3.21.2006
Efficient Computing
My friends all have the same problem. I like to call is ESP. No not extrasensory perception. They all have "Excessive Startup Programs." The symptoms of such disorder is that the computer tends to lag and freeze often. A major sign that one has ESP is that in the taskbar, next to the clock, there are lots and lots of icons for things you don't use.
Everything likes to startup when Windows starts. Why, might you ask? Its because developers like programs that update themselves and users like programs that launch quickly. By starting up with Windows, it adds time to the computer's startup time but usually decreases the load time for an application. Often you'll see the icons in the corner, blinking telling you they've updated themselves.
The important thing to realize is that ESP is not necessary. 90% of programs that dwell in your computer's memory, eating up valuable resources, do not need to be there. For example, there is no reason why AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo Messenger needs to startup with windows. If updates are needed they can almost always be done manually.
To start zapping startups, first look in the program's own options. For example, AOL Instant Messenger has a checkbox labeled "Start AIM with Windows." Uncheck the box and you are good to go. For those programs not so nice, you need to do a little trick. Go to Start> Run and type in "msconfig". Press Enter and click the startup tab. Now you can uncheck anything you recognize and know you don't need. Do not uncheck anything you don't recognize (windows may use it). Also avoid uncheck your anti-virus or firewall, these are utilities that run in the background keeping your computer safe. After saving the changes, restart your computer. If something fails to work (for example I once unchecked my printer drivers so I couldn't print), just open back up msconfig and recheck them. If worse comes to worse you'll have to restart Windows in safe mode and revert back to a restore point (might be a good idea to create one before changing msconfig).
There you go, after unchecking somethings there should be more room in the taskbar and your computer should start up and run faster. Enjoy!
Everything likes to startup when Windows starts. Why, might you ask? Its because developers like programs that update themselves and users like programs that launch quickly. By starting up with Windows, it adds time to the computer's startup time but usually decreases the load time for an application. Often you'll see the icons in the corner, blinking telling you they've updated themselves.
The important thing to realize is that ESP is not necessary. 90% of programs that dwell in your computer's memory, eating up valuable resources, do not need to be there. For example, there is no reason why AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo Messenger needs to startup with windows. If updates are needed they can almost always be done manually.
To start zapping startups, first look in the program's own options. For example, AOL Instant Messenger has a checkbox labeled "Start AIM with Windows." Uncheck the box and you are good to go. For those programs not so nice, you need to do a little trick. Go to Start> Run and type in "msconfig". Press Enter and click the startup tab. Now you can uncheck anything you recognize and know you don't need. Do not uncheck anything you don't recognize (windows may use it). Also avoid uncheck your anti-virus or firewall, these are utilities that run in the background keeping your computer safe. After saving the changes, restart your computer. If something fails to work (for example I once unchecked my printer drivers so I couldn't print), just open back up msconfig and recheck them. If worse comes to worse you'll have to restart Windows in safe mode and revert back to a restore point (might be a good idea to create one before changing msconfig).
There you go, after unchecking somethings there should be more room in the taskbar and your computer should start up and run faster. Enjoy!
3.03.2006
Firefox
The greatest things in life are free. Although such case is not always true with food or money, it is often true for software. One day a few years ago I stumbled into a word, browser. 'What's a browser?' I asked myself. 'Isn't that the evil bad guy in Mario? No that's bowser. Hmm.' So I looked it up on the internet.
It turns out that browsers are the things you get on the internet with. Sure once you plug in the cable into the back of your computer and connect to the internet, you are "online." But until you open up your browser you are not "surfing" the net. Most people use Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is Microsoft's browser. However, recently people have exploited security flaws in IE and created such things as phisings. Although some phising occurs on all browsers, some tricks can be done in IE to do things say for example, placing a picture of "www.paypal.com" over the address bar so people believe they are at the genuine site.
The solution is firefox. It is a browser that is free from the Mozilla corporation. Though security improvements will benefit those who "switch over." The greatest advantage to firefox is the tabbed browsing. Tabbed browsing is like Multitasking times two. Normally when one multitasks in Windows, you have multiple Internet Explorer Windows open. With firefox you can set it so that within a window there are many websites. You flip between them with a tabbed system like a file folder. But then you can have multiple windows of firefox open each with their own many tabs. Its like saying Windows XP is a file-cabinet for the internet and each of its windows is a file-cabinet drawer. With IE you have one file folder per drawer, with firefox you have the draw filled with many file folders.
It may not sound so fun but, oh once you use it you will never turn back. I challenge you to try it. It can run side by side with IE.
www.getfirefox.com
It turns out that browsers are the things you get on the internet with. Sure once you plug in the cable into the back of your computer and connect to the internet, you are "online." But until you open up your browser you are not "surfing" the net. Most people use Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is Microsoft's browser. However, recently people have exploited security flaws in IE and created such things as phisings. Although some phising occurs on all browsers, some tricks can be done in IE to do things say for example, placing a picture of "www.paypal.com" over the address bar so people believe they are at the genuine site.
The solution is firefox. It is a browser that is free from the Mozilla corporation. Though security improvements will benefit those who "switch over." The greatest advantage to firefox is the tabbed browsing. Tabbed browsing is like Multitasking times two. Normally when one multitasks in Windows, you have multiple Internet Explorer Windows open. With firefox you can set it so that within a window there are many websites. You flip between them with a tabbed system like a file folder. But then you can have multiple windows of firefox open each with their own many tabs. Its like saying Windows XP is a file-cabinet for the internet and each of its windows is a file-cabinet drawer. With IE you have one file folder per drawer, with firefox you have the draw filled with many file folders.
It may not sound so fun but, oh once you use it you will never turn back. I challenge you to try it. It can run side by side with IE.
www.getfirefox.com
