August 2000 Volume 81 Number 8 "serving the protectors"
By Mike Horsfall

PC PERFORMANCE TIPS

Do you find you concentrate more on keeping your PC running reliably than you do on caring for the family, or maintaining the family home? Well don’t be too hard on yourself. Today’s PCs have so many features - and come with so many programs and add-on devices - that you almost need to be a nuclear physicist to keep them running reliably.

The first tip to performance success is to use only good quality components, which may be easier said than done. With so many retailers all offering the best deals at the best prices, it is so easy to compromise on quality, a practice one should vigorously resist. Interrogating friends and colleagues is often the most successful method of sourcing a good retailer. And, when you’re on a good thing - stick to it.

The best system can still fail if it’s running on outdated, inadequate or corrupted software. Few of us can rely solely on our own skills when it comes to ironing out these bugs, so the next rule is to secure the services of a resident expert. But, as you source this demi-god, don’t feel too despondent: chances are that the person only appears to know more than you do because he or she has experienced more problems than you have. Listen carefully to the advice given but don’t follow it blindly. Reinstalling the troublesome software is often the best solution.

The first target when the PC just doesn’t respond is likely to be this local guru, who will have already complied with the third rule: use the latest available operating system. He or she has probably forgotten all about that old system that no one really uses anymore. With its advanced features, Windows 98 is the recommended operating system, and once mastered few users will even consider returning to Win95.

The final rule relates to software, including applications, games and patches. Applications are those software programs that we all use to manage the recording and display of information on our PCs. Microsoft Office (Word, Access, Excel, etc), Vet Antivirus, Adobe Acrobat, Netscape and Internet Explorer are examples of some of the applications common to many of us. PC games range from the basic Solitaire (included with Windows) to the more advanced range of 3D games.

Few applications and games released today are free from programming errors, and these glitches are the source of much of the pain and anguish in the inexperienced operator. To correct these errors, software developers produce “patches” which, when installed, fix the erroneous programming code. Unfortunately, Internet access is usually required to obtain these repair files and they can often be rather large and time consuming to download.

Most Windows based games now require the installation of DirectX, a Microsoft program that permits games to directly access the processor’s potential. As with many other programs, DirectX is continually evolving. If games are not running as expected make sure you are running the most recent version of DirectX (7a). It’s available on the net and included with many new game releases.

If your PC still proves to be unreliable, it’s likely to involve your PC’s hardware (the bits inside). Finding the problem component is often a case of trial-and-error and may necessitate the services of someone more knowledgeable. For this, you’ll need to see your “recommended repairer”.

MICROSOFT OFFICE 2000

Having the latest software is often like buying the first series of a new model car: the series 2 model often has the bugs ironed out. This has also been the case with the variety of Office applications released.

The latest in the Office suite of applications from Microsoft is Office 2000, and although only recently released, a patch is already available which will fix up a few “bugs”. Available at http://www.officeupdate.Microsoft.com/, the patch is about 25MB, which means it will take around two-and-a-half hours to download. It will no doubt be included on the newer-release CDs.

Irrespective of the patch, prospective purchases shouldn’t delay. Our trials have shown the enhanced features of Office 2000 will mean better productivity and greater ease of operation.

Visit http://www.microsoft.com/office to assist you with your decision to purchase Office 2000.

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