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July 09 Newsletter

2009-07-13T17:15:00Z

Compute This Newsletter July 2009

Helping you enjoy your technology!

Call 01270 617490 or 07910 012790

"The latest news as we see it!"

July 2009 — Issue 2#

Dear Customers,

I trust you are all well & enjoying your technology!

I hope you enjoyed reading issue #1 of the newsletter & here are the latest news & tips.

Note that if you do not wish to continue receiving the newsletter you can simply reply to the email & type “UNSUBSCRIBE” in the subject header.

Hope you can find the content interesting!

Until next time...

Best wishes,
Simon

In This Issue:

Feature Article: Operating systems (what is an operating system, what are the choices, the future of the operating system)

Recommended Resources

Technology Quote of the Week

Contact the Editor

Your Subscription Info

1. Feature Article: OPERATING SYSTEMS

Most people consider their computer to be the box that sits under the desk & all the whizzy things attached to it, but really that is only the beginning. Without software it would simply be a useless collection of electronic nothingness.

The operating system is the single most important piece of software installed on your computer in the sense that it binds together all the components into a useful platfom on which we can perform the tasks we take for granted like email & word processing.

Of course, Microsoft WindowsTM was the inspiration of Bill Gates, who had the foresight to lock IBM (the then dominant force in computing) into a licence agreement which would see his creation installed on all their machines from the mid 1980s onwards. That agreement was then adopted by nearly all manufacturers & has led to Microsoft WindowsTM residing on 90% of all the world’s computers today.

Indeed, what was Bill Gates’ success was ultimately the downfall of Alan Sugar’s AmstradTM, since the latter failed to embrace the fact that an operating system defines a user’s experience each time they switch on their computer. His failure to adopt a good operating system was the primary cause of the catastrophic downturn in sales of the AmstradTM personal computer.

THE CONTENDERS

Microsoft WindowsTM – the undisputed winner in terms of usage worldwide. The system has had many faces since it was introduced & the next iteration is number 7 in its history. It, however, is fundamentally, unchanged since it uses the same kernel (inner workings) as the earlier Windows 95.

·         Pros & cons – Users are totally familiar with it, from the famous Windows logon sound to the extremely popular Outlook Express. All manufacturers of hardware such as printers & webcams devleop their products to be compatible with the system. It is typically preinstalled when you purchase a new computer & is generally easier to integrate into a network of other Windows computers.

Despite its ubiquity, Windows has many serious flaws. This is partly due to its unparalleled early success. Because its uptake was so great Microsoft has been force to make only subtle changes over long periods of time in order not to ”break” their own software & to appease the populace. It is difficult to see how this pattern can be broken since creating a new operating system from scratch without the flaws would cripple 90% of the world’s computers.

The most serious flaw is that of security. Each month Microsoft releases “patches” to prevent Windows from crashing to a halt from viruses / spyware. Maintaining a Windows computer has become an industry itself, hence companies like “Compute This.”

Another problem with Windows is its voracious appetite for processing power & memory. Each month that passes sees a greater requirement to update a computer to run at an acceptable speed. It is generally accepted that a Windows computer becomes slower after a quite short period of time unless one invests in additional memory etc.

You may be interested in reading the following recent article I came across which tells the Microsoft story in greater detail:

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/microsoft_corporation/index.html

Apple OSX – at about the same time that Bill Gates was pioneering Windows, Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak became partners to create the Apple Macintosh with a focus on a better user experience.

·         Pros & cons – It is true to say that Apple has always had a greater focus on producing aesthetically pleasing hardware & are true innovators. One could debate the benefits of the Mac OS over Windows & vice versa forever but it is essentially designed to perform the same function as its competitor. However, it does it with considerable aplomb & tends not to suffer the same performance issues as Windows.

Notably, it also seems more resilient to viruses but many argue that this is more due to its reduced presence in the marketplace & lack of interest by the virus writers themselves.

Probably the main reason for its niche following is the cost of Apple computers generally. Expect a price premium of 50% compared to a Windows PC. This is fine for those with the budget but is probably the single most reason for its lower dominance.

Here is a brief history of Apple Computers: http://lowendmac.com/time/index.shtml

Linux – Considered for many years to be a hobbyist operating system, Linux can now consider itself ready for the home user. Developed initially by Linus Torvalds, it has grown into a plethora of diverse “distributions,” each aimed at different levels of user.

·         Pros & cons – The fundamental principle of Linux has always been that it should be free to all. Since Windows is shipped with most PCs there is the perception that it too is free but a large part of what you pay for the computer contributes to the cost of the operating system.

Its most appealing characteristic is that is extremely efficient in its use of resources, resulting in blazingly fast performance. It remains fast over time, & like Mac OS seems immune to virus attack. It has recently been adopted large scale on the newer generation “netbooks” due to their limited resources.

So why is Linux not the operating system of choice? It is almost entirely down to history & had it been invented before Windows then it would probably have won the race. Its limited adoption will always be stifled by user inertia & the fact that it is unfamiliar but this should not prevent you from experiencing it, because it can be installed alongside Windows.

I have included a link to my personal favourite Linux distribution so you can see what it looks like:

http://www.linuxmint.com/screenshots.php

If you are interested in experiencing Linux but find the prospect daunting Compute This will be happy to install it on your computer. When you switch on the machine you simply select Windows or Linux.

Please call for a quote on 01270 617490 or 07910 012790.

2. Recommended Resources

Here are some links to manufacturers / companies we recommend:

Syncback backup software

Carbonite offline backup

3. Quote of the Week

The Web as I envisaged it, we have not seen it yet. The future is still so much bigger than the past.
Tim Berners-Lee

4. Contact the Editor

Copyright © 2009 by Compute This - All Rights Reserved.

Editor: Simon Duffield, Compute This
enquiries@compute-this.co.uk Crewe, CW1 3PU
Tel 01270 617490 or 07910 012790 Visit us online at: https://www.compute-this.co.uk/

5. Your Subscription Info

To remove yourself from this newsletter, please advise by sending an email to enquiries@compute-this.co.uk & write UNSUBSCRIBE as the subject header.

May 2009 Newsletter

2009-04-24T13:57:00Z

Compute This Newsletter May 2009

Helping you enjoy your technology!

Call 01270 617490 or 07910 012790

"The latest news as we see it!"

May 2009 — Issue 1#

Dear Customers,

I hope you are all well & enjoying your technology!

I have decided to put together in this newsletter one or two items which may be of interest & some tips you might like to try for yourselves.

Some of the techniques I use personally & others come highly recommended in the technology press.

Hope you can find the content interesting!

Until next time...

Best wishes,
Simon

In This Issue:

Feature Article: Backup, backup, backup

Recommended Resources

Technology Quote of the Week

Contact the Editor

Your Subscription Info

1. Feature Article: BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP

Despite all the things I enjoy about this work, there is always one thing I dislike & that is telling a customer that their data (music, photos etc) is lost or is not economically retrievable. This usually happens when a hard drive has failed, which, apart from death, is one of the few certainties in life to happen.

Here we will discuss the main types of backup to avoid such a situation, & the types of media to which we can save these backups:

BACKUP TYPES

Full – as the name suggests, this backs up everything on the computer

·         Pros & cons – nothing is likely to be missed, provides a basis on which to build additional, smaller backups

Differential – contains all files changed since the last full backup In other words, if a full backup was done on Monday, Tuesday's differential will backup all changed files since Monday's full. Wednesday's differential will backup all changed files since Monday's full including the files that have changed on Tuesday.

·         Pros & cons – again, nothing is likely to be missed, but whatever you use to back up to will rapidly become full due to the size of the backups.

Incremental – an incremental backup will backup all files that have changed since the last backup, regardless whether it was a full or incremental backup. In other words, if a full backup was done on Monday, Tuesday's incremental will backup all changed files since Monday's backup. However, Wednesday's incremental will only backup files that have changed since Tuesday's incremental backup.

·         Pros & cons – provided you have at least one full backup, this is the best option for the typical home user, but is always wise to create an occasional, new full backup. This type of backup can be incredibly fast also, if few changes have been made since the previous backup.

BACKUP MEDIA

The media is what you use to backup your data onto. In it simplest form this could be a USB stick or CD, but this is not really the answer since most users have far more data than these devices can hold. Here are a few recommendations:

External USB hard drive – think of this a giant USB stick

·         Pros & cons – easily portable & can be bought to match the size of the anticipated backup, but often require a separate power supply

Network attached storage device – attaches to a network router

·         Pros & cons – allows several computers to access a single device if on a home network. Also gives access to files when not at home. Only useful for those who have a network set up & requires a good understanding of network technology.

Offline backup – using your internet connection, software uploads your backup to a           professionally managed server

·         Pros & cons – keeps your data off site in case of fire, flood etc, set & forget, requires an internet connection, recurring annual fees

We can help with any of the above, & also provide a disk imaging service (not mentioned above) where an entire image of your system is stored off site & can be used to reinstate the entire operating system & data. Please call for a quote.

2. Recommended Resources

Here are some links to manufacturers / companies we recommend:

Syncback backup software

Carbonite offline backup

3. Quote of the Week

I used to think that cyberspace was fifty years away. What I thought was fifty years away, was only ten years away. And what I thought was ten years away... it was already here. I just wasn't aware of it yet.
Bruce Sterling

4. Contact the Editor

Copyright © 2009 by Compute This - All Rights Reserved.

Editor: Simon Duffield, Compute This
enquiries@compute-this.co.uk

Crewe, CW1 3PU
Tel 01270 617490 or 07910 012790

Visit us online at:
https://www.compute-this.co.uk/

5. Your Subscription Info

To remove yourself from this newsletter, please advise by sending an email to enquiries@compute-this.co.uk & write REMOVE as the subject header.

Disaster recovery #1

2009-03-15T10:52:00Z

Today I visited a client with a Dell Optiplex GX260 who has a considerable investment in her data but had been unable to create a reliable backup using Norton 360's backup module. Boo for Norton!

On top of that her power supply had failed to the point that the PC was dead. Luckily she had an almost identical Dell GX 270 which we were able to use as a power supply donor. Some of you may know that these older Dells have a backplate which has cutouts in all the wrong places making a standard ATX PSU useless.

I once cut out an opening to accomodate a standard PSU & vowed never again so I guess fortune was on our side on this occasion.

So we now have power but the system is hanging at the desktop. Here's what I did...

Booted from XP CD
From recovery console, ran chkdsk /r - this constantly cycled back to 50% complete so gave up at that point
Rebooted normally - success - chkdsk had repaired sufficently to give us a window to recover data
Now confident that the disk was in a precarious condition, I removed the drive & placed it in a external USB enclosure to complete the recovery of the client's data which we had not immediately considered critical

Having returned the PSU to its donor, the client was advised to replace her computer for reasons of age & also partly to a rather common Dell error which reports an issue with the IDE controller at boot.

I'm opening a forum for you all to comment on these posts so dive in...!!!

Welcome

2008-11-19T17:29:08Z

Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.