Windows or Mac or...Linux?

This post is completely based on my personal opinion from my experiences with different computers, so you are more than welcome to disagree with me :P

People often ask me if I'm a Windows person or a Mac person. Honestly, I'm neither.

I'm not saying they're both bad operating systems. They both have their strong points and their weak points. It all depends on what you are looking for in a computer.

My preference for the last several years has been the Ubuntu distribution of Linux. I have played around with several and found that it suited my personal needs best.

"I'm not a computer nerd, why would I care about this Linux?!"

That's a good question! You have to ask yourself a few things...What do you use your computer for? What are the requirements you have during your day to day computing? What would be nice, but isn't necessary? What are you willing to give up to get a specific benefit?

So...What are some of the major differences between Windows, Mac, and Linux?

Windows. Who hasn't heard of it. Walk into any home or office and there is a very good chance their computers are running Windows. It's easy to use (when it's working...), it has a lot of support when you run into problems (and who doesn't?), and there is a vast number of programs available for it. It's installed on almost any computer you find in your local electronics store.

Windows is everywhere, "Everyone's doing it".

So if everyone is using it then it can't be all that bad can it? Besides the constant updates, viruses, blue screens of death, meaningless error messages, security pop ups, required system restarts, and on and on...so no, it's not all that bad...

Windows is good for the average user to get through their day. But what does the average user do when their Windows is broken? (pun intended). They can't do a whole lot by themselves. They have to try to figure it out, or pay someone like myself to fix the problem (with no real guarantee that it won't happen again). We can do things in an attempt to prevent problems from arising, like installing anti-virus software, running system cleaning software, or taking the computer in for regular maintenance. Regrettably there's nothing we can do to solve the main problem, the flaws in the operating system. It is full of holes that hackers take advantage of to get into your system, it easily accumulates start up software that slows your computer down, and much more.

Mac on the other hand is used by far fewer people. It is a more secure system and does not suffer from the same virus problems as Windows. However, it is NOT virus proof, it is just much harder to hack. Would you try to break into a small store with lots of security, or target the larger store next door with almost no security and a guard with a limp? Windows is so much easier to break into, and with 90% of people using it why wouldn't you target them? As more and more people move towards Mac computers so will the attention of hackers. They are also very good for editing music, video, and images. I have several friends in the film industry that love their Macs.

To me, one of the major downsides to a Mac is the lack of customization. Sure you can change some settings, but you don't have as much freedom. The added bonus to this is that the system is more stable because there is less for you to break.

I have come to strongly dislike the phrase "Mac just works"...I haven't had a lot of experience with Mac computers myself, but my first time using a Mac I ran into a software flaw that kept the email from functioning properly. I spent hours fighting with something that was just supposed to work. By following the newsletter from @RISK I have seen many more flaws pop up (Windows definitely has more, my point is that Mac is not "perfect", haha).

So how do you pick between them? Well, most people know how to use Windows, so moving to a Mac may be a difficult transition. Once you have figured out the new operating system then you may find you prefer it compared to Windows.

If you use your computer for business then you need to keep in mind what kind of software you use, is it Mac compatible (another option is using a virtual desktop, but I won't get into the details now)? If there is a Mac version, how much will it cost you to buy the new software and the new computer? Will the cost and trouble learning the new system be worth not having to deal with the flaws of Windows and viruses? Do you do a lot of online banking or keep confidential data on your computer?

If the computer is for personal use then what are your main needs? Do you browse the Internet? Use your email? Chat with friends and relatives? Listen to music? Maybe more, maybe less.

So...we have looked at Windows and Mac. Now what about Linux? Why would I want to talk about something obviously meant for computer savvy people on a blog that is not? Because it all depends on your needs.

I have set up more then one client with Ubuntu Linux on their computers. They did not require much of their computers, just things like browsing the Internet, checking email, printing, scanning, listening to music, word processing, etc. So far more than half of these clients have kept Ubuntu on their computers and the number of times they have had to call me with computer problems has drastically dropped (now it's usually just the odd call when they can't figure something out).

Linux doesn't suffer from viruses either (Mac computers actually use a version of Linux!) and doesn't collect startup software that slows the computer down. The majority of Linux software is free and open source as well, meaning that anyone can modify it if they want (so now we have a world of skilled programmers working to improve our software, instead of one company). But one of the main features about Linux that I personally love is the ability to customize everything. It's not always easy to change something, but the option is there, unlike in Windows and Mac. Also, Linux will run on any computer currently running Windows so you don't have to buy a whole new expensive machine.

So to summarize all of this, if you don't mind the risk of viruses, play a lot of higher end video games, use the computer in a work environment with Windows specific software, than Windows may be the best option for you. If you want a machine that doesn't have virus problems (yet), has a very 'pretty' interface, and costs a lot of money, then the Mac is a good option. Lastly, if you just want to be able to browse the internet, check your emails, listen to music, chat with friends, etc. and not have to worry about 'is this website safe?', or 'will this email kill my computer?', than maybe consider giving Linux a try.

If you are interested in trying Linux then I would suggest using a Live CD from the Ubuntu website. It allows you to run a fully functioning version of Linux without changing anything on the computer, so you can test it out before you ever actually install it. If you don't like it, just restart the computer, remove the CD, and you are back to your old Windows! (You may need to contact your computer manufacturer to figure out how to 'boot from the cd')

Brendan
- The Man Behind the Curtain

Common Computer Abbreviations and What They Mean

Have you ever had a conversation with someone about computers and they start throwing abbreviations around until you start to wonder if they have been calling you names the entire time?

Here is a list I've put together of the most common ones I deal with day to day.

AES - Advanced Encryption Standard
AVI - Audio Video Interleaved
BIOS - Basic Input Output System
BSoD - Blue Screen of Death
CPU - Central Processing Unit
DOS - Disk Operating System
EXE - Executable File
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
FTP - File Transfer Protocol
GB - Gigabyte (1024 Megabytes)
HDD - Hard Disk Drive
HTML - Hypertext Markup Language
HTTP - Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
IMAP - Internet Message Access Protocol
IP - Internet Protocol
JPEG/JPG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
KB - Kilobyte (1024 Bytes)
KVM - Keyboard/Video/Mouse Switch
LAN - Local Area Network
MB - Megabyte (1024 Kilobytes)
MMORPG - Massive Multi Player Online Role Playing Game
MoBo - Motherboard
MPEG - Motion Pictures Experts Group
OS - Operating System
P2P - Peer to Peer
PATA - Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment
PC - Personal Computer
PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect
PCIe - PCI Express
PDF - Portable Document Format
PnP - Plug-and-Play
POP3 - Post Office Protocol v3
PS/2 - Personal System/2
PSU - Power Supply Unit
RAID - Redundant Array of Independent Disks
RAM - Random Access Memory
SATA - Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
SFTP - Secure File Transfer Protocol
SMTP - Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
SOHO - Small Office / Home Office
SSD - Solid State Drive
TB - Terabyte (1024 Gigabytes)
TKIP - Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
USB - Universal Serial Bus
VGA - Video Graphics Array
VPN - Virtual Private Network
WAN - Wide Area Network
WAP - Wireless Access Point OR Wireless Application Protocol
WEP - Wireless Encryption Protocol
Wi-Fi - Wireless Fidelity
WLAN - Wireless Local Area Network
WPA/WPA2 - Wi-Fi Protected Access
WUSB - Wireless Universal Serial Bus
WWW - World Wide Web
WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get

It would take me forever to explain each and every one on that list (and as much as I enjoy taking up all your time I will avoid doing that) so instead I have linked them all to their respective Wikipedia articles.

For a much larger list visit the Wikipedia page here.

Brendan
- The Man Behind the Curtain

Spam Viruses

Spam spam spam...wonderful spam. Everybody loves getting tons of random emails about random things we never even wanted to know existed. It's even better when we receive it from someone we know and trust. Without thinking much of it we click on the link that says something like "I saw your picture on this website!" and now suddenly, our computers are host to some very unsavory guests.

Where do these come from, and what do they do?

The main purpose behind these spam viruses can be any number of things. Sometimes it's to gather important information off of your computer, damage system files to cause problems, and many times it's just to annoy the heck out of people.

These viruses can come from plenty of places. One of their main methods for spreading is by email, using your address book. They will use two email addresses at a time, one for the sender, and one for the recipient. That way whenever someone receives this spam message, it shows up as coming from someone else entirely, and it's very difficult to trace back to the infected computer.

If you are very fortunate the virus might not be placing a random address in the sender spot, meaning the virus is on your computer and you can do something about it.

What can you do about one that isn't on your computer? Regrettably not a whole lot. One option would be to email everyone on your address book and suggest they check their computers for viruses. Definitely not an appealing way to spend the day for those with a large address book. You can also try contacting your email provider and asking them about spam filtering. Beyond that you just have to hope that whoever has the virus gets some de-worming medicine for their computer.

So as always, be careful of any emails you receive that look suspicious. If you're unsure if they are safe try contacting the person that sent it to you to ask, or do a Google search on the subject line of the email to see if it is a known spam message.

Brendan
- The Man Behind the Curtain

Email is Email...What's this POP3 and IMAP business!?

Who doesn't have an email address these days? If you don't...then you are probably on the wrong website...or you need to contact me so we can set you up with an email address right now. Anyway, now and again you will see email referred to using POP3 and IMAP. What the heck are they and how do they affect you?

A POP3 email account means that the emails are stored on the service provider's computers (providers like Telus, Shaw, Platinum, etc). An email client on your computer (programs like Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, and Windows Mail) then downloads the emails and removes them from the service provider's computers (unless the settings to leave a copy are turned on). That means that no other computer is able to receive the email after the first time.

An IMAP server is similar to POP3, except that your computer does not download the email, it all stays on the server and your computer only downloads the information for you to view. So when you send, receive, or delete any messages all the changes are done on the IMAP server. That way you can access the same email from any other computer that is set up to connect and it will be exactly the same. This is really useful when you want to check your email from multiple devices, like a laptop, desktop, or even from a public computer online (using webmail).

Where do you get an IMAP account? One option, Gmail, is a very easy, free, and user friendly email service that supports both POP3 and IMAP. There are also plenty of guides and instructions right on the Gmail website to show you how to set it up to connect to an email client on your computer. As an example, I use Gmail for my business email and have it synchronized between my laptop, desktop, and Google Android cellphone. Not only does Gmail handle my email, but it also stores my contacts and calendar information and keeps all my devices up to date.

So if you only have one computer, and never need to check your email away from home, then a POP3 would work just fine for you. If you want a little more mobility and freedom when it comes to reading your email then POP3 is capable, but IMAP is probably a better option.

EDIT: I recently discovered another difference between the two types of server. A POP server is not well suited to having multiple devices access it within a short period of time. When an email client accesses the account it is locked from other clients for a time. It is finally released after about a minute. This isn't usually a problem unless you a setup similar to having an email client on your computer and phone both checking your email frequently. One client can block the other and you will end up with errors. IMAP server do not have this restriction.

Brendan
- The Man Behind the Curtain

Laptop, Notebook, or Netbook?

What is the difference between these three types of portable computers?

Many people believe that a laptop and a notebook are exactly the same. The names are often used interchangeably and are thought to mean the same thing. But as explained here, there are differences between a laptop and notebook.

A notebook is similar to a laptop, but it is smaller (12" to 14" screens), does not have a CD/DVD drive, has a slower processor, and has a low end graphics card. As a result, the battery life is usually much better than a laptop.

So when shopping for a laptop/notebook don't worry so much about what the name says. Pay more attention to what hardware the system has.

A netbook is similar to the notebook with the exception of a smaller screen (usually 8" to 12") and an even slower processor. But, like the notebook, netbook's have a low end graphic card and a long lasting battery.

So make sure you know what requirements you have (portablility, battery life, screen size, etc.) and shop around for the best option. There are plenty out there.

Brendan
- The Man Behind the Curtain

In The Beginning

Hey!

For years I have told myself "I will NEVER have a blog, I don't have anything interesting to say"...well now I have a blog and I still don't have anything interesting to say, but we're taking baby steps.

The point of me having a blog? Good question...when I figure it out I will let you know! No, no, I'm kidding...The point of this blog is to give me a place to post the tips and tricks I have discovered over my years of working with computers. And hopefully, if you read my posts, you will learn something new.

I have been repairing computers for almost 7 years now, and for years before that I would tinker away in the basement. I enjoy working with them, and helping people understand a little more about them. For the past 2 years I have wanted to get training courses started, and while that is a goal for the future, my hope is that this blog will be a step in the right direction.

So look forward to posts from me and people that work with me, about anything to do with computers and various other electronics. Have a question you want answered? Please send it to me, I would love to hear from you, answer your questions, or even let you name your first born after me ;-) but I won't hold my breath on that last part.

Until next time,

Brendan
- The Man Behind the Curtain