Software

There’s so much variety in software that I can’t cover everything there is to know about picking and operating them.  Instead, I will focus on some key issues that you will encounter in daily computer use.

The rising importance of the Internet means that most of the following articles are somehow related to Internet usage.  The net has become an important part of daily activities, but is also the one conduit through which malicious programs can be introduced onto your system.  It goes both ways, in this case, so these days it pays to be safe.

Among the older scourges to plague PC systems it the computer virus.  I’ll be covering the ins and outs of virus prevention and removal.

Newer and increasingly worrisome problems revolve around a class of programs known as ’spyware’.  These have come into the forefront of Internet usage as an increasing number of websites install code to monitor your activities and send them back as you surf.  Again, I’ll be covering basic prevention and removal methods for spyware.

Choosing a good Internet browser is also a basic step you can take to ensure smoother sailing.  While Internet Explorer is decent browser, it’s plagued by so many problems that it’s best to avoid using it altogether.  I’ll cover a variety of alternatives you can use to increase your ease of surfing and safety.

Other basic concepts like keeping your drivers up to date, clearing out your registry of erroneous entries, and knowing exactly what boots up with your operating system, are all integral steps to making sure your system is operating in peak condition.

Lastly. I’ll be doing a special article on the evolution of instant messaging and how I think it’s an apt reflection of our growing Internet culture.

I’d love to write reviews for specific programs but there are just too many of them out there to deal with in a succinct manner.  I’ve tried to keep these categories as basic as possible.  As usual, you can find more specific information by searching online.  These articles are simply meant as a basic guide to a smooth PC experience.