from ordinary computer users.

By Leo Notenboom

You’re minding your own business and one day you get email
from someone you’ve never heard of and they’re asking you to
stop sending them email. Or worse, they’re angry. Or worse
yet, they accuse you of sending them a virus! But you don’t
know them, you’ve never heard of them, and you know you’ve
never sent them email.

Ask Leo – Someone is sending from my email address! How do I stop them?! Read More »