A few words about MS Windows stability. To those with home computers this may be less of an issue but for people whose livelihoods depend on their PCs and the programs that run on them, there are some lessons to be learned. I would like to point out a few of the most important things you can do to keep your computers up and running.

To begin with, there are 3 applications you must have that provide the foundation for a stable Windows system. The first is a virus scanner. Viruses present a threat to just about any device that has software installed on it, including cell phones. Viruses can be transmitted through email, software programs, surfing the Internet, sharing information with other users through diskettes, zip disks, tapes, etc. Many of the early viruses were spread by Eastern Bloc countries and countries behind the now defunct Iron Curtain. Wouldnt surprise me if this becomes a popular venue for terrorists.

Ever notice your Internet browser slowing down, or strange icons appearing on your desktop, or maybe your browsers home page has changed and you cant change it back. These are all indications that you have been the victim of spyware/adware. These are insidious little programs that get installed on your system by hackers and advertising companies through emails, software and music downloads, Instant Messaging and Internet browsing. This is such a big problem that Dell reports that nearly 20% of their tech. support calls involves Spyware/adware. The third application and your first line of defense is a firewall which can consist of hardware, software or both that sits between your computer and the outside world, whether its the Internet, Intranet or a network. If you have Windows XP you already have that as an option and it is automatically implemented. (Make sure you have ServicePack 2 installed, which insures it is properly implemented) For those of you with previous versions of Windows there are software programs you can either download for free or purchase that will accomplish the same thing.

The next thing you can do is perform periodic maintenance. This can prevent many problems, especially over time. The good news is that you dont have to purchase or install anything because Windows comes standard with some of these tools. Go to Accessories > System tools. There you will find Disk Cleanup and Disk defragmenter. These are two applications that can go a long way towards keeping your system healthy. Depending on how you use your system, you should perform these at least once per month.

There is another thing you can do that is even overlooked by many computer specialists. DO NOT load an application or program on your Windows system unless you absolutely need it. The more applications you load on your system the more you destabilize Windows. Even if you install a program and then immediately uninstall it, there are still remnants of it that linger on your system and can act like a time bomb. I am a firm believer in the KISS (Keep it simple, stupid) method when it comes to Windows. And this includes those helpful desktop utility programs that purport to add, much needed capability to your system.

Another thing you can do for your Windows is to periodically update your systems. Microsoft provides updates on their website not only for Windows, but also for their applications as well. You can setup your system to automatically perform updates but this is a double-edged sword. Ive seen cases where someone sits down in front of their computer in the morning and found their system totally corrupt after having been automatically updated while they slept. Some would argue that this may have been caused by a system that was already marginal to begin with, but I prefer to perform the updates manually. But however you do it, this is a very important process that should not be neglected.

The last point I would like to make concerning Windows stability addresses the hardware that your Windows is installed on. I am a firm believer in keeping your PC on ALL the time. Assuming it is protected from electrical anomalies with surge protectors and Uninterruptible Power Supplies and also assuming that you have the requisite security systems in place, you will find that your hardware lasts longer, including your hard drive if you keep your system on. Some will argue that newer technologies suggest that you should turn them off at night but my experience has proven otherwise. A classic example is a light bulbit is much more likely to fail when you turn it on rather then when it is being used. This has to do with the initial surge of current your light bulb (system) encounters when power is first applied.