Since I use a computer pretty much every single day of my life, and have since I was 4, I decided it’s time to compile all the tips I give my friends and family into one article. The following is my Top 10 list of rules for your technologically-advanced lives, especially helpful if you yourself are not technologically-advanced.
10. Desktops Are Dead
Never buy a desktop computer unless you plan to play video games or render intense 3D projects. It’s not worth the space, dust, power usage, or frustration of having a big box that goes nowhere.
9. Hard Drive Shmard Drive
For the average user of computers, most of your activities will be confined to word processing, tax and financial applications, and using the internet. All three of these activities can now be performed in the browser. Your computer should probably focus on processing power, rather than the size of your hard drive.
8. Apple Is Winning
After using an Apple Macbook Pro for the past year, I’m convinced it’s pretty much the most well-built laptop available today. There are certainly many options, but for power users (even just internet-focused ones), it’s hard to beat.
7. The Crash and the Furious: 2 Crash 2 Furious
It doesn’t matter if you have a $30 IoT device or a $6000 Apple GoldBook Nirvana Prime, your computer will crash. It will never not crash. It’s a way of life. If you have 12 browser windows open, streaming music and watching YouTube videos, your computer is likely to hang up.
6. Restart or Die
Restart your computer all the time. Seriously. It still doesn’t matter if it’s a Windows or an Apple or a Linux or whatever, your computer needs to clear its RAM and shut down at least once a week.
5. Antivirus Needs to Die
DO NOT GET NORTON OR MCAFEE. You don’t need these programs anymore. Malware doesn’t just jump out of the internet onto your computer. If you’re browsing sketchy sites and downloading freeware, you deserve to get a virus. For the other 99% of the world, just don’t download anything you don’t trust. Most of the crap you think you need is a browser extension, and search engines mostly display security-verified websites on the first page of a search.
4. …But not all the way
Still, it doesn’t hurt to run a virus scan and cleaner every few months. If you’re a Windows user, I suggest Malwarebytes and CCleaner. You don’t have to pay for live monitoring. Just get the free versions, run the scans, and delete what it suggests. CCleaner even checks your registry and fixes corrupt files automatically. For Apple users, check out this article. Believe it or not, you can now get viruses on your Mac. The main message? Don’t visit crappy websites.
3. Mo’ Screen, Mo’ Problems
Don’t download or watch porn on your computer. There are too many ways to screw up your machine. If you absolutely must, use a smartphone or tablet browser that doesn’t support file downloads.
2. Geek Squad Scandal
Stop bringing your computer to “PC repair technicians.” If you have a problem with your computer, Google it. It’s what they do anyway. Very often, it’s better to just reinstall the operating system. This is a million times easier than you think. They will charge you $300, and you’ll still have to pay for the software. It’s better to do it yourself or give your nephew $20 to help (I’m assuming you have a nephew).
1. Never Stop Learning
Technology changes quickly, and there’s always new stuff coming out to get confused about. However, if you give up on learning something too quickly, you’ll miss out on some incredible advantages. My final piece of advice is to always be willing to learn something new. If you want expert news on the latest tech, and helpful tips and advice, I recommend The Verge, Gizmodo, Wired, and AppleInsider.
Lesson? Computers are Awesome!
I hope this list helps you feel better about maintaining your computer. It’s not very hard! Leave a comment with your favorite news sources or some helpful advice you like giving to your tech-impaired family members.
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