A web designer's world
mistywindow
international headquarters
Finding stuff on mistywindow.com
The nice folk at Google have mistywindow well indexed, so you can use this Google search box to find what you want.
Thanks Google.
On all mistywindow.com pages, you can search the site using the JRank search box in the left column under the navigation buttons.
Ubuntu 8.04: Linux on the rise?
Just a few weeks ago I tried the pre-release free Linux operating system, Ubuntu 8.04. I wrote in my blog that it was a major advance but that I didn't see it pushing Windows off my desktop for a while yet.
Well, I'm partially eating my words. After many past nibbles at Linux which were short-lived, with the final release of Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron I virtually dumped Windows for my day-to-day computing needs for over a month.
For me at least, the Ubuntu Linux distribution has finally evolved to the point where it can do all the things that most people need to do on their computers with no more pain than Windows. What's more it can be installed more easily than Windows by an average computer user.
More info here on my blog: @ my wits' end.
There will be a lot more info here about Linux in general, and Ubuntu in particular, over the next few days and weeks.
Visit my wits' end
mistywindow's weblog. Ramblings about computers, the planet, the environment, New Zealand and anything else which I choose to let off steam about. Have your say @ my wits' end
What's on this Page?
Getting around the
site - What you will and won't
get
Disasters in waiting - Saving
and backing up your stuff
Avoiding Windows disasters:
- protect yourself against all the nasty stuff that's lurking on the Internet;
- avoid computer Armageddon by carrying out vital and easy computer maintenance.
- set up your computer to run more efficiently;
- what you need to know before you buy your next PC;
- what the vendors should have told you when you bought the last one, but didn't;
- what programs you may, or may not, need in order to make the best use of your computer;
- and a lot of other stuff. See the the Site Map, the Site Indexor the flyout menu on the left to find your way around.
Getting around the site
- Click on the expanding links in the column at top left to jump to another page.
- If you're new to the Internet and need help finding your way around a website, go to Site Help by clicking here, when you've read that, tap the Backspace key to return to this page.
- The Site Map is here, with links to everything in mistywindow.com.
What else?
You'll find links to other sites, some are commercial, but only those which I believe are useful or interesting and not harmful to the health of your PC or your wallet.
What you Won't Get
Should you give me your email address or any other details, I won't give them to anyone else, not ever, end of story. I won't try to sell you anything, I won't put any cookies on your PC and I won't plague you with pop-ups or spyware.
Exception: My blog, @ my wits' end, will put a benign cookie on your computer so that the site knows who you are when you post a comment.
You won't get too many graphics — where it's avoidable — so that pages don't take too long to load for those of you without fast internet connections. On some pages it's unavoidable, mainly because of screenshots. I'm working on ways of improving this.
You will get Antipodean English spelling and syntax. It may not be logical, but it's my English. I gave up on programme for the sake of search engines, but I stand firm on colour!
The site is mainly about Windows XP, although users of older Windows versions will find most information relevant. Where there's a major difference, I've said so. In previous Windows versions you will find that the location of some files and folders is different from that stated. You may have to search using Windows Explorer or My Computer (Start/My Computer).
Over coming weeks and months there will be increasing amounts of information provided about Windows Vista.
Computer Disasters-in-Waiting
"They have computers and other weapons of mass destruction"
Janet Reno
- You are not alone. I provide free help to people with computer problems.
I've found that most PC users' knowledge of their computers is insufficient
to allow them to maintain their machines or to use them efficiently.
The solutions are not difficult. - A person I help has written a doctoral thesis on a laptop and at last check had no backup copies of any of her work. One component or vital system file fails — years of work lost.
- Many others, through lack of basic housekeeping procedures, have totally trashed their computers and all data. They have no copies of the data and often none of the original software.
- I was recently involved in a team effort helping a person desperate to reclaim data from a disc. "This will destroy my life" was part of his anguished plea. Happily, his files were saved. Not everyone is so lucky and his stress could so easily have been avoided.
I find keen digital photographers who have thousands of photos on their one hard disk drive, but no copies. People who would be in major strife if their PC died, often don't have the knowledge necessary to prevent that happening or to dig themselves out of the hole if it does.
This website has been created to help such people.
Saving and Backing up Your Data
Sooner or later every hard disc drive will die! all you need do is wait long enough. Mistakes on your part, viruses, or physical damage can destroy your data. The insurance against these potential disasters is here, at Backing up Data. mistywindow will ensure that you don't allow yourself to get into these unhappy predicaments.
From here, click on one of these links or use the Flyout Menu at the top of the page:
This path takes you through the steps required to protect your computer and your data:
Next: Fighting Viruses and other Malware »
This one guides you through the knowledge you need when buying or upgrading a computer:
Or you can go to the Site Map, here, and browse around.