One Person’s View of Maintaining a System

By Jamie Yates

This should be fun - writing up my own meeting preview for the April 4 DACS General Meeting. The chosen subject is “One Person’s View of Maintaining a System.” I wonder how many superlatives I can get in. Here goes ….

It seems that during the Random Access segment of our General Meeting, we get a number of questions on how to maintain a system. What software should I use? How about backups? What options do I have to protect my system? How can I solve problems that may crop up when the system slows down or when strange things occur while sitting at the keyboard?

Well, let’s find out. As Vice President of Programs for DACS, I will be the guinea pig for the evening. I will describe what I do on my own system to keep it humming along, and when I may encounter a problem. Is my process perfect? No, but I’m sure I’ll get lots of input from the audience. So I can improve my methods, since there are many different products out there and many good approaches to the subject. The only bad approach is no approach at all, and I’m sure none of you use that one. But according to statistics, that’s the approach most people use.

I must admit, I am either the luckiest person on earth or pretty !?*# good, since I haven’t had a virus or spyware (to my knowledge), in over 20 years (knock on wood). It’s not to say they haven’t tried—but to borrow a phrase from Tom Cruise in Top Gun, “it’s looking good so far.”

I will go over my hardware and software configuration: system settings; software I use to protect my system and data; how, when and what I backup; what I read to keep current on what types of problems are floating around; where I go to research potential and real problems that may or do occur; and many more areas that I’m sure you will be interested in.

This presentation is based on Microsoft Windows, but many of the items apply whether you use a Mac or run Linux.

You gotta see this presentation. One of us may learn something.

You are bound to leave with some new ideas on what to do or what not to do.

I suggest you bring anyone you know who has asked these types of questions, or who just keeps bugging you for suggestions and information—especially after they have a problem.