Most machinery and its hardware like cars and lawnmowers require maintenance to keep them running at their peak performance. Computer systems and their hard drives are no different; they require routine maintenance to prevent and/or correct problems to keep them running at their maximum performance. At minimal Computers 101 recommends that you do the following suggestions to be safe online, to keep files safe and to keep your computer system running at optimal performance.
The following are guidelines to upkeep the performance of your computer system. Please note that these tips are for non-commercial computer systems as business may need more protection and an in-depth disaster recovery plans.
First things, the following are do’s and don’ts and suggestion software to run on a daily basis:
1. Turn Off Computer Properly
Never, turn your computer off with the power switch until Windows has done a complete shutdown. Whenever possible, recover from crashes by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time. Then press them again to reboot your computer.
2. UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply)
Purchase a UPS or a battery backup for your computer. This will keep your computer from crashing during power outages; especially if you leave in the Rio Grande Valley where we have a surplus of surges thanking our electrical company for this. A crash of this type may vary from no damage to a complete loss of your hard drive (all your files).
3. Virus Protection
A computer virus or malware is computer program written by a computer programmer with the purpose of interrupting computers by erasing information on their hard drive and causing other problems. Anti-Virus programs that protect computers against viruses, like Norton AntiVirus or McAfee VirusScan, are available at most computer stores. If you have a high speed Internet connection it is imperative that you have a virus protection software like those I mentioned above.
4. Personal Firewall Software
If you have a high speed Internet connection it is imperative that you have a firewall program. Firewall software keeps those who want to gaining access to your system (pictures, website history, important files or etc). You really do not want someone else running your computer. I suggest you purchase Norton's Personal Firewall program. Your firewall should boot up with your computer to protect it from invasion.
5. BACKUP!
Backup, backup, backup, all files you cannot afford to lose to at least two different physical drives. You may backup the data to a CD R, DVD R, Flash Storage, External Hard drive and etc. This will give you an extra copy of your files in case your hard drive is damaged. Next store these medias in a fireproof location or a different location from the computer system in case of an accident. Backup as often as possible; do not wait until tomorrow.
Finally, for the average user, our Course of Action suggestions are to be performed every 2-3 months.
1. Uninstall unused programs
Remove and uninstall programs that you do not use. These programs clutter up your drive and take up valuable space. And I do not mean deleting the shortcut on your desktop; you must use the uninstall function of Windows for the program to be removed safely and completely.
2. Clean out temporary files
While you are running programs, your computer will write information that it does not immediately need into temporary files. Installation files will also expand themselves into the temporary folder. You can delete these temporary files safely by using the Disk Cleanup option in your System Tools
3. Repair a Hard Drive
Over time, hard drives can become damaged, effecting their performance. Fortunately most of the hard drive damage is caused by normal wear and tear and is not serious. You can diagnose and correct most hard drive problems with a hard drive repair program. Microsoft Windows comes with a built-in hard drive repair program.
4. Empty your recycle bin
Once you've emptied your drive of cluttering, unnecessary programs; empty your recycle bin to remove what has been placed there in the process
5. Scandisk/Defragmentation
Run Scandisk and Defragment at least every three months. This will keep your hard drive optimal and prevent crashes. If possible purchase Norton Utilities and use it to keep your hard drive healthy as well. Over time, a hard drive can become fragmented, and instead of storing a file in the same location it begins storing parts of it all over. When the computer needs to read a fragmented file, it must read several different parts of the hard drive instead of just one. Hence taking longer to locate and process files.
The following are great links that have additional tips for maintaining your systems.
Microsoft link to “Maintain your system with Windows XP”
PC World link to “Hardware Tips: Complete PC Preventive Maintenance Guide"
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Friday, February 15, 2008
About the Keyboard
The Vintage Keyboard Has Not Changed
Technology is changing faster than the speed of light and so is the keyboard equipment. Today you can find modern keyboards like in the following link: Laser Keyboard. For portability, one could do without carrying around a long, bulky, and heavy keyboard; with Bluetooth technology and laser light you can make any surface your keyboard. In addition, presently there are wireless and fully integrated ergonomically designed keyboards. There are countless of models that are engineered specifically for large to small electronics.
New model research
It is interesting to notice that the order of the keys have not changed from their original creation. You’re probably wondering why they would need to be changed. Let’s discuss the history of the creation of the keyboard and then one will know why the argument.
As with the airplane, and automobile there were many brilliant inventors and efforts in the creation of the electrical type writer. History documents that in 1872 Christopher Latham Shole and others invented the first workable and commercial sold “Type-Writer.” There were however many drawbacks; the typist could not see what they were keying and the keys would jam. With the original letter layout, the typist was much to fast and key jams were much too often common. Shole, after years of trying to slow down the typist to, he redesigned the layout. He shuffled the keys to what we know today-the “QWERTY” keyboard.
The QWERTY keyboard or layout is named after the top row of letters on keyboard. Interesting to say, if you look on the second row of your keyboard you will see the name of the layout. Typewriters have evolved to computing. The irony is that we have computers today that do not have the technical limitations of the mechanical typewriter and we continue to adopt this layout.
QWERTY Keyboard Layout
There have been attempts to change the layout but none have been adopted by the general public. The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout patent in 1936 by Dr. August Dvorak, is one attempt to arrange keys so that frequently-used keys are the quickest to key.
Dvork Simplified Keyboard
Technology is changing faster than the speed of light and so is the keyboard equipment. Today you can find modern keyboards like in the following link: Laser Keyboard. For portability, one could do without carrying around a long, bulky, and heavy keyboard; with Bluetooth technology and laser light you can make any surface your keyboard. In addition, presently there are wireless and fully integrated ergonomically designed keyboards. There are countless of models that are engineered specifically for large to small electronics.
New model research
It is interesting to notice that the order of the keys have not changed from their original creation. You’re probably wondering why they would need to be changed. Let’s discuss the history of the creation of the keyboard and then one will know why the argument.
As with the airplane, and automobile there were many brilliant inventors and efforts in the creation of the electrical type writer. History documents that in 1872 Christopher Latham Shole and others invented the first workable and commercial sold “Type-Writer.” There were however many drawbacks; the typist could not see what they were keying and the keys would jam. With the original letter layout, the typist was much to fast and key jams were much too often common. Shole, after years of trying to slow down the typist to, he redesigned the layout. He shuffled the keys to what we know today-the “QWERTY” keyboard.
The QWERTY keyboard or layout is named after the top row of letters on keyboard. Interesting to say, if you look on the second row of your keyboard you will see the name of the layout. Typewriters have evolved to computing. The irony is that we have computers today that do not have the technical limitations of the mechanical typewriter and we continue to adopt this layout.
QWERTY Keyboard Layout
There have been attempts to change the layout but none have been adopted by the general public. The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout patent in 1936 by Dr. August Dvorak, is one attempt to arrange keys so that frequently-used keys are the quickest to key.
Dvork Simplified Keyboard
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Keyboard Shorcuts
Do you wonder how the younger in the millennial generation can rapidly stroke keys on the keyboard and make things happen in a blink of an eye? In nano-seconds they somehow transpire quick actions to magic, where in a few keystrokes they have lowered the volume, switched between programs, “googled” your inquire, and a whole list of other activities you missed.
While some of us may take time moving about the mouse and the keyboard, they stroke the keys without ever leaving the keyboard. Here is the secret; they use nothing more than keyboard shortcuts. The following links are some shortcuts to Microsoft’s Windows applications. From copy, cut, and paste to application specific shortcuts.
The following link if not all, gives you a pretty lenghty list of keyboard shortcuts.
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/winkeyboard.htm
With diligence and a lot of patience you might just never use your mouse again.
So, how do you ever become good at keyboard shortcuts? The Valley’s Computer Teacher says: Practice! Practice! Practice!
Every week practice two new keyboard shortcuts and while always repeating the previously learned.
While some of us may take time moving about the mouse and the keyboard, they stroke the keys without ever leaving the keyboard. Here is the secret; they use nothing more than keyboard shortcuts. The following links are some shortcuts to Microsoft’s Windows applications. From copy, cut, and paste to application specific shortcuts.
The following link if not all, gives you a pretty lenghty list of keyboard shortcuts.
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/winkeyboard.htm
With diligence and a lot of patience you might just never use your mouse again.
So, how do you ever become good at keyboard shortcuts? The Valley’s Computer Teacher says: Practice! Practice! Practice!
Every week practice two new keyboard shortcuts and while always repeating the previously learned.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
The Generation Y: Work Ethics
The Baby Boomers are the generation born between 1946 and 1964 and everyone knows plenty about them. Subsequently, Generation X is the people born between 1965 and 1976. They are also known as the “Reagan Generation”. Those in Generation X tend to be very consumer driven and sensationally media savvy. Next is Generation Y, those born between the years 1977 and 1994. This is the largest generation since the Baby Boomers, sometimes distinguished as “Millennial”, “Second Baby Boom”, or “Internet Generation”. They are extremely computer savvy, most educated generation yet, impatient, and love to learn.
The older in this generation are becoming today’s workforce and their distinctive characteristics are leaving America uncertain. Today we have Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y together and much too often colliding in the workplace. Individuals with different ideas, values, work ethics, ways of getting things done and communication has always existed in the workplace but why is it a problem today? The understanding of each generation characteristics may be the answer to how to manage intergenerational groups in the workplace, families, and friends.
I found a good article about this new Generation Y and their work ethics from NAS Recruitment Company.
http://www.nasrecruitment.com/TalentTips/NASinsights/GenerationY.pdf
Here is a podcast you can listen to from your computer. http://www.gartner.com/it/products/podcasting/asset_183534_2575.jsp
The older in this generation are becoming today’s workforce and their distinctive characteristics are leaving America uncertain. Today we have Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y together and much too often colliding in the workplace. Individuals with different ideas, values, work ethics, ways of getting things done and communication has always existed in the workplace but why is it a problem today? The understanding of each generation characteristics may be the answer to how to manage intergenerational groups in the workplace, families, and friends.
I found a good article about this new Generation Y and their work ethics from NAS Recruitment Company.
http://www.nasrecruitment.com/TalentTips/NASinsights/GenerationY.pdf
Here is a podcast you can listen to from your computer. http://www.gartner.com/it/products/podcasting/asset_183534_2575.jsp
Sunday, December 23, 2007
What is a Blog?
A Blog, derivation from Web log, is a specialized social web site that allows an individual or group of individuals to share a running log of personal insights; comments or news on a specific subject with online audiences. A Blog may function as a personal online diary or Journal. It can combine text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Blogs are typically updated daily or on a regular basis. Someone who keeps a journal or logs on the internet like this is called a blogger.
Before blogging there were digital communities such as Usenet, newsgroups, CompuServe, E-Mail Lists, Bulletin Board Systems and more on just about every topic imaginable. Although content can be subjective, blogging sites can provide excellent information on numerous topics. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.
As you read this blog you are currently participating in the Valley’s digital community.
As you know by now this is a publication of personal thoughts and insight. Please post you comments as we are all interested to hear your perspective on some of these worthy of note topics. If you would like to know more about a specific topic relating to computers or software please post a comment here.
Before blogging there were digital communities such as Usenet, newsgroups, CompuServe, E-Mail Lists, Bulletin Board Systems and more on just about every topic imaginable. Although content can be subjective, blogging sites can provide excellent information on numerous topics. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.
As you read this blog you are currently participating in the Valley’s digital community.
As you know by now this is a publication of personal thoughts and insight. Please post you comments as we are all interested to hear your perspective on some of these worthy of note topics. If you would like to know more about a specific topic relating to computers or software please post a comment here.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Which laptop do you recommend?
Here we are folks, the answer to the holiday’s most asked question. With 3 out of 4 US homes with broadband, everyone is asking: Which laptop do you recommend? After rigorous performance tests, here are PC World top 10 notebooks.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
10 Tips for Improving Your Wireless Network
Do you get a weak signal on your home or business wireless network? Does it come on and off and/ or drop your wireless signal? Click here, Microsoft has ten tips to improve your home wireless network performance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
