Never buy software again OR how to make your computer work like new

So, you are going to get a new computer for Christmas - or maybe you would like to make your old computer work like new - either way, I have some tips to make your computer fly. The best part is you can get most of the software you will need for free (legally).

Step One: Reformat your hard drive and install a clean copy of Windows XP
Even if your computer is brand new, it is a good idea to wipe your hard drive if you want to allow your computer to be all that it can be... Starting from scratch is important because older computers can build up lots of junk files and newer computers are shipped with a lot of junk files. Here is a pretty good set of instructions on how to reformat an hard drive using the Windows XP CD-ROM.

Step Two: Update Windows
Using the Windows Update program in your Start menu, update all of your software and hardware to their current versions. This is very important as quite a few vulnerabilities have been discovered, and fixed, in Windows XP - but since you just installed a clean copy, you need to get everything current.

All programs suggested below are free for personal use, they may require registration.

Step Three: Install necessary utilities

• Anti Virus - avast! 4 Home Edition
  Yes, that is correct, there is a free, self-updating, anti virus program... I have used avast! for ages and have been virus free ever since.
• Anti Adware/Anti Spyware - Spybot Search & Destroy, Ad-Aware SE Personal, Windows Defender
  I highly recommend downloading and installing all three of these programs to be properly protected from the crap that is out there.
• Housekeeping - CCleaner, DirMS-S, NTRegOpt
  Programs to clean up temp files, to defragment your hard drive, and to optimize your computers registry respectively. Run these (along with Spybot and Ad-Aware) every 3-4 months and your computer will be finely tuned and keep running as such.
  

Step Four: Figure out what kind of programs you use on a regular basis
Not everyone uses a database program or needs a animation suite, so if you don't need it for regular use, don't install it. Most people typically use a small number of programs on a regular basis. Take a looks at the list of programs I recommend below:

• Audio Player - iTunes
  There are many other very high quality audio players out there, but for sheer use of use and features I am using iTunes right now. Plus stay tuned for a 'how-to' post focused on organizing your music collection for tips on adding album artwork, renaming your files, sorting your music, and creating custome playlists using iTunes. (Note, if you need to move files from your iPod to your computer, I recommend using EphPod)
• BitTorrent Client - µTorrent
  If you know what BitTorrent is, you need this client program.
  
• CD/DVD Burner - CDBurnerXP Pro
  Nero is great, but they charge for it... this program will take care of 99% of your CD and DVD burning needs at no cost.
  
• Chat - www.meebo.com,
  I can not say enough about meebo. This is a great web application that allows you to sign onto the instant messaging sides of AOL, MSN, Yahoo, Google, ICQ and Jabber. Because it is web based you don't need to download any programs and you can log on from anywhere. Create a user name with meebo and you don't even need to remember your screen name and password for each of your accounts. Words can not describe how well this site works, unless you are using Internet Explorer, I have heard its performance is a bit more stellar with Firefox. Chat runner up: Gaim (if you need to download a program onto your computer to feel like you are really chatting)
  
• Compression Tools - ZipGenius
  If you have never needed a program to zip and unzip files, don't worry about this one... but if you need create an archive or get into a .rar file every once and awhile, this is the program for you.
  
• Earth Viewer - Google Earth
  If you have yet to see Google Earth in action stop reading this now and download it -- you will be amazed at what you can see.
  
• Email - www.gmail.com, Thunderbird
  Gmail is wonderful -- even if you use another web based mail service such as those provided by Yahoo! or Microsoft, you have Google to thank for the improvements they have been forced to make over the past couple years. If you need to have a local mail client on your computer, Thunderbird is a great alternative to Outlook.
  
• Image Editing - Paint.NET
  If you need something better than what Microsoft gives you with your copy of Windows to edit images, but you are not quite ready for Photoshop, Paint.NET is the way to go.
  
• Image Viewer - Picasa
  If you have a digital camera, Picasa is here to save you from the crappy software they gave you with your camera. Uninstall the program that came with your camera and use this instead.
  
• Office Suite - OpenOffice.org
  Ready for the best kept secret on the internet? Here it is: Chances are, you don't need Microsoft Office. OpenOffice.org can open, create, and edit Microsoft Office files in an environment very similar to the Microsoft products. Check it out, I almost guarantee it will fit your needs... I repeat you can open, create, and edit Microsoft Office files.
  
• PDF Utilities - Acrobat Reader, PrimoPDF
  Acrobat Reader is pretty much a necessary evil. They did just come out with their new version (8), so click the link above and go get it... much more useful, however, is PrimoPDF. This program adds a virtual printer to your list of printers. When you select the PrimoPDF printer instead of you HP LaserJetMate XL VI24, the program simply creates a PDF file that you can then email, save, or print. It is a great way to save trees and create PDFs (which, among other things, can have great security features).
  
• Phone - Skype
  If you have yet to try Skype it is worth checking out. Everyone has a different opinion of internet phone, but you should at least know how the rest of the world is communicating (Skype is very popular in Europe and Asia).
  
• Video Player and Codecs - K-Lite Codec Pack
  If you have ever downloaded a video file that would not play on your computer it is because you did not have the proper codec. Once you download the above "pack" you will be able to watch the newest video of Bob Sagget telling you about his tryst with Kimmy Gibbler.
  

Step Five: Only install programs that you actually need and use
Many computer programs do nothing more than slow your computer down, so only install the programs you use. If you notice you are not using an installed program, uninstall it using the Add/Remove Programs control panel.

(revision 2, updated 12/13/2006)

Randomness

Well, I haven't blogged in a while... and I am not really sure what I am going to write about... but sometimes randomness with excessive ellipses is a good thing...

I spent most of last week in Northern California with family and friends... there are pictures from some of the Thanksgiving festivities over at trevordanthony.com. Activities in NorCal included attending my sister's volleyball playoff games, breaking and fixing computers at my mom's place of work, going out to dinner and brunch, drinking at multiple Peninsula bars, playing board games with family and friends, eating lots of turkey, picking out a Christmas tree, going to coffee mutliple times in a day...

I drove home Sunday evening (travel time 8 hours, 15 minutes, not bad considering traffic and rain). Upon my return on Monday I fulfilled my civic duty and served jury duty. I had to stick around all day and was almost put on a jury (twice)... but I escaped by the skin of my teeth and the judge said to me, "Mr. Anthony, I am not sure if you are relieved or disappointed, but either way you are dismissed." And with that, it was over.

I am currently getting ready for the big holiday party this weekend... should be fun... if you are a friend of mine and you are in San Diego, you are invited - so drop me a line if your evite got lost in the mail :-).

Not for profit

The United States has a long history of philanthropy, when you make a fortune, you give it away. Take a look at people like Andrew Carnegie donating money for thousands of public libraries to be founded; or Bill Gates and Warren Buffet and the Gates Foundation's focus on world health and development. If you can think of a wealthy individual, you can often come up with a charity they support. There have, however, always been more charitable, not for profit, organizations than there have been former robber barons to help them. Well now you don't have to be Henry Ford to help a good cause or two, and once again it is the Internet that is changing everything.

A fairly new website, GoodSearch, was founded to give regular people an effortless and easy way to contribute to a charity of their choosing. Basically, the site gives 1 cent to the charity for every search the user/supporter performs (or approximately half the site's revenue). They also use the Yahoo! search engine to perform the search, so the results you get are the same as they would be with the major search providers. Last year the search industry alone made more than $6 billion, so there is some money out there to be shared.

I am currently supporting Our Lady of Mount Carmel, for those of you that do not know, this is the school that my mom has been the Principal of for a number of years. They are planning to use the funds raised by GoodSearch to support technology enhancements throughout the parish as well as family involvement activities. So if you need a charity to get started with, Mount Carmel would certainly appreciate your searches. Unlike other charities that might put additional revenue into their general fund, I think it is a good thing that Mount Carmel has a plan to dedicate any funds raised to new and necessary projects.

To get started:

1. Go to www.goodsearch.com
2. Look for the box labeled "Who do you GoodSearch for?"
3. Type "Mount Carmel" or another meaningful charity
4. Select the last Mount Carmel on the list "Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and School (Rdwood City) [sic]
5. Begin searching
6. After you have set up your charity, I would suggest clicking this link to add a GoodSearch search bar to your web browser

Disclosure: I am not paid or compensated in any way to write this blog. The topics I write about are of my own choosing. When I do endorse products or services it is because it is something that I use and/or think is a good idea. I do not solicit or accept advertising.
Affiliations: I am a user of GoodSearch, my mother is the Principal and my brother and sister attended of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. I am employed by E.I. DuPont Nemours and Company and the opinions expressed here are my own and are not those of my employer. This blog is not sponsored by or endorsed by my employer.

What's a polymath?... keep reading, you can become one!

I have an iPod, I listen to a few different podcasts... but it is rare that I find one as clever as the Princeton Review's Vocab Minute. They are short and to the point, and I think they provide some entertaining refreshers on vocab, even if you aren't 17 and about to take the SAT.

Since not everyone listens to podcasts and not everyone even knows how to do such a thing, you can just click on the audio player below to listen to a couple of my favorites thus far... If you would like more info on podcasts, leave a comment and I will either drop you a email or write another blog entry about it.

I actually learned the word polymath from this one... and I plan on using it!

Polly Find out how Polly does it all.

And for you pirate and parrot lovers, check this out...

The Mare Song With a yo ho ho to all the maritimers out there.

Compliments on the embedded audio players above gladly accepted in the comments section below.

Starbucks has wreaths up, so it must be that time...

To my loyal readers, let me begin by apologizing for falling off the radar recently... in the future, I promise to blog with increased regularity. Despite my lack of recent inspiration, I have seen a number of interesting gift ideas for Christmas (or other winter holidays).

NOTE: If you frequently check my shared links on the left hand column of this blog, some of these items will be repeats of what you have already seen, but this format provides you with my commentary.

Possible Christmas presents:

• If the outside of your fridge has a ferrous material and you are not very good at magnetic poetry this cool toy might be worth checking out, for kids and adults alike. Reminds me of the San Jose Tech Museum or something...
• If you (or a special female) are environmentally conscious and do not like to using plastic or paper bags this could come in handy. For those times when you forget your Trader Joes's canvas carrier, just whip off that bra (it is not that scandalous, every girl knows how to do it without taking off their shirt, they must teach it in like 5th grade or something) and turn it into a handy sack. It's your bag, baby!
  
• NASCAR, who doesn't love it??? Well, now you can "get your heart racing" with this excellent gift for the romantic race rouser, or perhaps the rousing romantic racer... I don't know.
  
  
• For the friend who has everything, get them nothing. Empty box gag gifts from the king of fake printed news, The Onion, include such classics as, a Salt of the Month Club membership, a make your own umbrella kit, and a USB toaster. The USB toaster may be fake, but the USB cup warmer is real.
  
• If your friend has purchased a iPod Video for her car, an iPod nano for the office, and a iPod shuffle for working out, and she still can't get enough of Sexy Back, check out Tooth Tunes, the MP3 playing toothbrush that plays music through your bones... look ma, no speakers!
  
• For the special geek in your life, check out these nerdy gifts...
  
  
  
• If death and dudes are your thing, check out the Men of Mortuaries 2007 Calendar.
  
• My father insists they are printing newspapers in a smaller font nowadays... if this kind of denial is found in your home as well, perhaps you should pick up a super-sized television remote.
  

If you have found some interesting gifts for the holiday season let me, and everyone else, know about them by posting links below in the comments section.

Mailbox surprise

I just recently changed my DMV record to reflect my San Diego address. This may or may not have been due to the fact that I was issued a citation for not having the correct address on my license somewhat recently. (Talk about a victim-less crime...) Anyway, good thing I made the change, otherwise I might not have received the jury summons that I got in the mail today.

The one thing most people would consider worse than an unexpected bill is the dreaded jury summons. I actually would not mind doing my "civic-duty;" being on a jury is actually pretty intriguing to me.

I am concerned about something, however. On the back of the summons it reads:

The right of a trial by jury is the privilege of every peson in the United States. This right is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the California Constitution, which provides, "the right of trial by jury shall be secured to all, and remain inviolate."

It goes on to say that in order to make the system work that people need to be willing to serve on juries. But the Superior Court of San Diego seems to be misinformed, or maybe they just printed their summons forms before President Bush signed into law legislation allowing the Executive Branch to decide if you get a jury trial or not.

This makes me wonder if there is such a thing as a conscientious objector status (or something equivalent) for jury duty.

The reason that the Superior Court system gives for fulfilling your civic duty is because each one of us is guaranteed a jury trial. However, I am now asking myself, should I fulfill my end of the covenant, serving on jury, when our government is no longer willing to fulfill their part of the deal?