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Cleaning Your Computer
A dirty computer screen is unpleasant to use. Keyboards seem to attract dirt particles & grime and require regular cleaning. Dust in PC and laptop vents is a common cause of overheating.
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Cleaning Tools |
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Can of compressed air |
Vacuum cleaner |
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Damp cloth (definitely not wet) |
Clean dry cloth |
Keyboard – turn your keyboard over and lightly tap on a bench top to loosen particles caught under the keys. Use compressed air or your vacuum to clean between keys and a damp cloth to remove grime from key surfaces.
If you accidentally spill liquid onto your keyboard: immediately turn off the computer or laptop. Unplug from power source & remove the laptop battery. Turn the keyboard over and allow as much liquid as possible to drain. If the liquid is water then leaving the keyboard upside down and allowing it to dry overnight may be sufficient. Finish drying by blowing warm air from a hair dryer or compressed air between the keys. If the liquid is anything other than water you may need to hire a professional to clean your laptop keyboard.
Screen – do not use any chemical or solvent on your LCD screen. Using a consistent motion, wipe over with a damp cotton cloth such as an old t-shirt. Finish with a clean, dry cotton cloth – do not use tissues. Pre-moistened screen wipes are also available from your computer store.
Vents – using just the nozzle, or the brush attachment, run your vacuum cleaner on low suction over the outside of your desktop computer paying careful attention to the area at the back of the computer and air vents that often get clogged with dust. Do not be tempted to open the computer and vacuum dust from the inside. Laptop vents are more difficult to clean. Leave both these tasks to a professional.
64-bit vs 32-bit
Windows 7 (and Windows Vista) are released in both a 32-bit and 64-bit version. Since its release a few weeks ago, Windows 7 64-bit is being installed as default on many new computers. So what is 64-bit and how does it differ from 32-bit?
In simple language, a 64-bit operating system can handle more memory and larger programs than its 32-bit equivalent. Any 32-bit operating system – whether Windows 7, Mac OSX or Linux – can use a maximum of 3.2 GB of random access memory (RAM). Whereas a 64-bit operating system can handle up to 1000 GB of RAM. Already, many computers are selling with 4GB RAM as standard. So in order to take advantage of the extra memory a 64-bit operating system is required.
Are there any benefits to choosing 64-bit over 32-bit? Other than the ability to access more memory (which means faster performance) the average user will not notice any performance increase if 64-bit or 32-bit Windows were run on the same hardware. However, in the near future this memory advantage will become more and more important.
Are there any disadvantages? The average user may have difficulty installing old devices (printers, cameras, etc) onto a 64-bit system. 32-bit drivers (the software required to run your device) most often do not work in a 64-bit environment. You will have to go to the manufacturer's website and download the 64-bit driver for your device. This may or may not be available, depending on the manufacturer. Similarly, some older software may not run on the 64-bit platform. Check with the software vendor if you are unsure.
If you want to find out if your software or hardware is supported in 64-bit, check here or here.
TV & Radio on Your PC
There are two ways of viewing or listening to media content on your computer.
Through an add-on hardware tuner: A PCI or USB TV Tuner card is installed into your computer which allows you to connect your aerial cable & receive all free-to-air TV & radio stations. These range in price from around $100 up to $300+. Software for viewing & recording is usually included with the hardware purchase.
Through your broadband connection using free software: Windows Media Player comes pre-configured with a large number of national & international radio stations. There are a variety of programs & web-portals which enable TV viewing over the internet. This webpage outlines some of them.
Although the internet option seems attractive, it must be kept in mind that media content is extremely bandwidth hungry. The typical 1GB data allowance given to home users by your ISP will very quickly disappear (and additional charges could apply) when you listen to internet radio or watch internet video.
If you want to be able to record TV on your computer (Tivo style) then this guide to build your own Digital Video Recorder might be worth looking into.
Internet Christmas Shopping
Cosmetics/Perfumes/Skin Care
strawberrynet.com: a Hong Kong based site. Very good prices and service with a rewards programme. Fast delivery usually within 1 week.
Electronics
pricespy.co.nz: for all things computer; also cameras, software and phones. This site will give you a good idea of the price for an item with links to retailer websites. Remember that for some items, service may be more important than price.
dse.co.nz: Dick Smith Electronics has a great site, easy to search, and they deliver.
Vouchers
redballoondays.co.nz: Red Balloon Days have a great range of vouchers for experiences throughout New Zealand & Australia. Everything from Bungy Jumping to Spa Pampering.
vouchermate.co.nz: discount coupons organised by region and category. Some great bargains to be found here.
Books
abebooks.com: if you're looking for a particular book then you may save a lot of money by searching Abe Books. Prices are sometimes rediculously low and service is great. Delivery can take up to 3 or 4 weeks.
Email Programs for Windows
Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 7, does not include an email program. Outlook Express in gone, and its successor, Windows Mail (bundled with Vista), is also gone. This means that Windows 7 users will need to select and install their own email program. Why did Microsoft do this?
Many people are using web mail, e.g. Hotmail or Gmail, and therefore don't need an email program installed on their computer.
Microsoft want to simplify Windows and expedite faster and simpler updates. They are offering email, photo and movie editing software as add-on services through Windows Live.
So what choices are available? The following are all free to download:
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Eudora is a classic, powerful, flexible and efficient email client that deals with spam precisely. The ability to configure almost every aspect of Eudora can be confusing for new users. |
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Thunderbird can manage multiple e-mail, newsgroup and RSS accounts and supports multiple identities within accounts. Features like quick search, saved search folders, advanced message filtering, message grouping, and labels help manage and find messages. A huge variety of extensions and themes for this client makes it very secure and flexible. |
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Windows Live Mail is the latest email client from Microsoft Corporation. Touted as the big brother of the popular Outlook Express and replacing Windows Mail on Vista operating system, Windows Live Mail offers the a user friendly interface with several added features. |
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IncrediMail is a fun and easy to use email client that adds spice to the messages you send while protecting you from spam, phishing and fraud attempts in a convenient manner. |
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Claws Mail is a free, open source email and news client. It is very lightweight. Like Firefox , the wide variety of plug-ins for this email client makes it very flexible and secure. |
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Spicebird is a collaboration client that provides integrated access to email, contacts, calendaring and instant messaging in a single application. It provides easy access to various web services while retaining all the advantages of a desktop application. |
Windows 7 Released
Although larger retailers still carry computers with Vista installed, it won't be long before the only branded computer you can buy will come with Windows 7. But there is another group of retailers who build their own PCs. They will continue to offer choice. This means that, at least in part, people purchasing a new computer are now presented with a dilemma - what to choose? XP, Vista or 7?
I would suggest that Windows XP is now outdated. Its time to move on. Although many may be cautious about Windows 7, our testing indicates that its at least as stable as Windows XP and benefits from lessons learned from Vista. It also represents the future for Microsoft. They (and other third party developers) will be putting most of their energy into advancing Windows 7 while previous versions of Windows slowly fade away.
One of the biggest problems people have with Vista is its massive hardware requirement – lots and lots of memory, fast processor, discrete graphics card – these will get you merely satisfactory performance. Windows 7 is much less demanding and resource hungry. Another Vista issue is its quirky behaviour – popping up every 5 minutes asking, “Do you really want to do this?” Windows 7 has drastically reduced this annoyance while maintaining system security.
There are a few new Windows 7 features that will make everyday using your computer easier: Jump Lists (right-click on an icon to get a list of recent tasks/documents), Aero Peek (uncover or hide open windows by hovering over a taskbar thumbnail), Snap (the ability to easily compare open documents side-by-side). Windows 7 also shuts down and starts up faster than Vista.
Windows 7 is being touted as minimalistic. Microsoft says it wants to provide a solid foundation that can be built upon, rather than giving you a bloated package that contains the solution for everything. For the first time, there is no email client bundled with Windows. Outlook Express and even Windows Mail are gone. Microsoft hopes that customers will use Windows Live Mail (a free download), however you could also use Thunderbird, Eudora, or any other email program.
E-mail Hoaxes Chain Letters
To quote Hoax Busters, “No big company is going to give you a gift certificate (giveaway hoaxes), spamming your friends and family will not provide medical or financial relief for a sick or injured child (sympathy hoaxes), that perfume is not ether (urban legend), and there is no such thing as email tracking! If you receive an email that urges you to forward a message that contains a reference to any of these, or similar items, PLEASE DO NOT, as you will only be helping to perpetrate and perpetuate the hoax.”
Hoax Busters list 5 telltale signs of a hoax:
A sense of urgency – usually with many exclamation marks!!!!
Strong encouragement to “Tell all your friends!”
Assurances that “This isn't a hoax!”
Dire consequences, even threats – if you don't forward it.
A long history of forwarding – marked by >>>>> in the left margin.
If you want to check if a warning is legitimate then go to Snopes.com and search for key words from the email you received. Be sure to scroll through and read all the information that you find.
Cloud
Computing
"The
Cloud" is a metaphor for the internet. Cloud computing is a
general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services
over the Internet. According to The
Economist, in the very near future "much of computing will
no longer be done on personal computers in homes and offices, but in
the “cloud”." This evolution in computing has been happening
slowly over the last decade. Most of us are now accustomed to using
web-based email, social networking sites and online games. These are
all examples of what are increasingly called cloud services. They are
accessible through web-browsers, smart-phones or other “client”
devices.
Software as a Service, or SaaS, is a type of cloud
computing that delivers a single application to thousands of
customers through a web-browser. Both the application and its data
can be accessed from any computer anywhere that has internet access.
On the customer side, it means no upfront investment in software
licensing - no need to purchase, install or maintain the application;
on the provider side, with just one application to maintain, costs
are low compared to conventional hosting. The most well known of SaaS
"desktop" applications are Google
Apps and Zoho
Office, however SaaS is not limited to office applications.
Accounting, CRM, project management, and many more services are all
available "in the cloud".
Using the Internet to Solve Computer Problems
A wildly helpful error message appears on your screen...
“Keyboard not responding. Press any key to continue.”
What do you do??
For most errors the rule of thumb is to shutdown and restart. If the error persists then you need to ask for advice, and a great place to look is the Internet...
Use Google – form a simple statement or question regarding the problem you're facing. e.g. “Microsoft Word freezing when inserting table.” Be as specific as possible. Mention the program you are using (Microsoft Word), the symptoms (freezing), the action you were doing when the problem occurred (inserting table). General statements like “Windows freezing” will produce very general and unhelpful results. You may need to reword your statement a few times to improve your results.
If you get an error message on the screen: write down the full text of the error message and type it into Google between inverted commas – this instructs Google to search for the exact phrase.
For software problems: go to the software website and look for a Forum (group of users & enthusiasts who share their problems and solutions about that product). There will usually be a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section and you can also search the forum for your particular issue.
For a hardware problem: go to the manufacturer's website. Most manufacturers list known issues about their hardware and often provide specific help to solve common problems. Some hardware may require a firmware upgrade to improve its performance. Firmware can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website along with installation instructions.
Internet Filtering
When your child is already caught in the trap of internet pornography the best way to help them may be to filter out pornographic content from your internet connection. What options for internet filtering are available in New Zealand?
Let Your ISP do the Filtering
NetGuardian: with NetGuardian the Internet is filtered at the source - by your ISP - which makes it fast and easy to use. You can choose the filtering service that meets your needs, and it doesn’t slow your computer or your internet connection. It costs as little as $3.50 extra per month. For $14.95 per month you are given the ability to customise which sites are allowed or blocked. NetGuardian is offered by Maxnet & Kinect.
WatchDog: is an ISP that offers internet content filtering as part of it's monthly broadband fee. Broadband plans start at $39.95 per month.
Filtering Software
Filtering software must be installed onto the computer, configured and monitored by you, the parent. Most often the parent is given control through a password protected login. Filtering strategies vary as does the efficacy of each program. We recommend K9 Web Protection which is free for home use.
Fabulous Food
To find a recipe for any food, enter the food you want to cook into Google followed by the word “recipe,” e.g. “mutton recipe” or “chocolate recipe”.
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Great Recipe Sites: |
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Beef & Lamb, simple & exotic recipes. |
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Meal Maker – enter the ingredients you have & it will suggest a recipe that uses them. |
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Restaurant Reviews: |
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Hundreds of restaurants from all regions of New Zealand. |
Its interesting to do a web search for “Who created Pavlova”. Everyone agrees that it was created to celebrate the Australasian tour of the famous ballerina, Anna Pavlova, in 1926. The earliest recipes have been found in New Zealand around 1927 but did not look like what we would consider to be pavlova. An University of Otago professor has found absolute proof (recipe with right ingredients and method) in a New Zealand cookbook dated 1933. Australians claim that the pavlova was perfected in Perth by the chef of a hotel where Anna Pavlova stayed during her tour in 1929. That chef said that he sought to improve on a Meringue Cake recipe he found in a magazine in 1935. The recipe was contributed by a New Zealander.
Getting the Best of ALL Worlds!
The hesitation that many have in buying a Mac or switching to Linux is that they can't live without one or two of their favorite Windows programs. Imagine being able to run almost ANY program from ANY operating system ALL AT THE SAME TIME! Wouldn't that be the perfect world?
Typically, if you want to run more than one operating system on a computer, you do it by dual-booting. Each operating system is installed into a separate hard disk partition and when you start the machine a small program runs which allows you to choose which operating system you want to use. If you are using one and then want to switch to the other, you must shut down and restart the computer.
Macintosh computers are now built on Intel hardware. This means they can run any operating system that will run on the Intel platform including Windows and Linux **. Macs use a program called Boot Camp that enables dual-booting on your Mac.
A more exciting way of accessing multiple operating systems is using Virtual Machine (VM) technology. VM works by creating a protected space within your current operating system where another operating system can run. Using VM you can run any operating system (including Windows & Linux) WITHIN MacOS X Leopard. Effectively, that Windows program you can't live without opens seamlessly, as though it were a part of your Mac. No need for dual-booting. You can have MacOS AND Windows AND Linux all at the SAME TIME on the SAME COMPUTER! Wow!!
There are two VM programs that do this particularly well on the Mac. Checkout Parallels (video demo) and Fusion (video demo). You'll be amazed.
** Unfortunately the reverse is not true: you cannot run MacOS on anything other than Mac hardware.
Brand-name or Locally-built Desktop PC?
Locally-built = nonproprietary, unbranded. Parts are purchased individually by a local computer store and assembled into a working computer.
Brand-name = prebuilt package using proprietary parts. Mostly available through large retail outlets. Common brands are Dell, Macintosh, Hewlett Packard, Compaq, Packard Bell and IBM.
Should you buy brand-name or locally-built? See the following list of advantages and disadvantages and decide for yourself:
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Disadvantages |
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Brand Name |
Integrated package built to work together, reliable |
Expensive to upgrade, proprietary components |
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Easy to buy - on display in department stores |
Very expensive to repair when out of warranty |
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Usually comes with a restore disk in case of software failure. |
Repair process can be lengthy; often many weeks. |
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0800 support line |
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Locally Built |
Local – more personal; quick service, fast repairs. |
Longevity – small computer suppliers tend to come and go. |
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Cheaper to buy |
Limited support – no 0800 |
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Easier & cheaper to upgrade |
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You can choose the parts you want |
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We recommend purchasing an extended warranty for your new computer. At least two years; three years if possible. Remember that computer warranties do not cover software related problems.
Also Remember, you get what you pay for! What do supermarkets do when their produce is nearing it's use-by date? Discount! Retailers do the same thing to get rid of their aging stock. If you're not sure what you're looking at, or don't have the time or inclination to find out, then look for a computer service person you can trust for purchasing advice.
Alternative Productivity Software
There is a huge variety of software for which people are seeking alternatives. For the sake of brevity we are only listing the most sought after productivity software alternatives. Each alternative software is free to download.
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Software |
Alternative |
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Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) |
OpenOffice.org (Writer, Calc, Impress) |
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Office 2007 was released in February 2007. It sports a radically transformed interface that is really very nice to use. Unfortunately, Microsoft also introduced a new document format that is not compatible with any of the previous versions of Microsoft Office. Although Office 2003 can open Office 2007 documents, you will lose some formatting if you edit and save using the earlier version. |
This Open Source application is very similar to Microsoft Office 2003 in look and feel. It opens & edits any Word, Excel or Powerpoint document up to Office version 2007 (it cannot save in Office 2007 format). OpenOffice.org is available for all versions of Windows including Vista. Also available for Linux and Mac OSX. The starting price for Microsoft Office 2007 is NZ$200 so this is well worth considering. |
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Microsoft's email & calendar client that must be purchased with Microsoft Office. Very powerful integration of email, calendar & diary, tasks, contact list and events manager. Outlook has become the tool of choice for most business users. |
There is no real business alternative to Outlook. However, for the home user Thunderbird offers some very useful features. Excellent built-in spam filtering & junk mail controls and expandability through add-on extensions. One such extension is a calendar & task manager called Lightning. Thunderbird is also available for Windows, Linux & Mac OSX. |
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This is a desktop publishing software for creating brochures, newsletters, banners & flyers, etc. It can be purchased separately, but is often bought as a component of Microsoft Office Professional edition. |
A worthy alternative to Publisher. Easy to use. It includes tutorials and help to get you started and there is a large selection of downloadable templates from Serif's website. Available for Windows only. |
Are Purchased Programs as good as Free Programs?
Some free programs are just as good, and sometimes better, than purchased products. But it you want the best, in most cases you have to pay for it. On our personal, home computer, we use a suite of free products for virus and spyware protection, a free firewall, a free productivity suite (wordprocessor, spreadsheet, presentation), and many more free utilities.
However, there is a price to pay for using these free programs:
The learning curve to use them is often much steeper. They may not have excellent help systems or wizards to simplify complex tasks.
Some need to be updated & run manually. They may not have set-and-forget functionality.
Business users may have compatibility issues. Free programs are not often used in the business arena so sharing information created on free programs may not be possible. Some programs are only free for personal/home use and are not legal to use in a business environment, e.g. AVG, Avast.
When looking for free programs take extreme care! There are many “free” programs being advertised on the internet that will damage your system. In fact, they are designed to compromise security, and bring with them an invasion of spyware and other problems.
Only install free programs that have been recommended to you.
Never respond to unsolicited email marketing – they are almost always bogus.
Never respond to popup advertising when browsing the internet.
Take a look at our Resources page to see a few recommended free products.
