*There are still games that will run on just about any system, don't take up much space, and they're just good clean fun ! I've been playing this game for years and it never gets old.The free version is fully functional, just fewer options.
Weather Forecast: Olds, Alberta
Simple steps to keep your computer running fast and smooth,
* Free really isn’t free, Downloads are usually riddled with extras that you didn’t want or ask for, so before downloading anything read the fine print.
* Update your antivirus, or actually install one, there's a link to avast antivirus on the bottom of this page and it is free. (it will ask if you'd like to download and use google, its up to you) learning how to use it properly is something most people never understand until its too late. Learn your antivirus system.
* Wether youre using windows xp or windows 7 you still need to do your updates, these updates are put out to keep your system safe and running properly.
* Emails, if you don’t know the sender then simply delete them. Most emails will install a virus the moment you click on it so you don’t get a second chance.
* Any message telling you that you may be infected with a virus is probably a virus, shutting down your system any way you can without actually clicking on any part of the message is your best bet. When you restart your pc do a boot time scan.
* No matter how careful you are a virus can get in, so before it starts wreaking havoc with your system and your life, do something about it. Running a virus scan of your system once a week is good practice, and if your antivirus system has the ability to do so, a boot time scan is your best option.
"My computer locks up, freezes, shuts down."
These are warning signs from your very tired PC. It's trying to tell you that it needs to be cleaned.
The Solution ?
A can of compressed air goes a long way. Blowing out your computers case at least once a year will keep your computer running cool and save you hundreds in replacement parts. Dust creates heat and heat destroys electronic parts. This is a no brainer !
A laptop is a little trickier than a desktop when it comes to cleaning but both can be done with compressed air.
Just a note ! Blowing the air directly at a fan, making that fan spin too fast, may actually destroy that fan. Please use caution when directing air at any moving part.
Converting Video
Own a PSP ? IPOD ? Video player of any sort ? In my house, between myself and my family we have four of these devices. Portable video is commonplace today. If you own an IPOD you already know you can go online, download and pay for your video's. If you have a generic player you had to be a little more creative in finding video's, or you've done what most people do, you simply don't watch video's on your player. Kind of a waste of money and technology. Ok so if you can read, look up a video on YouTube, then you can actually use that video player. DVD Videosoft is a free converter / downloader, that I've been using for a year now. I've never been charged a fee for using it, and it does work.
Converting your DVD's to your psp or Ipod ? A little trickier than the above mentioned DVD videosoft, but there are two free programs you can download, and you'll be converting DVD's like a pro. DVD43 and Handbrake are again programs I've personally had experience with and found them to be invaluable.
Computers can be such a pain in the a$$ !
Learn more about the problems before you run into them.
Remember nothing is completely free, avast will ask you if you'd like to participate in thier online community and also ask if you'd like to install google as your default web browser, it's your choice but you only get that choice if you actually read what you're installing, don't just click next next next...learn more about your antivirus options
Graphics, hardware, & diagnostics
Upgrade to windows 7 soon or you'll be scrambling with the rest when xp support stops in 2014
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Creating a better password
Never use the same password for all your applications, one hit and you've lost everything.
Passwords are our first, and sometimes our only line of defense against loss of information.
Length. the longer the password is, the tougher it will be to crack, six to nine characters long is a good place to start, but if you can remember a longer one and the program will allow it, longer is better.
Width. The amount of character "sets" used will increase a passwords strength. ie, upper case, lower case, numbers, symbols.
Depth. This is where most people fail ! Passwords should not consist of any word, phrase , foreign word, noun, anything a dictionary or password cracker would recognize. Try instead a mnemonic phrase. ie..today I went for Ice cream ! = 2dIw4Ic!
Time. Don't keep your passwords for years ! Passwords should be changed approx. every four months.
Alcohol 52 and why you need it.
Alcohol 52 is a piece of software designed to protect your CD,s and DVD,s. It does this first by creating a ghost DVD drive on your computer. Second it takes your CD or DVD and creates an image of that disk, an image that you can keep in your files and when you want to actually use that DVD or CD you simply mount it on the ghost drive. The image will work just like the original disk did and now you no longer need to carry that disk. Now when I first looked at Alcohol 52 I thought to myself what would I ever use this for, but as time went on I found more than a few uses for it and now I'm not so sure I would ever have a computer without it. I use it to load my movies into my laptop, my games into my laptop, even technical manuals from work. The disk can have protection built into it, and even require activation keys but as you are only creating an image of the disk it doesn't matter, the image will act just as the disk would and you can keep your entire library of disks DVD,s CD,s at home where they're safe.
Another plus to this piece of software is that any game or movie you would play will play without actually spinning up your CD drive, which will keep your battery life at a maximum for as long as possible.
Alcohol 52 is actually the free version of this software, the paid for version is called Alcohol 120, check them out , read about what they can do and then try it for a while, you may just find it as useful as i do. from http://www.frostysplace.blogspot.com/
