Tips
Pssst! Scroll down for the free stuff!
Firefox
I'm a big fan of a web browser called Firefox. It's safer, faster and all-around better than Internet Explorer. Learn more about it and making the switch here!
Disasters
In the event your computer needs to be reformatted, here's a basic checklist you can use for your backup session:
Backup Checklist for a Reformat
Email (here's how to backup Outlook mail, contacts and other data and Outlook Express)
Financial software data (how to backup Quicken)
Photos
Music
Bookmarks/Favorites
Firefox/Thunderbird profile and preferences (MozBackup can backup your profile, bookmarks, cookies, passwords and extensions all in one shot)
Program install files you cannot replace
Fonts - any that are special to you
FTP account settings
Any address books that you use
Passwords
Write down: network name and settings, any special router and firewall settings
Make a screenshot of all currrently installed programs
And finally deauthorize any software that may require it, like iTunes or Adobe software. You will reauthorize after reinstallation
Goodies
Great Free Software
* PDFCreator - $100 for Adobe Acrobat? Nope!
* Ccleaner - cleans out space-wasting files and can fix a number of other things
* Avast - great antivirus program that is easy to understand and doesn't slow your system down like other scanners (plus no nagging to buy subscriptions all the time!)
* Google Pack - this can save you a lot of trouble by downloading & installing essential software for you
* Network Magic - a good program for helping you setup and maintain your network
* AM-Deadlink - checks your bookmarks for 404s and gets those favicons - good if you have a LOT of bookmarks/favorites
* Audacity - sound recorder and editor, very popular
* Firefox - use this instead of Internet Explorer
* Thunderbird - use this instead of Outlook (looks very similar)
* Juice - podcast receiver (this is what I use to download and listen to Weekly Signals)
* HD Tune - monitors your hard drives and warns you of impending disaster
* Exact Audio Copy - great MP3 ripper; try LAME encoding (not lame!)
* Winamp - great lightweight yet feature-rich MP3 player
* Superantispyware - for spyware
* Picasa - I've tried a lot of photo organizers, and I think this one's pretty darn good (with one caveat: discover how to back up your albums/labels, because Picasa doesn't do this for you and if you switch and restore hard drives you lose all your labels and albums. I lost three years worth of labeling in something like 80GB of photos because I didn't know this. I sincerely hope Google fixes this in future editions).
* WinAudit - not the prettiest UI, but tells you everything you could possibly want to know about your computer system
* PC-Decrapifier - This is a GREAT tool for automatically uninstalling all the bloatware that they install on new computers
* Trend Protect IE - say you have a relative that simply will not release their grip on Internet Explorer. You can make their online life a little safer with this plugin.
* TweakUI Powertoy - a little Microsoft program that's very handy for eliminating Windows' default annoyances, like the "informative" balloons and login hassles
* File Hippo Update Checker - checks to see if your software has updates...this managed to find an obscure update for Nero that I needed that wasn't even listed anywhere on their website.
Great Firefox Extensions
Adblock Plus - the first addon you should install! Because we're all sick of those obnoxious Flash ads
BugMeNot - Bypass compulsory web registration (i.e., NY Times registration just to read an article, etc.)
Colorful Tabs - helps differentiate tabs nicely
Copy Plain Text
Del.icio.us
ForecastFox
Foxmarks - can save your butt if your computer goes down and takes Firefox and all your bookmarks with it!
IE View Lite - for those pages that require IE, this makes it easy to switch over
Morning Coffee - opens all your favorite sites you specifiy with a click of a button
Video Downloader - for getting those YouTube videos and stuff
Better Gmail - does all this stuff
Resurrect Pages - helps you see dead pages
Free Wallpaper
From the SLO Botanical Gardens |
Downtown |
Marigold field on the way to Los Osos |
To download, right-click on your size choice and choose "Save Picture As..." or "Save Image As..." Choose where to save it to and then click "Save." Then to set it as your computer's desktop, find where you saved it, right-click on the file, and choose "Set As Wallpaper."
Recommended Reading
Why it's important to have an antivirus program installed
Phishing - A client of mine was ensnared by phishers and got their AOL account hijacked as a result. This site explains what phishing is and why you should beware
Useful Links
Free virus scan of your computer by Norton
Panda online virus scan