Professional Computer Support Ltd

27/10/2026

PCS Halloween Week: The ghost in the computer

Imagine switching on your computer and finding a message from someone who lived 400 years ago…

That’s exactly what one man claimed happened in the English village of Dodleston during the 1980s.

Ken Webster reported receiving mysterious messages on his BBC Micro computer, apparently written by someone living in the 16th century.

The messages seemed to come from a man named Thomas Harden, who claimed to be writing from the year 1541.

But how could someone from Tudor England communicate through a computer?

The story became known as the Dodleston Messages. Although the claims have never been independently verified, the mystery continues to fascinate people today.

A haunting from the past, an elaborate hoax, or something else entirely?

What do you think?

27/10/2026

🪄 Try this little magical trick!

Has a mischievous little ghost got hold of your Google Search?

For today’s PCS Halloween Week trick, we’re revealing two little surprises hidden in Google!

First, open Google Search and type - do a barrel roll.

Watch what happens to your screen!

Now try searching for - askew.

Has everything suddenly gone a little wonky?

Don’t worry, your device isn’t haunted! They’re just two playful suprises hidden in Google Search.

No special software or subscription needed, although the effects may vary depending on your browser or device.

Give them a try and tell us which one made you smile!

26/10/2026

PCS Halloween Week: When music attacks!

Can a song really crash a computer?

It sounds like something from a spooky film, but it actually happened!

Certain older laptops had a very unusual weakness. Playing Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation could cause their mechanical hard drives to malfunction, sometimes crashing the computer.

And here’s the really strange part…

The music could even affect nearby laptops that weren’t playing the song themselves!

So how was that possible?

Traditional hard drives contain spinning discs and delicate moving components.
Certain frequencies in the song matched a natural resonant frequency of some hard drives, causing vibrations that interfered with their operation.

In other words, the music was quite literally shaking the technology!

Thankfully, modern solid-state drives (SSDs) have no spinning discs, so they aren’t vulnerable to this particular problem.

It’s a fascinating reminder that technology can sometimes be affected by things we’d never expect.

Have you ever experienced a computer problem that seemed completely inexplicable?

We’d love to hear your stories!

26/10/2026

We’re kicking off a whole week of spooky technology.

WOULD YOU DARE LISTEN TO A BLACK HOLE?

Imagine hearing something so eerie that it sounds like it belongs in a horror film… except it’s REAL!

Scientists at NASA have turned sound waves associated with a black hole at the centre of the Perseus galaxy cluster into something we can actually hear.

And the result? A haunting, ghostly rumble that sounds as though the universe itself is groaning! 🖤

But here’s the really fascinating bit…

The original sound waves were far too low for human ears to detect, so NASA shifted them upwards by 57 and 58 octaves to bring them into our hearing range.

the URL to check this out is in the image.

What do YOU think it sounds like? A ghost? A monster? Or something even stranger?

Tell us in the comments!

25/10/2026

Know someone who’s set off on a cruise? Wonder where they are right now?

Here’s a fascinating bit of technology you might enjoy exploring this Sunday!

MarineTraffic lets you search for ships and explore their movements on an interactive world map.

Whether it’s a cruise ship, ferry or enormous cargo vessel, you may be able to see its reported location, destination, speed and even a photograph!

How does it work?

Ships use a system called AIS to share their position and movements, helping them navigate safely and avoid collisions. MarineTraffic displays this information on a map.

Fancy having a look?

Check the images and official website address included with this post, or search Google for MarineTraffic ship tracking.

Try searching for a cruise ship you recognise, or explore the English Channel to see what’s sailing nearby.

Basic tracking information for many vessels is free, although offshore coverage and some additional features require a subscription. Locations may not always be live.

Sunday challenge: Can you find a cruise ship heading somewhere exciting?

Tell us what you discover in the comments!

Follow PCS for more fascinating technology discoveries and useful IT tips!

25/10/2026

Cybercriminals don’t care how small your business is!

Think your business is too small to be targeted by hackers? Think again!

Cybercriminals don’t just target large corporations. Small businesses can be attractive targets too, especially when security measures are overlooked.

One phishing email, stolen password or compromised account could mean lost data, financial disruption and costly downtime.

So, how secure is your business?

At PCS, we help small businesses strengthen their IT security, protect sensitive information and reduce the risk of cyberattacks.

Here’s how we can help:

Cybersecurity protection – Helping safeguard your computers, networks and business data against online threats.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) – Adding an extra layer of protection to your business accounts.

Device and software security – Keeping systems updated, protected and running securely.

Data backup and recovery – Helping protect your important business files and prepare for unexpected data loss.

Email and Microsoft 365 security – Strengthening protection against phishing, suspicious emails and account compromise.

IT support and security advice – Friendly, straightforward guidance without the confusing technical jargon.

Whether you’re a sole trader, a growing company or an established small business, we’re here to help you understand the risks and find practical solutions.

Worried about your business security?

Get in touch with PCS today for a friendly chat about how we can help protect your business.

Follow PCS for more cybersecurity advice, useful IT tips and tech facts to keep your business one step ahead!

25/10/2026

Did you know you can watch the International Space Station fly over your home?

Ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what’s travelling above you?

Well, here’s something incredible you can try for yourself!

NASA has a free website and app called Spot the Station that tells you when the International Space Station (ISS) will be visible from your location.

And here’s the fascinating part…

The space station travels at approximately 17,500 mph, orbiting Earth roughly every 90 minutes!

That’s around 16 trips around our planet every single day!

And apparently, its possible see it with your own eyes, without a telescope!

It looks like a bright star moving steadily across the sky, but it’s actually a spacecraft with astronauts living and working aboard, hundreds of kilometres above Earth.

So how can you spot it?

Visit google or the app store and search for
spot-the-station
(check the image below against their official app and website URL.

Enter your location or download NASA’s free app to discover upcoming sightings.

It can tell you when to look up, which direction to face and how long the station should be visible.

(the sky does need to be clear though)?

Here’s your Sunday challenge!

Find out when the ISS will next be visible from your area.

And if you manage to spot it, come back and tell us in the comments! 🙂

Follow PCS for more fascinating technology discoveries, clever websites and useful IT tips!

24/10/2026

You trust your IT provider with access to your business. Their security should matter too.

We’re Cyber Essentials Plus certified.

That means our certification includes independent technical testing to verify that the security controls within our assessed systems are working in practice. It covers areas such as access controls, security updates, firewalls and malware protection.

For our customers, it’s added assurance that we take our own cybersecurity seriously alongside the advice and support we provide.

Your business depends on its technology. Choose IT support that takes that responsibility seriously.

Message us if you’d like a straightforward conversation about your business’s IT security.

24/10/2026

You’ve spent 20 minutes wrestling with a PDF. Word might have opened it all along.

In Microsoft Word, go to File → Open and select your PDF. Word can convert it into an editable document.

It works best with PDFs that are mostly text. Complex layouts may shift, and scanned pages may remain images—so check the result and save a separate copy.

What’s your most annoying everyday computer task?

23/10/2026

Website owners: an urgent security update needs your attention.

Does your website use WordPress, Joomla, Drupal or another PHP-based platform? This could affect you.

On 21 October, the PHP project released emergency security fixes for two critical vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to run malicious code on affected web servers without logging in. Website owners are being urged to act immediately.

Your website looking normal doesn’t confirm it’s protected.

Contact your hosting provider or website support team today and ask:

Have the fixes for these critical PHP vulnerabilities been installed on my hosting account?

Does my PHP version receive security patches?

Are my website software, themes and extensions also up to date?

Updating WordPress alone doesn’t confirm that PHP has been patched—ask your host to check the server software too.

Official announcement: https://www.php.net/archive/2026.php

Share this with a business owner who manages their own website. A timely check could prevent a serious problem.

PHP is a popular general-purpose scripting language that powers everything from your blog to the most popular websites in the world.