Understanding Technology: The Minor Things that Count

In today's hightech and fast paced world of ever expanding electronics and telecommunications it's not hard to find oneself overlooking the small things that keep the flow of data running smoothly and efficiently. In the early days of the computer, life was simple and to the point, there was no google, no American online, hell the internet was a word no one had even heard before but that has all changed. In today's highly competitive and fast paced digital world we now have plenty of excitement. There's never a dull moment and each passing day brings with it the anticipation of what tommorow holds. From high end servers all the way down to home PCs the technological possibilities are endless, it boggles the mind to look at the rapid succession of the computer from it's infancy to the evergrowing titan it is today but that's not all that has grown and advanced rapidly. Hackers, viruses, spyware, malware...ahh yes the technological revolution's evil twin has grown just as rapidly and seen just as much success as the computer revolution has. So many of us own PCs, Macs, laptops yet for every 10 people with internet capabilities in their home, 3 of those 10 are infected with a virus or spyware. Spyware and malware can be annoying and bring even the beefiest PCs to their knees but the real threats lie with the viruses and hackers. Pretty scary stuff, but easily remedied with a few tips and tricks that I'm going to teach you. System slow and acting kind of erratic, having problems connecting to the internet, files mysteriously becoming corrupt, well listen up because the doctor is in.

1.) virus scan software while annoying at times will keep your system virus free. Make sure you have an up to date and fully operational virus scan program running on your system at all times.

2.) Spyware and malware sleaze their ways into your pc no matter what you do but worry not, popular programs such as spybot and stop sign will zap those little buggers and shield your system against further spyware invasion. A little pricey maybe but worth the money. They can be downloaded or bought at any computer store. Short on cash or out of a job? Don't worry I've got you covered. There's a free program called ad-aware. It rounds up spyware, malware and key loggers and fry's em. you can go to www.download.com to get that one.

3.) Preventive maintenance. So often we overlook the little things that make the biggest differences. Ever wonder why your new PC you just got a month ago is running your favorite game slower than usual? Well usually that's a sign that a good hard drive defrag is in order. Over time files stored on your hard drive become fragmented and scattered causing longer loading times and unoptimized system performance. Defragging your drive is easy, just follow these steps and you'll be fine. Click on the shortcut labeled my computer, right click on your C drive, scroll down to properties and from there your going to see a series of tabs you can choose from. Locate and choose tools and from there go to defragment hard drive now. What may take an hour or so will save you alot of headache, not to mention a fortune in repairs you could have easily done yourself!

4.) Disk cleanup scans your drive for junk that accumulates and clogs up your hard drive. Cleaning it out alleviates disk space and speeds up loading time and system performance. This option is in the same area as the option to defrag your drive.

5.) Firewall is the term to describe a suit of armor for your PC. It shields you from hackers, spyware, malware and installer programs that can find their way into your system and reign havoc. Hackers pose the most serious threat as they can steal your identity, access data and files and use them at their own discretion. Firewalls while not offering you 100% immunity from the threat of any of the stuff listed, can definitely aid you in keeping that nonsense out of your PC. It sure does help and can give that hacker one hell of a headache. Again like virus scans they can be expensive but hey what's a cash amount compared to your identity right? make sure you have an active firewall installed and running at all times. Change your passwords weekly or bi-weekly depending on what you prefer to keep security at it's highest.

These 5 tips can save you a ton of money, time, upset and headaches and make your computing experience pleasant and what it's supposed to be, user friendly. Just remember this, a PC is like a car. It will only last and perform well as long as you take care of it.

-Cyf