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COMPUTING TIPS, TRICKS AND TRAPS
PLUS COMMENTS REGARDING ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE COMPUTING
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Sometimes it takes months or years to stumble onto the ESSENTIAL
tips, tricks and traps with which every PC user should
become acquainted. Let's discuss a few of the more important
items which never seem to be covered adequately in the
instruction book which arrives with the computer. Many of these
tips apply to both laptops and desktop computers. If you are an
advanced user, glance at all of the tips - this tutorial
contains a sprinkling of basic, intermediate and advanced tips.
A little something for everyone! Let's begin....
Don't experiment with ORIGINAL copies of your files! If you want
to tinker with a word processing file or slice and dice your
accounting data FIRST make a floppy or hard disk copy of the
file and then work on the COPY in case something goes wrong.
That way you will have the original to fall back on in case you
need it.
Don't buy floppy disks when the price is too good to believe. If
your data is worth anything at all, a few pennies more can make
the difference between having that important business letter
obtainable or a dreaded error message on the screen that your
file format is unreadable just when you needed that file at 3
AM.
Make backup copies of important files. If the data is REALLY
important, keep yet a second or third copy in a safe deposit box
in case your home or office burns down! Sounds a little severe,
but just wait until you discover the joy of doing your income
tax return on your PC (fantastic compared to the old pen and
pencil way) and then discover somehow the ONLY copy of the file
is no good when the IRS decides to perform a routine audit!
For backup you might want to switch from the COPY command to the
sensational DOS XCOPY command (available in DOS versions 3.2 and
later) which also allows file copying and backup using
additional parameter switches which you can read about in your
DOS manual. For example the /S switch used with XCOPY will copy
all files from your subdirectories to the new target disk.
Adding /P to XCOPY will cause a pause at each step to ask
whether you want each file copied. Using the /D switch followed
by a date will allow you to copy only those files created or
modified on that date or later. All three of these switches can
be used in tandem.
Here's a standard tip which is so simple most people overlook
it. Whenever you buy a box of new diskettes, FORMAT them
immediately. Why? Reason one: you will find out if any disks are
bad and be able to return to the store rather than be down to
your last (surprise: defective!) disk when you need it. Reason
two: usually you are right in the middle of a long word
processed document and need to save the file, but OOPS, your
current disk is full. No problem. Just reach into the desk
drawer and grab an empty floppy disk. SURPRISE! The floppy disk
is NOT FORMATTED which forces you to exit your word processor,
lose the data permanently from RAM memory, and format the disk
just as you should have in the first place. Beginners luck, I
guess. . .
Here's an extremely important tip most beginners should
consider: AT class computers and those containing a 80286 CPU
chip also contain a special battery to maintain the "setup
configuration." This battery will eventually die and thus
cause you to lose your important setup data. The first sign
that your battery is going are mysterious losses of time and
dates. Other "strange" data losses may start to occur.
Eventually your computer will even refuse to start! Preventative
maintenance suggests that you dig around on your DOS disk(s) and
locate the SETUP program. Run setup and when you see the
configuration report screen (lots of funny numbers and
settings), hit the SHIFT-PRTSC (Shift key and Print Screen key
pressed at the same time). This will force a printout of the
valuable setup data to paper. You can also obtain shareware and
commercial software programs that will store this data to disk.
Most experienced users deal with the situation by making a
copy of this setup data onto a "safety disk." If your battery
dies, you will be able to quickly reconstruct the setup data
from your paper sheet or safety disk after replacing the battery
and running the setup program (or safety disk backup program.)
A better method, of course, is to realize that the battery
contained inside the computer lasts for about 2 to 4 years
and simply keep a record (much like oil changes on your car)
and manually replace it well before the deadline. Of course
when you replace it, run the setup program and record the
setup data on paper, since once you remove the battery the
data will be lost from memory. You might investigate newer
battery systems which automatically recharge themselves from the
power source of the computer and thus never need replacement.
IBM originally designed this feature, by the way, to supplant
the older "dip switch system" on the first PC's. In older
computers of the XT design, a user had to remove the PC cover and
carefully set tiny switches deep inside the computer whenever a
different circuit board or monitor system was used. This was
tedious, so the software equivalent of the tiny switches were
created in memory with settings stored by battery (when the
computer was shut down). This allowed users to change the setup
from the keyboard using the DOS setup program from the DOS disk
rather than removing the cover and fiddling with switches. The
downside is that now we must replace the battery periodically
and of course record the setup data on paper or disk. Technology
marches on!
Here's an "insider's" tip power users are familiar with. When
working with long text or document files such as instructions
for shareware packages, business letters and other text files it
is frequently useful to extract small portions to a separate
file or print for future reference. Power users frequently use
the shareware program LIST which browses or displays these
documents and can "clip" screens using the frequently overlooked
ALT-O key (press and hold ALT then hit O). Assuming LIST is
currently browsing your document, it will ask for the name of a
file to create which you may supply (e.g., custom.doc). List
will extract that single screen of data to the file. As you
continue browsing the document, hitting ALT-O will append or add
any additional screens to the special target file! When finished
you have a compact file of extracted text data which you can save,
print or edit with your word processor rather than wading
through endless screens of the lengthy master document! LIST
is available from all shareware vendors, many computer clubs and
individual users. Several shareware vendors are listed in the
tutorial on software.
Want the ultimate simple database? Combine LIST with any simple
word processor or text editor. Using your word processor type in
any list of ideas, phone numbers, addresses, parts inventory
which needs to be tracked. Save the information on disk as an
ASCII (plain text) file. Load the file into LIST using the
appropriate command (e.g., LIST INFO.DOC) and use the high speed
search feature by pressing the F key (F for find) and enter a
search phrase to locate (e.g., Denver). List will locate that
phrase and the information near it very rapidly. Pressing the F3
key will take you to the NEXT occurrence of the same search
phrase. When finished, hit the HOME key to return to the top of
the document to begin a new search. Technically you could use
your word processor's search feature to locate information also,
but LIST is quicker and more flexible. To update your simple
database, periodically edit the master document with your word
processor to change, delete or update entries.
When you turn on your computer each morning does DOS greet you
with several prompts instead of one? Do you see:
C>
C>
C>
This is easy to fix since most beginners are unaware that
someone has probably tinkered with the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and
inadvertantly added a few extra carriage returns to the end of
the file by pressing the return key several times when the file
was orginally created and saved on disk. Simply load AUTOEXEC.BAT
back into your word processor and remove all (usually invisible)
lines and spaces and carriage returns at the end of the file
(use the delete key). Resave the file as ASCII text with the same
name and your problem should disappear.
Beginners also need to know about the alternate keyboard.
Sometimes you need a special symbol like the cents sign, the
British currency (pounds sterling) symbol, or the one half
fraction sign. IBM compatable computers contain an "alternate
keyboard" system which allows access to special math, foreign
language and graphics symbols. The source is a special ASCII
chart printed in the appendix of your DOS manual as well as most
computer reference books. It's easy to use this system: while
you are in your word processor, DOS or other program, press AND
CONTINUOUSLY HOLD DOWN the Alt key and then USING ONLY THE
NUMBER KEYS ON THE NUMERIC KEYPAD (to the right of the keyboard,
not the normal number keys above the keyboard) hit the three
digit DECIMAL number code of the special character you need.
For example, from the ASCII table in the back of my DOS manual I
note that the symbol for the British currency Pound is decimal
code 156. I hold down the Alt key, press in sequence the three
numbers 156 on the numeric keypad and finally release the ALT
key to get the proper symbol on my screen.
There are many useful symbols for foreign languages, math,
fractions, foreign currency, symbols to draw boxes, lines and
useful graphics symbols. Note that these ASCII symbols will
usually display properly on your screen but MIGHT NOT print
properly on your printer since some are used for special control
codes and other activities. Many will, however, display on both
your screen and printer.
Jot down the codes for the most interesting ASCII symbols to
keep near your keyboard! By the way, PC-Magazine published a
shareware utility called ASC.COM several years ago (available
from many computer clubs and BBS systems) which can "pop up"
over many of your programs and display the full ASCII code table
for quick reference and handy use if you don't want to go
searching for the ASCII index in the back of your DOS manual.
Before leaving the discussion about the alternate keyboard, note
that crucial control of your printer - setting various typefaces
and features - can be provided via a combination of batch files
and use of the alternate keyboard. See the printer discussion at
the end of the batch file tutorial elsewhere on this disk.
Absolutely lethal trick: If you get the message ABORT, RETRY
IGNORE? from DOS while you are attempting to copy files from
one drive or disk to another DO NOT EVER switch disks in the
target drive (i.e., the drive to which files will be sent) then
answer RETRY.
If you do, you will end up with a hopelessly scrambled mess on
the target disk if it already has important files in place. This
can occur, for example, when you try to copy files to a disk
which has a write protect tab in place. Your temptation might be
to insert another different disk and retry. However, when DOS
copies files, it first reads the directory of the target disk
and stores it in memory. If you switch disks, the in-memory copy
of the directory of the OLD disk will overwrite the directory of
the new disk. Best situation in this case is to answer abort and
rekey the operation again (shortcut with DOS is hit F3 to
automatically reissue the last command) then try another disk,
if necessary. There are other ways this dangerous situation might
arise besides a write protect tab, so be careful.
Don't install or change add-in circuit boards or cards within
your computer with the power on. And be extremely careful about
static electricity. Try to briefly touch a metal ground such as
a lamp or metal window frame to discharge stray static
electricity before you touch your fingers inside the PC. Static
electricity discharges can blow out one or several integrated
circuit chips and leave you with a repair bill of $300 or more!
If you ever see the message: ARE YOU SURE (Y/N)? always
answer no unless you really know what is going to happen next!
This message usually precedes disaster as DOS prepares to delete
all of the files on a floppy disk or format your hard drive and
wipe out all data.
Don't invite dumb power problems. You are typing the last draft
of a valuable client contract and your 30 foot long power cord
dangles in front of both family cats on its meandering way
across the middle of the living room carpet to the wall socket.
It is plugged into a rat's nest of four way plug adapters along
with high-current drawing air conditioners and toaster ovens.
This is a great way to send your data to toaster heaven while we
are on the subject.
Treat your hard drive with EXTREME tender loving care while it
is spinning. No bumps, jolts, slams or ramma-lamma-ding-dongs!
One little bump will send the read/write heads plowing into the
spinning disk surface. Kind of like a 747 jet crash into the
library of congress. Translation: large data catastrophe!
If your data is sensitive and you lock the keyboard with that
cute little key which slips into the front panel of your
machine, DON'T forget to remove the mouse or other input
devices. Since a mouse is an alternate input device, a savvy
user can easily direct the computer to spill forth its
information even while the keyboard is locked.
Use the DOS command DISKCOPY in ONLY two cases: to make a backup
copy of new commercial software OR when you have somehow damaged
a disk and want to work on it with the Norton utilities or some
other recovery program. For all other copies you are safer to use
the COPY or XCOPY command. Reason? DISKCOPY does not remove file
fragmentation which COPY does. Second reason? DISKCOPY can
attempt to copy good information onto a target disk sector which
has formatted bad or is otherwise unavailable to DOS. Use COPY
*.* to copy all files on a disk and you will simultaneously copy
everything and unfragment the files. Two operations for the
price of one!
Thunderstorm coming? Shut down the computer and unplug it from
the wall INCLUDING the modem or telephone line! LIghtning hits
to the power or phone line send very high voltages hurtling down
the wire. If you prefer you can leave the computer plugged in
and chose as to whether you wish your PC scrambled, sunnyside up
or just deep fried!
Never switch or remove disks in the middle of an aborted program
operation. If for some reason you get an error message in the
middle of a file copying session or disk writing operation,
don't swap in another disk! DOS may think the old disk is still
there and continue to write the remainder of the data over
something valuable on the new disk! Better to stop what you are
doing and issue a non-writing command such as VER or DIR or even
shut down the computer in extreme situations rather than mangle
two disks with misinformation.
Be careful using the DOS commands ASSIGN, FORMAT and RECOVER.
Especially if you are being a little too clever and change disk
drive letters with the DOS commands ASSIGN, JOIN and SUBST. What
happens is that you might temporarily rename your hard drive the
B: drive and then absent-mindedly try to format B: or recover B:
which will lead to a lot of deleted data on your hard drive.
Generally the RECOVER command is best removed from your DOS
subdirectory and never used. It is just too dangerous!
If you delete some files by accident, Norton Utilities, PC Tools
and several other utility programs can bring them back if you
are quick to use them and haven't created or changed any files
since the accident. Best to go out and get a copy of Norton, PC
Tools or a shareware unerase utility (e.g., Bakers Dozen) before
the need arises. Then practice using them on a dummy disk for
the likely day you need them.
Be careful when using the powerful DOS redirection and piping
commands discussed in our earlier DOS tutorial.
(example) a>sort < this.doc (sorts contents of this.doc on
column one and displays contents
on the monitor - a nice idea!)
(example) a>sort > this.doc (trashes any existing this.doc
and gives it a file length of
zero! Bad news!)
The same advice also applies to using the MORE command with
redirection arrows < > since you can likewise wipe out data
files. Watch the direction of those cute little redirection
arrows! Same thing applies to using the redirection arrows when
you write batch files. Look at the sample line from a batch file
listing below:
(example) ECHO -------->This message is important!
In the above example, DOS will erroneously think the little >
redirection symbol is telling it to create a file named THIS and
use ECHO to redirect text from that line of the batch file into
the file. A goofy, dangerous result! Another good boner is the
following batch file example:
(example) ECHO Now use the c>prompt to return to DOS
The above perfectly innocent batch file line creates a file
called PROMPT because DOS spots the > symbol and does what you
told it to do!
Instructions mean business! If program documentation says MUST
BE USED ON A COLOR MONITOR don't try to run it on your hercules
or monochrome system. Software can indeed destroy a monitor and
it only takes a second! Know what your monitor and display card
can handle and be SURE that the intended software matches
hardware capabilities.
If you suspect a business or individual may be illegally using a
commercial software package, for example buying one copy and then
installing MANY copies on various machines, you should report
the violation to the Software Publishers Association. Call
tollfree: 800/388-7478. SPA use of Federal and State law
enforcement methods is sudden and highly visible. The SPA is
quite aggressive on this point. The majority of calls received
by the SPA are from "whistleblowing" employees within a business
which is illegally using software.
If you use a RAMDISK to hold data be sure to stop every half
hour and copy the information into a more permanent floppy or
hard disk area in case of power failures. In fact every half
hour, check to see that your data from ANY program is
transferred to magnetic disk. No exceptions!
For those using the newer disks having 1.44 Meg and 720 K sizes
- those little plastic diskettes - don't swap and mix formats
willy nilly. Label the diskettes clearly and know the format
density (1.44M or 720K) with which you are working.
If data is sensitive and you want it GONE from snooping eyes,
use a utility like Norton's WIPEFILE to truly delete it from the
disk so an office curiosity seeker can't bring it back with an
unerase utility!
Likewise, some word processors create backup files having the
extension BAK. You may think you have deleted that sensitive
client proposal when a second document CLIENT.BAK also exists!
DOS manuals make reference to the VERIFY command. You can add
the /V switch to the COPY command to supposedly verify the
accuracy of the second file copy. Likewise you can turn VERIFY
ON and VERIFY OFF from within your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Unfortunately, the VERIFY command does a rudimentary CRC check
which can test only gross errors in file transfers. To be sure
the second copy is good, use the COMP command which, although
slow, is deadly reliable when you "gotta be sure." The FC
command found in MSDOS versions is even better and DOS manuals
discuss its use. Likewise use the DISKCOMP command whenever you
use DISKCOPY if you absolutely have to be certain that the
second diskette is PERFECTLY identical to the first.
Our next tip concerns computing devices and services to
assist the disabled:
AbleData, Adaptive Equipment Dept, Newington Children's
Hospital, 181 E Cedar St, Newington, CT 06111 800/344-5405
Accent on Information, POB 700, Bloomington, IL 61702
309/378-2961.
Apple Computer, Office of Special Educ. and Rehab., 20525
Mariani Ave. MS 43F, Cupertino, CA 95014 408/996-1010
Closing the Gap, POB 68, Henderson, MN 56044 612/248-3294
Direct Link of the Disabled, POB 1036, Solvang, CA 93463
805/688-1603
Easter Seals Systems Office, 5120 S. Hyde Park Blvd, Chicago, IL
60615 312/667-8626
IBM National Support Center for People with disabilities,
POB 2150, Atlanta, GA 30055 800/426-2133
Proceedings of Johns Hopkins National Search for Computing
Applications to Assist Persons with Disabilities. IEEE Computer
Society Press, 10662 Los Vaqueros Circle, POB 3014, Los
Alamitos, CA 90720-1264
American Foundation for the Blind, 15 W. 16th St, NY, NY 10011
212/620-2000
Trace Research and Devmpmnt, Univ of Wisconson, Madison Room S-
151, Waisman Ctr, 1500 Highland Ave., Madison WI 53705
608/262-6966
National ALS Association, 21021 Ventura Blvd, Ste 321, Woodland
Hills, CA 91364 818/340-7500
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ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE COMPUTING
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Computing has impacts on the earth and I would like to share a
few constructive suggestions and tips about saving resources and
protecting the environment.
Computing uses paper. Keep two wastebaskets by your desk and
recycle. Same for cardboard packing boxes and packing materials
which arrive with computing equipment.
But let's go a little deeper with the paper issue: Do you really
need to print on multiple part carbonless forms and heavyweight
computer paper? I use a lightweight 18# paper in my little dot
matrix printer. How about carbonless and two part forms? The
chemicals used in the manufacture of carbonless paper are toxic.
Do you really need a two part form (or 6 part form in the case of
some corporations which go wild with multipart forms?) Why not
see if a single part form can be made with a tear off stub or
perhaps a file saving feature in the software that traps the data
and saves it to disk for "your copy" of the form? Just like
banks: ask the customer if they want their checks back: meaning
does your customer need seven copies of a form or will your monthly
invoice statement cover the bill?
Environmentally responsible computing also means ONLY upgrading
machines when you really need to or buying a used computer. Here's
why: the manufacture of integrated circuits used in computers uses
large amounts of concentrated acids, gasses and caustic chemicals.
These are stored, recycled or (hopefully) dumped into approved waste
sites in normal practice, but the point is do you really need
the latest machine and its impact on our planet given the toxic
nature of computer manufacturing processes? This package was
written on an XT class machine. I don't need anything better,
and when I do, I hope to find a USED "recycled" computer of
higher quality rather than buying a new one. Same with printers,
modems and so forth! Here in Seattle, several computer brokers
specialize in reselling used computers on consignment. Head that
direction for your next purchase! It's less expensive and helps
the planet!
As a commercial photographer by training, I use a Seattle film
lab for some of my photo processing. The lab uses an 8 1/2 by
11 inch TWO part carbonless form to log in each order, they
later mail me a THREE part carbonless invoice for EACH order
within a few days by mail, then a final billing statement at
the end of the month AND they have 4 computer terminals in the
order processing customer counter area of the lab! I am sure
their accounting is extraordinarily well documented, but there
may not be enough trees on this earth to support this kind of
"information flow" if every business operated this way. I could
do with a small claim stub when I drop off my film, a little
itemization printed on the paper envelope which contains the
finished order and perhaps a monthly statement printed on
recycled paper to summarize the account activity. The ironic
footnote is that the same lab has a sign prominently posted in
the lobby as to willingness to accept cardboard and plastic
(from things like film containers) for the benefit of the
environment! Clearly the right hand doesn't know what the left
hand is doing and sadly computers are pushing the waste factor
in this real life example.
If you suspect I am beating the environmental drum too loudly,
back up and consider the financial COST to an operation like the
film lab mentioned above. Unwise from the financial end and
equally unwise from the environmental end.
Computing uses electricity. If you are just stepping out of the
office for a half hour or so, it is probably best for the machine
to leave it on and the hard drive spinning to prevent the wear and
tear of machine startup which eventually wears out a hard drive.
However, turn off the monitor if you are away for even short
periods using its own separate power switch (leaving the PC on)
even if you use screen blanker software since the monitor is
still drawing power! When should you turn off the machine
completely? Use the two hour rule: if you are away from the PC
NO MORE than two hours, leave the machine on. If away MORE than
two hours, shut it off. Also factor in the dust argument which
follows:
Don't leave a PC on all night or LONG periods of time. The dust
sucked through your machine by constant fan use will more than
offset the savings in wear and tear you may gain by leaving the
hard drive spinning! The dust impacts the power supply which is
the heart of the system. If the power supply goes bad due to
overheating (because of a thick blanket of internal dust) it
can destroy your entire PC! For the curious or mechanically adept,
open the power supply WITH ALL APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS IN AN
UNPLUGGED AND COMPLETELY DISCHARGED MACHINE. You will be stunned
by the dust you see! I regularly take my pc and power supply cover
off and give the internals a LIGHT blast of compressed air (not
ozone-destroying freon) to free the dust and help the machine run
cooler. I do this every six months.
Do a calculation for your office on your PC: how much wattage
does an average PC in your office draw per hour? How many PC's
in your office? What is the TOTAL economic cost leaving them ALL
on during the night (12 hours?) versus turning them off? Now how
much a month, then how much a year. Finally, multiply by the cost
per killowatt hour for cost per year. This doesn't even consider
maintenance savings or waste - just electricity!
Plastics and computing are everywhere. Talk to a recycler and
see if they can accept polyethelene packing bags, stryrofoam
packing, printer cartridges and so forth.
If you are involved in large corporate purchases, ask the
vendor to supply a one page sheet describing how they use
LESS in an environmentally safe way in providing your computing
equipment needs (e.g., do they use popcorn from a growing
plant (which is now common) rather than styrofoam chips for
packing, do they recycle paper in their organization, etc.)?
Vendors just might take notice if large organizations asked
for a one page "computing impact statement" from each
computing supplies vendor. If your vendor doesn't know what
you mean by a "computing impact statement," send THIS
printout as an example and ask them again for their statement.
Try to recharge printer ink cartridges if possible. Same with
laser printers. A nutty but workable method of recharging
a FABRIC printer cartridge is to take it outside, lay it
on a piece of newspaper, pry off the plastic cartridge lid
and lightly spray the ribbon with the lubricant WD-40. Replace
the lid of the printer cartridge and allow a few hours for the
WD-40 oil to redistribute ink from the edges of the ribbon
(where the printhead does NOT strike the ribbon) to the center
strip of the ribbon. Recharged cartridges at the cost of a few
pennies of WD-40! This method works best with cloth fabric
ribbons not mylar ribbons, but I am told a few people have even
tried this with the mylar ribbons too. Professional ink and
ribbon recharge companies exist, investigate this option!
Consider using shareware rather than commercial software. How
does this positively affect the environment? Simple. Shareware
uses simple packaging or NONE AT ALL since it frequently
travels electronically by BBS/modem methods, isn't returned to
the wholesaler to be sent to the garbage dump if too many
packages are manufactured, supports a small software programmer
who has less impact on the earth as a single human being rather
than a large corporation and provides you with high quality at
a fair price which goes well with the environmental features.
This isn't just a sales pitch, shareware DOES have less negative
impact on the environment than commercial software!
Speaking of laser printers, the environmental cost and economic
cost is NOT favorable. Toner, paper, electricity, everything
about lasers is less favorable to the earth. Use a humble dot
matrix printer unless you are ready for the final draft. Lasers
need more maintenance, too. Finally people are forever buying
MORE plastic font cartridges and upgrades for lasers.
In this respect, a good compromise if you need laser quality and
sharpness in printing, is to consider using BUBBLEJET printers
which produce crisp "near laser" quality, but use far less ink,
plastic cartridge material and electricity than a conventional
laser printer. Most software packages now support bubblejet
printers.
Back to the paper issue. Do you really need to send a memo or
submit a rough draft on paper? Can you get the boss to accept
the memo on disk and teach the boss how to use a simple file
browser to read the file? Pick up the phone and call with the
information, it is a faster, more human in scale and saves
resources.
Let's talk about envelopes: if your office uses window style
envelopes for billings or mailings, try to design or use
window envelopes WITH EMPTY WINDOW OPENINGS RATHER THAN
CLEAR PLASTIC WINDOW OPENINGS. The billing address peeks out the
front just the same and becomes recyclable! Plastic containing
envelopes cannot be recycled. Otherwise try to pre-print the
address on the return envelope - anything but plastic windows.
FAX processes are wonderful. Investigate FAXing onto disk (using
a FAX board installed in your computer) rather than paper
printouts of FAXES. This produces an electronic FAX file which
is saved on disk rather than printing on paper.
Do you program or sell software? Why not recycle disks? Simply
slap your new label over that old disk no longer needed and add
a line that "this is a recycled disk" on the bottom of your disk
label or jacket. Most folks approve of greeting cards printed on
recycled paper. Do you really need to use a fresh new disk to
impress your client when a recycled one with a new label will do?
Keep your keyboard, computer and printer clean. Once in a while
vacuum or dust out the power supply which collects loads of dust.
Reason: you prevent breakdowns which require repairs or scrapping
of the computer. End result: more earth resources used which
could have been prevented in the first place with a little
preventative maintenance.
Look at your software and documentation shelf. Stacks of old
computer magazines and documentation pile up! Have a once a
month PC recycling party where you rip out pages from
documentation and magazines you really need and recycle the
remains. Same goes for old disks, binders, the works.
Donations. If computers help you make money, and they do, set
aside a small contribution to the non-profit group of your choice
which is involved in conservation and recycling.
Submit suggestions for this little part of the tutorial on "how
your office saves the earth using computers WISELY." I'll try to
insert it if valuable and of course, it will float all over the
world on BBS systems and shareware distribution points so your
small or large suggestion WILL possibly make a difference to
somebody in Brazil or China. This is a shareware package
which lives electronically on the Compuserve network which is
accessed by people all over the world! If possible, send your
suggestion on disk in ASCII using your word processor so I can
electronically merge it.
Don't compute when you don't need to! Sometimes it is too easy to
turn on the machine and bang out a spreadsheet or draft a memo.
Can you solve the problem with your BRAIN or grab your rolodex to
find that phone number? Our brains our much more capable than
the most modern computer. What can you do better by leaving the
machine OFF and not using electricity, paper, plastic, ink and
toner? Finally, turning off the computer means we spend a few
minutes with each other, rather than our (let's face it)
addictive computers. You just may come up with a solution to
that budget problem by visiting with a colleague at the next desk
rather than recalculating that monster spreadsheet for the millionth
time trying to find an optimum budget solution for the office.
The vast majority of business problems are solved by CREATIVITY
which organic brains do best!
Print (on paper, unfortunately) this little section of the
computer tutorial and place it on the company bulletin board.
This is a win/win situation: your co-workers will start to think
about earth conscious computing and if more beginners will use
PC-LEARN they will learn how to use a computer more efficiently
SOONER and thus WASTE LESS paper, electricity and natural
resources, does that make sense? Computer beginners can waste a
lot of paper, money, time and electricity learning how to use a
computer. If PC-LEARN helps them learn faster, then they should
waste less and become proficient more quickly!
Consider renting computer equipment for short term and special
projects. Obviously you can save money in most cases, but the
larger issue is that you don't impact the environment by using
resources for something you can share that computer equipment with
many other people via a rental arrangement.
When you print lengthy documents from a disk to paper,
investigate clever software products (many of them shareware)
which allow you to print FOUR pages in tiny but readable
typeface and on BOTH SIDES of the paper.
Add your suggestion here or mail it to me. You do not need to be
a registered user to submit a suggestion to this section!
Suggestion from Mr. Bo Stiff, Charmichael, California . . .
(Letter has been slightly edited and shortened)
"A company I used to work for had a mainframe computer in
Connecticut with office hubs in Houston and LA. Approximately 40
reports were printed from a spooler set up to do this routine in
over 200 offices in the U.S. EVERY NIGHT! The company had a
guilty feeling about the environment so asked each office to
submit ideas."
"I suggested that they take the reports off line. Make them
available on demand only, put them on a screen with a 48 hour
hold on daily reports. 10 day old on weekly reports and 40 day
hold on monthly reports. Also suggested that when reports were
printed, NOT to send a blank page to set line space or formfeed.
This could be performed by the local office if needed. Obviously
the computers in the company were turned over to the controllers
who decided who got to see which reports and screens."
"Our initial calculations were staggering, then we found out
that we were one of the frugal offices! By our accountant's
calculations we cut back over 4000 cases of paper nationwide per
MONTH! Latest calculation is closer to 5000 cases."
Tutorial finished. Be sure to order your FOUR BONUS DISKS which
expand this software package with vital tools, updates and
additional tutorial material for laptop users! Send $20.00 to
Seattle Scientific Photography, Department LAP, PO Box 1506,
Mercer Island, WA 98040. Bonus disks shipped promptly! Some
portions of this software package use sections from the larger
PC-Learn tutorial system which you will also receive with your
order. Modifications, custom program versions, site and LAN
licenses of this package for business or corporate use are
possible, contact the author. This software is shareware - an
honor system which means TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Press escape key to
return to menu.