Computers FAQ
by Rebelius and Misanthropy
This FAQ at the moment is heavily biased towards Windows because Windows questions are most frequently asked
Section 1: Basic software which you should have.
Firewall
– Controls which programs are allowed access to your internet and network connections
Free firewalls include
Anti-virus
– Protects your computer from viruses such as trojans and worms
Free Anti-virus programs include
You should also complement your anti-virus software with regular online virus scans such as Trend's
Housecall - be warned, it's IE only)
Spyware Removal
– Searches your computer for spyware and other rubbish you don't want
Free programs include
Defrag tool
- Arranges fragments of files together for faster access
Windows built in Defragmenter (Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter) is pretty bog standard. Some good and much faster alternatives include Vopt XP and O&O, try those for a good quality defrag. Before defragging it is always a good idea to delete all temporary files, temp internet files, empty your recycle bin (Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup). There’s no need for Windows to be moving these files around, get rid of them. Also empty your windows\prefetch folder every time you want to defrag, emptying it will speed up your performance, and defragging with it empty helps move all your system files around without moving unnecessary files like these.
All of these programs should be updated regularly - especially anti-virus and spyware removal tools, which should be updated about once a fortnight.
Browser
- Allows you to view pages over the internet
The majority of internet users (something like 95%) use Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which comes shipped with Windows. However - partly due to its market dominance, and partly due to its shoddy coding - IE suffers from some pretty major security holes. It is also pretty light on features (and strangely heavy on resources). Luckily, there are alternatives. Coming in a distant second in market share, but gaining all the time, is Mozilla's
Firefox. It's an Open Source (see section 2) project with a huge community dedicated to the refinement of the software. The standard installation already outstrips IE - with pop-up blocking and tabbed browsing coming as standard - and a whole plethora of
extensions available to extend its functionality (Adblock and SearchThis! come highly recommended!). Firefox works in a very similar way to IE, and it includes a function to import your favourites from IE, so moving over is a really simple process. If you're still not convinced, have a read of
this page
E-mail Client
- Allows to you send and read e-mail
Since the advent of MSN, most people use Hotmail to access their e-mail. Hotmail is a web-based e-mail service, which means you use your browser to check your mail. However, if you have an email address given to you by your ISP, then you most likely use an e-mail client such as Outlook Express. OE is another Microsoft product, and like Internet Explorer, it has its fair share of problems. Junk mail and viruses arrive in a near constant stream, filling your inbox and depleting your will to live. Fear not, there is a solution! And once again, it comes from Mozilla in the form of the utterly wonderful
Thunderbird. Again, it works in much the same way as Outlook Express, although it doesn't have support for web based accounts yet. It makes up for this small discrepancy by including fantastic heuristic junk-mail filtering and a better address book. There are also
extensions available for Thunderbird.