Got A Computer? Top 10 Things You Should Do*

Top 10 things you should do to your computer

It is a holiday weekend, and so today I am re-posting an article which aggregates what I believe are the most important computer tips into a single checklist…a “Top 10″ list. Click on the blue links to get more instructions on the topic.

There are several things a PC owner should do to have a healthy computer and be safer from cyber criminals when they browse the Internet. Not surprisingly, I have covered these topics over the course of writing this six-days-a-week series of articles. So I thought I would put the more important ones into a single list — a “Top 10 List” — and provide direct links (blue text) to the articles which cover the How To steps of making these things happen… and provide you with a simple way to find out what you need to do, compared to what you’ve done already. In case you missed one, or two.

Tip of the day: Run down this list, and ask yourself, “have I done that?” to each one.

1) Install an antivirus, and keep it up-to-date (with the latest “definitions”).
To read my articles on malware, click here. To see a list of links to free antivirus programs, click here. To read my article on how to configure your antivirus for maximum protection, click here.

2) Install two anti-spyware apps, with one having “active” shielding.
To read all my articles which discuss spyware, click here. To see a list of links to free anti-spyware programs, click here.

3) Install a 3rd Party firewall OR turn on the Widows Firewall.
* If you have a home router or Wireless AP, make sure its firewall is enabled (NAT).

4) Enable Automatic Updates from Microsoft (and either set it to automatically install [for the non-geeky] or to prompt for install [for the hands-on type]) and set your programs to “automatically check for updates”.
And then actually click on the “Install” button when told there are updates available.. and please, do not tell them to “go away, you’re busy.”

5) Password protect your User Accounts.

6) Make a (monthly) system backup.. or at least a “files and settings” backup.. and store a copy — on two different types of media — someplace other than your hard drive.
To read all my articles on backups, click here.

7) Upgrade to IE 8 and/or an “alternative” Web browser (like Firefox, Opera, or Avant). Click here to read my articles on browsers and browsing.

8: Use strong (and complex) passwords. Everywhere. And change them every so often.

9) “Optimize” your hard drive. Sometimes you’ll hear this referred to as “file system maintenance”; basically it means to clean old files and ‘build up’ and “defrag” your machine for faster performance.

10) Tell Windows to show file extensions.

* (Windows XP/older):
– Use the NTFS file system, and disable Simple File Sharing.
– Rename the Administrator account.

* (Laptops) Encrypt your hard drive.

There is more you can do to optimize your PC (of course) and the odds are good that I have told you the steps in a prior article, as I’ve written over 900 of them– so far, and I invite you type the word “optimize” into my Search box and see what comes up.

I hope this find-it-in-one-spot review has been helpful to you, and I hope you all have a “super” holiday.

Today’s free downloads: By clicking the links above, you will see all the previously posted downloads, of which there are many. And, also, there are links to more free links in no’s 1 and 2 above.

* And for those of you lucky folks who have a brand new PC… Whenever you buy a new computer, it will come preloaded with all sorts of trialware (as it’s called) that most of us don’t want. If you have just purchased a new PC, download and run the wonderful PC Decrapifier and clean off that *stuff*.

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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Quick Tip: Movies on the plane

Make Your Movies Truly Laptop Friendly

If you know you are going to be traveling, and you want to bring some entertainment with you (namely, movies), such as the best film ever made — The Dukes of Hazzard, today’s quick tip is for you.

Tip of the day: The energy required to spin the disc, and power the laser beam inside your DVD (or Blu Ray) drive is hard on your laptop’s battery, and can drain the charge rather quickly… maybe before the movie ends.

The trick is to “rip” (geekspeak for “copy”) the DVD to a file, and keep the file on your hard drive, or a thumb drive. Playing the file (watching the movie) this way is less work for your computer and your battery will last longer. Kind of a “must” for those long flights!

Today’s free download(s):
For simple, one-click “rips” of your DVD movies, bitRipper is hard to beat. It was a for-pay utility, and now is available for free.

And for those of you who want to watch your movies on an iDevice, HandBrake is a highly recommended Open Source tool to consider. It’s available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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Why do we compute?

What do you use your computer for the most?
* Communication: E-mail, Instant Message/Chat, VoIP (telephony), video conference/chat, blogging, social networking, presentations, creating documents for distribution, participate in Groups?
* Entertainment: (video) games, online videos/YouTube, IPTV/webcasts, online radio, play music, watch DVD’s?
* Information/Education: obtain news items, research Knowledge Bases (Wikipedia, WebMD), virtual classrooms, Search Engines, product reviews, public opinion, get directions and/or find businesses with Maps, math, read RSS feeds/blogs, check sports scores?
* Business/Commerce: buy/sell items online (Ebay, Craig’s List, Amazon…), collaborate, advertising/marketing, host a Website, research the competition, solicit, documentation, payroll, taxes/banking, perform required duties (yes, that’s kind of a catch-all; but what I mean is your job requires you to use a computer)?

Of course, I have omited plenty of things in this quick list, and other reasons don’t easily pigeonhole — like “to save trees by using less paper”, and “because everyone does”. A highly scientific study I just now dreamed up concludes that people use their computers for a healthy combination of the things I mentioned above, (although all my 12 yr-old nephew does is play video games..) and that they do some of them “online” and some of them not.
This highly scientific study also shows a direct correlation between the rise in global broadband availability and people’s using the Internet– more people are going “online” everyday. (I know of at least six.)

And, computers aren’t as new and frightening to us as they once were, nor do they require aquiring and mastering a foreign language.. like DOS or Unix. Why, just the other day I caught my father (most definitely not a member of the Computer Generation) watching a video on YouTube  (“Why, father, how Late 20th-Century of you!”). No, he was not watching a Smashing Pumpkins music video, but rather, some travelogue of Eastern Europe, but still, you see my point.

Tip of the day: Be nice to you computer and take good care of it. Protect it from viruses and spyware, and keep it clean and well-cooled. Be nice to it, and it’ll be nice to you. I’ve created a 10-point checklist to help.

Today’s free link: There are several things a PC owner should do to have a healthy computer and be safe(r) from online cyber criminals when they browse the Internet. I have compiled a short checklist that you can quickly run down and “check off” the items; and I have provided links to the tools and How To’s for those items you find that need mending– Top 10 Things You Should Do To Your Computer

[Addenda: One of the most common uses for computers falls into my list under “Entertainment”– the viewing of pornographic pictures and videos. (Does that surprise you???) If you (ahem) know someone who uses their machine for this activity, please read Like Porno Sites?–They LOVE you! by Bill Mullins]

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved.post to jaanix

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