ADVERTIZING!

Well, welcome to any that have found me thru the magic of advertising. I'm out there in a number of spots now, to help new friends find me. If you find me either thru this blog or via the NW Examiner please mention that you did. Its worth 10% off your next bill with Neighborhood Computer Services, just by telling me you read it here!

Some are missing the way a blog works. I don't just 'pontificate' here, but really seek your tips and incites to share. I learn more from my customers (and employees) than I have in ANY computer course I've ever attended. So add what you will to any of my articles...even if you go 'off subject'. Its interesting to read a new tip but its TONS more fun to add one. Be my guest.

Get some Class, will you?

S0 in a previous post I mentioned that this Winter I'd be teaching classes to 'qualifying' folks thru the Oasis Center, which is moving back into the Macy's Building in downtown Portland, OR
They have other offerings by other teachers (but mine are always fun).

To get more info call the Oasis people at 503-413-5563

Get More Out of E-Mail – a frank discussion of the options for e-mailing
Wed. Feb. 20 10-noon

How can I make e-mail easy; what are my e-mail provider options and how do I pick one; are AOL/MSN, etc. worth the expense; how do I attach pictures and files to my e-mail; what do I do when I get an attachment; what is the difference between Outlook and Outlook Express and which is ‘better’. This course is both a general and specific look at e-mail options for the new and not so new to e-mail.

Music and Pictures…They’re worth a 1,000 words –
Wed. Apr. 16 10-noon

Do you have a digital camera or an IPOD and no idea how to connect it to your computer? How does one organize and manage their files? What about buying music online… how does that work? It’s all easier than you might thing. Learn how to enjoy more than just e-mail on your computer. Students are encouraged, but not required, to bring laptops and cameras or IPods, if they have them.

Going, Going, Gone! Buying & selling on e-Bay & Craig’s List –
Wed. Mar. 19 10-noon

You’ve heard it’s dangerous to buy things online and yet millions do it every day. Learn how to take advantage of these online market places to find and/or sell things for fun and profit.

Oasis...your horrizons expanded..

The Oasis Center in Portland Oregon will be moving back to the Macy's Building (formerly Meir and Frank) with expanded computer services available for folks over 50. Eight Window XP stations and eight Windows Vista stations will double the Center's capacity. Classes will be available at little to no cost covering a number of subjects for the inquiring mind. I'll be teaching several and will write with a description and schedule as soon. If you are willing to admit you've become senior to some, you owe it to yourself to check this place out.

Flash me....Please!

I have a few who still ask me what a flash drive is, and I don't see that as some admission of computer ignorance. Not at all.

A flash drive is a device that plugs into your computer quite easily and acts like a very small hard drive. Well, NOT so small, actually. You can get them now as large as several gigabytes. Oh, yeah...Gigabyte...that's a measure of size on a storage device.

What's a flash drive useful for? Well, you COULD use it as sort of a backup device to keep a copy of important data....documents, pictures, music...and the like.

They're quite handy, really, and they fit in your pocket or on a key chain...we're talking small and portable. You can buy a 2 gigabyte Flash Drive for about the cost of what a box or two of floppy disks used to cost...you remember those? And you can put about 2,000 floppy disks worth of information on a two gigabyte drive. Are you keeping up?

So what are they, again? : A really small, really inexpensive, really portable storage device that is worth looking into.

Call or write me and ask questions about flash drives, if you like. I'll get back to you in a flash!

Yeah, its new today, but will it be 'history' tomorrow?

A lot of folks have gone out and spent good money on a laptop or desktop computer for their kid(s) to use at school; I hope they let their kids pick them out.

Well meaning parents, wanting desperately to keep the college costs under control skimp and buy under powered PC's/laptops only to later discover they've been penny wise and pound foolish. Take notes here, save a dime or two and avoid the 'instant obsolescence' trap:

1st: There is NO SUCH THING as TOO much RAM memory. RAM is a bad place to skimp; if you don't know what I'm talking about, just trust me and buy a machine with 2 GB of RAM.

2nd: Does the machine include the software the user needs for school? Probably better have them add Microsoft Office Basic, which includes most of what any student will need.

3rd: Ask for an Intel 'dual core 2' processor or better. Again, trust me...the Celeron processors suck; they just do. The ADM chips MAY be fine, but Intel is ALWAYS a safe bet.

4th: Yes, every college kid needs a WI-FI wireless card. No ifs, ands, or buts. Hi-School kids need 'em, too.

There's lots more to tell, but if you follow these 4 rules the rest will fall into place. If you disregard these rules you've just bought a machine that is yesterday's technology today.

Living Wirelessly....It's in the Air...

Well, if you live long enough, you'll experience everything....almost...so they say. Like the time I was ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY sure that a cordless (wireless) phone next to a desktop computer couldn't be causing it to drop the connection to the wireless internet signal in the house. No way! I mean there was another wireless computer just 4' away, and IT had NO problems.

Silly me. 'Expect the obvious and eliminate that first', is the unwritten rule of computer repair. May it be tattooed on my forehead for violating this one. My recommendation? Make sure when you are computing wirelessly that cell phones/cordless phones/radio(s) are not sitting right next to your computer or wireless router; allow six feet or more. Duh!

Spring is in the air ... time to go Wireless

If you've only one hi-speed modem in the house and you have more than one computer it's time to go wireless; in fact, it's past time. And the good news is it's fast and inexpensive to hook up. What's that you say? You aren't that techno-savy? Well that just makes me smile!

A wireless router can be as little as $3-$5 per month more than you pay now, if you are renting your modem from Qwest or Comcast; or if you prefer you can buy a wireless router for like $59-$79. Adding it to your system can take an hour or less. And if you like you can even arrange to slit your monthly internet access cost with a neighbor! Now that's using your head!

Call or e-mail me ... and end your wait to get to use the internet at home.

Older than God! or ... When to buy a NEW PC.

Just as a dog's years are 7 to one, computers have a ratio that exceeds our aging span. Folks often ask me if they should keep and upgrade their computer or dump and replace. There IS a rule of thumb and the ratio is more like 15-1. That is:

• Year 1 & 2 - Computer is like 1-30 : In its prime. Ask yourself, "How are things working? Do I need more RAM memory (more about that in another post elsewhere)? Do I need a 'check up' with a service technician"?
• Year 3 & 4 - By the end of year 4, I hate to say it but you have a computer Senior Citizen on your hands. Not that that's any crime, but upgrades are almost too late to do much good to extend the life of your machine. Life is cruel but, though it still may have a lot to contribute, your computer is just NOT a kid any more.
• Year 5 and above - Hey, it's a bear being over 75, but its not the end of life as we know it. With some tender loving care your computer will still give you good service. Have a 'computer Doctor' do an exam and consultation, but keep the money you spend on this cherished family member reasonable, given that it won't be doing 'Internet Disco' much anymore, likely.

Bottom line? Over 5 years of age replacement is probably a better choice than expensive upgrades. The world around the computer is moving so fast that software tools, graphics's from the internet and e-mails become more complex and begin to over tax older machines. Hey, if you are over 50 you KNOW what I'm talking about. We still have plenty we can contribute, but we aren't able to leap tall buildings in a single bound anymore. It's just a fact of life.