Are the software offerings I see on the Internet to speed up my computer worth using?
    In our experience, most of the widely advertised software packages claiming to restore speed to a laggard Mac or PC rarely have any beneficial effect. More importantly, some of the packages are offered as a free download, with users only later discovering that they are expected to purchase a product that "fixes" whatever problems the free software reportedly discovered. Compounding the issue, sometimes the "problems" reported are actually bogus but the computer becomes almost unusable when it is taken over by the software's efforts to sell a "cure" for problems that may or may not even exist.
   This is not to say there are no legitimate computer repair software utilities out on the Internet and some are truly "free," but the truth is that Macs and PCs have some tools built-in that can perform most of the tasks necessary to restore youthful vigor in the hardware.
   We can show you some of the various tools to help maintain your computer, both those provided with the hardware and the best that we've found out on the Internet.

What is "defragmenting" in particular and what should I know about it?
   Files on a computer harddrive are rarely in continuous segments. Computer files normally reside in fragments across the entire surface area of the harddrive and the computer requires a finite (though very short) length of time to assemble those pieces into a single, readable files as it works. Over time, the collection of file fragments becomes so dispersed that the computer starts requiring a noticeable length of time to perform those reassemblies as it operates. The computer appears to slow down. Defragmenting refers to the process of using a piece of software to reassemble the file fragments back into continuous segments so that the computer spends less time performing the reassembly operation.
   On a Windows PC, defragmenting software is one of those items provided with the operating system and, in some cases, its use can produce a significant improvement is the perceived speed the the computer. While there is third party software to perform the same function on a Macintosh, significant differences in the way a Mac accesses harddrive data (compared to a PC) make defragmentation a less necessary function to perform routinely and why Apple doesn't bundle defragmentation software with the OS X operating system.
   Using any kind of computer maintenance software, even that provided by the computer manufacturer, is not without some risk. We can show you the correct way to use it in order to make sure you don't run into problems.

What in the world can I do to get rid of all this spam I get in my e-mail?
    The truth is that spam (or more correctly, unsolicited commercial e-mail or "UCE") is part of the price we pay for having the convenience of e-mail! And despite the volume of spam most of us see cluttering up our e-mail inbox, you'd be amazed to know how much doesn't get through to you, thanks to pretty sophisticated filtering systems used by most of the larger e-mail providers. That said, there are a few things you can and a few things you shouldn't do to limit the problem.
   One of the best things you can do: Don't give out your personal e-mail address to everyone (or every vendor) you have contact with. Keep that address truly personal and only to be used by friends and family. Create a 'throwaway' e-mail address, either through your regular provider or with a free service like Gmail when you feel compelled to give an address as a condition of an online purchase or other circumstance and just check it occasionally to make sure nothing of consequence has been sent there.
   Conversely, resist the temptation to respond to spam messages from unfamiliar senders. That includes ignoring the 'unsubscribe' link included in many spam messages these days. Either action can have the effect of only confirming that the e-mail address the spammer used is receiving mail, potentially compounding rather than reducing the volume of spam you receive. Please note that unsubscription offers from legitimate vendors you have dealt with don't fall under this dictum.
   We can help you set up one or more 'throwaway' e-mail addresses and discuss any e-mail habits you may have acquired that may be inadvertently making you a target of spammers.

Should I turn off my computer when I'm not using it?
   This question has been the source of a long-running debate in the industry. But based on our experience, we generally recommend that if a computer is not going to be used for more than 24 hours, it's probably a good idea to turn it off. This includes peripherals like a separate display and a printer. If the hardware is used periodically every day, the energy savings of turning it off may be outweighed by the damaging thermal effects of frequent power cycling.
   Keep in mind, however, that when a computer is powered down, it cannot check e-mail, perform automatic software updates and any data backup strategy you may have will be interrupted. So, you have to balance the factors in your personal situation.
   There are other considerations, including the use of 'sleep' or 'hibernate' options available on most computer hardware which span the middle ground between being turned on or turned off, and we'd be happy to discuss them with you.

What do you want to know more about?
    There are still many other topics we could talk about here or in a personal consultation. We welcome your comments and questions for future issues of the OCW Insider. Or give one of us a call or shoot an e-mail and we'll set up an appointment to meet with you!