A customer of mine commented earlier in the week that he was “amazed” at my knowledge of computers. I thanked him then replied that all of my knowledge could fit in the head of a thimble. And it’s true. Many days I stew over how much more I would like to know and learn about computers, technology, programming (which I know butkus about), web design, and web marketing.
One reason I have been successful in supporting people and their computers is that I stick to the basics. Similar to cars, unless you REALLY know what you are doing and you don’t mind spending HOURS and HOURS troubleshooting a glitch, computers shouldn’t be expected to handle anything you dish out. Here are my five simple rules to living in harmony with your computer or any technology gadget.
- Care for it by keeping it clean inside and out. On the outside, don’t let it get caked with dust (because the inside will have 3X as much). Dust insulates the computer and makes it hotter which inevitably leads to problems. On the inside, keep your computer clean by using AVG Antivirus, a couple of good anti-spyware programs, browse the Internet exclusively with Mozilla Firefox or Opera, and use a firewall. Oh, and use the disk cleanup utility (or download one from our Links & Resources section and use it monthly).
- Don’t use shady “free” downloaded software (use reputable sites, not search engines to find the good, legit free software) or download services for music/movies, etc. The cost of “free” can add up to hundreds of dollars quickly. When in doubt, don’t download. If you aren’t sure whether to doubt, ask first…preferably someone that knows something about computers, NOT sales people posing as technologists.
- If you use the Internet or email and have access to high speed Internet service, get it. Dial-up is dead. The small extra cost for a high speed connection will pay dividends in time and money, I promise.
- For computer help, find someone good, and use them and only them. You’ve heard that too many cooks spoil the soup, right? With computers, too many “experts” (including tech support lines) will kill a computer, your sanity, your pocketbook, and your time…fast!
- I would love to give credit to who coined this phrase, but it applies to computers almost better than any other situation: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Print out and post these five simple rules next your computer and live by them, and your computer will give you many years of trouble-free service.
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