At least once a year, I write a short article about my current computer recommendations. The holiday season is upon us, and I haven’t written an article like this in awhile, so here goes.
In the past six months, I ask more questions than I give when approached with this question.
If I find that the person has a 2-4 year old computer with Windows XP, and just thinks the computer is slow, I go with this advice:
I have been an avid weather watcher since I was a kid. I love looking at weather radar and satellite maps and always enjoyed watching the weather on the news.
Since the advent of the Internet, I exclusively keep track of the weather on the Internet.
This weekend, I was fortunate enough to get a couple of tickets to the Broncos v. Steelers from a friend. My son and I were supposed to leave for the game (a four hour drive over multiple mountain passes) on Sunday morning. However, a look at the weather forecast on Weather Underground prompted us to leave yesterday instead.
On last week’s web show, I talked about how excited I was with a new technology called Splashtop. Adam sent me the site earlier last week, and since then my mind and ideas have been flying.
Splashtop was developed by a private company called Device VM. They work with hardware and software developers to bring their ideas to the market. Splashtop is being billed as a computer’s alter ego to the operating system (aka Windows, Linux, etc). Instead of booting all the way into your operating system (2 minutes plus), you can choose to boot to the Splashtop which, at the moment, runs a customized version of Mozilla Firefox and Skype.
When you choose to start your computer into Splashtop, you can be browsing the Internet in seconds. Everything you can do on the web is available. When you finish, hit the off button and the system shuts off instantly.
I am really excited about the possibility for Splashtop because I have been talking and writing a lot recently about the need for simpler computers. With all the computing we can do on the Internet today, there really is no need for a vast majority of computer users to deal with the complexities and cost of an operating system.
Take a look at the Splashtop web site and watch their video below and then let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.
There is no doubt in my mind that our site has the most relevant and easy to understand computer information for the average and beginner computer user. Unfortunately, the average computer user doesn’t know how to browse the web well and has trouble finding the information they need to know.
Search engines are confusing. Searching a web site is even more baffling. These computer users do well when they have a recipe of what to do in front of them or can watch someone else perform the steps.
Enter the above average computer user…YOU!
We desperately need your help in spreading the word about HelpMeRick.com Your neighbors look to you for help and computer advice. Your co-workers look to you when they need to find a lost file. And of course your family knows that you know the answer to their latest computer dilemma.
Unofficially, YOU provide tech support for a multitude of computer users. Those computer users you help need to be visiting HelpMeRick.com to help get answers to their questions and to improve their computer knowlege. You can help them get the computer education they need by using the thousands of answers we provide here at the site.
Send your tech support charges links via email to the exact answer to their question at HelpMeRick.com. No reason for you to have reinvent the wheel.
Get the picture? Help us, help you. Help us, help your friends.
Then tell your friends to visit HelpMeRick.com often so they don’t get in these messes to begin with or can learn new skills that make them more productive computer users.
And finally, let them know that they also should send their friends, family, and co-workers to HelpMeRick.com for education and computer help. Knowledge is power, and powerful computer knowledge can be found right here.
Thankfully, broadband (high speed) Internet is spreading further and further. I don’t walk into many homes anymore than don’t have high speed access, and I can’t remember the last time I helped a business customer who had dial-up access. With high speed Internet access, many computer users install a wireless router to the modem to allow multiple computer access to the Internet. Wireless routers are easier to setup than ever before and can be purchased for well under $50. However, with extra technology, comes extra problems.
With wireless, the extra problems can mean potentially slow, spotty, and unsecured Internet access. Follow these five steps to make your wireless Internet stronger, more secure and less problematic:
A few months ago, I discovered Business 2.0, a small magazine in the Time empire. I have read every issue since over and over again in the room where I do most of my reading.
I have bought the past few issues off the stands. I bought the October issue with every intent of filling out the subscription card this month replacing my Popular Photography subscription. I was very disappointed to read the banner across the top of the October Issue – "Collectors Item: Our Final Issue."
I’m helping another client with an Ubuntu setup. This time it is an Xubuntu setup on an almost 10 year old Gateway computer that has just a 350mhz processor (less than a fifth of the speed of modern processors). Xubuntu was designed for just such machines…it is leaner and requires less resources than the other flavors of Ubuntu Linux.
The install worked pretty well and the Internet works fine on a wired Ethernet connection, but the customer needs the wireless card to work instead. Unfortunately, wireless is a weakness in the current releases of Ubuntu and its derivatives. And because Xubuntu is slightly different than Ubuntu, I’m pretty much starting over with figuring out a solution.
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.
That is a direct quote from a Freshman in college that I helped with her computer today. She purchased it just three days ago and already has Lime Wire installed. For those not familiar with Lime Wire, it is a service that many people use (especially college aged kids) to download free music, movies and more. In addition to be legally questionable (or downright illegal by some accounts), downloading free music is the single best way to completely screw-up a normally functioning computer.
Over the years, when we got calls from listeners with “slow computers”, our first question was “do you have any teenagers in the house?”. The reason we asked was that most unrestrained teenagers with Internet access will eventually install programs like Lime Wire and start downloading the free stuff.
Looking for a car? A dog? A house? A treadmill? Looking for anything someone else is selling? Check out Oodle.com The site says that it searches more than 75,000 online classified ad databases covering more than 20 million items. Check it out. It’s fun, fast and yet another V8 moment on the Internet.