Computer stuff


Windows Tips

It is possible to use a Windows computer and keep it running well and relatively safe from viruses, spyware, etc. Here are some tips on how to do it, in roughly decreasing order of importance:

  1. Back up your important data regularly. A CD burner is very helpful for saving copies of documents, pictures, emails, etc.
  2. Do not connect a Windows computer directly to a cable or DSL modem. Use a broadband router between the modem and the computer. This also lets more than one computer use the Internet connection at the same time.
  3. Run Windows Update weekly and install all of the recommended security updates. If you are running Windows 2000 or Windows XP, tell Windows Update to run automatically.
  4. Install an anti-virus program and keep it up to date. Two good free programs are Avast! and AVG.
  5. Enable the Windows XP firewall, or install the free version of ZoneAlarm.
  6. Use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer for viewing web pages.
  7. Use Thunderbird instead of Outlook or Outlook Express for reading email. It has a very good built in trainable spam filter. Or, use Gmail instead of your ISP's email account, and you won't have to change your email address when you change providers. (Email me for a Gmail invitation.)
  8. Uncheck the "Hide file extensions for known file types" option in Windows Explorer.
  9. Be careful what you click on. In general, do not open email attachments, especially ones you are not expecting. Do not click on links in unsolicited email, including "unsubscribe" links. Avoid clicking on web page ads, especially ones that say they will speed up your computer or remove spyware. Do not agree to install software you did not ask for.
  10. Install Microsoft's AntiSpyware program, and set it to update automatically and run weekly. Or, install the free version of AdAware and update and run it weekly.
  11. Install Startup Control Panel, which lets you see what programs will be run at startup and disable or enable them. Startup Monitor will alert you if programs are attempting to add themselves to the startup list, and let you decide whether to allow it. Also, some versions of Windows include the msconfig utility, which can be accessed from Start -> Run. In the startup tab of msconfig, most items other than systray, explorer, and regscan can be unchecked. Many programs such as Microsoft Office (FindFast), RealPlayer, QuickTime, iTunes, and Acrobat Reader want to load themselves into memory when you start your computer. Such programs will often show up as icons in your system tray (to the left of the time.) This is unnecessary and slows down your computer. Some programs that you might want to let run on startup include your anti-virus program, Palm HotSync, and Startup Monitor.

My Computers

My server is a K6-350 running Debian GNU/ Linux.

Visit Linux

My newest computer is an Apple Macintosh iBook running Mac OS X, which is hands down the best operating system I have ever used.

I've been trying out NoCat and going to Atlanta FreeNet meetings. Wireless net access is a good thing.

I have a Tivo which I upgraded from 35 hours to 145 hours by adding a 120GB drive. I've also added a Cache Card, which provides a wired ethernet interface and improves the response time of the interface. My Tivo is integrated with a DirecTV receiver, which means it records the digital DirecTV signal directly, and does not need an MPEG encoder. It also has two tuners, so it can record two different shows while I watch a third previously recorded show. I love watching television on my own schedule. I don't notice what time or even what night shows are on anymore. There is a lot of great Tivo information at the Tivo Community Forum.

I used to have DSL service from Telocity, which became DirecTV DSL, and then went away. I was using Speed Factory, a local company in Georgia. They were a little more expensive than some of their competitors, but they provided a static IP address and were pretty reliable. They had an extended outage recently, which moved up our planned switch to AT&T. Soon we will get rid of our home phone line and just have DSL and cell phones.

This site was written using emacs. It should look fine in any browser. Javascript is evil, and Flash probably is, too.

There is a great comic strip about an ISP called User Friendly. The art is a little rough, but it's really funny.
"I used to edit inodes by hand. With a magnet."

Here is my geek code.

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