Keep it Up-to-Date

Yeah, yeah, keeping up a two-week schedule. Right. Well, I've been really busy with life changing... ah, who am I kidding. I'm lazy. Well, this series will be finished up by the end of the month, and we'll get back into the swing of things. Deal?

Great, so our computer is clean, organized and safe (relatively speaking- we aren't out of the woods yet!). Now what?

We're going to be looking at updates: what they do, what they're for, and why we need them. Updates are a crucial component of computer maintenance. Programmers and developers release updates for their programs on a regular basis. These patches contain updates to program functions that increase security and stability, offer new features, and improve the overall performance of the program they serve.

Updates vary widely in several areas: how they are delivered, when they are delivered and how greatly they alter the performance of a particular function. Looking specifically at every single program that we recommend would take much longer than you care to read (or I care to write), so we're going to break down three key updating pieces of software and examine how, when and why they're updated.

Our first stop is our anti-virus program. Whether is AVG or Avast, Kapersky or McAfee, anti-virus programs constantly have updates coded, written and released for them. Without getting into a long discussion of how anti-virus programs work (though, that sounds like a good topic for another post…), near-constant anti-virus updates are crucial. This is because anti-virus applications work on the basis of a signature database; the anti-virus program uses a database of signatures written by programmers to identify viruses and malicious code. Lab technicians at any anti-virus company work around the clock to analyze the dozens of new virus infections and symptoms that appear in the wild every day. Without these updates, your anti-virus software will quickly become out-of-date (translation: useless). Trying to scan a computer with an outdated databse would be like trying to proofread an English essay with a dictionary from the 1800's- you're going to miss a _lot_ of information, and that could be potentially hazardous.

Because of the necessity of relevant information, anti-virus companies offer updates to their users daily, if not several times a day. Often, these are delivered directly though the anti-virus program- 'Check for updates' is a button you should be clicking often if you don't have automatic updating set on your anti-virus program! Updating your anti-virus program is absolutely necessary if you want to maintain your system's security.

The next piece of software we'll look at is our operating system: Windows. Microsoft release updates for their operating systems on a regular basis. These updates range from critical security fixes to optional features and programs. The most crucial of these patches fix security flaws and gaps that, if left unchecked, will provide an open avenue that could potentially allow an attacker to maliciously interact with your system. Other security fixes are offered for Microsoft's supported programs, such as the native internet browser Internet Explorer or Microsoft Office. Small bugs, less-crucial components and third-party hardware controls (such as your video and sound drivers) can also be fixed through Windows' updates.

Typically, Microsoft releases updates several times of month. Often, these are released in packs of several updates in one release. The packs contain a mix of the security flaw fixes, component updates and optional features that we just mentioned. Usually, it's important to install the updates that Microsoft offers ASAP- there's no reason to ignore a security flaw or faulty component that can easily be fixed. Windows Update, the feature that handles Microsoft's updates, can be found in the Control Panel, and gives users the choice of when to check (and when to download and install) the updates that Microsoft recommends. I highly recommend that typical users leave the default update settings intact.

Our final program is a cleaning program I recommended to almost everyone I meet. CCleaner is a powerful cleaning tool that allows users to empty TEMP folders, clean broken registry keys, clear browser caches and more. Piriform, the company that produces CCleaner, periodically releases new versions of their software. These version updates come with new features and upgrades that weren't present in old versions of the software.

This type of updating and upgrading is very different from the other options that are available. For example, Version 1 of a program would be the initial piece of software that a company introduces; Version 2 might introduce a new feature in the program; and Version 2.1 would fix a bug in the new feature. Make sense?

Updates like this often won't be automatically downloaded and installed; instead (as in the case of CCleaner), the production company and programmers will make the new version of the program available, and users will have to manually install the new version of the program.

Programs that are updated like this often don't need to be "updated"; if updates aren't offered natively within the software, chances are you won't need to update the program for it to run properly. Need is the operative word here; running the latest version of a program to ensure the highest level of compatibility and security within you operating system.

So what now? Well… update! Your best option (if you haven't maintained your programs) is to go through each piece of software and make sure that it is updated. Company websites will often announce when a new version, patch or update is available for their program; that's usually the best place to go to make sure you're up-to-date. I've also included a few common programs whose older and unpatched versions are commonly exploited by hackers and malicious software:

Update Windows- Keeping your operating system updated with the latest patches and releases is a key factor in maintaing a secure system. You can update Windows by going to Control Panel > Windows Update or visiting the Windows update website.

Update Java- In addition to Windows updates, you also need to ensure that your version of Java is the most up-to-date. The current version of the Java Runtime Environment is JRE 6 Update 19. Make sure you uninstall any other versions of Java you have before you install the most up-to-date version.

Update Adobe Products- Adobe Reader is used to view PDF files. Flash is used to run various parts of webpages (for example, games or animated cartoons). Older versions of Adobe products are more suceptable to infection. You can download the latest version of Adobe's Reader here and Adobe Flash here.

'Keep it Up-to-Date' is part five in a seven-part series discussing computer performance and maintenance.

Keep It Safe

Five weeks later and I finally get time to sit down and write. Oy. Well between CBU and my classes at Geek University, I've barely had time to breathe. Hopefully, this series will be done my next week. Hopefully.

WARNING! A VIRUS HAS BEEN DETECTED! Do you know why a virus has been detected, dear reader? It's because you're an idiot. Well, you aren't, but whoever got that virus probably is.

One of the biggest arguments against PCs in the Windows v. Mac debate is the ungodly amount of viruses that Windows can pick up. Mac users just don't seem to have that problem (actually, they do, but we will save that for another time). Over one million computer viruses currently exist; thankfully, only a small percentage of that total is in any manner of wide circulation.

Computers get infected with viruses when they are introduced to an infectious environment. In layman's terms, this means a computer will only get infected if it is the position to get infected (e.g. a computer will not randomly infect itself through some freak code mutation- and if it did I would promptly lose all faith in humanity). The most common methods of infection are through malicious e-mail attachments (infected files run on your computer when you open the attachment), poisoned webpages (your browser can become hijacked) and spiked peripherals (a USB flash drive with an infectious file, for example).

The reason that people who get viruses are idiots are because of the methods of infection I just listed. 99 percent of the time, a computer must have input manually fed to it in order to become infected (or do just about anything else, for that matter). A computer puts out what is put into it. That fake message from Aunt Tille that actually holds the Vundo trojan? Your fault for clicking on it. The poisoned porn webpage you visted last week? Your fault for going there. The infectious flash drive you put in your USB port? Well, somone had to put it there, didn't they?

Granted, there are exceptions for every rule, but for the most part, it is the users fault that the system has become infected. Now, I'm not trying to be rude. Few sane people intentionally infect themselves, so don't take the last 100 words as a slam. Hackers and virus writers are a slippery folk, and they're very good at preying on the weakness of uninitiated computer users. Having said that, this blog is all about removing the 'un-' suffix from that qualifier, so let's un-unitiate you, yes?

Computer threats used to consist of viruses (and the occasional cup of coffee). Today, in addition to viruses, the computing world is filled with worms, trojans, bots, rootkits, malware programs... the list never ends. For the most part, these threats tend to be very specific in the damage they can do to your system. The two general categories that most security professionals use to classify computer threats are 'viruses' and 'malware programs'.

The difference is relatively simple. Viruses are simply bits of executable code ('executable code' being information your computer reads and responds to. Ish) that are designed to run and perform actions outside of normal operating parameters. Malware is an entirely different beast. A mash of 'malicious software', malware is any computer program that is designed to operate in a malicious manner (real creative nomenclature, I know. Computer geeks aren't poets). Words like 'adware' and 'spyware' are tossed around in a threatening manner to scare naïve computer users, kinda like how Glen Beck and Bill O'Reilly open their mouths for the sole purpose of frightening East Coast mothers and impressionable college students. Those are example of malware. A lot of malware programs are designed display unwanted pop-up advertisements on infected computer screens, or track a users spending and surfing habits; other malware programs are built to trick web surfers into thinking their computer is infected and to buy a fake cleaning product. These are known as rogue anti-malware programs. A large list of these fake products can be found here.

Surfing safely really boils down to a few basic rules: Stay protected and know where you're going. Running a strong set of protection programs is essentially; I've included a list of my personal preferences that I suggest to users asking for help at my forum. Any links or attachments that look suspicious, or emails from unrecognized senders, should just be avoided. Satisfying your curiosity isn't worth an infection.

I've included a list of sites that will give you a good knowledge base regarding safe computing practices. Of course, if you ever have any questions about anything: ask. The internet is full of wonderful communities run by people (like myself) that volunteer time and effort to help those who have questions. Having said that, on with the linkage!

• Anti-Virus- Having an up-to-date anti-virus program is crucial. Make sure you update it often and run regular scans (at least once a week). A good anti-virus program will also actively scan for malicious files on your system. Here are a few free anti-virus programs I recommend:
  
  • AVG Free- I personally use AVG Free, and it has given me no problems. It consumes little system resources and offers automatic updating. It also works with your web browser to display a safety ranking on your Google searches, helping you to avoid blindly walking into an unknown domain.
  • Avast! Antivirus- Avast! is a consistenly-chosen free anti-virus program. It runs almost silently in the background without causing any disruptions, and is the only free anti-virus program that offers boot scan options.
  • NOTE: Please do not install more than one anti-virus product. Doing so can slow down your system, cause program conflicts and actually leave your computer more vulnerable to infection.
  
  
• Anti-Malware- Anti-malware programs come in all shapes and sizes, from passive, on-demand programs to real-time scanners that function in a manner similar to your anti-virus program. Here are a few anti-malware programs I recommend:
  
  • Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (MBAM)- MBAM is a free program that offers excellent detection and removal rates for free. The paid version offers real-time scanning and protection.
  • SUPERAntiSpyware- Another excellent free program that, despite the rogue-sounding name, offers impressive results.
  • SpywareGuard & SpywareBlaster- Two anti-malware products built by Javacool. Designed to run side-by-side, these programs offer excellent scanning and detection abilities that will prevent the installation of most malware programs.
  
  
• Firewall- A firewall prevent malicous attacks and hackers from invading your system; not having an active firewall program running on your system leaves you open to a possible invasive threat. Here are a few free firewall programs I recommend:
  
  • Comodo Firewall- Comodo is recommended by most security professionals as the most effective free firewall program available. It boasts impressive performance and an easy-to-use interface. Be aware that when downloading Comodo you are downloading the entire Comodo Internet Security Suite, which includes a firewall and an anti-virus program. If you want to use the Comodo AV, make sure you disable and uninstall any other anti-virus programs on your computer.
  • Sunbelt-Kerio- Offers good inbound and outbound firewall protection.
  • NOTE: Please do not install more than one firewall product. Doing so can slow down your system, cause program conflicts and actually leave your computer more vulnerable to infection.
  
  
• Browser- Internet Explorer, the deault internet browser that comes pre-installed with Windows, is very vulnerable to hackers and attackers, even with extra security settings. I recommend switching to an alternative browser such as one of these:
  
  • Firefox- Firefox is the most common alternative web browser. It boasts advanced security features, a host of additional add-ons and downloads, and a wide variety of customization options.
  • Google Chrome- Chrome is a lightweight browser built by the makers of the most powerful search engine in the world. While it doesn't have all the neat add-ons and extensions that Firefix boats, it's quick, speedy and powerful. Unfortunately, the engine it uses isn't always compatible with older webpages, meaning Chrome might display some pages improperly.
  • Opera- Another alternative browser, Opera is popular among power users for its abilities to, among other things, host private file-sharing sites (imagine being able to access your hard drive from anywhere in the world with an internet connection- for free).
  
  
• MVPS Hosts File- This download replaces your current HOSTS file with one containing well-known ad sites and other bad pages. Basically, this prevents your computer from connecting to those sites by redirecting them to 127.0.0.1, which is your local computer, which makes it more difficult to infect yourself in the future.

• Tony Klein's 'How Did I Get Infected'- This Geeks to Go article gives a brief overview of how to prevent virus and malware infections. It's a must-read for anyone surfing the internet. This article also provides some great information for web-surfing novices.

'Keep it Safe is part four in a seven-part series discussing computer performance and maintenance.

Keep it Small

We are rolling! Half of the 'Keep it Clean' series has been written, and I'm starting to generate more ideas for future posts. In addition, I spent the day in San Clemente working for an independent client. Hooray for job ventures! Let's hope business keeps looking up!

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, bloating your hard drive with unnecessary files is wasteful and inefficient. In addition to temp files and system logs, old program files and registry entries can quickly fill up your hard drive. I can't tell you how frustrating to hear the words, "Well, I don't know what that is. Someone installed it years ago and I never use it."

Here's a painfully simple tip: If you don't use it, get rid of it (and I'm pretty sure that this applies to more than just computers). Old programs, games, and personal files can take up gigabytes of space that could be used for something else- or just eliminated in order to maintain a smaller drive footprint. Windows itself (depending on which build you have installed) will only use about ten GBs of hard drive space.

Other programs, especially "crapware" (all that extra software that your computer brand puts on to the system post build, like games, photo editing tools and the ever-irritating HP Help Center), will do little more than take up space and be obnoxious. Crapware certainly earns its moniker- it's crap! 90 percent of crapware is brand-specific software that is already included in Windows in some fashion; most machines come with brand-specific system restore software, and laptops also come with battery management software; Windows is perfectly capable of handling these tasks. In addition, many digital accessories that make use of your desktop also come with unnecessary features; the Nikon digital camera software suite comes bundled with a wonderful program called “Nikon Transfer”, which is nothing more than a 200 MB copy-and-paste waste of space. Granted, some pre-included programs, like Acer's security features, aren't found in Windows and can be somewhat useful. As a rule, though, crapware can be uninstalled with no adverse effects to your operating system; they are not necessary to run Windows, meaning your computer won't fry if you get rid of them.

Like keeping your drive defragmented, keeping the footprint small is important in maintaing efficiency and longevity for your drive; the more information your computer has to sift through to find what it is looking for, the less optimally your system will run. Eliminating unnecessary programs and data is vital; conveniently, CCleaner has a nifty tool that will uninstall unwanted programs and disable unwanted startup entries that bog down your computer's boot times. Hooray for software plugs!

It's not a bad idea to go through and 'audit' your system every once in a while. Take some time and go through everything on your drive- and I mean everything. Open windows explorer and sift through your files, your music, your games and programs. If you use it regularly, keep it. If not, delete it. Be careful about what you delete, though- if you don't know what something is or what it does, it's probably best not to delete it. And of course- NEVER delete files in the C:\Windows folder- EVER! These files are essential; they are what Windows uses as an OS to run. Deleting these can and will detrimentally affect your system’s operation. Thankfully, later builds of Windows prevent you from causing any significant changes to the system folder, so there isn’t much to worry about. Still, unless you know exactly what you are doing, or are under the supervision of a trained professional (such as yours truly), it’s best that you avoid that area of your system.

Old games and programs that you don't use anymore can and should be safely deleted. The same goes for that old Stryper album that's collecting electromagnetic dust. Obviously, things like photographs and documents you are storing for historical or personal reasons should not be deleted. If you have data that's taking up space and you want/need it, good. That's what storage space is there for.

Getting rid of old, unused files will free up space on your drive and optimize your system's performance. Any user with a decent amount of common sense will know what to delete and what to leave alone. The best system audit is the one that doesn't happen- if you know exactly what is on your drive, and you know that every byte of data is essential, you're good to go.

'Keep it Small' is part three in a seven-part series discussing computer performance and maintenance.

Keep it Organized

This month was very busy for me, and I wasn’t able to keep up with my regular schedule. So, before you start throwing full wine bottles at your computer screen, let me offer this as a cop out: Saturday Special!

People often don't realize the physical limitations of a computer. The hard disk, the main storage area of your computer, is a physical spinning disk, similar to a CD (operational word being similar here. No trolling!). The information is read and transmitted to your system via moving heads, essentially little boxes that sit on the disk and move back and forth, physically reading and writing information on your drive. As Windows reads, writes and changes files on your drive, it places the information in organized areas called sectors.

Sometimes, though, a file won't completely fit into a sector, and it will be broken into smaller chunks and placed in separate areas on the drive. If the information on your drive is scattered and unorganized like this, it takes longer for the drive heads to read the information you are trying to access. This can significantly slow down computer performance, almost to the point of unusability if it gets bad enough. It also will shorten the life span of your drive; like any other mechanical part (say, the engine of a car), the heads and drive can only take so much use in their lifetime. That is why keeping the contents of your hard disk organized is essential to optimum performance and computer efficiency.

Defragmenting your hard drive on a regular basis is key. Windows includes a defragmenting tool, but it's not terribly efficient or specific in the information it details. Piriform hit the nail on the head again with their defragmentation tool Defraggler. This defrag tool will defrag your hard drive, individual files, or even the free space of your drive. Available as another free download, this tool is essential in keeping your hard drive organized and efficient.

One of the most useful features of Defraggler is its ability to defragment freespace. Freespace is just that- free space. There is no information stored here, and if there is, it's unreadable to the disk. (I'll cover how computers delete information in another post). Defragging freespace prevents chunks of open information from spreading all over your drive; fragmented freespace can be just as unhealthy as fragged files. Defragging the freespace, then defragging the contents of the drive, is the optimum way to organize a drive.

If you're performing a significant system clean and are doing other things to the drive, such as cleaning and deleting old files, it's important that you clean the system first, then defrag it. Doing the opposite will leave you with 'holes' in your drive; information that had been left neat and organized with no gaps is now Swiss cheese, effectively undoing all of the work you did in defragging it.

Like cleaning old files, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly when or how often users should defrag a drive. In the research I've done, the general consensus for average computer users is once every couple of months. Light system loads probably need to be defragged on a semi-annual basis… ish. Likewise, I know several computer pros who defrag their systems daily, or even several times a day. If you're unsure how often you should defrag, contact a system analyst, or visit a tech site geared towards the average computer user, such as pcworld.com or howtogeek.com.

The length of time it takes a drive varies, depending on how badly fragmented it is in the first place. Your best bet will probably be to defrag overnight; an average defrag will probably run for one or two hours. Also, it's important that you aren't running any other programs when you're defragging (or cleaning, or anything else). These programs consume a significant amount of resources, and checking your email while defragging your drive will tax your system, as well as decrease the effectiveness of the defrag. So, defrag your drive and take your kids out to a ballgame. Or a walk in the park. Or something that gets you off your lazy butt.

On a separate note, I'd like to point out that this blog isn't a plug for Piriform. The software the company distributes is available for free, and I don't benefit from mentioning their products at all.  Yes, there are many other products in existence that would be just as effective. I am not by any means cautioning against these; rather, Piriform is a trustworthy company that offers quality software, and has garnered significant acceptance in the computing world. I've had no problems with any of their free programs, It's too bad that they don't offer their products in an open source format… wink, wink, anyone?

'Keep it Organized' is part two in a seven-part series discussing computer performance and maintenance.

Keep it Clean

Originally, I had planned to release these as one post. Space limitations, a lack of time and length comments from my readers, however, have caused me to change my mind. Each section has been expanded and will be released on my regular, two-week schedule.

It's astonishing how much junk can build up on a PC. Old metadata files, system and internet browser temp files, prefetch data, cookies- need I continue? Depending on your system usage, it's easy to build up multiple gigabytes of stored information that is doing little more than taking up space on the hard drive. All of this excess data will take up free space on your drive and slow your computer down; because of the physical limitations of your hard disk, bloating your drive with junk files will slow down your computer's capabilities and shorten the lifespan of your drive. Regularly cleaning out these files is necessary to maintain a speedy, optimized system.

Windows has a Disk Cleanup tool that tries to accomplish this, but don't waste your time with it. Instead, use CCleaner from Piriform. Available as a free download (who doesn't love free?), CCleaner will delete internet browser files, temp metadata files, system logs, prefetch data, and more. It even gives security buffs and paranoid nuts the option to wipe the free space on the drive, increasing security and making it more difficult to retrieve lost data. In addition, CCleaner will scan your registry for errors and invalid entries and delete them. While this doesn't save a lot of space on your drive, it boosts the efficiency of your file system and keeps your computer from making a log of unneccessary files.

There's no scientific formula for determining when to clean out old files. I know this can be frustrating for users looking for a quick, no-bull answer (myself included), but the truth is the answer depends heavily on how much you use your computer. The cubicled office jock should probably clean out their system on a regular basis; every one or two weeks should do the trick. More sparing users, like my mother, probably don't have to worry about this very often, and can think of it as a spring cleaning-esque chore.

Running CCleaner won't take too long, unless you select the 'Wipe Free Space' option. Take a quick coffee break while you run this application. It can also be done overnight, though taking two minutes out of your day probably won't hurt that much. If you're that pressed for time, hire a secretary. Keep in mind, though, that you will be permanently deleting these files; while they are by no means essential to your computer's ability to function, it will mean re-entering information like passwords and online form entries again (unless you choose not to delete these. Smart cleaner, you).


'Keep it Clean' is part one in a seven-part series discussing computer performance and maintenance. 

7 Steps to a Clean Computer

A computer is a complex machine; like any other machine, it must be maintained and kept in good working order to function properly and effectively. As a computer systems analyst for Fear Nothing Productions, the professional arm of my sad existence, it is my job to maintain computers, networks, and other technical arrays that are found in a typical working environment, such as a small or home business office.

Many people don't realize the amount of work that is required to properly maintain a typical office array. Computers are feisty, spunky little demons, and have a tendency to want run away if you don't keep them in check. Every aspect of a PC needs to be regularly cleaned and maintained. In reality, it's a laundry list of chores that not many people enjoy doing, or even know how to. Disks need to be wiped and defragmented. Junk files needs to be deleted. Registries need to be scrubbed and checked for errors. File systems need to be debugged. Boot times need to be examined and optimized. Startup programs need to be kept in check. The list goes on and on and, frankly, the typical office Joe or housewife Sally won't have a clue where to begin.

Despite all that, maintaining a computer is easier than it sounds. All it takes is some common sense, a few useful tools, and a couple hours to kill on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Sounds up to the challenge? No? Well then, I'll stop by and fix you up for $75. Sound good?

I didn't think so. With that in mind, in the upcoming weeks I will discuss how to properly clean and maintain computer systems, as well as deal with common fallacies relating to PC operation and maintenance. 

My Time With Windows 7

Alright, so I finally managed to get this thing rolling. My first 'official' post discusses my experience, as well as a brief overview, regarding the new features of Windows 7. Spoiler warning: There are no spoilers.

My initial reaction to the release of Windows 7 wasn't a far cry from my reaction to Microsoft's previous attempt at a stable GUI OS, Vista (or Longhorn, or Mojave, or whatever they decided to call that prematurely released wreck). Look, I'll be blunt: Windows Vista was a mess. Sure, the graphical improvements were a plus. And certain aspects, such as the Networking and Sharing Center, were well-executed. But on the whole, Vista was little more than a tremendous failure. Release day bugs, a host of glitches and the much-lauded (and publicly ridiculed) User Account Control feature put Windows at the top of many critics bash lists.

I bought my laptop pre-loaded with Windows Vista last June (two weeks too early to qualify for a free upgrade to Windows 7). Of course, I had my doubts and my preconceptions. And, surprise surprise, I was right. Vista, while not quite crashing and burning as I expected it to, ran fairly at best, poorly at worst. Some things were good, some things were bad, and some things were just plain awful. Even after a full system wipe, two service pack upgrades and a host of ticky-tack fixes that I researched and ran, I still couldn't get Vista to jive like I could with Microsoft's last system, Windows XP (which still remains popular with many IT administrators today).

The public absolutely ripped Microsoft for the perceived failure of Vista (as did the corporate giant's rival, Apple, which continued its series of "Hello, I'm A…" commercials through the release of Windows 7). Microsoft had just finished trying to salvage the wreckage of its latest release. So why should Microsoft's newest attempt be any better or any more successful? Shouldn't I hold on to the reservations I held about Vista?

In a word, no.

The release of Windows 7 sparked a wave of discussion in tech circles and across the internet. Most professionals that I talked to actually held high hopes for the OS. Sam Wangsness, a system pro and son of an IT professional (and bassist of my old band back in Murrieta- preeow), said that Windows 7 was one of the nicest operating systems he had ever seen.

"It takes the good of Vista, gets rid of the bad, and makes it nice and shiny," Wangsness told me when I asked his opinion of the new release.

With that kind of a ringing endorsement, I knew that I had to look deeper into 7. I spent several weeks studying the new features that 7 had to offer. Microsoft reported that the majority of its changes came from small, simple ideas that fixed minor problems. Hell, it did more than report. That's what Microsoft's whole campaign on 7 was! Everyone knew that there were a million things wrong with Vista. Nothing major, like a BSOD that became so predictable you could use it as a metronome, but enough minor annoyances to eventually add up to a serious pain in a particularly sensitive are of my anatomy. If the advertising campaigns held any significant amount of truth (HA!), then Microsoft might have finally hit a solid point.

I ordered Windows 7 Home Premium at a student discount price of $30. Free upgrade? Not quite, but for thirty dollars, I knew I was getting a steal (unfortunately, the promotion only lasted until January 3). The download site installed a download manager that gave me two options: download an executable file that ran straight from my desktop, or grab an ISO image that I could burn to a CD. I downloaded both to see how each would play out on my system.

The Windows 7 installation process is both varied and complex. Users running a previous version of Windows (Vista & XP, but 7 compatibility needs to be checked) are given two options: Upgrade and Custom Installation. The Upgrade feature installs the Windows 7 OS over the current system, leaving user files and programs in place. This option makes a lot of sense for the no-nonsense user who just wants the pretty new additions of a new OS without transferring data or changing a host of system settings. The Custom Install feature will install the new OS _over_ the current one, essentially creating a new operating system footprint on your hard disk. The option allows users to get a fresh start with their operating systems. All of the old data present in the previous verion of Windows are stored in a folder called Windows.Old on the C drive (how poetic).

Both of these options are available from the executable program (which would necessitate having a running version of Windows on your disk). The more adventurous user can burn an ISO image of the Windows 7 installation files onto a DVD and create their own Windows 7 installation disk. I would like to take a moment to point out that the creation of disks like this is _not_ pirating. Like most software suites, large-scale programs and operating systems, Windows 7 is _licensed_, not _sold_. Installing Windows (any version) on any computer is free and totally legal. Licensing those systems is a different story, but we won't go there.

The Windows 7 installation disk allows users to both upgrade and custom install 7 onto their disks. However, the installation disk also lets users format the partitions of the machine's hard disk, giving installers a true fresh start. Of course, formatting the partition before installation means that any upgrade related features would obviously be disabled (such as licensing using an upgrade code). The ISO also serves as a standard boot disk, giving users the option to repair their system and view the partition table of the computer drives.

I set my laptop to boot from the CD and ran a custom installation of Windows 7. The process took about an hour to complete, including several reboots and a few short questions (things like setting up a network connection, basic system settings, etc.). After many minutes of tedious progress bar-watching (a watched PB never fills?), Windows 7 booted from my hard disk and took me to the log in screen. The boot process itself seemed faster than Vista's, which earned points in my book. The boot logo was also slightly modified and given an Aero-esque texture.

After logging on to the system with my newly created account, Windows took me to a generic welcome screen and an overhauled desktop. The look of Windows 7 hadn't changed significantly from Vista. The Aero system scheme seemed to be running fine on my 64-bit architecture. Most of the visual changes in 7 are found in the taskbar and system tray.

Long gone are the days of long, rectangular windows buttons that display every open window. The taskbar has been heightened, and open windows are now displayed as square icons located on the bar. Open windows are covered in a semi-transparent box, and the active window on the screen is highlighted more opaquely. Previewing these windows has also been enhanced. Holding the mouse over any open icon generates a thumbnail preview above the icon. Hovering the mouse over that icon will create a full screen preview. By clicking on these icons, users can open and minimize windows. Open windows, programs and shortcuts can all be pinned to the task bar, similar to how Mac OS operates its shortcuts. The Start Pearl (which was changed from the Start Button in Vista) remains the same.

The system tray (the bottom right corner of the taskbar that has the clock and all those little icons) was the other visual aspect of Windows that got an overhaul. The system tray now holds icons for network status, volume control, battery power (on laptops) and the Action Center, Windows new one-stop shop for system solutions. Every other program icon is listed under an arrow next to the tray. This prevents users from being forced to view a myriad of tiny icons with no description in their system tray. At the far right side of the taskbar is the 'show desktop' button. Hovering over this button will cause all open windows to become transparent, allowing users to see a real-time snapshot of their desktop. Clicking this button minimizes all open windows.

Microsoft also included a new set of visual features in Windows 7. The Snap feature allows users to drag open windows to the edges of the screen and automatically resize the window. Dragging to the top of the screen fullsizes the window, while dragging to either side halfsizes the window. This lets users simultaneously view two screens, allowing for easy back-and-forth switching between two open projects.

These visual features make a world of difference in the Windows experience. Technological standards have shifted in the last decade; a merely operable GUI is no longer sufficient. Graphical interfaces need to have spark, light and depth. Motion, transitions and presentation are key in today's operating systems and software. Vista began to capture this idea, and Windows 7 furthers the concept, adding and improving on its predecessor.

In addition to visual additions and modifications, Microsoft introduced several new programs and functions in Windows 7. The Action Center displays a list of potential problems that Microsoft has identified with the system, such as not having an anti-virus program installed, or not turning on Windows Updates. This allows users to quickly view the status of the system. Gadgets, the quick little mini-programs introduced in Vista, were also given a retouch. Instead of residing in the sidebar, gadgets now float freely on your desktop, and can be locked so that they appear on top of every open window. Other feature quirks include a laundry list of good ideas that should have been implemented two releases ago: screen clipping, which allows you to take a picture of your screen as you see it and save it as a JPEG (useful in diagnostic situations involving the less-initiated), and a redesign of the control panel to make it less confusing. Windows 7 also includes a new feature called 'libraries' to help users organize personal files. Libraries aren't file locations themselves, but instead act as a sort of shortcut to other place on the drive where files are located. These changes, while small, add up to a huge improvement in the operability of Windows.

Microsoft also made changes to the OS under the hood. According to engineers, Windows 7 was designed to use less system resources than its predecessors, a claim that I found to be true. My operating system at idle used almost two-thirds of a gig of RAM less than compared to Vista, a significant decrease. This was achieved by decreasing the number of programs running in the background and consolidating those that do run. These programs are also less susceptible to crashing and stopping unexpectedly (and of course, we all know that only happens during something important- like that last budget meeting). There still are, however, a large number of SVCHOST.EXE processes running in the background- too many for my taste. But hey, there's always Windows 8.

Overall, the changes to Windows were minor, but noticeable. In essance, I almost like to think of Windows 7 as Windows Vista.5. Windows hit the nail on the head when they made a large number of little change that fixed irritating bugs, rather than rewrite the entire coding architecture. The response to Vista was negative because of the large number of small details that could have, in the public's eye, been easily fixed. Windows 7 accomplished just that.

It's Finally Here

After months of patient waiting and deliberation, cutting through miles of red tape, and hours of agony spent chosing a topic... my tech blog is ready for departure! And yes, unrestrained hyperbole will be involved. Buckle in.

I'm planning on publishing bi-weekly. I'll be spewing, screaming, ranting and raving my opinion on all things technology related, from computers to tech innovations to historical looks at modern evolution. If all goes well, this will be my little escape from an ordinary world to a boring one that will hopefully help some schmuck like me figure out how to debug his MBR.

Like I mentioned in my opening post, I learned much of what I know from blogs just like this one- people who know a lot and have too much time on their hands write on webpages that, in all honesty, will likely just float away to the nether reigons of the internet. But hey. A nerd can dream, right?