Most of us are fastened to technology. If anything involving the internet or any other modern tech were removed from us for even an hour, we would be in utter disarray. No communication, no social media, no tv shows. How does anyone survive?
Here are some stats for you, 99% of houses have computers. Almost half of them have more than one. And oh, by the way, there are more mobile phones than people in the whole world. Let that sink in for a minute. So again, if these techs were somehow unable to function properly the way they are supposed to, let’s just say it won’t be a pretty picture. Here are a few computer tricks that you need to learn, just in case.
1. Autosave EVERYTHING
Most people never listen to good advice. And this is one of the best ones you’ll ever get. You hear that saying that experience is the best teacher, but is this situation that is not the case. People have literally destroyed their computers and laptops because they worked hours and hours typing and researching and copying, and all of a sudden, an unscheduled blackout happens and your computer shuts down for a minute. Then you remember, you didn’t save your work. Mental breakdowns have been known to happen because of this.
Autosaving is usually the default setting with every software your computers has. Nonetheless, it is not a bad idea to make sure that the feature is turned on. Microsoft Word, Excel (and MS Office in general) are pretty good in autosaving and auto-recovery settings. You need to learn to save either to a cloud storage (saving your files to the internet) or an external hard drive that automatically saves everything that you do (Mac Time Machine is a good option).
2. Minor Majors
You have to be aware of the little things. Modern operating systems and websites offer a lot of “hidden” functions that they don’t announce but are quite useful for the different needs that you may have. Taking a screenshot used to be so difficult, now you can do it with one hand (shift+command+3 for Mac users). You can move the Youtube video by 10 seconds in one click (forward or backward).
Hardware improvements also come with the software updates. If you need more than one monitor (watch a movie on one while typing on the other), it’s basically “plug and play” these days. And pretty big minor is cybersecurity. Most software is designed to protect your identity. To be fair, there is no 100% guarantee from any company or website (did you hear about the Facebook leaks?) Yet, you can feel safe knowing that companies are doing everything they can to keep you protected.
3. Newer is Better (Usually)
This is not exactly a trick as much as a suggestion. Now, you might be thinking that your computer is fine and you don’t need to buy another one. You might be right. Still, if you were to check your computer and realize that it’s more than 5 years old, then there’s a big probability that some of the programs that you are using aren’t working at optimal functions anymore.
Remember those autosaving feature and minor majors that you just read? Some of them might not work because they won’t be compatible anymore with your hardware. And yes, the tech world is like that. Evolving and improving faster than ever before. And if you want to stay with the times, go online and check what newer models of computers that you can possibly afford soon.
Money is always an issue when it comes to technology. It is seldom cheap. But when it comes to daily, regular usefulness, the computer is one of the necessities. The good news is that there are so many brands and models of computers that you have numerous options to look at. There are so many store sales, discounts, and even payment options (hello, Black Friday) available that they make it impossible for you to give the reason that you can’t afford it.
The bottom line is simple. Computers are a must in the modern world. Whether it’s for business emails, social media connecting with friends, or the main thing for your online job, they are here to stay. So why not just roll with the tides. Technology will make things easier, you just need to teach it how to help you.
