It’s important for operating systems to stay up-to-date, and not just because you get access to all the latest and greatest.
With security – and its flaws – so greatly an issue in this day and age, keeping on top of the latest updates, patches and fixes is a must-do rather than a maybe.
With that said, if Windows wants to download 1GB of updates at the exact same time I’m trying to download my emails… we’re gonna have some problems.
Windows and Linux, as two of the most popular operating systems on the market today, are often pitted against one another.
Some people have have very decided opinions on the topic of which is better, but I find myself in the category of ambivalence.
I use both, but it wasn’t always that way. Early on, my experience was limited to Windows, simply because that was what was installed on my PC.
But learning curves, although sometimes difficult, are good exercise for the brain.
Since the 1980s, personal computers have been moving into our lives (and taking over?).
Operating systems became a necessity to manage both hardware and software, as well as provide us with easy-to-use graphical interfaces.
But where did they come from? To answer that question, I worked up a brief history of the three most prominent players in the game.
It is my firm belief that everyone needs a good, solid backup plan.
Whether that plan involves backing up on an hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly basis, depends only on how much you want to lose.
Prior to developing good backup habits, the process can sound a bit daunting, but I can assure you that the result is worth the effort!
Anyone who has ever lost data, either due to the lack of a backup or a failed backup process, will know exactly what I mean.
Everyone else — well, allow me to spare you that particularly painful learning experience and the stroke that it can cause.
The subject is not mis-spelled.
Well, it might be a little, but I did that on purpose.
Allow me to explain: This lesson is not about food. It’s about data storage.
Data (preferably pronounced DAY-ta) is information.
In the context that we will be discussing it today, data is information that is stored in electronic memory.
They say that email is dying, but I have yet to see evidence to back that particular claim.
On the average weekday, I receive and send an average of 50-75 emails from one or another of my email addresses.
It quickly becomes difficult to manage multiple email addresses, so I have a simple solution.
Thunderbird.
Similar to the widely-known Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird is a program that allows you to manage both emails and news feeds.
And the great news?
Thunderbird runs (for free) on both Windows and Linux!
Your mouse has a lot of potential.
It can run through tubes, climb ladders, gobble food…
Oops. Wait. Wrong kind of mouse.
Seriously, though, your computer mouse can be used for much more than a pointing device that sometimes clicks on things.
Not all mice are created equal, but their performance is primarily based on operating system settings rather than the hardware.
Not only do mouse settings provide useful options such as allowing a slower double-click speed, but many are fun to experiment with, too.
Mouse settings are also (and I probably shouldn’t be telling you this) a quick-and-easy way to play practical jokes on other people.
I find mice to be a controversial subject.
Some people think they’re cute; other people hop onto the nearest elevated surface (while shrieking).
Today, our subject is all about the mouse in your house.
Hint: It’s the one with the tail that’s plugged into your computer.
Firefox provides a set of keyboard shortcuts that allow you to perform common tasks quickly.
You can open and close windows and tabs, navigate through pages and open tabs, create bookmarks, open history, zoom in and out, and much more, with just a few keystrokes.
For those of you unfamiliar with how keyboard shortcuts work, I would recommend reading my introduction to the subject really quick.