tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28081099025989796972024-03-05T07:40:20.263-06:00BareGeekAfter all, we are all geeks about something!TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-44616455890548985212010-11-01T11:35:00.000-05:002010-11-01T12:01:55.760-05:00Why Can’t All Teachers be Like This? <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:145d2db4-3994-4feb-8ba0-9ef2463d3205" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="1f64c647-62d0-4b0f-b253-c85e0852be59" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04jsncsgrjo" target="_new"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3znNScL10whMGHa4YfRW19mF88EBmfV7wyUevTzdq5e21dZHV4iU6Scvcpn4J6yu4zyfqioSQfrmA_Ux90TMha4LIWBHzhoH3ALhlbI_gd3CxvHagYapIi6yb8Q0795gGbp_6PrMxAPI/?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('1f64c647-62d0-4b0f-b253-c85e0852be59'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"388\" height=\"291\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/04jsncsgrjo?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/04jsncsgrjo?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"388\" height=\"291\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> <p>I saw this video on Gizmodo.com today and I knew I had to repost it here. This clearly a teacher that is passionate about what he does and a great example of how to Geek properly.</p> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-53461809989483996402010-09-30T20:22:00.000-05:002010-09-30T20:22:18.558-05:00Free, Easy and Extremely Useful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.dropbox.com/static/images/dropbox_logo_home.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="81" src="http://www.dropbox.com/static/images/dropbox_logo_home.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Dropbox is not exactly new, but I just got around trying it last week. The idea is simple, you sign up and you get 2 free gigabytes of online storage. There is a small program that you install on your computer that creates a Dropbox folder in your documents. Any file that you put in the Dropbox folder is synced with your online storage, which is available by signing into their website from any computer on the internet.<br />
<br />
In addition to being available on their website, your files are automatically synced to any of your other computers with the Dropbox program installed. There are also apps available for Android, iPhone and Blackberry to access your files on the go. You may also share individual folders in your Dropbox with others if you need to give someone access to a file that is too big to email. 2GB is not a huge amount of space, but there are higher capacities of storage available if you are willing to pay. Signup at the link below and receive an extra 256 MB of free storage for being referred from Baregeek.com.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTExNTM2MDYwOQ">http://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTExNTM2MDYwOQ</a></b></div>
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-28433754369736942402010-09-13T07:12:00.003-05:002010-09-13T07:12:00.922-05:00The Unsung Heroes of Geeks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Anillos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Anillos.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
An article posted over at <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5635399/from-the-comments-it-takes-the-patience-of-a-saint-to-love-a-geek">Gizmodo.com</a> reminded me how lucky I am to be married to my wife. The common misconception is that you need to find someone that shares your interests. In reality, comment interests are good, but all you need to do is find someone that is willing to put up with your geekiness. If you get lucky, you interests may rub off on each other and you can both enjoy new things. No, I am not quite ready to pickup a crochet hook, but my wife now enjoys playing video games with me and will try eating just about anything at least once. She trusts me to take things apart around the house and even when she has no clue what I am doing, she asks questions to learn and is supportive. Check out the original article <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5635399/from-the-comments-it-takes-the-patience-of-a-saint-to-love-a-geek">here</a>. If you can relate to the feeling that the commenter had in the article, you too just might be a Geek.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-5165548313401138482010-09-12T15:00:00.003-05:002010-09-12T15:00:00.648-05:00Time to Come Clean<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/4003/tetris.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/4003/tetris.png" width="200" /></a></div>
I play video games and I enjoy it. The truth is, many of you do too. Unfortunately, video games have a fairly negative perception by some people and the media in general. The overall feeling is often that they are childish, a wast of time and tend to be violent. Yes they can be violent, however so can movies and books; it is up to parents to set limits as they would with anything else. As for the waste of time, studies have shown that video games can improve hand eye coordination and problem solving skills. If you don't believe me feel free to use Google, I spent enough time doing bibliographies in college that I refuse to always do so on my blog.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
However, there is one link that I would like to direct you to and that is here: <a href="http://www.grabstats.com/statcategorymain.asp?StatCatID=13">http://www.grabstats.com/statcategorymain.asp?StatCatID=13</a>. This site has compiled, and referenced, many industry statistics to create a profile of who plays video games. The following are some of my favorite statistics:<br />
<ul>
<li>65% of american households play video games</li>
<li>The average age of a gamer is 35 years old</li>
<li>40% of all gamers are female</li>
<li>Women 18 years and older make up 33% of gamers while boys 17 years old and younger only make up 18% of gamers</li>
<li>63% of parents believe games are a positive part of their children's lives</li>
</ul>
<div>
There are many more statistics, so feel free to visit the link if you would like to read more. The lesson here is that gamers are all around you . They are not always hiding in their parents basements with cheese puff encrusted fingers. So if you hear someone talking about games, do not look down on them, they are actualy in the majority. If you have never played a game, try it, you just might like it. One last thing, if you are trying to get your spouse to play with you, Little Big Planet for the PlayStation 3 is instant fun for anyone to play together. Just be careful, you may get hooked.</div>
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-69618000672726322982010-09-11T07:30:00.002-05:002010-09-11T13:36:09.856-05:00My Culinary Secret Weapon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5d-OVLHN3i2joNQUXqWXV_SeEqooeUrTC04hzcbog3KF9ZGipf2Ecr1uGH86wQ3G7lUtf_3DNZkNeK21jTNAvbjf7UO-NlKYC7ygHQXoCm8xNhoqsbpoKyzYVm-fkv6RpAOwQtQW6_Q/s1600/IMG_0967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5d-OVLHN3i2joNQUXqWXV_SeEqooeUrTC04hzcbog3KF9ZGipf2Ecr1uGH86wQ3G7lUtf_3DNZkNeK21jTNAvbjf7UO-NlKYC7ygHQXoCm8xNhoqsbpoKyzYVm-fkv6RpAOwQtQW6_Q/s320/IMG_0967.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
And now for something completely different. I like to cook almost as much as I like to eat. However, I am not much for following cook books. I prefer to raid the pantry, make a mess, and give it a go sans recipe. More often than not, it works. My wife and I are usually pleasantly surprised, but also disappointed, because I usually cannot reproduce my accidental success.<br />
<br />
One of the things I have learned from my chaotic culinary creations is the ability to mix and match flavors. I have a better understanding of what goes well together as well as a gift to know what flavor is missing from a dish after a taste. More often than not, proper seasoning is enough to bring out the best in the most bland of bites . However, for the especially flat flavors (I promise, I will not try to cram any more alliteration into this post), I have a secret weapon. Vinegar. It comes in many colors, flavors and sizes, but generally speaking, the acidic punch of vinegar will brighten the flavor and bring the dish to a whole new level.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
No, I am not saying it goes with everything. However, having a well stocked pantry with a variety of vinegars (no alliteration intended, it just sounds better this way) will help you prepare for any situation. My personal favorite is rice wine vinegar, due to its sweet flavor and milder punch. Rice wine vinegar blends well with other flavors and enhances not only the brightness but also the sweetness of a sauce or dish. However, I always keep some balsamic, red wine, infused and salad vinegars on hand as they each have their own unique properties. They can vary greatly in acidity, so know your vinegar before you go adding it to any dish. My personal favorite uses include:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>A dash of red wine vinegar to frozen green beans for a no hassle side</li>
<li>A drizzle of balsamic in some dipping oil and Parmesan cheese to go with some bread</li>
<li>Infused balsamic with a complimentary infused oil for an easy whole made salad dressing</li>
<li>Your choice of vinegar with a variety of spices for an easy marinade</li>
<li>White vinegar with jalapeños and onions for a nice taco topper</li>
<li>Rice wine vinegar and soy sauce for the perfect Asian dipping sauce</li>
</ul>
<div>
Obviously my list is not all inclusive, but I hope it is at least enough to convince you that vinegar deserves a place in your kitchen. The next time your cooking tastes a bit dull, try it and you will not be sorry. As with many flavor enhancers, the goal is not to taste the vinegar in a dish, but to use it to taste other ingredients better. A little can go a long way. Happy cooking my friends.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-16255001681681052972010-09-10T14:44:00.001-05:002010-09-10T16:59:28.942-05:00The BareGeek 2.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoAgf9ufw0YqpTW5lao1jSpAUt5iGqw3LPfKPa2_o6xjgs86_MNwIGcdls_K99No87QldtKlBhEefaUXnaMABSifNlIb0FSwGFBucg9cAD9WpAddBhHiT727Lv1hpb1fmY-InV45saT0/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoAgf9ufw0YqpTW5lao1jSpAUt5iGqw3LPfKPa2_o6xjgs86_MNwIGcdls_K99No87QldtKlBhEefaUXnaMABSifNlIb0FSwGFBucg9cAD9WpAddBhHiT727Lv1hpb1fmY-InV45saT0/" width="200" /></a></div>
Back and better than ever! I started BareGeek.com as a project that I was extremely excited about. I had material, I had ideas and I had the drive to make it happen. Unfortunately, I got very busy with work and completely lost my drive to keep writing. On top of that, I was disappointed with the overall design of the site and was not getting much in the way of readership. In all honesty, the information I presented was helpful and occasionally interesting, but overall rather dull. Don't get me wrong, some of the topics were fun, but it felt too much like a computer self help column. This not what being a Geek is, nor is it what I set out to do.<br />
<br />
Starting today, you will notice a whole new look and feel to the site, but even more than that, you will notice a whole new take on the content. The fact that my most widely discussed article was on a slow cooker should have sent off warning bells in my head. Yes I am a computer geek, but I am also a food geek, a gamer geek, a movie geek, a camera geek and a nature geek. My interests are not restricted to computers, so why should my writing. I set out with the idea that geeks come in all different flavors and then proceeded to pigeonhole myself into being a computer geek. Don't get me wrong, I still want to provide tips and tricks like I always did, but I also want to broaden my scope. With that, I hope some of my other partitions of Geekiness will interest you if the computers did not do the trick. After all, we all are geeks about something.<br />
<br />
As always, please make <a href="http://baregeek.com/">BareGeek.com</a> a regular stop on your internet journey, take a break to comment and share the love!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-71221921374648107052010-06-10T22:16:00.000-05:002010-06-10T22:16:57.640-05:00Why did I get a DSLR?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.usa.canon.com/app/images/EOS_2010/T2i/profile/t2i_586x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="http://www.usa.canon.com/app/images/EOS_2010/T2i/profile/t2i_586x225.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
On the heals of my last post, and prior to my full review, I wanted to talk a little about why I decided to get a DSLR camera. With standard point and shoot camera's getting so much better and so affordable, why would you ever get such a large and pricey camera? To be honest, a few years ago I would have been asking myself the same question. However, the more I learned about them, the more I saw how much others enjoyed DSLR cameras, the more I realized it is a hobby that matches my personality quite well.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The easy answer (and the boring one) is that it takes better pictures. However, that argument has little impact on most people as quality is always judged against price and overall value. If you look at quality alone, most people will find their point and shoot camera "good enough". So if the quality argument fell short, what was it that made me buy in? For me, a camera has always been a chore. I didn't want to bring with me, I didn't want to spoil what I was doing by stopping to take a picture. When I went home and transfered my pictures to my computer, it would be fun to look at what I came up with, but the majority of them are what you would expect, indoor pictures were dark an blurry and half the pictures were not worth keeping. Overall, I captured some memories, but it was a fairly underwhelming experience. Don't get me wrong, I love looking back at pictures of my travels and fun times in my life, but the only time I seemed to enjoyd my pictures was at least a year after I took them. I have been on facebook for 6 years now and I only uploaded 1 picture in that time. That is how underwhelmed I was<br />
<br />
So yes, I spent a lot of money on a camera because I don't really like to take pictures. Clear as mud right? Well for me, the logic made sense. To get better at photography and to get into it, I had to make it fun and instantly gratifying. I have already tried getting a nice point and shoot camera that took nice pictures, but it wasn't enough to get me to grab it before heading out of the house. It had a few program settings and no accessories. I am a Geek, for me to enjoy something, I have to read about it, learn it, obsess about it, find new things to do with it and then write about it on a Blog that only my family will read. It turns out a DSLR is a nice fit for my tendencies. It uses technology, science and art. It takes very little artistic talent to get started with (this is good for me). It is something that you can learn for years and never master. With full manual settings and countless lenses and accessories, a DSLR camera can capture everything from the head of a pin to craters on the moon. It is also a hobby that requires little money after the initial investment. The key word is "requires"<b>, </b>it can get very expensive once you get into new lenses and accessories. <br />
<br />
So how about the cost? Everyone knows that technology gets outdated the day you buy it. The truth is, most technology gets outdated because you ask it to do harder tasks. Software and the internet get more complex and demanding. However, the job of taking a good picture never changes. If a camera does a good job now, it will do so for years to come. DSLRs today take very high resolution pictures, are sensitive in low light and adaptable to any type of photography. There may be new features, but my camera will always take great pictures. Also, your lenses can be used on future cameras, so you would only have to replace the camera body itself down the road.<br />
<br />
So yes, this is a very unorthodox explanation on why to make a purchase. And yes, there are better arguments to explain to someone why they should get a DSLR, but this is what made the difference for me. After one week, I could not be more excited about my experience so far. I have taken pictures every night. I am learning how little I know about photography and I don't want to leave home without at least putting my camera bag in the car. My wife is learning with me and we are both having a good time laughing at a ridiculous number of dog pictures. The dog, however, just wants to be left alone. I am not going to say it is for everyone, but I can say that I have found a new hobby to have fun with for years to come.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-39804087471552501742010-06-04T20:08:00.000-05:002010-06-04T20:08:51.288-05:00Dinner in Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mUJ-ue7q_54eXZlOougudfylBVd8mtteZEh7PXo6qQLHM3iOQnnG5oK_9B7qtBeKOq0yoPHx1Xio_YCpR2ko9iAsso6WOb02FyEr3uHW6xzid4agg7-tF6tjXyIBcGXUGdGie5rG0Cc/s1600/IMG_0124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mUJ-ue7q_54eXZlOougudfylBVd8mtteZEh7PXo6qQLHM3iOQnnG5oK_9B7qtBeKOq0yoPHx1Xio_YCpR2ko9iAsso6WOb02FyEr3uHW6xzid4agg7-tF6tjXyIBcGXUGdGie5rG0Cc/s200/IMG_0124.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
So I broke down and got a nice DSLR camera. I ended up getting a Canon T2i. I have had it for about 24 hours now and I am still learning how to use it. I plan on writing up a full review for the camera once I spend some more time with it. Until then, enjoy the pictures in my first album below. I took some pictures as my wife made dinner. I know, they are not all that good of pictures, but the feature here is the camera, not my photography skills. The picture to the left and the ones of the water made my jaw drop when I first looked at them. Also, the pictures are reduced in size so some of the detail is lost. Check them all out here: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/117090432226961558185/Dinner#">http://picasaweb.google.com/117090432226961558185/Dinner#</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-81032369954478819482010-05-20T21:46:00.000-05:002010-05-20T21:46:07.313-05:00Top 5 Gadgets for the Domesticated Geek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOEl8GRR_PC_6au_YGVxjI2pZp8wwIt0KhJspRxaRJOO0jMs7DY8yasPEQkHDDinZTrUvfYMcjanA5Oq_GthECMPs9d6P-zVIbUZhZ4TR5W1PEwweXUOmAmBxUcqRtPmAROnwO5ryyg4/s1600/top5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOEl8GRR_PC_6au_YGVxjI2pZp8wwIt0KhJspRxaRJOO0jMs7DY8yasPEQkHDDinZTrUvfYMcjanA5Oq_GthECMPs9d6P-zVIbUZhZ4TR5W1PEwweXUOmAmBxUcqRtPmAROnwO5ryyg4/s200/top5.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
These are my top 5 gadgets that not only do I enjoy having in the house, but also come with a high W.A.F. (Wife Approval Factor).<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.dyson.com/store/product.asp?product=DC14-ALLFLOORS_US">Dyson DC14 Vacuum</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cuisinart.com/products/coffee_bar/dgb-900bc.html">Cuisinart Burr Grind and Brew Thermal Coffee Maker</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/stay-or-go-appliances-set-n-forget-6-qt-programmable-slow-cooker-with-spoonlid.html">Hamilton Beach Set 'n Forget Slow Cooker</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/product/KP26M1XWH/">KitchenAid Pro 600 Stand Mixer</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.logitech.com/en-gb/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/3898">Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote</a></li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To summarize: Dyson Vacuums are fantastic an you will be amazed at how much they get out of your carpets. The Coffee Maker is our newest gadget on the list and my wife and I love both the ease of use and the delicious coffee that it produces. Read <a href="http://www.baregeek.com/2010/02/seriously-slow-cooker.html">my review</a> of the slow cooker for more details. The KitchenAid 600 series has the capacity and power to take on any task from mixing to pasta making. The Harmony One made it on both this, and my <a href="http://www.baregeek.com/2010/03/my-current-top-5-gadgets.html">other top 5 list</a>, due to the fact that it is so powerful and makes any complicated A/V setup easy to use.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-4728747373911986882010-05-17T21:36:00.001-05:002010-05-17T21:37:36.909-05:00Is Your Facebook Page Secure?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.reclaimprivacy.org/images/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.reclaimprivacy.org/images/logo.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Lately, facebook's security settings have been getting worse rather than better. In order to introduce more features, Facebook's developers have made it easier for your personal information to be available on the internet. This move has taken much criticism from technology experts and news agencies alike. Even if you go through the settings yourself, you may miss some important settings that could allow your personal information to be shared with everyone.<br />
<br />
A good defense starts with a good offense. If you are particularly worried about something getting shared with the world, you probably shouldn't but posting it on facebook to begin with. If you are like me and want to give your facebook page a security checkup, head over to <a href="http://www.reclaimprivacy.org/">http://www.reclaimprivacy.org/</a>. There you get a link that you can drag up into the shortcut bar of your browser. You then can log into you facebook page, click the link and view the results. I thought that my settings were pretty secure, but I found that I had missed a few things. Take a few minutes and follow the information on <a href="http://www.reclaimprivacy.org/">http://www.reclaimprivacy.org/</a> to start your checkup.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-67051378991199810582010-05-13T22:35:00.000-05:002010-05-13T22:35:00.143-05:00Fun With Touchpads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-e5OGDVRe4evwR3y8GUKBvdNmdGAbKKbjihK9-fM5eQNn12XXyxGKHxuxaZDNmVDl9TN3buqZkXZ-ISUNmfnM_pGbll7TTAKIcS6pEzPlJuaA6-hZGocPylkK2LhNLUNBbIaUQky6Uio/s1600/2010-05-13%2022.12.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-e5OGDVRe4evwR3y8GUKBvdNmdGAbKKbjihK9-fM5eQNn12XXyxGKHxuxaZDNmVDl9TN3buqZkXZ-ISUNmfnM_pGbll7TTAKIcS6pEzPlJuaA6-hZGocPylkK2LhNLUNBbIaUQky6Uio/s200/2010-05-13%2022.12.53.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
It is a good day when you find something new to do with technology that you already own. Today, had one of those moments with my laptop. If there is one thing I know about most laptop owners, its that they can't stand using the built in touchpad for any length of time. Now if you are like me, you have gotten used to it and don't mind it, but you still reach for a mouse when you can. Even if you like your touchpad, you will have an even better appreciation for it after reading this.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div>
The majority of touchpads in laptops today are made by a company called Synaptics. You may not have heard of them, but there is a good chance that they have made a touch pad for you if you have bought a laptop in the past 10 to 15 years. The other major manufacturer is Alps. You can often find your touchpad manufacturer by looking in your mouse settings found on the Windows Control Panel. If you have a Dell laptop, they use their own software, but the Touchpad itself could be either Synaptics or Alps. My tip today is for those that have Synaptics touchpads, if you have an Alps touchpad, it may work, but I would not recommend trying unless you are pretty comfortable with replacing device drivers.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With the introductions aside, my new found fun is in a program called Scrybe. Found at <a href="http://www.uscrybe.com/">http://www.uscrybe.com/</a> . Scrybe replaces your standard touchpad software with a full featured program , made by Synaptics, that lets you customize different "gestures". These gestures consist of taps and drawings on your touchpad that do different things. For example, if I tap on my touchpad with three fingers, and then trace the letter 'f' the software opens up my browser and goes to facebook. It sounds like it is complex, but in practice, I find myself wondering how I have used a computer without this. After setting up my own set of "gestures", I can launch just about any program or website I want, without ever clicking or typing anything. The standard gestures also let you select all, cut , copy and paste with a few swipes of your finger. One of the most useful gestures is the ability to close any program by drawing an X without lifting your finger.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.synaptics.com/sites/default/files/ChiralScrolling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.synaptics.com/sites/default/files/ChiralScrolling.jpg" /></a>In addition to the gestures, the new software allows for more customization and even some multi touch features for your existing touchpad. One of my favrites is called ChiralScroll. With ChiralScroll, you can start scrolling on the edge of the touchpad like normal, but then you can move your finger around the touchpad in a circle to keep scrolling. This allows you to scroll up and down a long page without ever lifting your finger. Again, how have I used a laptop so long without this. To the right is an image of how it works.<br />
<br />
Like I said before, the program is free and made by Synaptics, so it is mainly intended for Synaptics touchpads. However, I have heard of people using Synaptics drivers with Alps touchpads, so try it at your own risk if you are comfortable with that sort of thing. If your laptop has a Synaptics touchpad, do not hesitate to go to <a href="http://www.uscrybe.com/">http://www.uscrybe.com/</a> and download Scrybe now. There are many videos and articles if you want to look into it a bit more, but trust me, this one is a must try.<br />
<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-60144007047365746902010-04-14T17:33:00.001-05:002010-04-14T17:35:55.709-05:00Too. Many. Servers!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Intac.net posted an image of how some of the biggest companies on the web stack up in terms of numbers of servers. We all know that Google must have a lot of servers to run all of their web services, but it is staggering to see (you might need to keep scrolling) a visual representation of how they compare to other companies. The image can be found here: <a href="http://www.intac.net/a-comparison-of-dedicated-servers-by-company_2010-04-13/">http://www.intac.net/a-comparison-of-dedicated-servers-by-company_2010-04-13/</a>. I wonder how they can find them all, let alone keep them running? Thank Gizmodo.com for sharing the image</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-16902995488559803092010-04-12T21:31:00.000-05:002010-04-12T21:31:50.933-05:00How to Google Better<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/images/logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="79" src="http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/images/logo.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
Most of the time, we type what we want in Google, search through a list of results and hope to find what we are looking for. However, there are times when you might want to be a bit more specific and clarify what you are looking for.<br />
<br />
Google has built in features that let you exclude terms, search for exact phrases and even search for items on any web page. Rather than typing up all of the different features and their descriptions, you can view them all on Google's own tip page found here: <a href="http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=136861">http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=136861</a>. If you want a good example of how quotations help, search for your first and last name and then search for your first and last name in quotations. (John Doe v.s "John Doe"). You are much more likely to find material relating to you when you use the quotation marks. This is because you are searching for your full name and not just the words that make up your name. It takes a bit more work, but using these techniques can save you time in the long run.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-47268486734795103292010-04-06T21:11:00.001-05:002010-04-06T21:12:00.098-05:00HD and Why I Love Blu-ray<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/14/Blu-ray_Disc.svg/386px-Blu-ray_Disc.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/14/Blu-ray_Disc.svg/386px-Blu-ray_Disc.svg.png" width="200" /></a></div>
HD is a term that is thrown around a lot these days. It stands for high definition, but it really does not have a specific definition of its own. When referring to television and screens, HD means anything that has more rows of pixels than the standard TV signal. This means anything over 480 horizontal lines to make up the picture on the screen was HD. While this sounds impressive, my phone has almost double the horizontal rows as the older TV signal.<br />
<br />
HD started with two man formats; 720P and 1080i. These have 720 and 1080 horizontal rows of pixels respectively. The p stands for progressive scan while the i stands for interlaced. In progressive scan, each row is redrawn for every frame of the video. For interlaced signals, every other line is redrawn with each frame. 720p is clearer for fast moving videos like sports due to the progressive scan while 1080i is clearer for slower videos due to the higher resolution. Both standards were used and most early HDTVs would support either signal. This was a big step forward and people began to buy into the HD craze.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Today, just about every TV sold is 1080p. This combines the high resolution of 1080i with the motion clarity of a progressive scan signal. There is more that goes into the newer television's improved clarity, but when it gets down to it, the resolution is the same across the board. But what about your signal? If you have an HD TV and you haven't ordered HD service from your television provider, your picture probably looks worse than before because it is large and stretched out. Even if you have HD service, most of the broadcasts are still in 720p and 1080i. This means that the true clarity of your fancy new TV is probably not seen.<br />
<br />
But there is still 1080p HD right? Services such as Dish Network Turbo HD and even YouTube offer 1080p service. The truth is, they compress the video more so that the resolution is higher but the quality of the video itself is lower. This allows them to send you video in 1080p, but in reality, it is not any better than 1080i or 720p. In fact, many argue that technologies in newer TVs can convert 1080i signals to 1080p almost perfectly, so introducing compression to the video will only make things worse.<br />
<br />
Now to why I like Blu-ray. As you can probably guess, Blu-ray disks contain videos in 1080p with very low levels of compression. There is nothing that will look better on your TV than a Blu-ray movie. If you remember seeing an HDTV for the first time, seeing a Blue-ray video on a modern TV is like seeing it for the first time all over again. Now that you can get a Blu-ray player for under $100 and new releases as low as $15, the time to switch to Blu-ray has never been better. Keep in mind, Blu-ray players can still play your old DVDs, so there is no downside to switching over. Netflix will also send all your movies as Blu-ray disks for just a dollar or two more a month. If you enjoy watching movies and you haven't gotten Blu-ray yet, what are you waiting for? Go. Now.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-70056514340129534532010-04-01T21:32:00.000-05:002010-04-01T21:32:50.425-05:00My Thoughts on the iPad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.apple.com/ipad/gallery/images/hardware-01-20100127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://images.apple.com/ipad/gallery/images/hardware-01-20100127.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Being in the technology field, I often get asked about the latest and greatest devices to hit the market. The newest item to be shown by the media is Apple's iPad. If you have not yet seen it, the iPad is basically an over-sized version of the iPod touch. Or, a large iPhone that cannot make calls. The price starts at $500 and goes up to $830 for the top model. The iPad goes on sale Saturday at 9:00 AM.<br />
<br />
While I have yet to see an iPad, I have followed the pre-launch details very closely. I am looking forward to trying it at some point, but I would like to offer my predictions and opinions prior to launch. First off, it will be successful. Apple has the advantage of a very loyal group of fans and a fantastically successful marketing group. If they launched a coffee maker, people would line up to buy it. Expect people to notice them, stars to hold them and stores to sell out of them. Secondly, it is something new. While touch screens and even tablet computers have been around for years, this is the first attempt that any company is working to market a device this size solely for the purpose of consumer entertainment. Because of this, it will recive much attention and analysis. Lastly, there will be waves of competitors and this will be the first of many options for touchable tablet computers.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
My inner Geek loves the idea of the iPad and wants to be excited, but my logical brain simply won't let me. The huge revolution of the iPad is also its biggest drawback. The design is such that it can be used solely by touch input and easy to use. The truth is, I like having an integrated keyboard and mouse and I don't mind that my computer is a complex tool. Now you could easily make the argument that I do not fit the target audience for the iPad, or that it is not meant to replace the computer, but I am still trying to figure out who the target audience is. With an entry price <u>starting</u> at $500, it is much too expensive to be a toy. In fact, you could get a very capable laptop starting at the same price. And since the iPad is to big to fit in a pocket, you have to carry it in a bag anyway, so it's advantage is not in its size either. It is also marketed as an ebook reader, but it is missing the e-ink screen, battery life and possibly the delivery system of the Kindle, so it falls short at that task as well. Models with mobile internet start at $630 and have a minimum of a $15 per month connection fee. It can play music and videos, but so can my laptop and smartphone. Why would anyone need something that is less portable than an ipod and less functional than a laptop? It could be fun for games, but again, probably not unique enough to warrant the price of entry. As far as productivity is concerned, with no built in keyboard, don't plan on getting work done on the iPad. There is an external keyboard, but that further reduces its portability and increases its price.<br />
<br />
As a geek that is often on the go, I have a laptop, a Kindle, a Zune HD and a DROID smartphone. I do not always have all of them with me, but I can take what I need when I want it. They even overlap and can fill in for each other when I am without one. Now many of you reading this probably do not have the same assortment of portable gadgetry, but I cannot think of any situation where I would recommend the iPad to someone over one of the previously mentioned gadgets. If someone was missing all of them, I would say start with a laptop. If someone was missing something for multimedia, I would say to look at an iPod, Zune or smartphone. If you are a reader, settle for nothing less than the Kindle. As it stands, Apple seems to be developing a need for a device rather than a device for a need. I am not saying that tablet style computers will not have a place, but they need to come down in price and increase in functionality. The iPad cannot even run more than one program at a time and it has internal components that are much closer to those of my phone than to a full computer.<br />
<br />
If you are getting an iPad, enjoy it, I am sure it will be a fun and great experience. I do not want to sound overly negative, innovation has to start somewhere. If you are asking for my advice, at the very least, wait to see what the general feeling is after they have been out for a couple of months. Also look at some of the other <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5495946/ipad-alternatives-the-main-contenders/gallery/">similar devices</a> that are out or on their way. Keep in mind that a good smartphone has all of the functionality of the iPad, just with a smaller screen. What ever you choose to do, have fun and make the decision that is best for you.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-19370543859569772952010-03-30T20:54:00.000-05:002010-03-30T20:54:44.895-05:00Your Own Personal Radio Station<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/89/Lastfm_logo_red.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/89/Lastfm_logo_red.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://last.fm/">Last.fm</a> is quickly becoming one of my favorite websites. The concept is simple, you type the name of a musician or a genre and music by and similar to what you selected is played until you choose something new. You cannot select individual songs, but you can skip to the next song and mark which songs you like and what songs you don't want to come up again. They have both old and modern music and everything from classical to reggae.<br />
<br />
Where last.fm really starts to shine is when you create your own free account. With your own account, last.fm will keep track of what you listen to and what you skip. Based on your patterns, it will tailor your music selections to what your listening patterns are. Also, the website will store your most recently searched "stations" on your front page, so that you may go back to the ones that you liked. Last.fm is not only available on your computer, but also the Xbox, iPhone and Android phones.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Keep in mind, the service is free. With that you have to listen to the occasional advertisement every few songs. Also, don't expect to download songs or have the service available when you are not connected to the internet, you have to constantly be connected for it to work. Lastly, some of the music choices are random and seem out of place. Most songs seem to work well together, but once in a while you get a song that may match the artist by name, but from a completely different genre.<br />
<br />
While there may be similar services out there, last.fm offers the most accurate and custom listening options out of all the services that I have tried. While you can visit the site and try it out without any extra steps, do yourself a favor and create an account to get the custom experience.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-39187310509010697372010-03-29T21:10:00.000-05:002010-03-29T21:10:15.327-05:00I'm Still Here<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Sorry for the delay in new posts, I have been busy getting caught up on some personal tasks the past few days. Stay tuned tomorrow for something different and new! As always, thank you for your continued visits.</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-34880047803203046482010-03-24T21:37:00.001-05:002010-03-24T21:39:50.065-05:00A Quick Note on Virus Protection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TdfDAD2F_BdYXX-DXnrFUMPQdXdI2a4K9OZbPVBVe27EJwZ5IypWrX97In0btUMyIAnX0MaxEtnGM5I6EsOBYyurw6SKIa7iu52gHVu5svQc8aFwsIDqaCeYciTydVoNx8uZ0yiPG_k/s1600/computer-virus-bugs-clip-art-thumb3167674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TdfDAD2F_BdYXX-DXnrFUMPQdXdI2a4K9OZbPVBVe27EJwZ5IypWrX97In0btUMyIAnX0MaxEtnGM5I6EsOBYyurw6SKIa7iu52gHVu5svQc8aFwsIDqaCeYciTydVoNx8uZ0yiPG_k/s200/computer-virus-bugs-clip-art-thumb3167674.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Well, two quick notes actually:<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Never have more than one antivirus program installed. Not only does it not offer you more protection, the programs often can conflict with each other and bring your computer to its knees. In fact, if you get a virus, both programs will try to simultaneously remove the virus and this could render your computer unusable.</li>
<li>I know I posted about <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/">Microsoft Security Essentials</a> being a great antivirus program, but you may wonder why I am not recommending a full security suite that has antivirus, spyware protection, a firewall, phishing filter, popup blocker and all of the other fancy features that the major antivirus companies advertise. The truth is, Windows has all of those extra features built into it. Typically, the full security suites replace Window's built in protection with their version. They do this with varying degrees of success, but they almost always use more of your computers resources. I have not yet found a program that is worth the price and the loss of resources. All you need is a good antivirus program that also scans for other types of malware. Security Essentials is just this. </li>
</ol>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-15425424082906445602010-03-22T21:24:00.000-05:002010-03-22T21:24:53.628-05:00The Whys and Whats of Updates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xpMnlJQ86iqlBPdUeGyw8d_RcUH242d0CH9wYouQezMrw8V8zpwWXbVmUbrow9vC2Cz90Alyta9uFNI0CbHXR4gU2c57xxPhX0ztVUwQOEIsrYh4L8nk0_IhZdsL7aRufnsaStKoP90/s1600-h/WindowsUpdate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xpMnlJQ86iqlBPdUeGyw8d_RcUH242d0CH9wYouQezMrw8V8zpwWXbVmUbrow9vC2Cz90Alyta9uFNI0CbHXR4gU2c57xxPhX0ztVUwQOEIsrYh4L8nk0_IhZdsL7aRufnsaStKoP90/s200/WindowsUpdate.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I have mentioned that it is important that your computer gets updates, but I have not mentioned what updates and why they are so important. So lets get to it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Why</b></div>
<b><br /></b><br />
Updates fall into four major categories:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Bug Fixes</b>. When there is a glitch in a program, device or your operating system that gets past final testing, the only way these can be fixed are through updates.</li>
<li><b>Security Enhancements</b>. As programs get more widely used, they also get more widely abused. Security enhancements remove any known vulnerabilities in your applications.</li>
<li><b>Performance Improvements</b>. If you want things to work faster, some updates are put out to do just that.</li>
<li><b>New Features</b>. If application developers are feeling generous, they may even add new features to your programs through updates.</li>
</ol>
<b><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>The What</b></span></div>
</b><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
More things in your digital life probably need updating than you realize. Pretty much anything that has batteries or a plug probably can be updated these days. Some happen automagically, but others require a bit more work on your part. Here are a few key ones to consider:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ol>
<li><b>Operating System Updates </b>Whether you are a Mac, a PC or a Linux user, OS updates are extremely important. The good news is that many of these are automatic, but check to make sure they are bing done. Updates can be found in all three of the major operating system's utility areas. These updates are often security enhancements and bug fixes.</li>
<li><b>Driver Updates.</b> Drivers are the software that allows your computer to communicate with everything plugged into it. Driver updates can be found either on a specific device, such as a printer, manufacturer's website or many come through your operating system's update utility as well. Your computer manufacturer will have up to date drivers for all of the parts inside of your computer.</li>
<li><b>Program Updates.</b> Just about every program you install gets updated. Sometimes you may have to pay for a new version of the program, such as Quicken. Other times, there are free updates on the program's website or available inside the program itself.</li>
<li><b>Plugin Updates.</b> Browser plugins such as Flash, Java and Acrobat are incredibly important. These are often the main target for security threats when you are browsing websites, so get them updated. Visit their respective websites to install the latest version.</li>
<li><b>BIOS Updates. </b>BIOS stands for basic input/output system and it is the software that starts up your computer and keeps things running. This is only available on your specific computer manufacturer's website and should be the first place to look for troubleshooting lockups and other major problems.</li>
<li><b>Firmware Updates. </b>Many portable devices and peripherals have firmware. Firmware is the basic software on devices that make them work. These are often bug fixes, performance improvements and feature additions. Everything including cell phones, portable media players, routers, fancy mice and TVs can have firmware updates. My stereo in my family room even had an update to fix an issue I was experiencing. If you have not figured out the patter, check the manufacturer's website for firmware updates.</li>
</ol>
<div>
So the rule of thumb about updates is to do them. If you are having problems with any device or program, restart it. If that does not work, check for updates. If that does not work, head back here and keep reading the Bare Geek Blog.</div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-66896336992540511282010-03-19T22:14:00.000-05:002010-03-19T22:14:24.954-05:00Free Stuff Part 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://ubuntugk.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/openoffice-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="http://ubuntugk.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/openoffice-logo.png" vt="true" width="200" /></a>Microsoft Office is a must have program if you want to write any type of document or presentation. Well, not exactly. The truth is, Microsoft Office Documents are what makes the business world go round, but that does not mean that Office itself must be the set of programs to open the documents. While I would argue that Microsoft Office is by far the best office suite available, it is not always the most affordable. Enter Open Office. </div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Open Office started out as a project by independent software developers to create a free Office suite that is comparable to Microsoft's offering. It was later acquired by Sun, the same company behind Java, but it was still kept as a free suite. Now with a force of expert programmers behind it, Open Office is an even more capable Office Suite than it once was. Why still free you ask? Sun is a competitor with Microsoft in certain areas of software development. However, making office suites is not one of those areas. This means that Sun is happy to keep the product free to take some of the wind out of Microsoft Office's sails, or is it sales? In fact, Open Office can open all of the Microsoft Office Documents that you use and love and will reproduce their formatting nearly perfectly.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Keep in mind that this is NOT a Microsoft program, so while it generally function s similar to pre-2007 versions of MS Office, there still might be some things out of place from what you are used to. It is an easy transition, but personally, I feel it still lacks some of the polish and crispness in design and layout that I am accustom to from Microsoft Office. The names of each program are different as well. Writer in place of Word, Impress in place of PowerPoint and Calc in place of Excel. Each program can be installed separately, so if you are missing one or two programs from your Microsoft Office installation, you can substitute with Open Office as needed. Even if you have an old computer that you want to keep around, but not put money into, Open Office fits the bill. Visit <a href="http://openoffice.org/">OpenOffice.org</a> to learn more and download.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-8474192286346240612010-03-17T21:53:00.001-05:002010-03-17T21:55:03.656-05:00The Review Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt71-q5ozuC_gxJ1_AE6MMlLoS7VRxI0s_tMJvzZ141RvP2g45yJvYpdUAj9H3JjUbF319EzQXH72z-iEIrgjZ84R11Ziql2-JRqoJC43L1CEzMPLL4wz-hnRZI13quLl6tch3LCHdVYc/s1600-h/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="30" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt71-q5ozuC_gxJ1_AE6MMlLoS7VRxI0s_tMJvzZ141RvP2g45yJvYpdUAj9H3JjUbF319EzQXH72z-iEIrgjZ84R11Ziql2-JRqoJC43L1CEzMPLL4wz-hnRZI13quLl6tch3LCHdVYc/s400/Capture.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Yes I know, I haven't gotten to many product reviews, but the truth is, writing a good review takes time and I do not want to skimp on the details for the sake of getting the post done. I am hoping to have a new one ready for next week.<br />
<br />
In the mean time, fear not, while I look forward to sharing my thoughts on each and every gadget and program I can get my geeky paws on, others have done so before me. If you are ever interested in learning more about a specific product, service or program, search Google for the name of what you are looking for followed by the word "review". By using this method, you will be much more likely to get results that contain detailed reviews as opposed to simply pages selling and discussing the products. Always remember:<br />
<ul>
<li>Be as specific as you can, model numbers for products work great. </li>
<li>Never put too much faith in one review, instead look for trends among many. </li>
<li>Always consider your source. While reviews always have some subjective aspects, a website that is dedicated to the downfall of Apple is not the best place to learn about the newest iPod.</li>
</ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-65727843662826562842010-03-15T22:37:00.000-05:002010-03-15T22:37:24.468-05:00My First Post From a Cell PhoneSo I am writing from my phone not because it is easier or because I am out some place away from home, but rather to demonstrate how far technology has come. I know, this is nothing new to most of you, but I am doing it to make a point that you may have not ever considered.<br />
<br />
If you go back 10 years ago, cell phones did not have touch screens or access to the internet. In fact, they did not even have color screens. The ability to write a blog post on a cell phone required an almost innumerable number of advancements in technology to make possible. This was not done in a day. In fact, many of the advancements that it took to get here were relatively small, but it is the accumulation of them that makes this post possible. Again, nothing new if you think about it.<br />
<br />
As someone who spends his days around technology and those that use it, I commonly hear frustration whenever anything on a computer changes. Whether it is design, features or functionality, people tend to resist change. However, you cannot get from black and white screens to blogging in bed without changes. Rather then approaching technology as if it should conform to your experience, keep an open mind and explore what is new. If you do this, not only will using a computer be easier, but you might learn how to do something new in the process.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-13127040740192777152010-03-14T22:22:00.001-05:002010-03-14T22:23:30.549-05:00Shopping for a New PC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/2009-02-26_Circuit_City_store_closing_everything_must_go.jpg/472px-2009-02-26_Circuit_City_store_closing_everything_must_go.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/2009-02-26_Circuit_City_store_closing_everything_must_go.jpg/472px-2009-02-26_Circuit_City_store_closing_everything_must_go.jpg" width="157" /></a></div>
In the early days of computers, buying a computer was easy. The more you spent, the faster the processor was and the better you programs would run. Although, back then that new computer might have set you back $5,000, so that part was not easy. Today, computers are more affordable than ever, but it is also harder to pick one out. This may be intimidating, but keep in mind, having options is a good thing. Lets first talk about what to pay less attention to, and then we will look at what is good to focus on. Keep in mind, great deals on computers are often on older technologies. You may pay less, but it will not last as long. A great <u>value</u> is key.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The things not to worry as much about</b></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>CPU speed (Ghz)</b>. There are things to consider with your computer's CPU, but the clock speed is not one of them these days, so don't worry about the ghz. In the world of multiple CPU cores, faster is not always better.</li>
<li><b>Hard drive size (GB)</b>. For <u>most</u> people, even the smallest hard drive out there today will hold all of your files. The exception to the rule is for Netbooks, but more on that later. If you know you require a lot of space, then this might be a factor for you, but put it farther down the list as it may be a better option for you to go with the better computer and upgrade the drive yourself later.</li>
<li><b>Amount of Memory (RAM)</b>. As long as this is at least 3 GB for a full computer, 1 GB for a Netbook, you should be fine. Again, this can easily be upgraded at a later date. As with the above factors, this could help as a tie breaker between two models, but it should not be a deciding factor.</li>
<li><b>Video Memory (VRAM). </b>More computer companies have started adversing this. If you play high end computer games with 3D graphics, this comes into play. Otherwise, ignore it.</li>
<li><b>Network Connectivity. </b>All laptops and netbooks have WiFi and all desktops and most laptops have ethernet ports. There are differences, but none that most people need to be concerned with.</li>
<li><b>DVD drive. </b>Unless you are looking for Blu-ray drive, nothing to see here. Netbooks do not have one.</li>
</ul>
It's not to say that the specs are not important, but shopping for computers today is less about the numbers and more about finding what is best for you.. The truth is, most of the computers out there will do what most people need them to. Yes an enthusiast such as myself pays a bit more attention to those numbers, but if you are looking for a solid computer that will last you for years, read on.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Things to Consider</b></div>
<b><br /></b><br />
The first question you want to ask yourself is what kind of computer you want. Desktops are by far the most bang for your buck, but they take up more space. Laptops are more expensive, take up less space and are portable. Netbooks are less expensive and extremely portable, but are not very powerful and do not have a CD drive. While there are some tips for all types of computer, each specific type has specific things to look for.<br />
<br />
<b>For all Computers:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>The Manufacturer. </b>Not all brands are equal. I prefer Dell and Asus, but there are many others out there. If you have a preference, start your search with that manufacturer there.</li>
<li><b>The Price. </b>A no brainer here. Again, look for a value, not just the dollar amount.</li>
<li><b>The Type of CPU.</b> While the speed may not matter, the type of processor a computer uses tells you everything about the age of the technology inside. I prefer an Intel CPU over AMD as they are a much better value these days. If the computer does not say Core i3, i5, or i7 on it, the technology is not the latest out there. i3 is the most affordable while i7 is the best performer. Netbooks should have Intel Atom processors in them.</li>
<li><b>Style and Color.</b> I know it sounds funny, but if it is going to be sitting out or on your lap, you should like how it looks.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>For Desktops:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>Accessories.</b> If it comes with speakers and a monitor and you need those, this is good. If it comes with them and you do not need new ones, why pay for them.</li>
<li><b>Size. </b>Desktops should always have room for airflow around them. If you do not have room for a full size tower, there are several slim options available.</li>
<li><b>Ports.</b> If you have a lot of accessories or need a specific type of connector, make sure that what you buy has these options. Desktops have a huge variety of options here. A good example of this is support for multiple monitors or a specific type of audio connector.</li>
<li><b>Separate video card. </b>If you or a family member plays games, having a separate video card, also called a GPU, is important.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>For Laptops:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>Screen Size.</b> The screen size will impact the price, features and portability of the laptop. A sweet spot is at 15-16 inches. Any more or less and you will pay more, unless you get into the Netbooks at the smaller end. Laptops with larger screens typically are more powerful as well as more expensive. These are often called desktop replacements and can be a bit heavy to travel with.</li>
<li><b>Warranty. </b>If you travel with your laptop, consider getting a two or three year warranty. Laptops are more expensive to repair and a bit more fragile. Many companies also offer accidental damage protection to cover drops and spills.</li>
<li><b>Battery Life</b>. If you are a Geek on the go, it is nice to not always stop and plugin. Keep in mind, the more powerful the computer, the shorter it will run on battery alone, so this can be relative to the specs of what you are looking at.</li>
<li><b>Keyboard and track pad.</b> You can replace a mouse and keyboard on a desktop, but you are stuck with what is built into the laptop if you do not use an external set. Back-lit keyboards are nice for low light use.</li>
<li><b>The Screen. </b>You can look at all the numbers you want, but the best way to compare screens is to look at them in a store. Most today are LED back-lit, so focus mainly on the resolution and whether or not you prefer the matte or glossy look. </li>
<li><b>The Sound.</b> If you are planning on watching movies or listing to music, the built in speakers in laptops can be pretty bad, so you might want to give it a listen if that is important to you.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>For Netbooks:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>The ease and comfort of use.</b> Since they are so small, they are not always the most comfortable to use. A poor design element can really set one apart from the group, so be sure to try before you buy. Track pads are a big area that many of the netbooks get wrong. If it is too small and lacking separate buttons, you may find it difficult to use.</li>
<li><b>The type of Storage Device. </b>Netbooks typically have two types of hard drives. One is called a solid state drive and will be less than 100 GB. It uses less power and has no moving parts, so it is a good choice for the person that is often on the go and does not need a large amount of storage. Others have full hard drives that can hold more files. Capacity is the only advantage that a full drive has.</li>
<li><b>Nvidia Ion. </b>Ion is a technology that gives netbooks a bit more in the video and multimedia department. If you see this on a netbook, it is a very good thing. Like with any extra power, it may come at the cost of decreased battery run time.</li>
<li><b>Any laptop items above. </b>A netbook is a mini and inexpensice version of a laptop, so the topics mentioned earlier still apply. Keep in mind the point of a netbook is that it is inexpensive, so you might want to look at a full laptop if you start getting too picky. In many cases, a full laptop is a better value as it has much more under the hood.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Keep these tips in mind and you will do great. I often look in the stores and then purchase my computers online. That way you can often customize them a bit further, compare prices, and avoid high pressure sales people that may not always be focused on your best interest. Never forget, a good value is always better than a good sale.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-76303182776015455882010-03-13T14:15:00.000-06:002010-03-13T14:15:15.821-06:00The Network Backup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiH1vyB0maPg_qsB8w9912casOOFsjFJIerNgtCkgQNk0g5STcWxw9PPcoU4gdV5xTCN0hJo7tU9fKzlHpY4ao8jITiuI_hMT-9LCDZX89fCJPCbdyyzxlm03Na175CgqlczZNddB2eco/s1600-h/stay-at-home-servers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiH1vyB0maPg_qsB8w9912casOOFsjFJIerNgtCkgQNk0g5STcWxw9PPcoU4gdV5xTCN0hJo7tU9fKzlHpY4ao8jITiuI_hMT-9LCDZX89fCJPCbdyyzxlm03Na175CgqlczZNddB2eco/s200/stay-at-home-servers.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
A network backup is not exactly different from the previously mentioned file or system backups, but rather it is a different method for doing either type. Both the file and system backups require you to plug in some sort of storage device to the computer that you would like to backup. With the network backup, you use another computer on your home network or a network attached hard drive to hold all of your backup data. The hardest part of this type of backup is getting the proper equipment and setting it up. One advantage is that your backup is always physically separated from your main computer, but the biggest advantage to this method is that you can backup multiple computers to one location. This is great for those households or small businesses that have multiple computers that all hold important information on them.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>If you have multiple computers that can go online, you probably already have a home network set up. This is crucial to be able to do a network backup. If you only have one computer that can go on line, you might need additional equipment before you can proceed. After you have the network setup, you can either purchase a network attached hard drive like<a href="http://www.provantage.com/seagate-st310005mna10g-rk~7SEG9033.htm"> this one</a>, or you can install a larger hard drive in a separate computer and designate that as the location for your backup. Keep in mind, any computer that you are saving your backups onto, should not contain data on itself that needs to be backed up. Trying to backup a backup makes things more complicated. As far as configuration goes, I cannot be very specific as there are too many variables to work with as every setup is different. The general idea is that you would use any of the previously posted backup methods and direct the files to the network storage that you set up. The same rule about storage space applies, make sure you have more space available on the network location then on all of the computers that you would like to backup.<br />
<br />
As you can see, setting all of this up yourself is not very easy. If you are willing to pay a bit more, there is an easier way. There is a version of Windows you may have never heard of. It is called Windows Home Server. Home Server is an operating system that runs on a very basic computer connected to your home network. The computer then backs up, monitors, allows for remote access and shares files with all of your other computers. <a href="http://www.buy.com/prod/hp-mediasmart-server-lx195/q/listingid/74271352/loc/101/210980894.html">Starting at $300</a>, you can get a complete home server from HP with 640 GB of storage. Once you plug your home server in, you put the CD that comes with it in one of your computers. The disk will then walk you through setting everything up and configure the backup automatically. All you have to do is put the disk in any other computer on your network and it will configure the backup for that computer as well.<br />
<br />
This is the method that I use and it has been fantastic. The home server pools all of the data from all of your computers together so that it never has more than one copy of each file saved. This means you can get a huge number of backups saved on a single server. I just checked my Home Server and I have, 66 backups among 5 computers saved on about 600 GB. I can restore files from any of my computers as far back as three months ago. Configuration is easy and you do not have to do anything after the initial setup. Everything backs up nightly and the server manages how many and what backups are kept. If you are a bit more adventurous, you can <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116550&cm_re=windows_home_server-_-32-116-550-_-Product">buy Windows Home server yourself</a> and convert an old computer to a Home Server. Keep in mind you might have to add an additional hard drive to the computer as well.<br />
<br />
I hope you have enjoyed this weeks posts on backing up. I know there is a lot to think about, so feel free to comment if you would like clarification on anything. I would also like to do more topical series in the future, so let me know if it has been helpful, or if you prefer to have a wider variety of posts. As always, thanks for reading.<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2808109902598979697.post-54287985267670126762010-03-12T22:07:00.001-06:002010-03-12T22:08:47.304-06:00The System Backup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7KCIw-J-2YmEO5zU6idoXtXRgOHHyTZ7_ZcvumdbQJSvhBIaHHjHQHqcYqsKOJ-M47CrDAhW1Vd5nQylMz04D3uVrXdXAGPJtwPu93rz9QZbNgB0Cv7Uy2yq_adbT7SD8nenPpKrVSU/s1600-h/nortonGhost.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7KCIw-J-2YmEO5zU6idoXtXRgOHHyTZ7_ZcvumdbQJSvhBIaHHjHQHqcYqsKOJ-M47CrDAhW1Vd5nQylMz04D3uVrXdXAGPJtwPu93rz9QZbNgB0Cv7Uy2yq_adbT7SD8nenPpKrVSU/s320/nortonGhost.png" /></a></div>
<br />
A few days ago I wrote about how to back up just your files. While that is a good start, a full system backup is a better option for most people. With a system backup, you can have a new hard drive installed in your computer and get everything back the way it was with a few clicks of your mouse. With this method, not only are your personal files backed up, but your entire operating system, installed programs and any other files are duplicated.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The hardest part of a system backup is getting it set up. Because your hard drive is so large, the only thing that will most likely be able to hold all of your data is another hard drive. Also, remember that the whole point of backing up your computer is getting your backup separated from your computer itself. Because of this, you should wander down to your local electronics store and ask for an external hard drive. They come in all shapes and sizes, but the important thing is that you get a hard drive that has a larger capacity than the amount of data stored on your computer. For example, if you go into My Computer and see that your c: drive has 50 of 250 GB used. You would want a hard drive that can hold at least the 50 GB, but I would recommend planning for the future and getting one that is 250 GB or larger.<br />
<br />
The second part of the system backup is the software. Unfortunately, full system backups do require a special program as it is not a simple copy and paste. The good news is that if you have Windows 7 or Mac OS X leopard, you already have a great backup program built into the operating system. If you have an earlier flavor of windows, you might have a system backup program as well, but you may not, so consult a friend if you can't figure out what yours has. That external hard drive you just bought in the last paragraph probably comes with a backup program, but typically those programs offer file backups, but not a full system backup. My recommendation if you need to go out and buy a program for a system backup, would be to look at <a href="http://www.symantec.com/norton/ghost">Norton Ghost</a>. The newest version is a bit expensive at $70, but you can find the perfectly capable previous version for $50 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Norton-Ghost-14-0-OLD-VERSION/dp/B0012YKRSI">on Amazon</a>. There is also a free trial if you want to try before you buy <a href="http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/Symantec-Norton-Ghost.shtml">available here</a>.<br />
<br />
There are free backup programs out there, but to be honest, I have yet to find one as good and as easy to use as Norton Ghost. Ghost has been around since 1995 and I have used it professionally for years. You install, it configure it, and forget it. Ghost will backup your computer to the removable hard drive on whatever schedule you would like. It will manage how many backups you have saved and it will minimize the needed storage space by only backing files that have changed since the previous backup. If you ever have your hard drive fail, after replacing the drive, you put the ghost CD in your drive, restart your computer and restore everything from your last backup.<br />
<br />
OK, ok, there is a free program if you do not want to spend the money for Ghost. It is called <a href="http://www.macrium.com/ReflectFree.asp">Macrium Reflect Free</a>. It is the same idea as Ghost, but it is not quite as easy to use. I have had experience with it in the past, but I would still rather use Ghost if given the option. I really like Ghost, but for my needs, I have moved on to bigger and better backups. Stay tuned as I wrap the subject of backups tomorrow with the Network Backup.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div>
 
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Head over to </span></strong><a href="http://www.baregeek.com/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BareGeek.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for comments.</span></strong></div></div>TheBareGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14668116336722542056noreply@blogger.com1