The New Year presents an opportunity to make resolutions related to you and your computers. Some resolutions will come at a cost to your wallet. Others will simply help you focus on developing practical habits related to your computer use. Whether the resolutions require money or only time, they can help you protect your files and equipment and generally make you a better computer user.

Your first resolution might be to get into the habit of protecting your computer from damage by viruses. An estimated 500 viruses are discovered each month. For this reason, your protection is only as reliable as you are in keeping the software updated. Make sure you update regularly or consider buying antivirus software from companies that provide automatic daily updates.

Remember also that viruses aren't the only threat to your computer. Theft, flooding, power surges, mechanical failures, viruses: any of these can destroy years worth of data in a matter of seconds. For example, power surges can destroy your equipment and files or put extra strain on computer components.

If you can afford it after Christmas, go out and buy a good quality surge protector. Some of these even come with insurance. If your system is damaged while connected to the surge protector, you can be reimbursed for your loss. Adopting this resolution may cost you money initially but could result in a wise investment in the end.

As a follow-up resolution, be prepared in the event that something does damage your computer. If you adopt the habit of backing up files, you can minimize the damage of viruses or power surges. The good news is that backups are not as difficult to perform as you might think.

You will not need to backup programs because you probably already have the originals on CD-ROMs and you can download programs from the Internet. You only need to do a backup of your data files, such as documents, spreadsheets, e-mail, pictures, etc.

Depending on what equipment you have, you can copy these files onto a CD. These devices can hold 650 megs of data whereas diskettes hold only 1.4 megs each. Zip drives will also provide you with large storage capacity. If you have any available online storage space from your Internet service provider, you can always upload your files to that space.

Keep in mind that backups should be stored in a place other than where your computer is stored. Theft, fire, or flooding could result in a loss of your machine as well as your backups.

Your next resolution could be to organize your files. Good file management makes doing backups and restoring damaged files a lot easier. Store all your files in folders which you can create yourself or use existing ones such as "My Documents". Delete any programs or files that you no long use. Delete files with a .tmp extension because they can clutter your hard drive, slow down performance and even cause error messages and crashes.

When you have made all of your resolutions aimed at preventing damage to your computer from outside sources, you will need to focus on threats that are closer to home. Start by protecting your computer from the threat posed by heat. It can cause unnecessary wear on internal components and chips and can generally lower the performance of your system.

Get into the habit of keeping your computer cool. There should be adequate ventilation around your computer and monitor. You will need to minimize dust levels because dust acts like a blanket keeping components hot. Remove dust from your computer at least twice a year and from your monitor about once every 2 years.

The easiest way to dust the inside of your system is to use a vacuum cleaner hose followed by use of a can of compressed air. You can clean the monitor with ordinary household glass cleaner or with anti-static wipes.

Once you've adopted some resolutions to protect your machine, you may want to turn your attention to protecting yourself as a computer user. If you spend more than two hours per day on the computer, you might just be at risk of developing repetitive strain injuries or of damaging your vision.

There are a few habits you can practice that will help you prevent damage to your body as a result of repeated computer use. To avoid carpal-tunnel syndrome, provide support under your wrists when handling a mouse. Hold the mouse loosely so that there is little tension in your hand or fingers.

To prevent injury to your neck, position your monitor so that the top line of text is just below eye level and the distance from your eyes to the screen is about arms' length. For vision protection, reduce glare as much as possible and use incandescent lighting or indirect natural light.

Avoiding injury to your back will be easier if you have a good chair and proper posture while seated at the computer. Get into the habit of taking regular short exercise breaks to reduce strain on joints and muscles.

Finally, my own personal New Year's resolution for 2002, is to actually spend less time on the computer. As much as I enjoy computing, I find that it is no substitute for quality time with loved ones, going for a walk or for simply curling up with a good book in front of a cozy fire on cold winter nights. Happy computing and Happy New Year!

Previously published in The Express 12/01
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