Basic computer terms
I’ve noticed a surprising preponderance of folk who don’t know what to name things in a computer.
Here’s a bunch of terms for those who’re on the novice end of the computer-literacy scale.
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Matt Bentley
How old is too old?
When do you replace a computer? What are the obvious signs to look out for? There is no simple answer, unfortunately.
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Testing time for tablets
What do you know about tablets? You might know they’re touchscreen, so you don’t need a mouse or keyboard.
You might know that they’re low-power.
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Add life to old computers
Many people are wondering how to reduce their dependence on Chinese goods and services, including their computers.
They have been prompted by recent news stories, including that 800 New Zealanders are being tracked by the Chinese government.
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Take back control of devices
Your phones, tablets, and now, your desktop computers and laptops, are designed to distract.
How? Via pop-ups, notifications, news, new features and general interface design.
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Online reviews are mixed bag
Online reviews can be a handy form of reference. Do you need a quick estimate on whether a given product or service is going to be useful to you? Not only are online reviews painless to fill out, they also provide useful information to others.
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How to learn computers ‘real good’
I thought I’d rattle off some organisations, people and websites that are good for those wanting to up their ante in terms of computer skills.
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How to ruin your computer
Do you like your computer? Do you not want to see it ruined? Then this article isn’t for you. Please only continue if you truly and really want to destroy your computing experience. I warned you!
Read morePCs in coronavirus fight
Somewhat surprisingly, heating your room with a computer is as efficient, energy-wise, as heating it with a regular heater – that is to say, watt-for-watt, the computer delivers equivalent performance in terms of generating heat.
And while it’s heating your room it can be used by researchers to fight disease – like the coronavirus, Covid-19.
Read moreOnline trust misplaced
Who can you trust online?
In a recent expose, Vice, a prominent online lifestyle and technology magazine, showed that antivirus company Avast was collecting and selling all of its free users’ web browsing data to other companies such as Microsoft, Google and many others.
This means that the company had basically unlimited access to information about your online life.
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