Alan E. Mann, AG

alan.familyhistory@gmail.com                                                                  Accredited Genealogist

www.alanmann.com/articles                                                                   prepared September 2007

                                 

 

Care and Feeding of Your Computer

 

This session is about effectively using your Windows computer. Your computer is a powerful tool. Learn how to use it!

 

Getting more from what we have

Right now, most of us are using Windows. I believe that there will be a shift to “open source” software or possibly even Linux in the near future, but most of us still need to use Windows. There are several concepts that are important:

·  Windows Explorer – Learn how to use it, including folder options & file associations.

·  Virus protection – our computers need to be protected from virus infection. Potential sources for virus infection include diskettes (from clients, fellow researchers, potential relatives…), CD-ROMs, flash drives, the Internet, and networks (particularly wireless). McAffee and Norton are the leaders, but a free alternative is AVG AntiVirus (free.grisoft.com). Note that AVG free version is limited to virus protection only (does not include spyware, privacy, firewall, or spam).

·  Operating System (OS) updates – occasionally, Microsoft releases updates that correct problems with their OS. More frequently, Microsoft releases “patches” that close loopholes (vulnerabilities) that hackers use to cause problems. No matter what OS you use, you should download updates! When patches and updates since the original release of the OS are numerous, Microsoft will release a Service Pack. A service pack is just the combination of all the patches and updates since the OS was first released. As additional patches and updates come out, there may be an additional service pack. A second service pack will only contain the patches and updates since the previous service pack. Thus, Microsoft XP had two—denoted SP1 and SP2. Some users prefer to wait a month or two before applying a service pack. For example, XP SP2 had a problem that decreased the data transfer rate on firewire from 800 mbps to 100 mbps. Those using video camcorders found transfers were taking 8-10 times as long!

·  Security/Firewall. A computer firewall refers to a piece of hardware or software which prevents undesired transfers of information or other communications forbidden by your policy. It has the basic task of preventing intrusion from a connected network device into other networked devices. It is needed if you connect your computer to any type of network, including wireless networks (business, home, school, library, or ?) and the Internet. When you connect to a network, other computers on that network may be able to steal information from your computer, put viruses on your computer, or use your computer to commit an illegal act which could be traced back to your computer. A firewall is an attempt to block these attempts. Connecting to the Internet or any network without firewall protection is asking for serious trouble! Windows XP comes with a basic firewall, but a more robust firewall is advisable. To check your computer for security vulnerabilities, use Nessus, available free at www.tenablesecurity.com/nessus/. Note: Nessus is complicated, but there is a demo. It is designed for businesses, but can be used for home network testing.  There is a privacy only scanner at http://pestpatrol.com/prescan.htm.

·  Windows Task Manager varies according to which OS you’re using. I recommend using XP. The task manager has four tabs—applications, processes, performance, and networking. There is a lot of information available in these four panels. Watching the data on the performance panel can help diagnose or prevent problems.

·  System tray and startup. The task bar at the bottom of the screen has a notification area (formerly called system tray). Every icon in that area represents a process that is using your computers resources. Know what each icon represents. You can close unnecessary processes to conserve resources and make your system run faster. But when you reboot, they may come back. To permanently remove them, use www.windowsstartup.com to install a utility that tells you what each process does and whether it is safe to remove it, then will remove it at your request. To learn more about processes that are running but which aren’t listed at WindowsStartup, see www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm.

·  Adware, spyware. This is when someone is able to gather information about your computer, your habits, or your activities and have that data transferred to them when you connect to the Internet without you knowing about it. If you connect to the Internet, it is essential to have a utility to detect this. Use Spybot, available free at www.majorgeeks.com/download2471.html. However, Spybot can miss some types of spyware. I suggest you use the free scan available at http://pestpatrol.com/prescan.htm to see if Spybot has missed anything. This scan is free, but you have to buy the product to have it remove any “pests” that it finds. Note: this site also has a free privacy scan, similar to Nessus (above), but much more basic. If Nessus is too complicated, give this simple one a try for privacy issues.

·  Firefox or Opera – use a less security-flawed web browser. Firefox is a smash hit. In its first three months alone, 5% of Internet Explorer users switched to Firefox. Maximum PC says using Firefox is a primary strategy for protecting your PC. Download FireFox at www.mozilla.com. Note that some web sites (about 5%) require you to be using Internet Explorer. A downloadable plugin for FireFox will allow you to let FireFox pretend to be Internet Explorer, which will allow you view 99.5% of web sites in FireFox. The plugin, called IEtab, is available at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419.

·  Learn more about your system--how to configure, improve, and troubleshoot. Use:

§        Microsoft offers many other documentation aids on their PCs. See www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/ for a complete list, part of which is the home user helps at www.microsoft.com/athome/default.mspx.

§     www.techrepublic.com

§     Google and wikipedia.

·  Use utility tools and programs such as Google Desktop (NOTE: not Google toolbar), which creates a searchable index to your whole computer! Find anything quickly!

 

Emerging technologies

USB ports are little ports for attaching devices to your computer (another type of port is FireWire). The original USB is 1.0 with transfer rates of 1.5 mbps for keyboards & mice and 12 mbps for full speed devices. USB 2.0 works up to 480 mbps. USB also deliver 5 volts of power. USB devices can be used for almost anything—fans, mug warmers, storage devices, CD-ROM writers or readers, network connections, card readers, and much more. You may want to consider using:

DVD and CD-ROM may be on the way out. Avoid large expenditures or commitment to these technologies as blu-ray becomes the next rage (currently holds 27 gb of data, expected to reach 50 gb)

Quality of graphics and video is improving, but increases the need for higher storage capacity and bigger bandwidth. NOTE: HDTV takes 6 times as much space to store as the equivalent length of standard TV.

Video streaming (delivering video over the Internet) may become more common for communication and publishing family history as well as for training.

Wireless networking has limitations and some predict that it will be replaced with something else in the future. Nonetheless, its use is expanding rapidly. You should know some things about it:

o        Wireless networking, WiFi, or 802.11 all refer to the way of “connecting” computers without using wires. This is done by transmitting radio signals.

o        Designations assigned by the IEEE are

·         802.11a – handles up to 54 mbps, operates at 5gHz

·         802.11b – handles up to 11 mbps, operates at 2.4 gHz

·         802.11g – handles up to 54 mbps, operates at 2.4 gHz

·         802.11n – latest version, not yet available in consumer products, handles up to 140 mbps, operates at 40 mHz

o        WiFi requires a card in your computer. You configure the card. Most cards allow for you to “search” for a wireless signal. In XP, the screen at right automatically shows any signals it detects. If you have a laptop, networks will appear and disappear as you move through a neighborhood or business district. Whether you can connect to a network depends on whether any security has been set up on the wireless network.

o        The 802.11n is a major improvement due out later this year. Using payload optimization, channel bonding, and MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output), distance coverage is doubled and throughput is 5-15 times higher than 802.11g. For more about 802.11n, see www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9019472&pageNumber=1.

 

If you want you computers at home to speak to each other, or if you want to have a wireless available throughout your house, you need to buy a wireless access point, which originates the signal. PLEASE NOTE: the default setting of a wireless access point is NO security. Anyone within the signal reach can connect to your network with no limitations! You can easily reset this just by launching the startup instructions in your web browser and setting a WEP key (Wireless Equivalent Privacy) or WPA.  For complete information on what all this means and how wireless works, see http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wireless-network.htm.

Linux is a free Operating System. It is developed by software engineers using the Internet for cooperative development. Linux or some other sort of “free” operating system will likely make great inroads in replacing Windows over the next few years. Unfortunately, using Linux currently requires a bit more computer expertise than Windows and has fewer options available until some limitations can be removed through further development. But be aware, it may get simpler and become more commonplace.

Open Source software – there are many excellent software programs available that are free. For example, Open Office is an available alternative to Microsoft Office or Corel Word Perfect—and it’s free! Many businesses are experimenting with this sort of software to save millions of dollars in licensing fees.

Artificial intelligence – trying to get computers to “automagically” repeat thought processes or analysis to save time. One early such effort is at www.gensmarts.com. Take a look at it, you may see some potential that may soon be realized.

  

Keeping up to date

There’s a lot you can do to be aware of developing technology. I would suggest:

 

 

 

©Copyright 2004-2007 by Alan E. Mann, AG. All rights reserved. Written permission to reproduce all or part of this syllabus material in any format, including photocopying, data retrieval, or the Internet, must be secured in advance from the copyright holder.