Posts Tagged: ‘Computers’

Technological New Year Resolutions – Originally Published January 2010

June 23, 2014 Posted by Tiny

A Pain in the Whatchamacallit
By Tiny Ruisch

I’ve been writing this monthly column for almost a year now.  One of the things I’ve learned is that it is usually pretty hard to decide what topic to write on each month.  January is almost a gimmee topic.  Technological New Year’s Resolutions that I’ll try to keep.

This year I’m going to try to be better at doing my data backups.  I’ve got a backup schedule, but sometimes put it off to do other things.  I know it’s not wise to do that, but sometimes I accidentally eat a stupid pill.

This year I’m going to try harder to write a monthly column for the newsletter and actually submit it in a timely manner . I know that waiting until the last minute just makes it harder for the editor to complete the monthly bulletin.

This year, I’m going to finally organize all of my pictures and picture albums.  I’ve got photo albums in three places on the internet.  I’ve got pictures stored on four different hard drives.  I can probably delete a few thousand pictures and still have plenty left.  Do I really need more than one picture of the same scene?

This year, I’m going to devote more time to my other hobbies.  I haven’t had my telescope pointed at the sky in a long time.  My model railroad has been gathering dust for a month or so.  Oh well, at least I haven’t missed any SWLACUG meetings.

This year, I’m going to update my website more often.  I think I’ll steal some of Tom’s ideas and add some technical columns.  I could at least copy my Whatchamacallit articles.

This year I’m going to quit downloading and installing software that I’ll probably never use.  Do I really need another digital photo editor?  Will a different media player make my mp3’s sound better?  How many file cleaners do I really need ? Then of course, there are the games I’ve downloaded, played once and forgot about.

This year, I’m going to frequently remind all club members to help make our club a little better.  It doesn’t take much to do.  Just share your experiences with the software or hardware you use.  You’d be surprised at what you know that someone else doesn’t.  Some of my favorite web sites were recommended to me by someone else.  I didn’t sign on to Facebook until it was a meeting topic.  Now I spend quite a bit of time using the service.  Why don’t you write a one paragraph article letting everyone know how great or lousy the flash drive you just bought is?  Why not post a note on the club forum when you’ve found an interesting sale.  Maybe the most important contribution you could make is letting the club know what topics you would like to hear about at the monthly meeting.  Why not make a suggestion on what you’d like to see articles about in the newsletter?

On a different subject, I’d like to take a paragraph and say how much I enjoyed the 2009 club Christmas meeting.  I thought the gifts were all pretty good and I am getting a lot of use out of mine.  As always, the food was delicious and the company was better.

That’s all for this month.  Thanks for reading.

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Things I Hate About Computing – Originally Published October 2009

June 23, 2014 Posted by Tiny

A Pain in the Whatchamacallit
By Tiny Ruisch

This month I’m going to rant, criticize and complain just a little.  The other day, my wife and I were in one of the home improvement stores and I thought that it would be a good time to pick up a new water filter for our refrigerator.  I went over to appliances and told them I needed a new filter for a Whirlpool.  He immediately asked me which of the nine filters I needed.  Of course I had forgotten to memorize the filter number so I found our refrigerator on the sales floor and told the salesman, “One to fit that model.”  Naturally, it was the wrong size filter.  When I went back to exchange it, I found out that a different model year takes a different filter.  What does all that have to do with computers and electronics?

It got me to thinking about some of the things I really hate about computing.  I’ve probably got 30 or 40 different USB cables in my junk box in the closet.  Every time you buy something that is USB supported, you get another cable.  Why is this?  It’s because each manufacturer has their own proprietary plug.  They have to include a cable because none of my other 30 cables will fit the darn thing.  I recently got a new cell phone.  Same manufacturer, different model.  You guessed it.  I’ve got another USB cable in my collection.  Wouldn’t it be nice if everything had a standard plug and didn’t have the cable included?  Think of the money that could be saved.  Wait a minute!  Then they couldn’t sucker people into paying $20 for 3 dollars worth of wire.

Another thing about electronics that makes me made are the End User License Agreements (EULA).  I’m one of those persons that read them pretty carefully before installing anything on my computer.  My complaint isn’t the fact that they are written by lawyers.  I can use the internet to identify the legal terms.  I have yet to find a EULA that can be read full screen.  Instead they write them in a little window that usually covers about a tenth of my screen.  I really think this is done to discourage people from reading the agreements.  Just get them to click “I agree” and get it over with.  I wonder how many people downloaded Google Chrome before the EULA was changed?  Do you suppose Google changed their EULA because someone finally read the EULA and told others what it said?

I can live with SPAM (I usually don’t even see it) and I don’t mind being bombarded with internet advertisements (I can always go to other sites).  I really hate it when websites pop up a window asking for information that they will probably never use.  For instance, the Des Moines Register wants to know my age, sex and country.  They then store the data in a cookie on my computer.  When I tell them that I‘m 22 year old female, I get the same advertisements as the dirty old men get.  Why waste my time?

My last big frustration is forwarded e-mails, which I usually just delete.  Should I really have to click page down 2 or 3 times to read the cute story or learn about the latest internet scare?  Besides, I think it would be a good thing if the government made business e-mails pay a 10 cent tax.  I bet we’d all get a lot less Viagra offers.

That’s enough ranting and complaining.  Next month I’ll write something useful for the newsletter.  By the way, did I mention that the two water filters had two different prices?  Does that remind you of anything computer related?

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Unsafe Computer Practices – Originally Published August 2009

June 22, 2014 Posted by Tiny

A Pain in the Whatchamacallit
By Tiny Ruisch

Forrest Gump said, “Stupid is as stupid does.“  Could this mean that an intelligent person who does stupid things is still stupid?  Everyone has heard the stories of the computer user that used their disk player as a coffee cup holder.  Did you hear about the computer user that called tech support trying to figure out why their computer wasn’t working?  Turns out there was a power outage.  When you Google “stupid computer stories” you get about 6,660,000 hits.  No matter how you look at it, we’re talking about a lot of stupidity.

I’m not planning to talk about stupid computer things, just plain dumb or unsafe computing practices.  Probably one of the dumbest things some people do is neglect antivirus and anti-spyware programs.  Antivirus programs can be a royal pain in the you know what!  They’re always blocking some application you want to use.  You often have to disable them to install new software.  They have to be updated on a regular basis to do any good.  It seems like the subscription is always expiring and prompting you to renew it.  You can’t afford to go without virus protection.  The malicious programs that AV software detects can not only wreak havoc on your system but can spread via your computer to the rest of your network.  Don’t be dumb!  Keep your antivirus up to date.

I think it’s really dumb to just click on anything and everything.  I know how tempting it is to quickly load that solve everything program without first reading the EULA.  Be careful!  You might be agreeing to let everyone on the internet send you spam.  Even worse, you could do like one of my sisters did – agree to use your address book for a sales pitch.  I know how hard it is to resist clicking that email hyperlink your best friend just sent you, just be careful.  It’s so easy to download backdoor Trojans without even knowing it.  Don’t be dumb and give in to “click mania.”  Think before you click a link.  Links can also be disguised in “phishing” messages or on Web sites to appear to take you to a different site from the ones they really point to.  You can often find out the real URL by hovering over the link without clicking it.

Don’t be dumb and install/uninstall lots of programs.  I know how tempting it is to be on the cutting edge, so you often install and try out new software.  Beta programs are usually free and give you a chance to sample neat new features before most people.  There are also many freeware and shareware programs made available as Internet downloads by their authors.  I know none of our club members would never do it, but some users even install pirated software.  The more programs you install, the more likely you are to run across ones that either include harmful code or are poorly written and cause your system to crash.  Even if you install only licensed commercial software, too many installs and uninstalls can gunk up the registry.  Not all uninstall routines completely remove program remnants and at the least, this practice can cause your system to slow down over time.  Don’t be dumb.  Install only programs that you really need.

I think that it’s really dumb to plug your computer right into a cable or DSL modem and go on the Internet.  Some people don’t realize that they’re putting themselves at risk from viruses and attackers.  Every Internet connected computer should be protected by a firewall.  Just having a firewall isn’t enough.  You must also make sure it’s turned on and configured properly to protect you.

I think it’s really dumb to plug in any electronic equipment without using a surge protector.  Doing so can physically destroy your computer equipment, as well as the data it holds.  You may might think your system is in danger only during an electrical storm, but anything that interrupts the electrical circuit and then restarts the current can fry your electronics.  Something as simple as turning on an appliance that’s plugged into the same circuit can cause a surge.  If you have a power outage, there could be a surge when the electricity comes back on.  Don’t be dumb.  Protect your electronics against damage from power surges by always using a surge protector.

Remember that everything in this column is just my opinion.  It doesn’t really matter to me if you follow my advice.  I don’t gamble very much, but there is one thing I’m willing to bet on.  It might not happen for a while, but eventually, you’re going to get caught!

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Replacing My Laptop – Originally Published February 2009

June 10, 2014 Posted by Tiny

Another Pain in the Whatchamacallit
by Tiny Ruisch

I just replaced my old COMPAQ Presario M2000.  Although it was pretty long in the tooth for a laptop, it still did everything I wanted to do on my lap.  Unfortunately,there were so many lines running through the screen that I couldn’t see my cards very clearly in the poker tournaments.

While shopping at one of the local stores (it would probably be BEST if I didn’t mention where I was shopping, even if I didn’t BUY there).  I was comparing features on a Toshiba and a HP. Both computers sold for $600.  The salesman offered services to remove unwanted factory trial programs, update drivers, operating system updates, etc  All this would only cost $210.  He seemed surprised when I suggested that it would be about $100 cheaper to buy my own copy of the Windows Operating System, format the drive and install the operating system without using the factory installed OEM.

I finally bought my laptop (at a different store) took it home and spent a couple of days cleaning it up and getting ready to use it.  While doing this, I had time to reminisce about all of the computers I have ever owned.

Computers remind me of potato chips.  Potato chips are sold by weight and the contents settle so that the package seems to be half full.  Computers come with a hard drive that is usually about half full too.  The only difference is that the contents haven’t settled in shipping.  They were increased by the computer manufacturer.

I think that it’s much easier to get a new computer ready to use if you’re sitting next to another computer.  I’m not putting a new computer on the internet until I have it ready to go.  Here is what I did to get my new laptop ready to use:
1.  Downloaded the latest PC Decrapifier and installed it on the laptop.  This is a nifty little program that does what the title says, takes the crap off of a PC.  It’s easy to use and lets you decide what programs to get rid of.

2. Next, I ran loaded Revo Uninstaller.  This is another great program that is so much better than the windows uninstaller.  Revo Uninstaller first runs the original programs uninstaller and then does a registry check to remove stray entries.  After that the program checks for stray files, folders, etc. and gives you the option to delete them.  This is when the second computer comes in handy.  There is always a lot of software installed that you can’t tell what the purpose is.  A second computer makes it easier  to do a Google search  Makes it a lot easier to decide whether or not to keep a program like Cisco EAP-FAST Module?  You have to make a lot of  decisions on what to keep and what to uninstall.  What did I delete, you ask?  Darn near everything.  I really have no need of all the HP helper programs, the junk games, or any of the trial programs.

3. Next I burned my recovery disks. Although they are really not likely to be needed, it gives me a feel good feeling to have them.  I think that most people who made recovery disks couldn’t find them if they had to.

4. I’m finally ready to install my first program.  People that know me also know that I have an aversion to giving money to software companies that are constantly asking for more money. The first program I loaded was the Zone Alarm Security Suite.  I’ve got about four months left on my subscription so it will probably be replaced at that time.

5. Now it’s time for the big minute.  I’m ready to hit the wireless button and join my home network.  First thing I do is download latest antivirus definitions and do a complete scan.

6. Time to open the control panel and download all the needed updates.

7. Next, I shut down all service that aren’t necessary.  I’m not going into detail about that here as it can get complicated.  Once again there is a lot of info one the internet. I caution you though, EVERYTHING YOU READ ON THE WWW IS NOT TRUE.  If you like, I can do a services article in the future.

8. Finally, I get to open Internet Explorer. I download Mozilla Firefox.  I’m done with IE.  I won’t go into detail here on how to Firefox.  There is plenty of information on the internet.

9. After I get Firefox running, I install and run all of my maintenance utilities.  If you want to be nosy, I’ll tell you my weekly computer routine:

A. run Windows updates.

B. run Revo Uninstaller (when I want to get rid of old programs)

C. run Secunia PSI (a program that checks for software updates)

D. run a virus scan.

E. run a spy ware scan.

F. run Wise Registry Cleaner

G. run CC cleaner.

H. run msconfig to make sure nothing has snuck into my startup.

Finally, after a long days work, I’m ready to install my software and get on with computing.  I just can’t decide what to do first. So I go play a game of hearts.

Happy Computing to All!

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