Tips & Tricks
Helping to make your time in front of a computer better.
Feel like you're clicking your mouse too much?
Keyboard shortcuts are the next step if you find yourself using your mouse too much, especially if you notice signs of aching or pain which could indicate that you're starting to suffer with RSI.
Protect your computer for free
Essentials
There is one essential piece of software that every P.C. should have: a good anti virus program. Fortunately, there are 2 good ones that are free:
I have had a lot of trouble with commercial products such as McAffee or Norton (Symantec) and always recommend avoiding them- especially as you have to pay for them. Some people even consider Norton to be a virus in itself!
Others worth considering
A Firewall is a program which stops outside intruders from gaining access to your machine from the outside. For the last few years (since XP Service Pack 2) Windows has had a firewall built in. It's quite good at stopping anyone getting in from outside, but the problem comes if you get a virus or piece of software on your PC which starts sending information from your computer to somewhere else. You can protect yourself against such a situation by using a free firewall, there are 2 main ones that I recommend:
- Zone Alarm
- Sunbelt (this runs as a full version for the first 30 days, then asks you to register. If you choose to continue, it will still give you a good level of protection without costing you a penny)