Just because you have been using a computer for a long time, doesn’t mean you know how to use it in the most effective and efficient way. Even people who are “computer savvy” tend to overlook the simple things that can help make their computer experience easier and more convenient. Before you get into the more technical aspects of maintaining and managing your computer, here are 10 basic things that every computer user should know.
- Setting It Up
Many people still have problems with setting up a computer despite the color coding of the connections. Most cords only plug into one hole so familiarizing yourself with the connections can help pave your way into becoming tech savvy.
- Keep Your PC Secure
It’s very important to keep your computer protected not only from viruses and malware, but also from hackers that target your personal data. To ensure the security and privacy of your PC, make sure you install a reputable antivirus software with a security package and set-up a firewall.
- Restart
Many people fail to realize that a lot of computer-related problems can be instantly solved by simply restarting their PC—not by shutting it down. If your computer starts acting up, try restarting it first before doing anything else.
- Keyboard Commands
Common keyboard commands can help you accomplish your computer tasks faster. There are a lot of useful keyboard commands apart from Ctrl+C (copy) and Ctrl+V (paste). Ctrl+F will open up a search box in a browser or document to help you find specific words on a wordy page. Ctrl+S will instantly save the file you’re working on. And Ctrl+Tab will quickly switch between open tabs in a browser. As we anticipate what is next, especially with the New MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar, we could see a complete touch keyboard in the future.
- Set Up A Backup
Setting up a simple backup system is common knowledge but not everyone actually does it. It’s very important to backup your system in order to keep your data safe if ever your computer fails. It’ll only take minutes and you can do it online or by using an external hard drive.
- Regular Maintenance
Simple maintenance such as updating your OS, running the antivirus software, cleaning temporary files, and uninstalling useless programs is enough to keep your PC running smooth and fast.
- Using The Search Engine
Search engines can help turn your PC into very powerful research tools if you know how to use it efficiently. It takes more than just typing a couple of keywords into the search box—search engine operators including the words “and,” “or,” “not,” and the asterisk (*) or tilde (~) symbols can help narrow down results for more advanced searches.
- Networking Diagnosis
Connectivity problems are one of the most common issues that computer users encounter. Some of the most basic networking diagnosis you should know includes determining your IP address, restarting your router, and checking the physical connection to the network.
- Tracking Your PC
There are a lot of apps or programs available nowadays that can help track your laptop if it gets lost or stolen. Some of these apps can even take a photo of whoever might be using it.
- File Extensions
Many computer users are still not aware of what file extensions are and complain when they can’t seem to open up a file. There are a lot of file extensions ranging from .jpeg to .epub to .docx which determine the type of file and which programs can open it.
Your computer experience can be further enhanced by learning some of the most basic things that computer users should know. By knowing these simple things, you are well on your way to becoming computer literate.
by Mike Robinson