Computer Tips and Musings

Computer Disaster Recovery Planning

2011-10-01T10:00:00.005-10:00

Aloha!

Though hurricanes are rare in Hawaii, we have suffered them. Tropical storms can wreak havoc too. We may be overdue for an earthquake, and volcanologists say pressure has been building in Mauna Loa. Hawaii is paradise, but natural disaster is ever lurking.

Making a disaster planning checklist can take some of the anxiety out of potential natural calamities. When you work on your checklist, be sure to consider your computer system/s. Ask yourself the question: What would I do if my computer were damaged, or destroyed, in a natural disaster? This question is especially pertinent if you run a business.

You may have heeded my advice about data backup in a previous blog and are now religious about this practice. Well, what if your computer AND your external hard drive where you back up your data were destroyed? (Imagine your laptop and external hard drive crashing to the floor during an earthquake. Not a pretty sight!)

Even if you have signed up for an online backup service, which backs up your essential data to a server on the Internet, what about the application software running on your computer? Do you have the installation discs in a box somewhere safe and accessible to reinstall on a new system if your current one goes down?

What if there was a fire on your premises caused by a natural disaster and all the discs in that box were burned up? You'd have to buy them all over again, unless you can find sympathetic software vendors who will let you download the applications, after you prove by you own the licenses. But what if your license paperwork gets damaged too, or you didn't save the email from an online order? What if you never bothered to register the software?

I'm not trying to scare you. I'm just alerting you to the possibilities. In this modern age where the computers are largely indispensable, businesses should devise some sort of computer disaster recovery plan. It's not too tough to create one. Just make a list of programs that are critical to your operations, note the license info, where data is backed up and how often, and envision how you'd respond in a disaster that damages the computers, data, discs, etc.

One part of a preparedness strategy is to have a copy of every critical computer-related tool that you need at your business available in a box at home (e.g. copies of your software discs, licenses, and recent data backups). If you work from a home office, then have that same stuff stored somewhere offsite, like the garage of a trusted neighbor, friend, or relative. Or perhaps in a fire safe.

Then write a step-by-step action plan detailing how to respond to a computer disaster, and indicate how much downtime you could expect before you are operational again. Solicit input from staff if you are the office manager to make sure all bases are covered. When this action plan is finalized, keep a copy somewhere offsite, perhaps even in your smartphone.

Computer disaster planning is just like any other type of planning. The purpose is to position ourselves to respond to challenging circumstances with maximum intelligence and minimum panic.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Mitigating Data Corruption

2011-09-01T10:00:00.005-10:00

Aloha!

Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of being told by a computer tech, "Sorry, I can't recover your file. It's corrupted."? Or perhaps, worse, have you been notified during the computer's start up process of a corrupted file that prevented Windows from loading? If you have suffered neither calamity, lucky you! But read on - the longer you work with computers, the more likely you will get stung. And it won't be pleasant. It could occur at the absolute worst time.

What is data corruption? How does it happen? How can you up the odds to prevent it? And how can you safeguard your data so if bad things happen, your pain will be minimal?

Let me answer the last question first. To safeguard your important data, take a break from this blog and back up your data now. Don't proscratinate! Back it up to a flash drive, to an external hard drive, to CD or DVD, or to an online backup server. Then make a plan to do this regularly - as often as you create valuable data you can't live without, such as documents, photos, music, email, etc. If you don't know where to start, ask a friend, a colleague or a computer tech. Or do a web search. There are plenty of detailed articles on this topic as well as youtube videos.

Why the urgency to back up? Well, presuming that the data you need to back up is in good shape (not corrupted), and the medium you are backing up to is healthy (so it won't corrupt the data you will store on it), having data backed up somewhere safe, secure, and accessible enables you to recover the good data should any of its counterpart if your computer go south. If the latter happens, you can restore the backed-up data and be back in business quickly. You're blood pressure will drop, and relieved you will be (as Yoda might put it.)

Now, back to the "what is data corruption?" question. First, what is data? Simply put, computer data are 1's and 0's, binary electrical states, that are stored long-term on your computer's magnetic hard disk drive. Any document you are currently working on, that was, say, created yesterday and opened a few minutes ago, had been saved yesterday on your magnetic hard drive, and opened today from the same location on the hard drive. It now resides in electrically in RAM, the computer's temporary Random Access Memory. If you make further changes to this file, you must save it again to the hard drive or you will lose the changes. RAM is temporary storage.

Because data is electrical when in use, if you are working on your PC and the power goes out and you haven't saved the file you were working on, you will lose any changes. Your changes have effectively evaporated. What can also happen with a power outage is the entire file could be corrupted because a portion of it was loaded into RAM, and when the power went out, a critical portion of the file did not get recorded back to the hard drive. Without that portion, the entire file is not readable, which means it can't be opened.

To mitigate data corruption in the above examples, first, save your document every few minutes. In some programs, you can select an auto-save feature to save automatically for you every 5 or 10 minutes, or whatever increment you deem necessary. Also, plug your PC into an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) unit which provides constant power through a battery should you have a power outage in the room or building. If the power goes out while your computer is plugged into a UPS it will continue to run for several minutes, giving you time to save your work and shut down the computer until power is restored. Laptops run through a battery, so they are not a susceptible to power outage problems.

Data can also be damaged by a failing hard drive. Certain portions of the drive can begin to fail without reporting this. One day your computer may not even start. It's best to run regular hard drive tune-ups by using utility programs, such as the built-in checkdisk program in Windows, and by taking quick action to diagnose computer software glitches before they worsen to the point of a hard disk crash. I've done the postmortem on plenty of computer hard drives and data could be been preserved if the owners had responded to the warning signs earlier, such as the computer slowing down considerably when doing simple tasks.

Some strains of malware are also designed to damage computer data, in some cases, wiping it out completely. So keep your Internet security program up to date and scan the entire computer at least weekly.

To summarize, I have explained what data corruption is - data damaged by, for example, electrical events like a power failure, a failing hard drive, or by malware; I have suggested how to prevent data corruption - by using a UPS unit, running hard drive utility programs, running counter malware software, and acting quick when quickly when quirky things happen; and I have recommended that you safeguard data by backing up often. Very worst case, if you are pressed to get back to work and you have a good backup, you can load your backup data on another computer.

Last, I recommend you take some time to understand how your most prized programs use data - where it's stored, how you can access it, how you can back it up, how you can restore it. The data used by Microsoft Outlook, for example, is much trickier to work with than the data stored by Microsoft Word. Get some tutoring on this if needed. It will save you much grief in the future.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Keeping Software Current

2011-08-01T10:00:00.000-10:00

Aloha!

The simple act of sitting down in front of your computer and getting some work done or playing a game isn’t what it used to be since we all started plugging into the Internet over a decade ago. Now, because of our online status, we have to be constantly vigilant about security threats, especially if we are intrepid explorers of the Web.

As much as the Internet is an intriguing and enjoyable means for connecting with the world at large, it can be equally risky (and risqué), offensive, and irksome. Hey, sounds about like living in any big city, no? And that’s what the Internet is – human civilization online. All the best and worst of humanity is at our fingertips and mouse clicks. Imagination has free reign.

In previous articles, I have explained the importance of running security software on your computer. Here I want to stress the importance of keeping such programs up-to-date.

Nearly every software vendor provides online updates for their programs. In the realm of security software, these are critical for ensuring your continued protection against online threats – viruses, spyware, hackers. Bottom line: for security applications like antivirus programs, it’s best to run the update before you scan for malware. Most programs have an obvious “Update” button or link you can click to start the update process. (Some updates require you to reboot your computer, so before updating, you should close all open programs and save all open files.)

Operating system makers like Microsoft, Apple, and Linux (the many distributions thereof), regularly provide updates, patches, service packs, etc. In my experience, most of the time, it’s important to install such updates. They provide additional protection, bug fixes, and product enhancements.

Before doing a serious update, like installing a new Windows service pack, it’s best to backup your data, as some service pack updates have crashed computers. You can’t be too paranoid when it comes to backing up your data.

You can update just about any program, be it your CD burning software, your PDA software, your music player, you name it. Even your networking hardware, such as your router, can be updated. If you are unsure about how updates will affect your system, you should consult a computer tech, the software vendor, or your computer manufacturer.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Unplug, Reconnect with Nature

2011-07-01T10:00:00.000-10:00

Aloha!

There's a book out that addresses the issue of our near addiction to being online. The title is "Hamlet's Blackberry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age", by William Powers. In the book the author offers some suggestions to help us manage our relationship with the online world, instead of the online world managing us.

There is some interesting historical material in the book too. For instance, an addiction to being 'connected' does have precedent. People in the past apparently got hooked on checking mail at the post office. And even in Roman times the government was inundated with 'data' in the form of documents.

As Shakespeare would say, nothing new under the sun. It's just a different medium now - the Internet.

In spite of the precedent, I believe we modern people have a cause for concern. In an interview on PBS's The News Hour, Powers shared an encounter he had with some young adults after one of his public lectures. One of the young women he spoke with was in tears and expressed her gratitude toward the author for showing her another, healthier, way of living with technology. What this implies, and we can witness it all around us, is that young people today are so frequently plugged in - via phones, computers, and other devices - that they are living as if they have no other choice.

Powers focuses on how face-to-face relationships suffer when we get too caught up in the online world. I think it goes beyond this issue. Given the precarious state of our natural environment - evidenced in part by human-caused climate change, and in part by the degradation of ecosystems as world population explodes - allowing our young people, who are the future of our country, to live so much of their lives disconnected from interacting with the natural environment, bodes ill for humanity's future on this planet.

The more we abstract our experience from the natural world, the less intimate we are with it, and the less we care - unless Nature creates havoc in our personal lives in the form of storms, floods, droughts, or perhaps even wild animals attacking our pets and children because of our encroachment of wildlands.

Not to sound apocalyptic, but I think if we don't find ways to unplug ourselves more often, we're going to evolve as a species into something that doesn't really belong on this planet anymore. And maybe that's our destiny. But it seems a shame that we compel all the other creatures on the planet to suffer our growing pains as our eyes are glued to a LCD screen.

Wishing you akamai and occasionally unplugged computing.

Computer Jokes

2010-10-15T10:00:00.018-10:00

Aloha!

Let's face it: Sometimes we want to pull our hair out when things go wrong on our computers. We lose our patience and our sense of humor and want to chuck the damn thing out the window. Given that fact, let's change course for a moment and get some levity about the subject. It's time for a little computer humor.

Ever heard of these computer viruses?

Airline virus: You're in Dallas, but your data is in Singapore.
Congressional Virus: The computer locks up, screen splits erratically with a message appearing on each half blaming the other side for the problem.
Government economist virus: Nothing works, but all your diagnostic software says everything is fine.
New World Order virus: probably harmless, but it makes a lot of people really mad just thinking about it.
Politically correct virus: Never calls itself a "virus", but instead refers to itself as an "electronic microorganism".

Here are some indications that computers are male:
They have a lot of data but are still clueless.
They look nice and shiny until you bring them home.
They'll do whatever you say if you push the right buttons.
Big power surges knock them out for the night.
Size does matter.

Or perhaps computers are female after all because:
They are picky, picky, picky.
They hear what you say, but not what you mean.
When you ask what's wrong, they say "nothing".
You do the same thing for years, and suddenly it's wrong.
They make you take out the trash.

And you think calling tech support is frustrating. Here's how the tech support person experiences things:

Circular argument

Tech support: How may I help you? Customer: I'm writing my first e-mail. Tech support: OK, and what seems to be the problem? Customer: Well, I have the letter 'a' in the address, but how do I get the circle around it?

Local difficulty

Customer: My 14 year-old son has put a password on my computer and I can't get in. Tech support: Has he forgotten it? Customer: No he just won't tell me it because I've grounded him.

Language difficulty

Customer: 'How do you spell 'Internet America'? Is there a space between 'inter' and 'net'?' Tech Support: 'No space between 'inter' and 'net'. It's spelled normally.' Customer: 'Ok. A-M-E-R-I-C-K?' Tech Support: 'That's A-M-E-R-I-C-A.' Customer: 'I-C-K???' Tech Support: 'A as in apple' Customer: 'There's no 'K' in apple!'

And lastly, here's one for the kids - submitted to a jokes website by a 12-year-old:

What does a computer do at the beach? Put on screensaver and surf the net!

Wishing you akamai and humorous computing!

Websurfing on the Big Island

2010-09-15T10:00:00.005-10:00

Aloha!

We've all heard the suggestion that we should shop local in order to boost the Island's economy. Well how about the idea of surfing local? Web surfing, that is. Here are some local websites to check out.

Big Island Video News. Sure you can get news from the online print versions of West Hawaii today and the Tribune-Herald, but pictures, especially moving ones, are worth a thousand words. Surf over to http://www.bigislandvideonews.com to catch up on a wide variety of island news from this easy-to-navigate site.

Craigslist. We all know we can buy and sell and give things away at this ultra-utilitarian and free online flea market. I can't begin to count the number of items I have bought and sold on craigslist. But the site goes beyond that. There is also a Community section at upper left on the page after you go to http://honolulu.craigslist.org/big. There you will find info on lost+found, rideshare, childcare, classes, etc. As always caveat emptor - buyer beware. There are plenty of scams on craigslist and unscrupulous people.

County of Hawaii. For local government info and resources, point your browser to http://www.hawaii-county.com. You'll land on the site for the County of Hawaii. At the County's site you can look for jobs, get the HeleOn bus schedule, find out about camping sites, access maps, etc. You can also email various County departments with your questions and concerns.

Big Island Weekly. Like this print magazine? I sure do. The tone of this publication is more hip than the daily newspapers. The shakas and stink eyes always seem right on the money with regard to current events. Right on the home page you can access the weekly surf report, the tide calendar, after work fun (pau hana), a calendar of events that includes a lot of alternative lifestyle activities (not just the usual parades, etc.), and more. The magazine's URL is http://www.bigislandweekly.com.

Google Earth. OK, so this is not local per se, but you can have some real fun checking out various parts of the Island from satellite imagery. You have to download the software for your computer from http://www.google.com/earth/index.html. (I know, I'm cheating a little by asking you to do more than just plug a URL into your browser.) Once you install the software, you can punch in an address or location and zoom in. Then you can stroll around the island, checking out your favorite spots. Pretty sweet!

Hope you find some useful and interesting info from these websites. With all the web resources out there, we've got the whole Island at our fingertips.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Kids and Safe Computing

2010-07-15T10:00:00.003-10:00

Aloha!

Well, I've finally broken down and bought my oldest child, who is six, an electronic game. It's called a Leapster. It's a little hand-held device that comes preloaded with some simple games, and includes a slot for plugging in cartridges for additional games. All games are geared towards a certain age range and are learning oriented, which means the games help kids develop skills and knowledge in reading, math, science, etc. using popular themes. The first cartridge we purchased is titled 'Digging for Dinosaurs'. (My daughter is gaga for dinosaurs and dragons.) She has figured out this game pretty quickly and is really digging it. (Sorry for the pun.)

I've been reluctant to open the door to this world of gaming because I have read several articles about the importance of unstructured play, such as being outdoors, exploring nature, or playing with neighborhood kids, etc. for young minds and bodies. My mom is a first grade teacher and she has reinforced this notion, as well as emphasized the importance of reading age-appropriate books. There are numerous studies out now, reported in books and articles, decrying what is happening to the human mind as it is focused for hours on computer-related work and play, especially web based activities, when our attention hops around like a flea.

But I have to be practical. I'm well aware that the modern world dictates that my children be adept with electronic devices and computers, and I vow that my fundamental philosophy of life - all things in moderation - shall not suffer in the face of this reality. So my compromise is to insist that when my children play electronic games and go online (I have been letting my daughter use an old laptop for several months now), anything they get involved in is educational in nature. And I know the day will come when they will be exposed to violent video games and indecent stuff online. I'll just do the best I can now to control the parameters of their electronic forays.

If you have young kids and are wondering what I do permit online, so far it's just pbskids.org and starfall.com. I'm sure there are plenty of other "safe" sites out there. But for now, the fewer to investigate and supervise, the better.

It will soon be time for me to tweak the web browser or install some parental control software, if I find the pre-loaded stuff is not adequate. We as parents in this online age cannot be too careful about supervising our children's gaming and online usage. There is so much gratuitous violence in games these days; one has to wonder what the future holds for the children who grow up playing these games, believing hurting and killing is socially acceptable. And with the proliferation of child pornography and predators online, we must be ever vigilant on behalf of our impressionable and vulnerable children.

Wishing you and your children safe and akamai computing!

Spring Clean Your Computer

2010-06-15T10:00:00.002-10:00

Aloha!

Here we are in July, way past Spring, but it's never too late to do some Spring cleaning on your Windows-based computer. Isn't it amazing how much clutter we can accumulate in our computers? In this article the clutter I will address is unwanted programs-not malware, just the buggahs we don't want any more. It's like tossing out old clothing, some of which we never wore.

From the get-go, when you fire up a shiny new machine just out of the box from Dell or Costco, there are programs pre-installed by the manufacturer that you may never use. These include games, offers for additional software and services, and various other "helper" programs. It can seem like your computer is littered with these. And some can get pretty uppity about using or updating them.

Then you when you install your printer or even digital camera, the installation CD likely contains various superfluous programs and more "helper" programs, like browser add-ins, special offers, etc. After installing a printer and a digital camera you may have three photo editing programs. Do you really need all three? Not likely. After you discover which one you like best (I prefer the free Picasa, by Google) you can ditch the others.

In Windows XP for example, go into Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel. There you may find a bewildering array of programs that you have never used and never will. Or programs that you wanted to try, and decided you didn't need, but forgot to remove. You know the story.

Many of my clients are nervous to begin the process of removing programs, concerned they will foul up something in the process. Unfortunately, this concern is somewhat grounded, as sometimes removing programs can cause side effects, like disabling the functionality of certain hardware devices, or leaving remnants behind that show up as annoying "errors" during computer start up.

So what do I recommend? My basic philosophy is to remove all programs that you're 100% sure you don't want, such as old printer software, old games, old security software, trial programs, etc. It's best to remove these one by one, then reboot the computer to see what happens. If you're the ultra-cautious type, you will set a system restore point before each removal, in case nixing the program causes problems in Windows on the reboot. (If things go awry, you can restore the computer back to the point you set, before you removed the program and all will be well.)

If you're pretty computer savvy and ambitious you can use a program such as Revo uninstaller, which can be obtained for free at www.download.com. The benefit of using a program like Revo is that it does a more thorough job of removing a program than the default Windows uninstaller. It's like pulling a weed and getting all the roots.

Wishing you akamai computing and good luck with your computer clean-up project!

A More Meaningful Life on the Computer

2010-05-15T06:54:00.003-10:00

Aloha!

In my last article I suggested that we not seek a meaningful life through our computers. In this article, I'll give the counterpoint.

When it comes to connecting with friends and relatives across the miles without making the trip, computers can't be beat. With video calling, which Skype.com provides for free, grandparents in New York can have a real-time video call with their grandkids in Hawaii. This is ideal for remote family show and tell: "Grandma, look at the new puppy we got! Wait! Stop him! He just licked the computer screen!" How it warms the hearts on both ends to see and hear each other.

Facebook, as many of you know, is all the rage. It's a great way to play adult show and tell. Now, now, settle down. Not that kind of show and tell. It's about sharing photos, thoughts and feelings with new and old friends. Many people have re-connected with long-lost friends, made new friends with folks sharing similar interests, and even found romance. Be aware when using Facebook that there are some very significant privacy concerns. Be sure to read recent news articles about this, such as the one at wired.com.

For people with certain disabilities, the computer opens up a whole new world of possibilities, both personal and professional. There are voice-activated typing programs, screen enhancement tools, enhancements for the hearing impaired, and specialized interfaces for other physical challenges. Of course there are also 'bionic' type devices and implants, also computerized, that are providing new hope for people with disabilities. Sometimes these need to be programmed via an external computer.

Since the advent of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, soldiers have been heavily relying on computers as a means to keep in touch with friends and loved ones. With extended deployments, computers may just be saving the sanity of many of our brave and dedicated warriors. Many soldiers are also big-time gamers, which surely helps with stress relief, even if some of those virtual games are parallel the stresses and horrors of their real life. Catharsis comes in mysterious ways.

Even us lucky ones far away from the war zone need to check out, chill out, and recharge our batteries. For many people, the computer is a primary means of doing this, such as watching videos on DVD or via online streaming; listening to music; playing games against the machine, or with a partner in the room, or even one across the world; staying abreast with sports and hobbies; and importantly for many locals, checking the surf report. After all, here in Hamakua we can't just look out to the ocean and decide to put down the hammer or whatever, load up the board and head to the beach. Unless we live on the cliffs near Waipio. Lucky dogs!

Wishing you akamai computing!

What's Your Relationship with Your Computer?

2010-04-15T10:00:00.003-10:00

Aloha!

What's your relationship with your computer? When I say computer, I mean desktop, laptop, ipad, iphone, etc., whatever gizmo you use to do your computing.

Over the years I've worked with a wide variety of clients with various attitudes towards their computers. Sometimes the attitudes and abilities mirror the generation of the user. At other times, personality is clearly in play. Sometimes a person is just having fun playing with a new toy. In other situations, a person's machine is highly leveraged to maximize productivity in the workplace. It's merely a tool. Like all relationships, ours with the computer evolves intellectually, emotionally, and physically.

However we think, feel, and interact with computers, I can say one thing we all have to face: they are here to stay, in some form or another. And more than that, they are becoming ingrained into our lives in ways only science fiction writers have imagined. The trends - towards ubiquitous Internet access, moving data processing to the Cloud (the Internet), going wireless (including electrically charging devices wirelessly), packing more features and functions onto smaller and smaller platforms, open source software, smart homes, smart cars, etc. - mean we are and shall be e-meshed (sorry for the pun) in the unfolding of this computing evolution.

What does all this intimate contact with electronics bode for our health, physical and psychological? Time will tell. But like most tools and toys, what we do with things reflects our innate humanity; if for example we have addictive tendencies, then yes, we may become addicted to email and Facebook and online gaming. Looked at from another angel, we can also recall what Einstein wisely said: Our technology has surpassed our humanity. That's something to contemplate and give us pause as we witness how technology affects our own lives and the lives of those around us.

Another question to pose: Who's in charge around here, the humans or the machines? By in charge, I mean dictating how we think and feel about our lives. I suspect if we begin to feel enslaved by computers, we will rebel in some fashion-hopefully in a way that's more about doing some inner work with our thoughts and feelings than by taking sledge hammers to our gizmos.

So perhaps the challenge for us is to find ways to get some space around our involvement with computers. Perhaps this could be as simple as taking more breaks from them at work; by taking three breaths before replying to an email; by turning off the iphone for one day (scary thought?); by sending our kids outside to play instead of letting them spend hours instant messaging friends...

Anyways, just some stuff to consider if you feel, like I do at times, that we're taking computers a little more seriously than we should, and at the expense of plenty of other valuable things in life. I'm grateful that they provide me a means to a living, but I don't expect them to provide a means to a meaningful life.

Wishing you akamai and enlightened computing!

When to Get Tech Support

2010-02-15T10:00:00.001-10:00

Aloha!

If there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? Ghostbusters! OK, so you know who to call when you've got spooks flying about. But who do you call when your computer is possessed?

Well, the first thing is to identify the problem the best you can. Is your email down? Web browsing slowed or not working? Computer not starting or shutting off while in use? There are a myriad of problems and causes, way too many to address here. But here are some pointers.

If your email is down, call your Internet provider, such as Hawaiian Telcom. That is, if you get your email through your provider. If you get email from a webmail system, like yahoo, then likely your browser or Internet service is the culprit. If the latter, call your provider. If the browser, you may have corrupted software or malware. Update your security software and run a scan. If no luck, do some research on the web. Perhaps other people have had the same problem and have posted a solution. If not, then call a computer service technician.

If your computer won't start or shuts off by itself, call the computer manufacturer if the computer is under warranty. That's the best place to start with any serious problem if you are in the warranty period. It's free. Otherwise, you've got to pay a tech.

If Windows has started acting buggy, you can do a System Restore, where you roll the computer back to a date when it was working well, like yesterday, a few days ago, or earlier. Restore will not affect your data (but back it up anyways prior to restoring). If no luck with restore, call a tech.

Sometimes you can bring a computer back to sanity by closing all programs, saving your files, and shutting it down. Walk away, get a breath of fresh air, and come back in 10-15 minutes. Turn it back on. Maybe it will work just fine now. That's called the OFF-ON trick. I advise my clients to shut down their computers at least once per week to clear out the memory.

One last piece of advice: If you do hire a tech to service your system or you send it back to the manufacturer for warranty repair, make sure to back up all your important data beforehand. Even the most well-intentioned tech can experience problems that cause data damage or loss while working on your system. And as for possession (by spirits), before tackling any computer troubleshooting, say some prayers. If not for the computer, then at least for yourself. Nothing brings out the inner darkness quite like the frustration of a computer glitch.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Whole Brain Computing

2010-01-15T10:00:00.001-10:00

Aloha!

As of January I'm into using my whole brain while computing. That's how I joke to myself now that I'm running both Mac and Windows on one hardware unit. You know, there's this concept describing right hemisphere brain activities and left ones. There was a time when the stereotypical right brain-inclined people - artsy types - were into Macs while left-brained people - business and engineering types - were into Windows PCs.

Much has changed since the evolution of both Windows and Mac operating systems and the applications they can run. But Windows PCs still account for around 92% of the market - the reason I'm a Windows tech.

So what do I mean when I say I'm using my whole brain on one piece of hardware? Well, my beautiful, sleek, enchanting new iMac runs Mac OS 10.6.2 (Snow Leopard), and I've loaded on it a program called Parallels Desktop, which lets me run Windows XP side by side with Snow Leopard. Yep, Windows and Mac operating systems running side by side with no squabbles.

Why did I take this "whole brain" approach to computing? Simply this: while I enjoy the technical challenge of troubleshooting and fixing my clients' Windows systems, I'm tired of hassling with my own. With my new configuration, I can run my Windows applications that I like and have paid some bucks for, like QuickBooks 2008 and MS Office 2007, on Windows XP, and keep fresh with Windows issues that affect my clients, as most of my clients run Windows.

As time goes by, I may eventually ditch running Windows altogether, meaning: when I feel it's time to replace my QuickBooks and MS Office, I'd just buy the Mac versions. Though I must tell you, I like Windows Media player better than iTunes (so far). And unfortunately, some programs, like the online real estate multiple listing services and MS Access don't run on Mac.

I'm looking forward to playing with various applications that come pre-installed on the Mac, such as Garage Band, Chess, iChat, etc. Plus there are some geeky networking and connectivity things one can fool around with on the Mac.

Perhaps best of all I can be neutral in the ridiculous "war" between Mac and Windows camps. This squabble makes me want to dump them both and go to Linux, which is free (just gotta pay for the hardware).

Wishing you akamai computing!

New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-01T10:00:00.001-10:00

Aloha!

Since the spirit of the New Year is about fresh starts, dropping undesirable habits, and adopting a new outlook, how about applying some of that spirit to your time spent on the computer? Here are some suggestions.

1. Don't reactively forward emails about viruses and other scares without checking them out first. Many of them are hoaxes. One place to check their veracity is here: http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/threatexplorer/search.jsp

2. See if you can keep away from your computer for one weekend. Take a break. We get so hooked into our online habits, some of which can compromise our connecting with the non virtual world around us.

3. Get some education. Take an online class, read a book on a computer subject that interests you, or get some tutoring. It will open new doors for your computing experience.

4. If you've been putting off renewing your antivirus subscription, take care of that ASAP. Better yet, install the newest Internet security program, such as Norton. There are many nasties out there on the web that you want to avoid.

5. When you finish reading this article, run and back up your important data!

6. Sign up for a social networking account like Facebook and see what happens. Then remember to practice suggestion number 2.

7. Be kind to yourself and make some improvements to your computing environment: get a better mouse or keyboard, a better monitor, hey, if you can afford it, a new computer! Maybe even a Mac. I did - got a new MacBook Pro laptop and I love it!

8. Get a free account at pandora.com and enjoy creating your own radio stations based on artists and genres you love. You'll likely find some new music this way.

9. Offer to help someone with their computer needs. You must know someone who knows less than you and could use a helping hand.

10. Watch TV online. Check out Hulu.com. They actually have free streaming movies there. Yes free! Again, when you start getting hooked, practice suggestion 2.

Wishing you lots of akamai computing in the New Year!

Solving Software Problems

2009-11-15T10:00:00.004-10:00

Aloha!

Getting stuck on the computer, stymied by something you have done while mouse-clicking or typing is no fun. Whether you are working in a document, surfing the web, or playing a game, having the computer misbehave can ruin the best of moods.

Why do computers do these things - stop responding to inputs, lose data, lock up, crash? I could say these are age-old questions, because they are so often asked and so ingrained in the consciousness of any computer user. But as you know, computers are relatively new on the landscape. PCs, first made by IBM, have only been around since the early 1980s.

Frankly, computers work pretty darn well most of the time. The more technical exposure you have to them, the more you are amazed of they work as well they do, considering the complexity of their electronic "guts" and "nervous system".

Most computer problems can be attributed to software issues, and many to user errors. No, that's not a potshot from a computer super geek, condescending to the masses of frustrated users. Bad things happen to us tech guys too. In my case, it's usually because I'm trying to do too many things at once and/or too quickly, either in one program, or with multiple programs and processes running. Sometimes the computer just can't handle all workload. Just like us humans, right? Patience is a virtue…

So my first tip about minimizing problems is to run as few programs as you need to at any given time. If you do need to run more than three programs (not three files, but three programs), I advise closing them all after 2-4 hours, and perhaps even rebooting the computer to refresh the memory. Reboot at least once per day if you are a heavy multi-tasker.

Second tip, this one for laptops, is to place a cooling pad under the laptop. This helps evacuate warm/hot air that accumulates under the machine. When the hardware gets hot, the software can lockup.

Third, add more RAM (random access memory) to your computer. If you are running Vista, make sure to have at least 2 GB; 4 GB is better. With XP have at least 1 GB. The more applications you want to run at once, the more RAM you need.

Fourth, if you are having a recurring problem with a particular program, look on the vendor's website. Many times it's a known issue and the vendor provides a patch or work-around solution for the problem. Sometimes you may even need to reinstall the application.

Last, in my experience, computers in heavy use need to be backed up, erased, and then reloaded about 1-2 years. This cleans out lots of "debris" that has built up in the software over time. You may even need to replace the hard drive at that time. I've prolonged the life of many a PC by installing a new hard drive and reloading the software.

Wishing you akamai computing!

File Types

2009-10-15T12:00:00.003-10:00

Aloha!

Have you ever received an email from someone with an attachment that you couldn't open? Kind of frustrating, isn't it?

This problem used to occur quite often when people sent digital photo files to friends and family. They'd take a picture with their digital camera, and then use the software that came with the camera to edit the photo. Then they'd email the photo file.

Well, problem is, some of those photo editing programs create a unique type of file that is only readable with that program, instead of saving the file into a universal format, like JPEG/JPG. Universal file types - like JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) for photos, RTF (Rich Text Format) for word processing documents, and MP3 (Motion Picture Experts Group 3 standard) for digital music - can be accessed whether you're using Windows, Mac, Linux, or even your mobile phone. Be conscientious and send universal file types by email to make it easy on the recipient.

PDF (Portable Document Format), the type of file Adobe Acrobat can access, is another common type of universal document. The wrinkle with PDF is that while you don't need the full version Adobe Acrobat to create a PDF - as there are other programs that can do it, like ones bundled with scanners - to modify the PDF file you will need the full version of Acrobat. Adobe Acrobat Reader can view the file, but not make changes to it.

Back to my initial point on not being able to open an email attachment: It may be that whoever sent the email used a program to create a file type that your computer cannot access because you don't have that program. You can either ask the person to recreate that file in a universal format, or you can download a reader program or converter that enables access. An example of this scenario entails the new MS Word .docx file format that Word 2007 creates by default. If you have MS Word 2007 and create a document, then send it by email, the recipient may not be able to open the attachment because they don't have MS Word 2007. They may have an older version of Word like 2003.

There are two simple ways to deal with this. One is to save the file as a traditional .doc format, which is the pre-MS Word 2007 format; otherwise, the recipient can install a "compatibility pack" created by Microsoft, which enables some older version of MS Word to read the .docx format.

Of course, unless the attachment is something important for work or personal reasons, you can always exercise the power of the delete command. That's always kind of fun, instead of getting frustrated. Zap! Goodbye email! Especially when much of the stuff we can't open is junk anyways.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Phantom Power

2009-09-15T12:00:00.009-10:00

Aloha!

We're all button pushers, aren't we? No, I don't mean in the psychological sense. I mean in terms of interacting with the electronic world around us. As soon as we wake up, we're pushing some button. In my case, it's the snooze button on my alarm clock. Some mornings, I'm pushing it again, and again, and again.

As for computers, the most common button we push is the power button. Push it in, and like magic the computer comes to life. (Or, if Mr. Murphy of Murphy's Law is visiting you on the morning when you most need your computer, there is no response - nothing lights up. Darn!)

When we push that magic "on" button for the computer are we suddenly pulling power from the grid into our little beastie? Well, it was already plugged into the grid via the outlet on the wall even before you hit the "on" button. So when you push the "on" button, you're just flicking a switch in the computer, sending power to the components that start the machine and keep it running.

Before you even pushed that "on" button your computer was not only plugged in, but it was drawing some power. Same with your monitor, your printer, and other devices you might use, such as a scanner. Yep, they all draw some power whether you are needing them or not. (Sounds like some people, no?)

Though this unexpected power consumption is known by various names - phantom load, idle current, vampire power - one name I like is phantom energy. The net effect is sucking extra energy from the grid into your home when you don't really need it. And though it may seem trivial, it can add up over time.

Appliances like televisions, computer monitors, and DVD players can also draw power whenever they're plugged into an outlet. I've read that phantom energy can account for about 10 percent of a home's electricity use. It might not sound like much, until you consider reducing that 10 percent will get you over a month of free electricity every year.

Unplugging your devices when they aren't really in use will cut back on phantom power, though it can definitely be a pain to crawl behind the TV, etc. every time you're done watching.

There are a handful of devices designed specifically to combat phantom energy, but plugging bundled devices - like computer, monitor, printer; or TV, DVD player, DVR - into the same power strip and then turning off the power strip will do the trick too. Being mindful of phantom energy is another consideration as we try to green our lifestyles and save money at the same time.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Internet Service Options in the Honoka'a Area

2009-08-15T09:00:00.005-10:00

Aloha!

Remember the bad old days of Internet service when you plugged your computer into the phone jack and dialed up? You heard a god-awful screeching noise and then found yourself magically connected, able to surf the web and download email. One downside was having your phone line tied up. Another, once you knew better (after having surfed on broadband at the office), was how incredibly slow dial-up is.

In the Honoka'a area, to the best of my knowledge, you can avoid dial-up and choose one of these four broadband (high speed) Internet services at your home: DSL, cable, satellite, or cellular wireless. In this article, I’ll briefly explain the difference between these four options.

First, DSL. This service is provided by Hawaiian Telcom. DSL is an abbreviation for Digital Subscriber Line. Essentially, it’s a digital signal transmitted over the POTS (plain old telephone system) landline to your home. Yep, the same line that your analog phone employs can also carry digital signals. When you sign up for DSL, you are provided a modem, which includes one port to connect to the phone jack on the wall, and another that plugs into your computer’s network port. The modem is your bridge to the Internet.

Cable Internet is locally provided by Oceanic Time Warner. The Internet feed is via coaxial cable, the same type of cable that plugs into your set-top cable TV receiver. So you run coax from a working cable port on a wall to a modem provided by Time Warner, then plug the modem into your computer’s network port.

When comparing cable vs. DSL it’s all about the total package, because DSL is typically bundled with your phone service, as is cable now. Thing is, cable includes Internet, phone and TV service. So you’ve got to do the math, factoring in satellite TV’s cost and programming options if you want to consider TV, DSL Internet and phone service.

Hughesnet offers broadband satellite Internet service to customers who aren’t serviced by DSL or cable. This requires mounting a satellite dish on the roof. Cable from the dish connects to a modem, and the modem plugs into your PC’s network port. Satellite Internet is not as speedy as DSL, as there is latency in transmission from your modem to the satellite (26,000 miles in space!) to the ground station and back again. But it’s still faster than dial-up, and there are several speeds available, depending on your budget and thirst for fast web surfing.

The last service to mention is a type of wireless provided by cell phone companies. (This is not the same as WI-FI, which you can access with your laptop in a hotel, restaurant or airport.) After signing up for cellular Internet service, you are provided with a modem card that plugs into your laptop. The modem picks up a cell signal and gives access to the Internet via the cell system that your phone works on. This is typically the slowest of the four broadband services explained in this article, but it’s still faster than dial-up!

I hope I’ve given a frame of reference so you can understand what broadband Internet means (vs. dial-up) and what’s locally available.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Understanding Computer Memory

2009-05-15T09:00:00.001-10:00

Aloha!

Memory. This is probably one of the most confusing terms in computerland. It can refer to hard drives, RAM, flash drives, video cards, motherboard ROM, etc. As a computer tech I commonly get asked, “Do I need more memory?” I usually have to check myself before I crack a joke when answering the question. Some folks just want the facts. So I’ll try to refrain from attempts at comedy in this article, too.

So, as for the term “memory”, if what you care about most is making your computer run faster, then all else being equal, adding more RAM (Random Access Memory) to the motherboard will do the job. RAM in this context comes on a circuit board about the length of a writing pen. It plugs into a slot on the motherboard. So to install it, you crack open the case, find an open memory slot, and plug it in. Sounds simple, right?

Of course, nothing in computerland is that simple! There are different configurations of RAM based on the motherboard design. If you determine you need more RAM and are a do-it-yourselfer, I suggest surfing over to www.crucial.com. There you can scan your computer to learn what type and how much memory it has, as well as how much it can accommodate. Then you can order it online and install it when it arrives.

How much faster will adding RAM make your computer? Once again, there is no simple answer to that. It depends on how much you currently have, how much you add, and what you’re hoping the RAM can do for you. For example, if you’re aiming to get better performance to play your favorite video game, it may be better to upgrade your video card, as it handles much of the graphic processing power and includes its own RAM. And the CPU ultimately determines the horsepower of any computer, so don’t assume adding RAM will boost your three-year-old system to perform like your neighbor’s, hot off the shelf from Costco with the latest AMD CPU.

For some perspective, Windows XP runs best in my experience on at least 512 MB (megabytes) of RAM. 1 GB is better. Beyond that, unless your application calls for it, I haven’t seen much performance gain. With Vista, I recommend having 4GB of RAM, as Vista is a memory hog!

People sometimes refer to their hard disk drive as memory, and that’s fine, because it is. Just be aware most computer techs and stores think of RAM when you mention memory. But, as for hard drives, the higher the gigabyte count, the more storage space (memory) you have. So hard drive memory size does matter, especially if you plan to store lots of digital music, photos, video, etc. Keep in mind it has nothing to do with speed, only storage space.

As I often do, at this point I’ll advise the reader to remember that the most important computer memory is whatever you use for data backup - USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc. That’s the memory that affects your well-being the most if and when your computer crashes. It’s where a duplicate copy of your precious data and personal “memory” reside, which you can access from another computer while your primary computer is being repaired.

In closing, I just can’t keep my comic self at bay any longer… so to answer the question, “Do I need more memory?” My answer is: “You probably do, if you have asked that question before, get an answer, then keep on asking it.”

Wishing you akamai computing!

Wireless Internet Basics

2009-04-15T09:00:00.001-10:00

Aloha!

Ah the conveniences of modern life…sitting in an outdoor café, sipping a tasty beverage, wirelessly surfing the web. The pleasure is addicting. Then later, you are at a venue somewhere else on the island or on the mainland, you get comfortable, flip open your laptop, but, darn! No wireless Internet! Or worse yet, just to tease you, a signal too weak to connect to. Say it isn’t so!

You see, the problem is that we expect the same type of coverage for wireless Internet that we get on our cell phones – which means pretty certain connectivity in urban areas. But the wireless Internet your laptop is searching for (commonly called a hotspot) depends on some business, government office, or individual providing that service. And sometimes, you have to pay for it, like at some bookstores.

Just how does a laptop equipped with a wireless adapter connect to the Internet? First, understand that we’re talking about radio wave communications. The laptop uses its antenna to seek a broadcasting transmitter (usually a device called a router) on the same frequency, in most cases, in the 2.4 GHz frequency range with a certain type of encoding. This type of wireless communication is commonly called WI-FI.

If the laptop finds a transmitter, it will attempt to associate with it. In the lower right corner of your laptop’s screen you can view a little icon indicating this process. Associating depends on proximity to the transmitter and whether encryption is used to limit access to those who have permission. In many cafés that provide wireless Internet for their patrons, there is unrestricted access, so any laptop or WIFI-compatible device can connect.

If you are a laptop WI-FI addict, you may find it convenient to purchase a hotspot finder. This is a little hand-held gizmo that looks for hotspots, and indicates their signal strength and whether they are open or encrypted. Then you can decide whether it’s worth it to open your laptop and connect.

If your home or business has a wireless router, be aware that if there is no encryption, anyone in range can surf the web through your Internet service, and potentially hack into your computers. So unless you are in the boonies, it’s best to always turn on encryption.

Another word of advice: it’s best to run an Internet security program on your computer, or at least a good firewall, as there are hackers who prey upon unprotected laptops in public hotspots. On the paranoid side, it’s best to never use your credit card, logon to your email, or work on any confidential matters when using a hotspot, especially in places like airports, unless you are connected to your company’s VPN (virtual private network). This is because some hackers use software tools to collect the data that flows wirelessly between your laptop and the wireless transmitter. It’s complicated and techie, but can be done.

The safest bet? When online via a public hotspot, surf the web for news, “window” shop at e-merchants, and draft emails, but avoid purchases and sending emails until you're on a more secure Internet connection. Also, sometimes consider "unplugging from the Internet/Matrix/Borg Collective" and enjoy 19th Century café style sitting: enjoy a book, other people, and your immediate surroundings.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Some Useful Websites

2009-03-15T09:00:00.001-10:00

Aloha!

Information overload. It’s what we can feel whenever we go online and are lured by the endless distractions of news, entertainment, things to buy, etc. Nonetheless, there are some great resources and services on the web that we can make judicious and enjoyable use of. Here are five of my favorites.

Skype.com. You can download this free software and then, with a microphone and speakers (or headset) plus video camera, make free video calls to anyone in the world who also has Skype. Just last week I had a one hour video conference on Skype with a friend on the mainland. It’s a great way for islanders to keep in visual contact with friends, family, and business associates who are elsewhere in the world. Also, you can make calls with Skype from your computer to landline and cell phones for about 2 cents per minute. Plus, you can chat (instant message) and send files. Note: for Skype to Skype calls, you need broadband Internet on each end of the link.

Logmein.com. Using this free software, you can remotely and securely access your home or office computer from anywhere in the world, provided you have broadband Internet on each end. Say for example you’re traveling with your laptop on the mainland and want to view some info on your office PC. After having installed this program on the office PC you can do just that - by signing in to your account at logmein.com and gaining remote access to your desktop. You should use logmein.com only when someone is not on the host computer, as you will be taking over keyboard and mouse functions – unless you want to give them a scare! The basic version of the software is free, but the paid versions offer more features. Try it out!

Craigslist.org. This is in my opinion one of the best services the Internet has produced to date: a free online classifieds listing. Here on the Big Island, I found a rental house, a used car, a daycare provider, used furniture, etc. Our family basically set up camp when moving here largely thanks to postings on Craigslist. I have also sold plenty of personal items here and on the mainland. In addition to buying and selling, the site provides postings about community activities, bartering, personals, and discussion forums. The nice thing about buying and selling is that you can do most of it locally, which is safer, you deal in cash, and you meet people face to face. As with any contact made online, use caution and good judgment. There are plenty of scammers out there.

Hulu.com. This website offers commercial-supported streaming video of TV shows and movies from NBC, Fox, Comedy Central, PBS, Sci Fi, Nick Jr., PBS KIDS Sprout, etc. For a 10-minute break from work, I enjoy watching the TV clips from SNL, Jay Leno, etc. This website can get addicting, especially if you’ve got a large flat panel monitor and a decent computer sound system. It’s one more pacifier we can turn to as we suffer through the economic downturn.

Alternet.org. This site aggregates news from various sources. And it’s the kind of news you won’t catch on the networks or cable news. The slant is definitely progressive, so conservatives beware: you may not like what you find here. The site publishes reports that the mainstream media won’t or can’t touch, or even news Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show won’t touch, such as the atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza. It’s a kind of social justice news site.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Data Disaster Recovery

2009-02-15T09:00:00.001-10:00

Aloha!

You’ve heard the expression, “It’s midnight, do you know where you kids are?” Well, my question to you is: “Your computer just crashed, do you know where you backup data and software installation discs are?”

The computer crash scenario I’m alluding to above means the crash is so bad - such as a damaged hard drive - that you have to completely reinstall your system (after resolving any hardware issues). This reinstall process begins with Windows, the operating system. And there are typically two options here: 1)your computer manufacturer provided a recovery partition on your hard drive, which you can use to restore the system to the original factory state; or 2)you need to find the Windows disc that came with the computer and reload it.

One wrinkle to the second option: Locating the Windows 25-character product key. It’s usually on a label that most manufacturers affix to the computer. Or it could be on the CD sleeve. If you have neither CD nor code, contact your computer builder.

After reloading Windows, you will need to reinstall the drivers, which are software that make the hardware work, such as the network adapter. Dell, for example, provides a separate driver CD. If you don’t have the drivers, guess what? You will have to visit the manufacturer’s website and download them. (But here’s the catch 22 – how can you download them when you can’t get online because you don’t have a working network adapter? Well, that’s where a friend or your friendly neighborhood computer tech comes in.)

Next, you’ll need to install the programs that you loaded since buying the computer. You do have these, right? You’ll need the CDs and any licensing codes that came with them. This is really the point of my article, especially for businesses: Make a list of the important programs in your computer, locate the CDS, and write down installation codes, vendor contact information, etc. Then store the CDs and this list someplace safe, preferably offsite, or in a safe. Having this cache will save you a major headache if your computer ever crashes.

Earlier in this article I mentioned that some manufacturers include a recovery partition on the hard drive. If that’s your case, and the computer provides the option of making recovery CDs or DVDs after firing it up for the first time, do it. These discs will come in handy in case you have to replace the hard drive, as the new drive will not come with a recovery partition. It’s a pain, I know.

Last, bear in mind that reinstalling a system means you’ll lose all customizations you made to it – themes, shortcuts, program personalization, updates and patches to the software, etc. You’ll have to do all this again. Another pain.

The more you prepare for a computer disaster, the less stressful it will be, especially if you have your precious data backed up. You do have that, right?

Wishing you akamai computing!

Keeping Your Computer Clean and Cool

2009-01-15T09:00:00.002-10:00

Aloha!

Keep it clean, keep it cool. This statement could apply to a lot of things…for fun, let your mind wander. What it pertains to here is your computer, be it desktop or laptop.

By keep it clean, I mean turning off the PC, unplugging all those cables (fortunately, most are color coded, so you can locate where they go when you’re done with housekeeping!), take the case outside, open it up, and blast the interior with compressed air. (Please don’t use an air compressor – what I’m recommending is one of those cans of compressed air.) Be careful to turn your head away while blowing, as some of that dust is nasty – believe me, I know.

It’s best if your can of compressed air has a straw on it, so you can focus the air to achieve maximum results. Blow the air on the memory boards, the CPU and fan, any case fans, the power supply fan, and everywhere else you can chase the “dust bunnies” from.

Why bother doing this? Well, other than the fun of blasting stuff with compressed air (must be a guy thing), keeping the dust and debris to a minimum in your PC case reduces heat build up on components, which degrades component life and can cause malfunctions. I can point to one example where my client’s CPU was reporting it was too hot via a message on the startup screen, and shutting off the computer. I dusted out the case interior, focusing on the CPU, and voila, problem solved!

For a laptop, you can point the compressed air straw at the cooling fan and blast away. You can also blow off the laptop keyboard and screen; same goes for a PC’s keyboard and monitor.

While you’re at it, blow out your scanner, printer, digital camera, etc. (A digital camera’s zoom lens can lock up when there’s too much dust and debris in the telescoping parts.) You can shoot compressed air at your adding machine, your DVD player (when opened), your cassette player…you get the idea.

You may find some interesting things inside your computer in the process. In my clients’ computers, I regularly find spiders (dead and living), other bugs, old parts left over from a previous tech’s repair work, unplugged cables (so that’s why the second CD drive doesn’t work!), and other oddities. If your PC is under the desk, you may find some other missing items too (so that’s where my favorite bottle opener went!).

At minimum, you’ll get some more comfort with your computer. You may not understand what all those components are when looking in the case, but the act of opening it demystifies it somewhat - just like opening a car hood. If you feel compelled to touch anything in the case, be sure to discharge ESD (electro static discharge) by touching the case frame or power supply first.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Free Software

2008-12-15T09:00:00.001-10:00

Aloha!

As the old saw goes, "The best things in life are free." There's certainly some truth to that when it comes to getting free software online - especially in these tough economic times.

As an IT tech, my favorite site for obtaining free (and legal) software is www.download.com. I've solved many a malware problem (spyware and viruses) using free software from that site – programs such as AVG antivirus, SpyBot Search and Destroy, Ad-Aware, and Hijack This. Like a knife, these programs can help or harm, so an unskilled computer user should take caution.

Recently, I've been employing another program obtained from download.com called Glary Utilities. It's designed to tune-up a Windows PC by fixing problems with the registry, shortcuts, start-up programs, etc. I've used it several times, and so far, so good.

Here's another old saw that pertains to free software too: "There's no free lunch." Yep, there's always a catch to a freebie. Most often the catch is that the free version of a software program doesn't include all the features of the paid version. And some free programs like to remind you with pop-ups that you are not using their full-featured version, that you should upgrade to it – for a price.

Some free programs, like Glary Utilities, offer to install a toolbar on your browser and/or change your default search provider. (You have the option to not do either of these in Glary’s case – just watch what you click when installing!)

Before downloading any free software to your computer, get some confidence about the download site and the program - i.e., if you don't trust them, ask someone you know, or search online for reviews or complaints about them. And never install software on a computer that's already unstable, unless you have backed up all your data and are consciously taking a risk because you want the downloaded program to fix things.

I highly recommend setting a restore point in Windows before installing any software. A restore point enables rolling back Windows to a previous working state, should a newly installed software program break things. If you’d like to learn about this feature, look up “Windows System Restore” on your computer or online.

One last tidbit: For all you cheapskates (read thrifty people angry with Microsoft’s price gouging) who grumble about having to pay for Microsoft Office because you just want to use a decent word processor and/or spreadsheet, there is an excellent, and did I mention, FREE alternative. It’s called OpenOffice. This software is provided by Sun Microsystems, the inventors of Java. You can obtain it at: http://www.openoffice.org

I find OpenOffice user-friendly and stable. If I didn’t need to be current on MS Office to support my clients, believe me, I would use this program exclusively. Then again, if it weren’t for the market saturation of Windows-based PCs and I could make a living fixing Macs, I wouldn’t be in this dance with Microsoft to begin with. But that’s another article.

Wishing you akamai computing!

Data Backup

2008-11-15T09:00:00.034-10:00

Aloha!

Here's a little talk story about a conceivably boring subject: Computer data backup. You may think, YAWN! But you will say YIKES! if you don't do it.

I'm the guy in my family who handles the bookkeeping. I use Quicken software for the job. Works pretty well most of the time. So the other night I sit down to update some entries and soon as I open the program, I am greeted by some red flags, indicating that some bills I scheduled to pay are overdue - bills due in October! What the?

Turns out, I somehow lost the entire month of October (the data for that month). Was I upset? You bet. Did my mind race to the scenario of having to input all that lost data and reconcile my statements again? You bet. But my stress stopped there. Why? Because I had a backup from two days ago.

So the next thing I did was backup the current data file. Then I restored the one from two days ago and bingo! all my October entries were back. Right on! Am I gloating here? Nope. Just want to emphasize the peace of mind you can have when you regularly back up your important data.

I'm an IT tech in the business of solving other people's computer problems, and believe me, I have seen some upset clients who have lost critical data that they hadn't been backing up (not to my fault, of course!). So a word to the wise here: Backup your data often! You can backup to anything from a floppy disk (yes, they still exist!), to a USB flash drive, to an external hard drive, to a CD, to the Internet (paid online data storage). For one of my Hawaii clients, we have backups programmed to an external hard drive AND to the Internet.

Business cannot backup too much or too often. You can automate the process with the built-in backup software Windows provides (Mac has this too), or you can use a third party program, such as one's that come with external hard drives. My favorite is the manual procedure: You click BACKUP, such as I did in Quicken, and backup to an external device. I got to watch the process. (Call me old fashioned.)

One last word of advice: Test your backups from time to time, by restoring the most recent one. To do this, backup your most recent file, then restore the one before that. Everything OK? Then restore the file you just backed up.

My wife's uncle, who was an engineer in the early days of data backup storage to tape joked of his company's product, "Hey, we're a data backup company, not a restore company." You can chuckle now, but you won't if you can't restore your precious data file.

Wishing you akamai computing!