Windows 10 gets closer…

If you are a Windows computer user, you may have noticed a new little “icon” has appeared in your “tray” – on the bottom right of the screen, near the time and date.  It looks like this: See the square icon on the left?  Microsoft has put this there to encourage you to register to download Windows 10. Windows 10 is due out later this year, and it promises to be much, much better than the ill-fated Windows 8 (later 8.1). Upgrading from Windows 7 or 8 (8.1) will be free for the first year. What should you do? There’s no harm in registering – you will be notified when the download is available.  You can download it, but I would not advise installing it right away. With all new systems there are “teething problems”, and it would be wise to wait a month or two before jumping in. If you currently have Windows 8, or 8.1, there is every reason to then install Windows 10 and enjoy the ease of operation it offers.  However, if you are a Windows 7 user, there is no compelling reason to upgrade as yet. Windows 7 works well, and you are familiar with it.  Windows 10 will be similar, but invariably there will be new things to get used to.  It looks like this: Note the “tiles” on the right of the start menu. These are modified from Windows 8.1, but we have the start button back, and a much more familiar desktop. Windows 10 will hopefully be a vast improvement on 8.1. It may not be much of an improvement on Windows 7, but at least you will have longer life.  Support for Windows 7 ends in January 2020. Apparently There will be no Windows 11, but Microsoft will update Windows 10 as it goes along.  We shall see how it all turns out. For more details and advice, and to help install Windows 10 when the time comes, contact me at PC Care

Beware the scammers!

With computers being quite complex affairs, liable to go wrong, run slow, and be generally frustrating, there are those who take advantage of the unwary.

I have recently been contacted by a number of customers who have had phone calls from someone purporting to be from “Microsoft”, “Technical support” or some such plausible title.  This person tells you that your computer has a problem.  Either someone has ‘hacked into it’, or it ‘has a virus’, is ‘running slow’ etc.  Because at some time most people have trouble with their computers, you answer “oh yes, that’s true.”  Then they invite you to view certain files on youir computer which they say “prove”  it has major problems.  A favourite is called the Event Viewer.  This is a standard part of the Windows system which shows hundreds of apparent errors, “warnings” and “critical failures”, etc.  In reality very few of these are of any significance at all, but it can scare the daylights out of you if you don’t know.

The scammer then offers to sort this out.  He asks you to go to a certain web page and allow him to take control of your computer. At this point the motives of the scammers seem to vary.  Some will download free software on to your PC, and charge you for it.  Others may put a virus on your computer which may start sending them information – bank details, passwords etc. – and charge you for it. Or both.
If this happens, your computer will need checking by a reputable local computer engineer to make sure anything nasty is removed.

The way to avoid all this grief is to put the phone down if you ever get such a call – and they are incredibly common.  I have had several such calls. Just don’t get involved.  And don’t be tricked into thinking that anyone on the phone can see that your computer has a problem.  They can’t.  Simple.  Unless you tell them!

For help, advice and support, visit my website at www.pccare.me.uk

Microsoft Office 2013 – not recommended?

Microsoft have recently released Office 2013, the latest version of their “Office” suite of programs like Word, Excel, Publisher. etc. 

A majority of people are using some form of Office program, maybe going back to the popular 1997 version. Unfortunately these older versions do not work with the latest Windows software, Windows 8, so as users upgrade, they will need to update their wordprocessing programs. But Office 2013?  I am beginning to think that Microsoft have finally overreached themselves and risk losing out to free alternatives (yes, there are free alternatives to Microsoft Word!)

The new Office has not been that well received, certainly for domestic users for whom price is a key issue.  You have two options, a one-off price of around £95 for one PC, which is not transferable if you change your computer.  Or you can pay an annual fee of around £70 for 5 PCs.  There are a variety of other price options but those are the cheapest (Amazon).

Office 2013 wants you to save your work in the “cloud”.  So rather than save work on your own computer, the default is that you save it on Microsoft’s own servers.  Advantage? You can access your work from any computer, anywhere. Disadvantage? Most home users are not likely to want that, and would prefer to save documents on their own computer, away from prying eyes!  This is possible with Office 2013, but it’s a fiddle to get there!

However, all is not lost.  A free alternative to Office which is gaining popularity, is Libre Office.  It’s been around for a while, known as Open Office, but for various reasons, as Libre Office it is gaining ground. Documents created in Microsoft Office can be opened in Libre Office.  For many users, Libre Office does all you need.  It will also save documents in Microsoft formats if required.  If you want to save yourself a lot of money on a new “Word” program, Libre Office may well be the one for you.

For more help and information, visit me at pccare.me.uk

 

A KISS would help

KISS – or “Keep It Simple, Stupid”, is a phrase that every software developer and PC manufacturer ought to know, perhaps especially Microsoft.

As  I visit customers to help them with computer issues, it’s increasingly clear to me that the average person does not stand a chance.  Computers abound with warning messages which are mostly quite insignificant, but which baffle and worry the average user.  Automatic updates of anti-virus programs, or of things like Adobe Reader, flag up notices which are worded in such a way as to scare the pants off anyone who’s knowledge of computers is below GCSE level – which, let’s face it, is a lot of people.

The Government is keen to get older people online.  Well, give them a simple computer with clear and large buttons which make it foolproof and easy.

When it comes to software, like Microsoft Word or Windows Live Mail, the options and alternatives available are truly mind-boggling.  Very often, all people want is to write a letter or send an e-mail.  Options for text style, colour, font, boxes, shapes, lines and all the rest are completely irrelevant.  Give them a simple screen with the minimum of choices.

I don’t want to  be patronising to the many older people who are quite happy with the current state of affairs and enjoy all the options available.  But it isn’t just older people who get confused. In the course of my work I have met many people, men and women, older and younger, who admit to being “computer phobic” and are befuddled by all the funny ways of the latest hi-tech gear. I am simply arguing for an alternative for those who feel that way.

I suppose I should be grateful.  The mysterious ways of computers, and their tendency to go wrong, does keep me in work.  Bring on the calls!

What is a “friend”?

So Facebook has decided to offer us “groups”. Apparently we’ll be able to sub-divide our friends into groups, so that we can share perhaps more personal information with just a closer group of friends, rather than all of them.  That sounds a good move.  There are too many stories about people putting too much stuff on FB and then getting caught out, for example, saying things like  “my job is boring”, and getting fired as a result.  Now your boss won’t be able to see such defamatory comments.  Also, the definition of a “friend” on FB is rather wide.  I have a lot of FB ‘friends’ whom I don’t know that well, and sometimes they put things on their status that they might not say in front of me!

“Groups” is a welcome development by Facebook.  Its now the biggest social network in the world, with, I’ve heard, more members than a small country! But even so, people should be aware of the dangers of putting too much information about themselves online.  So, well done to FB for a long-overdue enhancement, but still, be careful what you put online, it may come back to bite you!

Here at PC Care, I offer website, blogging and social networking services and consultation in Worthing and surrounding areas, as well as PC and laptop servicing.

Laptop or desktop?

Desktop or laptop? – the choice is yours

Laptop computers are selling well.  They are compact, convenient and portable.  But a laptop may not be the right choice for your next computer.  It all depends how you are going to use it, and what compromises you are prepared to make.

Laptops are well advertised, and sales have increased in recent years.  It’s tempting to buy a shiny new computer that you can pop in a bag or take on the train.  The larger desktop computers, with their separate keyboard, mouse and screen, seem clumsy and bulky in comparison.  But look a little further – laptops are often more expensive, and a lot more fragile.  If you drop it, or trip over the wire and break the power socket, the cost of repair could be high.  Spill food or drink on the keyboard, and you may have to say goodbye! A few years down the line when it’s getting a bit slow, or the hard drive is not big enough for your latest music collection, upgrading can be difficult.  Desktops, on the other hand, are often cheaper, replacement keyboards, monitors and mice easy to come by, and easily upgradeable with more memory and storage.  The larger keyboard and separate mouse on a desktop PC make for ease of use.

Don’t get me wrong.  Laptops are fine, and repairs are not impossible.  If you need a portable, compact PC, then go for it.  Treat it well, and it will serve you well.  But for a more robust, more future-proof solution, for me it’s a desktop every time.

PC Care offers a reliable, professional repair and maintenance service for laptops and desktops in and around Worthing!  I’ll advise on the best system for you, and offer training to help you get the most out of it.  Call me on 01903 533586 or e-mail me.  Visit my website at www.pccare.me.uk.

(First published in the Goring Guide, Feb 2010)

Reliability

Isn’t it annoying when people let you down?  They say they’re going to come round, or supply something, and don’t do it.  I get annoyed by that, and when I started PC Care I decided that I wanted to be known for reliability.  I don’t need to be the cheapest, I don’t even need to know all the answers, but I do need to honour my word and do what I say.

So when you call me out, you can be sure that I will be there, on time, unless there is an inevitable delay and I call you to rearrange.  I have an answering machine for when I am out or unavailable, and if you leave a message I will get back to you, ideally within a few hours.

I look forward to your call!

Friday evening..

Here we are then, home after another day in Eastbourne.  I’m currently fitting in  PC  Care  around my day job, which I am giving up at Christmas, so from the New Year I’ll  be full time computer fixing.  Looking forward to it…  I’ve got one PC on the bench at the moment, awaiting virus removal, a DVD drive to get for someone, and another call – waiting for him to call me back.  So it’s all go, and its Friday evening….