Black Friday and holiday shopping deals are a week away, if you are still ONLY looking at Windows or Apple computers when you are shopping for a new computing device or upgrade, you are limiting your choices and increasing the complexity. Take this short quiz (click yes or no) and then keep reading: If you chose the ‘perfect…’ answer more… Read More »Shopping for a computer? Choose a Chromebook or iPad instead
Due to many circumstances, busy scheduling, and a couple of short trips, I have been noticeably absent from posting new articles here at HelpMeRick.com the last few months. Thanks for continuing to search for and use the information found within these virtual walls to help make your computer life just a little easier. During these past few weeks, I have… Read More »Longest hiatus is over
Twice in the past week I came across clients who consider themselves computer illiterate (I abhor this phrase, but that’s a whole different issue.yet could operate Facebook games like a professional gamer. The two folks (one woman, one man and both well over 70) have difficulty understanding how email operates in terms of servers, providers, etc, have not learned how to copy and paste, think that Google is THE Internet, and would rather not learn more about their security software other than asking me if it is working.
However, through the course of my visit with each of them (again, separate households), they both had browser issues with Facebook. They logged in to Facebook after typing Read More »Why are Facebook games easier than general computer use?
A common problem I hear throughout my week is “My computer is slow.” I finally learned to ask, “Is your computer slow, or is your Internet slow?” The computer user usually pauses, thinks and often responds that it is his or her Internet that is slow; not the computer.
When I sit down at a client’s computer, I can quickly determine the health of a computer based on how quickly I can perform simple tasks like checking background processes, determining how current and what security products are being used, free hard drive space, and how much RAM is installed on the machine. Generally speaking, if a computer was bought any time after Read More »Slow computer or slow Internet?
Adam and I talked to a few listeners today, ranted a little about this negative article of Twitter in our local newspaper, gave some Christmas / holiday gift giving advice, and much more in this month’s radio show. Have a listen and remember to tune in live next month on December 16!
Interesting article from a ZDNet author, Christopher Dawson, who also works full-time as a school district computer engineer. Despite locking down Windows computers with security software, tweaking firewalls, and making sure all Windows updates are up to snuff, threats still sneak into their computers. I understand the frustration he exhibits in the article regarding the time and effort spent fighting… Read More »System Engineer fed up with Windows vulnerabilities
Computers started making their way into homes, en masse, 15 years ago. After 15 years, computer users should not be afraid of using their computer.
This case study tells the story about a customer of mine, Wanda, who happens to be in her 70s. Like most computer users she used a Windows based computer. In her case, it was a system put together by her grandson in 2002 or 2003 and has a 1.8ghz processor, 256mb of RAM and the XP Home version of Windows.
When I first met Wanda a few years ago, she had typical Windows user problems; slow computer, slow Internet, couldn’t open some attachments, virus and spyware problems. She used dialup Juno for Internet and Norton Antivirus on her system. I couldn’t talk her into getting a DSL or cable connection, but I did change her security from Norton to Read More »Senior uses Ubuntu system 14 months trouble free
Today alone, I ran across two brand new computer users. It irritates me when I see commenters on some of my YouTube videos and elsewhere on the web make fun of the fact that some people can’t copy and paste or create a table in Microsoft Word or perform any number of computer tips I teach through this site and… Read More »New computer users
Chalmers said that he enjoys doing free computer classes at HP Learning Center.