Things That Help Computers

Here is a list of stuff I think helps computers live better on and off the web.

This is all free stuff I use. The links will take you to the home page for each.

Security:

AVAST ANTIVIRUS (My new fav AV)

AVG ANTIVIRUS (for killing the killers)

SPYBOT SEARCH AND DESTROY (for killing the killers’ helpers)

ADAWARE SE PERSONAL (also for killing the killers’ helpers. It’s better to have two)

WINPATROL (SCOTTY) (for stopping the killers’ helpers and cleaning up your messes)

WiTopia Personal VPN (for stopping Peeping Tom and all his siblings from sharing your point of view)

Files:

7-zip (for scrunching your too-big into a little less too-big)

Revo Uninstaller (for really really fixing that program you want to remove. Way good at cleaning up after the uninstall)

TestDisk (for scratching all that data back out of your busted hard drive)

Making it all work better:

WINDOWS TWEAK GUIDES (for XP and VISTA fixing)

Music:

iTunes (for your musical inclinations)

DoubleKiller (To fix all those iTunes Duplication Nightmares)

Web:

ALLTHEWEB (for your web-searching pleasure)

FIREFOX (for your web-browsing needs)

FILEZILLA (for FTP work)

GMAIL (for your email obsession)

Art:

GIMP (for your picture fiddling desires)

ARTRAGE (for your creative outlet)

A few comments, if you actually read this far without complete confusion or lack of interest:

#1 and my favorite:

When you forward email to somebody DELETE ALL THE ADDRESSES FROM THE PEOPLE WHO SENT IT TO YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE! I really don’t think your mother’s best friend’s friend’s dog’s girlfriend’s cousin would like me to know her brother-in-law’s email address and full name.

This information is PRIVATE and should be kept so, unless you REALLY think I should be able to contact the originator (and 100,000 related people) whenever I want. I would literally have thousands of people in my Yahoo Address Book if I actually kept all the addresses in emails with subjects like

FW: FW: RE: RE: YOU GOTTA READ THIS

For criminy’s sake. USE THE BCC function in your email. Send the email to yourself and BCC everybody and their grandmother. Then I (and probably a couple other people to whom you are sending) will not freak out when we find out that 2.6 million other denizens of the earth now have our email address and FULL NAME. Gee, I wonder where all this spam comes from?

#2 (another dear friend)

If your computer is really ticking you off, SHUT IT DOWN. If it was causing problems, just restart it and you might be surprised. Never underestimate the power of a Raytheon Reset.

If it was causing you to lose your temper and bash the monitor and keyboard:

1. Those two components are not usually the cause of computer problems. Punch the CPU instead (I’ll bet that’s why it comes enclosed in a protective covering, not just for looks).

2. You’re more likely the most immediate problem. Shut down the machine and go read a book or take a walk. You’ve been at the computer way too long.

If you have any doubts as to the veracity of my advice, I announce that I personally have experienced, in my own personal life, both #1 and #2 (1. and 2. in #2). I have made those goofs and am not planning on re-doing the experiences.

Here’s another thing that might help out: Yahoo Messenger has issues opening up in Firefox when you click to view email. I discovered some wiki type help today that could fix the issue. Try one of these:

1. Exit Firefox and go to the start menu. Click “RUN” and type this in: firefox.exe -silent -setDefaultBrowser
2. Are you using Vista? Here’s another trick:

1. Start -> Default Programs -> Set default programs for this computer
2. Expand custom
3. Select the radio button for Firefox
4. OK

Hope that’s useful!