A computer can be tool or troublemaker, depending on how it's set up. For far too many people it's a troublemaker, because no one helped them set it up properly.
I don't pretend to know everything about computers. I do, however, know enough to solve most basic problems. Perhaps more important, I know how to make your computer work for you, instead of you wasting time working on it.
The Basics: Office Applications
Most people's needs can be satisfied with a handful of common programs: word processor, spreadsheet, Internet browser, e-mail. I can set those up for you and show you how to use them. I can also set you up with a basic backup system, to reduce your risk of losing important data.
Internet Access
An Internet Service Provider, or ISP, is a company that lets you use their computer system as a gateway to the Internet. Some ISPs provide only dial-up service -- that is, you need a telephone and a modem in addition to your computer to use them. Dial-up Internet access is generally reliable, and you can change providers easily. The down side of dial-up is that it's \very slow, and it ties up your phone line as long as you're on-line. High-speed Internet is, as its name suggests, much faster than dial-up service. However, high-speed access of any kind requires specialized equipment, so in most cases high-speed access is available only through large telecommunications companies such as your phone company or cable company. If you're lucky, you may have several kinds of high-speed access to choose from:
- Digital Subscriber Line, or DSL
- Cable Broadband
- Fiber-optic
- Satellite
I can help you determine what kinds of high-speed access are available to you, and guide you through the process of setting it up.
Protection from Malware
Malware is a slang name for malicious programs that try to take over your computer and use it for things you don't want. Viruses are one kind of malware that everybody's heard of. Other kinds include network worms, Trojan horses, zombie programs, and keyloggers. It's a sad fact that your computer must be protected against malware, or you'll soon find that it isn't your computer at all anymore. In hours, sometimes even in just minutes, your computer can be taken over by malware and have most of its power and resources turned to doing things that somebody else wants it to do -- like sending junk email or even trying to crash major websites. I can set up your computer with defenses against malware, and show you how to maintain them so that the chances of your computer being taken over are vastly reduced.