New Year's Resolutions

It's that time of year that we start making a list of
resolutions for the coming year and as such I'd like to be
bold enough to suggest a couple of things that you may like
to adopt in to your computing lives of 2010. As these are
mainly bullet points I've included links to previous
articles that can be used to obtain further reading
material.

To make things more interesting I have decided to separate
my readership in to two extremes - one designed for regular
computer users, and one for the hardcore. This may prove
more beneficial than reading off 'one size fits all' list
and we'll start with the 'regular' users.

Backup your hard drive - Why not start with the most
obvious point which is also the one that's most likely to
be ignored. We all know we should backup but yet none of us
do, myself included.

Keep your Windows installation clean - It's amazing how
much of a difference a trim and tidy version of Windows can
make to the speed of your computer. In the past I've
highlighted software that can assist you with this. Despite
the range of software available, one of the most effective
ways is simply going to Add/Remove programs and taking out
any applications you don't need. This point has been
included as a gentle dig towards my girlfriends' mother who
had me cleaning up her bloated, slow Windows installation
until ten o'clock this evening, when she knew I had an
article to write!

Stay healthy while using your machine - Don't underestimate
the effects of RSI; it is a serious condition. Simple
precautions can easily help you avoid any conditions or
discomforts associated with using a computer.

Keep up to date - Although this is a task that can easily
be put off, it is worth making an effort to ensure that
your Windows, anti-virus and any other important software
is up to date. By doing so you'll be minimising the chance
of experiencing any security issues along with potentially
increasing the speed and reliability of your machine.

The hardcore computer users (otherwise often known as
'geeks') will probably appreciate all of the above however
there is an equally important set of skills involving
moderation which may need to be learnt. This section is
intended to be taken very tongue in cheek; we do however
have some truly geeky friends in our friendship group so
for the sake of sanity some of these points must be learnt.

Extend your conversational skills beyond computers and
mobile communications - Whilst I do appreciate technology
myself there is something unsettling a person whose range
of conversation doesn't extend past this one subject. Yes,
I know that if you turn your mobile phone to 90 degrees
that the screen automatically rotates itself, however this
doesn't necessary make for good conversation every time
we're in the pub.

Enjoy the outdoors - Some studies suggest that we only
spend, on average, approximately three quarters of an hour
every day (3%) outside. I would imagine that for some IT
guys this figure is much lower so try to make an effort to
experience the real world once in a while; in many ways it
is superior to the virtual one.

Eat healthy and exercise - Hardcore computer users either
tend to be very skinny, due to lack of exercise or very
large, due to a poor diet. Sitting in front of a computer
for five hours eating pizza and drinking Coke can't
possibly be good for you.

Turn it off every now and again - Force yourself to do
other things; read, socialise, try to do some cooking. I
can't think of a better New Years resolution than to commit
to rediscovering the real world. It is an old parody on the
game Second Life I do know but www.getafirstlife.com is an
extremely poignant site.

----------------------------------------------------
Chris Holgate is a director and copyrighter of the online
Ink and Toner website Refresh Cartridges
http://www.refreshcartridges.co.uk He writes a weekly
article of all things tech related.

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