This is a test blog posting

To see if it will automatically post to Friendly Computers of Georgetown Facebook fan page.

Restore disks? What's that?

So your laptop hard drive no longer works. It has crashed. You take your laptop into the repair shop and the first thing they ask you for is restore disks. Huh? I don't have any, didn't get any, don't know what you mean..... at Friendly Computers we get this all the time. And, depending on the model (one of the reasons friends don't let friends buy HP) restore disks may not be available from the manufacturer.

This is when it gets bad. A new hard drive is about $125. But you've got no operating system to put on it. The operating system is on the restore disks and you didn't receive any. Why not? Because you were supposed to make them yourself. One of the first things that owners of laptops (and PC's for that matter) do is to ignore that message that pops up that says "You need to make restore disks, click on this link" or something like that. If you did not make the disks, DO SO NOW. TODAY!

The manufacturers other than Dell typically only make a limited number of restore disks to sell as parts after the computer sale. When they are out, they are out. You will have to buy a new operating system ($200+) in addition to the new hard drive plus paying for the labor of installing it and finding the right drivers. So maybe $524 to fix it.

If you don't understand this call us now. If you do understand then are you making your disks TODAY?

Facebook PW Scam

This in from Technibble.com.. an email scam trying to get your password and/or put a virus on your PC:

"Subject: Facebook Password Reset Confirmation! Customer Support
Dear user of Facebook,
Because of the measures taken to provide safety to our clients, your password has been changed. You can find your new password in attached document.
Thanks,
Your Facebook.
Instead of having a fake Facebook page to collect the victims passwords (phishing), the email is sent with a malware attachment. The malware is known as “Bredolab” which is a Trojan downloader."

Fell free to give us a call at Friendly Computers 512-931-0303 if you get a message and aren't sure if it is real. We're glad to help.

http://www.friendlycomputers.com/marketing/newsletters/March2010_Win7.pdf

So once a month we send out a newsletter. If you aren't getting one I'd be happy to get you on the list. Here's an example of what we offer:

http://www.friendlycomputers.com/marketing/newsletters/March2010_Win7.pdf

So why buy a Friendly Computer anyway?

So now you've decided to buy a computer, which one do you need? Which processor? What operating system? How many MHZ? How much ram?

Frankly if you have someone selling you a computer and quoting features you don't understand you should take that as a reason not to buy from them. If they are asking what you want to do with the computer and offering ways to accomplish that with what you are going to buy then you are in a better place. Typically you will find that place in a small computer store. Yes, Friendly Computers in Georgetown.

True nonetheless.

We have a customer who only uses his computer to stream internet music and occasionally surf the internet. We've built him two computers both exactly what he needed. He still doesn't know a MHZ from a DMZ. Doesn't matter. We know how he uses his PC and we make sure he has what he needs.

All of our customers fit in that category. Many of them we've had since we opened five years ago. We know what they need and whether they should upgrade to the newest operating system or keep what they have. Whether they should get that laptop and go wireless in their house. Whether they should get a second refurbished PC and a switch so their grandchildren can have a computer to play on and not mess the primary one up when they visit.

And if there is a problem with the PC we sold them we know everything about it and about them and don't have to send it off to another state to get it fixed. They just call us and we fix it and get it back to them usually the next day fixed and updated and clean and ready to go.

In short we get to know our customers and help them through the technology maze as friends, not geeks.

Paying for those credit default swaps

OK, this is off my usual path but the more I think of it the more I'm embarrassed that I have not figured this out and acted on it myself. The country is full of local banks who hire, invest, and contribute locally. In many cases the money never leaves the community. And in some cases the banks have every service available from the big banks who nearly took the country down the financial tubes. Here is a site that advocates a movement to do something about it:
Fewer Fees, More Savings

I've been a member of a credit union most of my life but when I started a small business I landed with one of the banks who took money from the government and continue to do the same things they have causes so many problems including paying their executives at various astronomical rates.

There is a local bank here that offers the same services as my current bank. I'm Moving My Money. Will my current bank care? Probably not. There is a lot of power in numbers, though.

What kind of computer do I need?

I’m going to buy a computer and think I want a laptop but I have a PC right now. Or do I need a MAC?

We get this kind of question frequently. Last to first let me address Apple. The MAC devotees hear angels sing every time they boot up. And for what they cost the angels should be singing. Do you get what you pay for? I think so. BUT, and here’s the big BUT, if there’s a problem you HAVE to go to Apple Land and turn yourself over to the Apple acolytes. In this area of the country that is in the city. It is a very proprietary platform and Steve Jobs hangs on to his boxes with both hands. So your neighborhood computer support can’t do much to help and once your warranty runs out there are some serious bucks involved in repair.

PC or Laptop?

If you’ve already got a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse you like then a PC will be much more cost effective. A PC can be upgraded and are generally less likely to have a hardware problem. If they do it is much less expensive to fix than a laptop. But they obviously take up space, cause serious wiring tangles and chain you to desk.

Laptops are mobile, compact, more expensive for what you get, usually smaller keyboards, not upgradable, generally don’t last as long.

Netbooks are EXACTLY the same as all other laptops but they are smaller and do not have an internal CD/DVD (an external one can be bought that does the same as an internal)
Netbooks cost the least. At about $411 for the excellent ones we sell they are a good value. Add the 3 year warranty and you have a very portable flexible and guaranteed computer for about $125 per year with the probability it will last long beyond that.

If you are doing only email and some online banking, a netbook may do you well.

Need to spend some time composing letters, doing a bit more business, surfing a little more but still want to move around? Then a larger laptop.

If you are doing anything that HAS to be backed up, takes time to put together (think graphics or music composition) or has a serious business orientation then a desktop is the best way to go.