Happy Computing New Year

As we approach the New Year, some people feel compelled to make resolutions. Others, like me, cringe at the thought. If you want to call the following "resolutions" and that works for you, go for it. Otherwise, consider them "suggestions" for a happy and successful computing experience in 2007!

See this page: http://rlis.com/columns/column75list.htm for links to software that will get you started.

Protect your computer
Regular readers of this column will know I strongly recommend protecting your computer from outside intruders. Briefly, here are the basic steps everyone should take:

1.Install and run a good anti-virus program, and keep it up to date. Even if you have a brand new computer with an anti-virus program installed, you probably only have a trial version. Make sure you know what you have, and if you don't want that product, make sure you install a different one BEFORE your protection lapses.

2.Use a firewall. Windows XP ships with a built-in firewall. It's almost adequate, but it's better than nothing. If you don't install another firewall, at least make sure you turn this one on.

3.Check for, and get rid of, spyware. Spyware is not the same thing as viruses, and an anti-virus program will not necessarily protect you from spyware. Get, install, and run a good anti-spyware program, and keep it up to date.

4.Use Windows Update. Let Microsoft fix what Microsoft broke. Free. Easy.

5.Use a surge protector. Chances are your computer is not going to be struck by lightning. But there can be surges in power resulting from far less dramatic circumstances. A surge protector is not the same thing as a multiple outlet. Get a good one, and if you do have a surge, think about replacing the surge protector before the next surge.

Protect your data
Now that you've protected your computer, you should also protect your data.

1.Back up regularly. Storage is cheap. You can get an external hard drive, an enclosure for it, and software that will allow you to make a complete backup of everything on your computer. Or, you can identify the data most important to you and back it up onto CDs or DVDs. Cheapest, CD/DVD. Easiest, external hard drive. Get into a routine and do it.

2.Secure your wireless network. Did you see the story on CHBC or catch the writeup in the Kelowna Daily Courier (http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/printer_4019.php)? Two young security experts drove through Kelowna neighbourhoods and found an overwhelming number of home networks were unsecured. Unscrupulous people can use your network and perhaps access your confidential data unless you secure your wireless network. Consult your router manual, or consult a professional.

3.Change your passwords. Use strong passwords, change them frequently, and for goodness sakes, don't use the same password for everything!

Get organized
For some reason, email and digital photos produce a lot of clutter.

1. Clear out your In Box. Do you really need 236 messages in your email In Box? The more messages you have sitting in your In Box, the slower your email program will be to open. Eventually you will have more than it can handle, and only bad things can happen after that! Learn how to make email folders, and keep your email filed in them. Or, delete what you don't need.

2. Archive old email. If old email is important for business or personal reasons, then by all means save it. But you don't have to have it handy every minute of the day. Archive your email from past years, and access it when and if you need it.

3. Get those photos out of the camera. Did you take some digital photos over the holidays? Are those photos still in your camera, along with the Canada Day photos and the ones from your grandchild's third birthday party? Use software like Picasa (http://picasa.google.com/)to get them out of your camera and onto your computer. (You can do simple editing with Picasa, as well.) Back them up or burn them to CD/DVD to save space on your hard drive and to keep them safe.

4. Digitize important documents. Buy or borrow a scanner and make a digitized copy of your important documents. The Okanagan Mountain Park Fire in 2003 demonstrated just how little time we sometimes have to leave our homes. Make copies of your birth certificates, passports, insurance documents, or anything else that would be expensive and a hassle (or just plain impossible) to replace. Move those files onto a CD/DVD, and keep that in a secure place where you can get to it if you have to leave suddenly.

Best wishes for a happy and successful 2007! Please drive safely.

Links
Windows Update http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
Secure your wireless network http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/printer_4019.php
Picasa http://picasa.google.com/
Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archives http://rlis.com/column.htm
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This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.