Updates

I am a Computer Hardware professional. I started working with computer technology in the early eighties. I have seen the evolution of technology starting with closed platforms like the game console era and then the move toward open platforms like the Home Computer Golden Age. In the last 5 or 10 years, I have witnessed technology changes that are slowly moving away from open hardware designs towards hardware that is locked down and can’t be modified by the user....more

Maybe this is a byproduct of cost savings decisions by replicating enterprise-grade hardware manufacturing design principles and using them to design consumer-grade technology. Recently I received a Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 that has options removed. The storage section had no setting to change to a non-raid option. Because OEMs install bloatware on their systems, I choose to install the OS clean, or in most cases, I need to clone a system from dissimilar hardware....more

I repair computers and provide solutions to everyday computer challenges for home users and very small businesses. To find out more about me, visit my home page. Very recently, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers of consumer desktops and laptops, like Dell, HP and Sony, etc.) have been introducing new features into the Basic Input/Output System (the system that controls all the hardware in a computer). These features are put in under the guise of protecting the consumer, but in practice they are unnecessary and over-complicating the setup and experience, reducing ownership power and ownership privacy....more

Having a computer opens doors, and building one will open even more. I built my first computer in 2020, and it opened my eyes to this. As a kid, I always had a fixation with disassembling different electronics and trying to see how they worked. Often when I would take something apart and put it back together it would no longer work, and it was a bit of a disappointment, but when it worked it was incredible....more

Google Sign-in Page - Lockout Example I am a computer professional that helps the public with technology. I have been troubleshooting computer problems for over 25 years. To find out more about me, visit my home page. Many criminal activities are moving online. The cost of cybercrime is predicted to reach 8 trillion in 2023 and for the next five years, it’s going to increase by 15%. Some main targets will be account holders of free online services like Gmail, but other services will also be affected....more

How to protect yourself from losing your important information by understanding how data loss can happen.

In 2018 my Mordheim play-through ended abruptly. A quarter of the way in, I suffered a brain hemorrhage. My miraculous recovery changed my life for the better and you can read about my experience in my book, but now I am finally getting back into gaming. I find 1st/3rd person perspective strategy games interesting. Maybe because I prefer unconventional gameplay. This one is Turn-based, which is an interesting take on a game that has fighting elements in various locations of Mordheim....more

There are many reasons why backing up matters. In my experience, the most important reason is sudden damage to the main storage device. When the main storage device fails, your computer or laptop becomes inaccessible, preventing access to your data. If the loss is catastrophic, this can result in a total and unrecoverable loss of your important files like documents, pictures, and music. Having backup software automate regular backups prevents you from having to think about, or remember to do it yourself....more

Computers should just last forever, right? Automobiles don’t last forever, and neither do computers. Computers are much more likely to break down or cause issues due to wear and tear because they are much more complicated. Just like automobiles, they require regular upkeep and eventually, yes, they need to be upgraded. Here are 5 reasons why you should upgrade your computer every five years. File Corruption Due to Wait Times Lengthy delays opening resource intensive applications like Outlook creates the illusion of slow or no response....more