Computer tips

[orange_wings]

Hi again!

Since I've stated not long ago that it's better to put off buying a new computer for now, here are tips to make the most out of your current computer instead! :D

1. Speeding up you computer
2. Computer security: Avast, AVG and others
3. Browsers: Opera, Firefox and Firefox plugins
4. Image programs: Gimp and Inkscape

Comments

[kucheekybadkuya]

Hmm, the safe mode while defragging is a good idea. Especially for my laptop which always has too little free disk space which is bad enough for heavy processing as it is >_>

Besides CCleaner and Spybot Search and Destroy, I also use Spyware Blaster, which basically preblocks a bunch of harmful crap for IE/FF and Ad Aware. Once a week or so I run Spybot, Spyware Blaster and Ad Aware just to be safe - for some reason Spybot tends to catch stuff Ad Aware doesn't and vice-versa.

Another program similar to CCleaner is TuneUp Utilities - there's a free trial version you can use for 30 days and beyond that you can still use it I believe, there's just a time limit you have to wait through everytime you open the program which is just a small inconvenience. Cleans up registries, frees up junk etc.

And then there's the nifty solution to the little annoyances in life: Unlocker >D

[orange_wings]

I actually don't seem to get too many adwares and such most of the time, so lucky me. XD It might have to do with the fact that I only frequent a few sites, that I download rarely from weird places, and when I do download it's usually either forcing out Youtube clips (no problems there) or downloading open source programs (no attached malware). P: It's not that I actually have high morales against using pirated software, actually. Open source just does the job just fine most of the time without consuming as much computer resources. I don't even want to Imagine what my poor laptop would be like if I tried to use the latest version of Photoshop on it. I barely even use MS Word on it. X'D

[kucheekybadkuya]

Ah, good on you that your web travels are relatively undodgy XD I go to all sorts of sites so picking up unwanted stuff is pretty common, I love my internets too much. If you find that whatever spyware cleaning progs etc. you use are sufficient no pointing adding more anyway, although since you use FF Spyware Blaster might come in handy since it regularly updates w/ stuff to preblock for you.

And hey, your computer is lucky to have you, w/ that resource-minimising philosophy her lifespan should be pretty good >_> Welcome re: Unlocker, that reminds me - the wonderful folks who made CCleaner finally came up w/ a free file recovery prog called Recuva. Still in the beta stages though. Great for folks who are all liek omg I keep deleting shit by accident all the time. Or if your not-so-tech-savvy family members *cough my parents cough* throw out shit then come crying to you XD

[kucheekybadkuya]

That'd be Recuva. *fails*

[orange_wings]

Actually, I've just remembered the "Real" reason I don't go to dodgy sites: because I've never managed to make file-sharing programs (bittorent and co) work anyway. :S It might be because of firewalls and such. XD

As for my computer, well don't have to do very extensive things on it for now, fortunately. But damn the power supply seems to be dying. >:\ C'mon, Apple! Come out with that damn LED-backlit laptop already! I'm tired of having to do additional color corrections on another computer! *hiss*

Hey, thanks for the recovery thing! :D Though fortunately, I've never had to deal with parents: my dad uses a Mac anyway, and my mother is amazingly adept at researching with the internet, but the concept of uninstalling potential junk probably never went through her mind. :P