The 50 plus crowd within the United States didn’t grow up using computers at school or within the work environment because in our early years the desktop computer and laptops didn’t in all actuality exist within the consumer marketplace. We have cell phones now that are smaller than the size of a cinder block and computers no longer require more square footage than a five room home. Yes, time has progressed and I’m proud to say the fifty plus crowd my children seem to think are 10 days older than dirt; managed to adapt to the modern day technical advances as well.
Computer use by our aging population revealed in 2004 that 46% of those aged between 59 to 68 now use and enjoy Internet access at home. Just over 76% of those within the ages of 50 and 58 use computers as a direct result of computers being a common place necessity and requirement to function or perform our jobs within the modern day work environment. However, it must be noted using a work computer and having to keep it optimized and safeguarded is usually the task of the resident wiz kid or a dedicated technical type (IT) staff. So what happens when the home PC slows, crashes or is somehow compromised?
As I see there are a number of emergence repair tactics that can be implemented. First and foremost is the panic call to our children to come over and troubleshoot the situation. After all, they have been using computers since first grade and that pretty much makes them an expert right? Once you discover their ability to social network and post videos on Utube doesn’t speed up the computer the second option is; to research and find registry repair, spyware, adware and about 100 other software solutions that have incremental probabilities of resolution. Last but not least the computer can be drug into a service facility or a technician home visit can be scheduled that will ultimately cost as much as a 2d mortgage home loan. Well, none of that has any source of good old fashioned stubbornness and common sense. As I also see it ‘ there is always a solution in the face of any and all problems.
I remember that conversation at the plant where something sounding a lot like a termination threat motivated me to actually start touching a computer keyboard way back when. I still remember a series of training classes that I attended that were moderated by a technician that today wouldn’t be allowed to have friends in his car let alone use a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle. Seems to me he still had spit behind his ears. But, putting all that behind, he did a really great job of teaching all of us how to get around those old computer operating systems proficiently. We were ready to tackle Donkey Kong, Pong and any Atari game in existence buried in the home closet. That being a monumental achievement I like many others actually bought a home computer. I used it a lot and as all things being put into use, the computer slowed to a crawl.
I’m lucky because somewhere in the process of aging I found time to attend a technical trade institute where despite the fact my classmates thought I was a professor; I along side of them learned to build a computer from the ground up. Some of the residual training included troubleshooting the system and a resulting ability to keep it and my personal and financial information safeguarded from intruders that come in the form of hackers, worms, Trojans, viruses, adware, etc., etc. I learned to do a mass of little things to keep it (the computer) optimized as well and these series of events; are things we all need to learn to do.
Most people are clueless when it comes to debugging, defragging, defusing this that or whatever it takes to keep the home computer operating efficiently. But, the simple fact of the matter is the tiny little things necessary to keep the home computer optimized isn’t difficult at all. I’m not into a lot of physical activity anymore as age made me realize; the only thing that doesn’t hurt in the morning when I get out of bed is the eyelids. I don’t jog any longer and as far as I’m concerned; that animal the wife drug home 180 years ago – can give itself a walk.
I’m more into keeping the mind fit and dedicate myself into contemplating important things such as how many fish I’m going to drag home from the lake, if the dog is going to find its way home, how many Emails I’ll be sending or receiving and most importantly; why it is the TV volume is set at 24 and somehow comes on in the morning set somewhere around 38 or higher. I still don’t know who formats TV movies to specifically fit my television set and why anyone would want to take a prescription drug after listening to all the accompanying warnings the commercials render.
As you have guessed I’m not into massive physical activity and as such will not be taking the time to come over to your house to show you how to optimize your home computer. The tech boys at work are out bar hopping looking for their future wife and I know by now, your home computer is getting slower than a piss ant missing 3 or 4 legs down it’s right side. (I’m not an anthropologist). Anyway in between Emails, articles, electronic newspapers somewhere in the midst of my avid Internet surfing (which sounds physical) I actually discovered the solution to your home computer woes. I discovered (as you have) you didn’t need to buy all that fixit software above and beyond the antivirus stuff. All you need is a series of home videos that take you by the hand and teach you how to expertly optimize that little computer operating system with an hours worth of effort. Your computer will be up and running as if it was just plugged in today!
By: Ronald Hudkins
Posts Tagged ‘Use Computers’
The Aged 50 Plus – Home Computer Optimization Situation
January 10th, 2010Ways to Protect Your Computer, Both Local and on a Network
October 25th, 2009Computers are some of the most convenient things that we can have around and many of us cannot imagine living our lives without these modern day conveniences. Along with being convenient, however, they can certainly cause a lot of different problems and if we aren’t security conscious as far as our computers are concerned, we can end up in a lot of trouble. This is not only the case as far as the Internet is concerned but is also true whenever we are considering our security on a local level. Here are some things that you can do in order to make your computer as secure as possible.
If you’re on a network, perhaps at work or even a local network at home, you need to secure it with a password. These network passwords are commonly known as a WEP key and what they are designed to do is to keep people from logging into your network without your knowledge. It is amazing, the number of individuals who have a wireless home network that is unsecured. All that is necessary is for somebody to drive around with their laptop on, constantly searching for these wireless network signals. Once they are able to find one, it is a simple matter for them to be able to log into it and to steal information from you. Your only line of defense is either too not use a wireless network or to secure it with a key.
You may also want to consider setting up separate accounts on a single computer if there are many different users. The reason why this is such a good thing to do is because many of us that use computers for personal reasons also have children that use the same computers in order to surf the Internet. The last thing that we would want to have happen is for them to unknowingly download spyware programs that will end up stealing our credit card numbers and passwords whenever we log on to the Internet. Keeping your account separate from theirs is a great way to be able to keep it secure.
You should also be concerned about spyware programs and viruses that may be downloaded off of the Internet and that can easily travel through a network and infect other computers. Running a good spyware program as well as an antivirus program that is updated regularly is your best, first line of defense against obtaining one of these nasty little programs. Make sure that you were always running these anti-spyware and antivirus programs, whether you’re connected to a network or not. You would be surprised with how many of these things can slip by and end up on your computer.
Computers certainly are a convenience that we could not live without but whenever a security breach happens, that convenience disappears quickly. Make sure that you do everything within your power to protect your personal information and to keep yourself free from the damaging effects of security breaches.
By: Tim Tropical
