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More Articles
Sept. 1998 - "Now is the Time"
Oct. 1998 - "What is the Internet?"
Nov. 1998 - "It's an Email World"
Jan. 1999 - "Little Help from a ..."
Jan. 1999 - "Is the Internet Safe?"
Mar. 1999 - "Desktop Clutter"
Apr. 1999 - "Searching the Net"
May 1999 - "What's in Domain Name?"
June 1999 - "Inernet Chaperones"
July 1999 - "Mind Your Online Manners"
Aug 1999 - " Chasing the Porsche"
Sept. 1999 - "Buying Hardware"
Oct. 1999 - "Buying Software" |
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(This article was originally published in The Tahoe Daily Tribune)
Computers are wonderful tools and can become a good friend. They
can also be quite frustrating. Computer horror stories rage through
every office. Major “crash” occurred at the worst possible time
(as if there is a good time) and horrific ramifications followed:
Freezing pointers rendered mouse useless; office manager locks
herself in bathroom; production screeches to a halt. These and
worse stories abound.
Although using a computer guarantees a certain number of problems,
planning can greatly reduce loss of information and hysteria.
And sometimes sanity is all we can hope for.
Rule 1. There’s always a Number One Rule, and as is common, everybody
knows the Number One Rule and everyone promptly ignores it. Here
it is anyway: Backup your work.
Now, you may not listen and at some time you will lose that two
hundred page novel you have sweated over for three years. Why?
Because every computer crashes some time, and every computer turns
all the data stored on its hard drive into garbled mush.
There is only one way to guarantee you do not have to rewrite
all two hundred pages from memory : Back up your work on floppy
disks or Zip Disks. At $150, a Zip Drive is a solid investment
in peace of mind and sanity. They outperform floppy disks because
they hold 70 times more information -- 100 MB.
Let me explain the inevitable “crash” this way: Turning on a computer
begins a sequence of events where billions of bits of information
scream along inside your computer, gathering, assimilating, and
instantly delivering information. Many things can happen which
can cause problems, things called extensions, control panels,
drivers, and a host of other software issues.
Whether an incompatibility issue or something else, one day you
will turn on your computer and it will not boot. Your local computer
repairman will likely be able to get it started again, but he
will guarantee he can retrieve your information files. That is
when you look at him, smile, and say, “Go ahead and reformat that
hard drive. I have everything on Zip.” Owning a Zip Drive just
saved you at least ten hours trying to re-create all your files,
including the novel.
The most important thing is to enjoy the experience and not having
to think about lost data is a big plus. Your computer is now ready
to make your life just a little easier.
That being said, other computer issues can cause you to pace the
room and mumble under your breath. That’s okay. You and I both
know that on those cold winter mornings, our car starts if we
talk nice to her. Computers are the same, only more so.
Other than cajoling, here is one piece of information you must
remember: If your computer does not perform a function it has
performed a dozen times, or if it seems to be operating slower
than normal, restart your computer.
Remember this and restart your computer whenever functionality
is amiss. It will do both of you a world of good.
Here is one explanation why it happens: As billions of pieces
of information streak through your computer, setting out to complete
the function you requested, sometimes it gets too busy to operate
properly. It has ran into too many block walls during previous
searches, and not knowing what to do with so much "not found"
information, it drags.
Restarting your computer acts like a tuneup and oil change for
your car; it cleans out the memory (cache) so it can process information
at maximum capacity. This is especially true after unsuccessfully
dialing your modem two or three times.
Read your manual for other hints on keeping your system working
at maximum efficiency. And that brings up Rule 2, which is every
bit as important as Rule 1, and could itself be Rule 1 if based
solely on importance.
Rule 2: Read. Every program and every game and every operating
system has a built-in tutorial. Many are set up like Web Pages
on your computer. They are easy to follow and you will no doubt
learn more than your initial search promised. Reading these tutorials
will greatly enhance your chances of enjoying your computer and
the myriad of tasks it can help you accomplish.
Computers are perhaps the greatest tool ever devised. They are
tool that, when learned, can become a close friend that can save
you a great deal of time and effort.
Rick Langford is founder of Tahoe Mall, The Tahoe Net and Cache-World
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