Last week, a reader wanted to know how to tell when upgrading an older computer is worth the cost versus buying a new one altogether. This week I promised to discuss other upgrade options, so here we go.
This week, a reader writes:
I have a computer that is several years old. My kids would like to use it to play games and such but it either won’t run the programs or it just doesn’t run them well. So my question is, is it more cost effective to upgrade my current machine or just purchase another one? If I just purchase another one, what can I do with the old one? When does someone just need to make the decision to do away with the old to get the new? And, how can I do either one without spending a lot of money?
Last week we talked about the difference between your operating system (such as Windows XP Home Edition) and your office productivity software (such as Microsoft Office). This week I’ll focus on an office suite called OpenOffice.org (OO.org).
There exists an important distinction to be made between your operating system and your “office productivity software.” Rarely do I see more confusion about what is on a client’s computer than between these two things, and this often leads to problems.
Over the last few weeks we’ve discussed firewalls and anti-virus software. Let’s add a third layer of protection: Anti-spyware software.
Let’s just skip through all the “how’dya do’s” and get right to the meat of today’s article. You need a great anti-virus program, and I don’t believe you should spend your hard-earned money on one that might not be great. In today’s article, I’m going to help you get one that’s both free and great. It’s what I’ve used and recommended to my clients for years because I’ve not seen it miss a virus attack when it is installed and updated properly, and it doesn’t hog system resources.
A study done by USA Today and Avantgarde, a San Francisco tech marketing and design firm, demonstrated that a freshly loaded computer with no protection can be compromised in as little as 200 seconds after being connected to a broadband Internet connection.
Scary, eh?
One of the biggest problems that computer users face on a daily basis is the sheer volume of viruses, “spyware” and “malware” that slip behind the curtains of your computer’s operating system to do their dirty work. Unfortunately, without several layers of protection and near-constant vigilance, these pests will eventually find a way to compromise your computer. Once they’re in, many of them find ways to bypass your weakened barriers and open the floodgates for more.