More on Computer Recycling

Whenever my girlfriend and I go to the mall, she inevitably ends up in some store whose name I don’t know and I inevitably end up in the Sony Store (whose name I do know…well). Or Future Shop. Or Best Buy. Or at a mobile booth. You get the idea. It’s like a super-powered magnet just draws me towards any sort of new electronic, technology or gadget.

Apple Store New York

Apple Store New York

It’s kind of funny – I deliberate long and hard about spending $75 on a pair of jeans, $100 on a new vacuum cleaner or $100 on a new pair of shoes. But when it comes to new technology, I won’t think twice about shelling out $500 for the latest Blackberry; $200 on a new Xbox controller and game; or $2,000 on a new TV and entertainment center. Okay, maybe I will think hard about that last one…but only because I’m comparing specs or waiting for next year’s model. Basically, I love technology.

The result of all this is that I’m constantly finding myself stockpiling old electronic equipment: TVs, CRT monitors, endless tangles of obsolete cables, old laptops, desktops, phones (wired and wireless), iPods, FM transmitters. You name it and I probably have a version or model somewhere. So before I make it on a reality show, what am I supposed to do with all this stuff ? Let’s start with computers.

Everybody knows how fast processor and computer technology is progressing (check out our Bloatware Post). I guarantee that within a year of buying your new MacBook (or iPad), there’s going to be a newer, faster and better laptop along with a new or updated OS, new accessories and new software that you absolutely have to have. Consequently, I’ve realized my addiction habit comes with a cost and as a result, I need to start questioning the need for that new toy.

Here’s the thing. If your old computer is treated properly, it can still provide value to someone through re-purposing. A thorough HD formatting combined with some lightweight software alternatives, turns the waste into a productive member of the computer population.  If that’s not possible, it can be a source of material inputs into another product. On the flip-side, ignorance and laziness can only lead to it being a valuable source in helping to destroy our planet and our health through the release of carcinogens and toxins.

Rob V is a technology addict who has helped build VersionDownload.com. This is his first guest post for the blog.

Share/Save

Posted in General, Links and Things.

By Craig
February 3, 2010

1 comment

Recycling and Repurposing Old Computers

The computer revolution has created many great opportunities for both home users and businesses, but it has created its share of problems as well. The rapid pace of technological change often means that computers are obsolete long before they stop working (or they just stop working). That creates a dilemma for computer owners – do they simply throw their usable old PCs in the trash and add to the growing landfill problem, or do they try to find a new home for their old hardware? Many computer owners and businesses are choosing the latter approach – recycling and repurposing their old computers to help others while helping the environment.

E-Waste Pile

E-Waste Pile

The environmental impact of old computer hardware is a surprisingly large one. Many people do not realize that a great deal of that old computer equipment ends up in the third world – where desperately poor people break that equipment down into its component parts in search of metals and minerals that can be reclaimed and resold. While this may seem like a good idea at first blush, it is important to keep in mind that both CPUs and computer monitors contain potentially harmful elements like mercury and lead, and those elements could pose a significant danger to both those workers and to the environment. Fortunately there are better fates for old computers, and more and more computer owners are looking at those alternatives. Computer owners can make the most of their old hardware by donating that old equipment to an authorized computer recycling center. Those recycling centers remove the working components of the computers they take in, while replacing the non-working components to create top quality computers for a fraction of the cost of a new system. This low cost allows those recycled computers to be donated to those in need or sold at a low cost to generate the funds needed to recycle still more computers. One of the key components of this successful computer recycling has been the use of outdated Windows operating system software. While many modern users have no use for Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME, there are people who would love to have a working system running one of those old operating systems. By incorporating old software into those new computers recycling centers are able to create full computer systems at almost no cost. That allows many people – both here and abroad – to finally have access to the computer technology they need to land a great job and become a part of today’s modern technological workforce.

Share/Save

Posted in General.

By Craig
December 7, 2009

No comments

Links and Things

The VersionDownload team is always scouring the web for information on old software versions that we don’t have, or for new titles that might interest the VersionDownload community. Despite our passionate efforts, we sometimes get a little distracted by other things going on around the internet (I know, it’s hard to believe) and fall behind on our work.

Rather than making more of an effort to focus, we thought it would just be easier to share our distractions with you, the reader. So I bring you the first “Links and Things” post, where we’ll try and bring you interesting thoughts, trends and sites that in some (broad) way are related to VersionDownload.com. Enjoy!

Today theme is “Cool ways to Reuse things”. This seemed like an obvious place to start since VersionDownload was build on the idea that “newer isn’t always better”. We thought we’d branch out a bit from that topic and show you some other old things that can be used for good again:

  • Doors: The folks over at Lifehacker asked their readers to send in pics of creative work spaces, all using doors as desks.
  • Jeans: If there’s one thing that will never go out of style it’s jeans. The problem is jeans that used to be in fashion now sit in the closet because they’re too embarrassing to look at. Here’s 25 ways to reuse those old jeans. (Note: In any list of 25, there’s going to be some less-than-quality ideas)
  • Old t-shirts: Here’s a great video on using old t-shirts to make emergency fire kits.
  • Other things around the house: Here’s a list of 50 other basic reuses of around-the-house items.

If you’re of the more ambitious, lots of free-time mentality, here are some more complex ideas:

Container City 2

Container City 2

One other major reuse idea that we left out is computer reuse and re-purposing. This was intentional, because over the next month we’re going to have a series of posts on that topic and show you how VersionDownload can play a role in it.

Thanks!

Share/Save

Posted in Links and Things. Tagged with , , , .

By Craig
November 24, 2009

No comments

Anti-Virus Solutions Part 2

This post is a follow-up to “Different Anti-Virus Solutions“.  Last time I gave an overview of three of the most common, free anti-virus solutions available. This week I’ll introduce you to a few of the lesser known but still highly valuable tools you can use to protect your computer.

On a side note, we will be posting much more frequently here on the VersionDownload Blog, so be sure to add our RSS feed so you can stay up-to-date!

I hope you enjoy:

Tiny Personal Firewall

The Tiny Personal Firewall Free Edition is designed to protect home computers from infections by viruses, worms, and trojans. Tiny Personal Firewall’s purpose is to provide real-time protection in the background of your system. Users can determine the security level that they wish the program to operate with, be it low, medium, or high. This program is designed so that users can block destination IP addresses, block certain ports, and create a log of all infections or infection attempts. Unfortunately, uses of Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing or WinRoute will not be able to use Tiny Personal Firewall as these applications are incompatible with each other.

ZoneAlarm® Free Editions

ZoneAlarm® Free Firewall is designed to block hackers and prevent infections to the computer system. It protects against spyware and viruses in real time. The ZoneAlarm Free Firewall also offers the ability to hide your online presence from others in its efforts to protect you from viral infections. The ZoneAlarm® Free Spy Blocker Toolbar is designed to protect its users from accessing web sites that will place spyware on their computers. the ZoneAlarm® Free Spy Blocker Toolbar offers extra features including the Ask.com search bar and Spy Site Blocking.

Hijack This

The Hijack This Free Edition offers the ability to protect your computer against spyware, Browser Helper Objects (BHOs) and other types of malware. One of the more protective features that it offers is the ability to scan for hidden streams of data, a feature that browser hijackers often use to hide from detection. One of the minor problems with this application is that it does occasionally include items on the scan log that are actually customizations on the computer and not infections. This application provides a distinctive set of tools for detecting malware.

Spybot Search & Destroy

Spybot S & D is designed to scan the computer for a variety of malware applications. As it scans the computer, it uses a comprehensive list of common infections to check against. It does sometimes include false positives and it is left to the user to determine the wisdom of deleting these. Spybot S & D is not compatible with certain other applications. Therefore, it might not perform its function effectively. The system start up feature for this program allows users to review their set up and to access certain other features including the Secure Shredder for destroying data.

Free anti-virus applications offer computer users an opportunity to protect their computer systems from malware infections with no additional financial expense. They can be used in conjunction with paid versions. While many of these applications have similar features, it is important to do the research to obtain the program that will best meet your needs.

Next week we’re going to take a closer look at computer recycling and re-purposing and how VersionDownload.com can help you with it.

Thanks!

Share/Save

Posted in Software, Windows. Tagged with , , , , , .

By Craig
November 21, 2009

No comments

Different Anti-Virus Solutions

Free anti-virus applications are readily available on the Internet. For those computer users who have an infected computer and few monetary resources, free anti-virus programs can be helpful in cleaning up their computers without incurring any financial cost. Prevention, though, is the best medicine and so you should be running anti-virus software right from the start. A wide variety of these applications are available and in most cases, one program is no better than another. However, there are differences among them that can help you to decide which anti-virus application to use.

Today I’ll look at three of the big guns in the free anti-virus game. Next week, I’ll do the same for some of the lesser-known solutions.

Avira AntiVir Personal Editionicon-antivir

The free Avira AntiVir Personal application is designed to remove a variety of computer infections from an infected computer including viruses, Trojans, and worms. It recently added protection against spyware. The Avira AntiVir Personal Edition offers the ability to customize its scans. This allows the user to set up the scan to run internal hard drives and external hard drives. Preloaded scans are also included for use. Navigating the menu of this program is easy. Plus, it offers access to information on the date of the last scan, the date of your last update, event logs, and more. Additional features offered with this program include parental controls and email protection.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is designed to remove viruses from a computer efficiently and completely. One of its newest features is the LinkScanner® Active Surf-shield, which is designed to check for threats on the web pages that you visit before you actually arrive at the web site. The AVG Anti-Virus application offers real-time protection against viruses, Trojans, spyware, and adware. Additionally, AVG Anti-Virus offers safety ratings (similar to ) that appear on any search results that are generated using search engines such as Google, MSN, and Yahoo. The web shield for the AVG Anti-Virus program is designed to stop infections that might occur through IM chats and downloads. This application can be scheduled to run at a specific time or started on demand.

Avast Home Edition

The free Avast Home Edition is an anti-virus application that offers flexible scanning options. The user can determine the exact parameters that he wants to use at any given time. Avast Home Edition features the ability to adjust the sensitivity of the scans for downloads, emails, and IM messages. This program assists in avoiding infections by providing real-time protection for your computer. It even offers the ability to block specific file operations in an attempt to circumvent insidious viral infections. These operations include deleting files, renaming files, and writing to files without your knowledge.

I hope this clears things up!

Share/Save

Posted in Windows. Tagged with , , , , .

By Craig
October 27, 2009

No comments

Is Free Anti-Virus Software Worth It?

EDIT: This post had some previous HTML issues that caused problems viewed on IE. I believe it has been fixed now and I apologize for the inconvenience. Thanks for reading!

Starting today, we will be publishing posts from a variety of different people, including guest authors and other VersionDownload staffers. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Most people who have a Windows-based computer have had a computer virus or know someone who did. It’s an unfortunate part of surfing the Internet today. The virtual world has its own brand of criminals who hack into personal and business computers for nefarious reasons. Protecting yourself and your personal data is an important part of responsible computer use.

Fortunately for computer users, a number of anti-virus applications are available on the web to clear up any infections that occur. Some of these programs are available for a fee or a yearly subscription, while others are available free-of-charge to those individuals who are using a computer on a personal basis. Free anti-virus applications generally offer real-time protection with real results. Some of the paid versions of anti-virus applications come with lots of bells and whistles that most computer users don’t need.

If you are using a Windows-based computer for personal use and you are interested in protecting yourself from viruses, trojans, worms, browser helper objects, spyware, adware, and more, consider downloading and installing a free anti-virus application. Lots of these applications are available for download from VersionDownload.com.

Free anti-virus applications are designed to protect home computers from nasty infections that can damage the operating system and/or steal personal information that has been stored on the computer. Some of these anti-virus programs remain resident on the computer and function continually while you are online. They can provide safe surfing tips by flagging unsafe web sites in the search results generated by the search engine that you use including Google, Yahoo, and MSN.

It is important to note that resident anti-virus applications use up computer resources, some more than others. Generally, this is not a problem unless you are very low on RAM or random access memory. It is also important to note that some of these free anti-virus applications are not compatible with other programs including certain anti-spyware applications or other anti-virus programs. Since updates are often provided by these applications, it is important to obtain them on a regular basis.

In the next two posts, we will be reviewing some of the better free anti-virus solutions out there, so be sure check back.

Share/Save

Posted in Software, Windows. Tagged with , , , , , .

By Craig
October 8, 2009

No comments

Browsers Everywhere!

Choosing a browser can be a difficult decision to make. If you have a Windows based PC you’ve most likely used Microsoft’s Internet Explorer at some point, the dominant web browser of the last decade. IE wasn’t the first widely used browser on the block (that designation belongs to Netscape Navigator) but it quickly came to dominate the market due to Microsoft’s very sneaky distribution method of bundling it with every installation of Windows OS. At one point in the early 2000’s , IE was being used in over 95% of the market.

Firefox Window

Firefox Window

At some point, the guys at Netscape decided to change direction and begin development on an open-source browser under the newly created Mozilla Foundation. Mozilla released its new browser Firefox in beta and this changed the browser battle dramatically. Suddenly there was an alternative to IE that worked just as well if not better. It was more secure, easier to use and it was infinitely extensible because it utilized the open-source model. Firefox was a hit and by 2009, it was being used by approximately 30% of the market. During this same time Apple released its own browser, named Safari, that’s been successful mainly due to the proliferation of Mac’s in North America. Opera is another browser that’s been been based on the Mozilla framework. It’s been around for awhile but despite is quality, has never gained much popularity. Finally, Google released its own proprietary browser, named , in 2008 that’s gained some traction because of Google’s reputation for quality products.

That’s a nice little story, but what what makes them all different from a user perspective and what’s the right choice for you?

Five years ago, I would have said use Firefox, no questions asked. They had introduced a lot new features to the browsing experience that weren’t available anywhere else. Since then these features, such as tabbed browsing, built in search bars, smart bookmarks, pop-up blockers and the ability to re-open closed tabs, have become the standard in competitive browsers rather then the exception.

Nowadays, the best way to differentiate the products is by speed, security, compatibility (a lot of sites used to, and some still do, only work on IE OR Firefox and not both), and extensibility. The problem today is that all the browsers are getting so good at these things it makes it more difficult to decide.

The newest IE, Version 8, is a very good browser. It is fairly intuitive, making browsing the modern way (a LOT of open tabs at once) relatively simple. Past security problems, which caused a lot of resentment towards the product, have been fixed for the most part.

Firefox, on the other hand, still has the great benefit of hundreds of available add-ons, making it extremely customizable. They also invented the tabbed browsing concept and continually enhance that feature.  So you might prefer this product if you’re one of those people whose feels the internet is an extension of their body.

Chrome was introduced with a radically different layout and some really good features. It also might very well be the most secure browser ever.  However, it’s only available on Windows systems and being so new, it has a few issues to still work out.

If you’re uber-connected in the social media world, try Flock. This is a new browser, also based on Mozilla, that allows you to tie in all your Web 2.0 accounts at once for easier access. It’s a less general browser but fantastically useful for the right people.

I don’t want to tell anyone what to use, so I encourage you to do some online research. Many sites have conducted comparisons and speed tests. You can also keep up-to-date on the goings on in the browser world over at the Browser News.

Post a comment if you have any questions!

-Craig

Share/Save

Posted in General. Tagged with , , , , , , .

By Craig
August 5, 2009

2 comments

Uninstalling Windows Media Player from XP

Microsoft pre-installs their Windows Media Player (WMP) software with all its Windows operating systems and because of this a lot of people believe that its their best option, their only option or simply their easiest option for playing music and videos. This sentiment is actually far from the truth because there are many other options out there.

Now I want to be clear, I’m by no means saying WMP is bad. In fact, I know a lot of people who use it without complaints, usually to play their music library. All I’m pointing out is that there are alternative options, some of which might work better for your needs.  On Friday, my post will talk more about these different options.

The purpose of this post is to explain how to remove WMP from your XP system, so you can move on to the next step, which is researching all of the available media players out there (or reading my post on Friday), to find the one you want to install. A lot of people worry that removing WMP, or any media player for that matter, will delete their music. DON’T WORRY, this isn’t how this type of software works. All your music is on your computer under the “Music” folder (or where ever you keep it) and the software simply taps into that folder for easy playing.

Enough rambling, here’s how to remove Window Media Player:

  • Click Start on the taskbar, click Run.
  • Type %windir%\$ntUninstallwmp11$\spuninst\spuninst.exe and then click OK.
  • Click Next, and then click Finish.
  • Restart your computer.

This method removes the core of WMP from your system. Other methods (using Add/Remove Programs) will not fully remove the program.

Just to make sure Windows trickery doesn’t re-install the program, follow the steps below to turn off Automatic Updates.

XP System Properties

XP System Properties

  • Click Start again, go to Control Panel
  • Then go to Performance and Maintenance and then System
  • Select the Automatic Updates Tab
  • From here, you need to choose either the third option, so that Windows Notifies you before downloading and installing updates OR the fourth option, so everything is turned off.

Unfortunately for you Vista users, WMP is built right into the OS, so there’s no way to do the above. Your best bet is to simply ignore that it’s there and go ahead with installing a different Audio/Media Player. After installation, the new player will ask if you want to import all your media. Select OK and enjoy!

-Craig

Share/Save

Posted in General. Tagged with , .

By Craig
July 14, 2009

No comments

The OpenOffice Question

The story is familiar: Microsoft develops (or licenses and re-brands) a product, shrewdly distributes the product globally, then positions and promotes the product until it dominates the marketplace, leaving the consumer with little to no choice. People don’t enjoy being told what to buy and eventually, new solutions started to sprout up.

First came the operating systems, where Microsoft started to see growing competition for Windows. This competition was not just with Mac OS. Linux, Ubuntu and others started to rise in popularity by tapping into peoples sensibilities (ie: free-ness), and embracing the open-source revolution. So while Windows still current dominates, the tide is turning.

Next came Internet Explorer, which brought Microsoft into the court room as defendants on many anti-trust and monopoly lawsuits. This pushed the Mozilla Foundation and the many open-source and free browsers its supports (Firefox, Opera, etc.) into the limelight and forever changed the way people browse the internet.

The next character to venture into this story is OpenOffice and OpenOffice.org’s 20+ years of supporting the development of a free, open-source productivity suite to compete directly with Microsoft’s excessively successful MS Office. In case you missed that OpenOffice is FREE, MS Office is NOT.

All those programs you love to hate, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, are there. They have a word processing program called Writer, a spreadsheet called Calc and a presentation program called Impress.  Additionally, there’s a database program and apps for drawing, HTML, and even a math equation editor. The best part of this suite is the ease of use. All the applications function very similarly to their equivilent in Office, so the learning curve is minimal. For advanced users, they’ve included Macro’s, Pivot Tables (known as Data Pilots), and they keyboard shortcuts are vitrually identical. If you’re stumped, introduce yourself to the OpenOffice community, I guarantee you’ll find the answer you need.

So if you don’t enjoy opening your wallet for a new MS Office version every 3-4 years (Office 2010 is due out soon), consider making the switch. The range of formats supported by OpenOffice is incredible and includes all MS Office extensions (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, etc.). It’ll even convert from one format to the other for you.

Not convinced? Check out some reviews and side-by-side comparisons. When you’re done, get you’re copy of OpenOffice here at VersionDownload.

-Craig

Share/Save

Posted in General.

By Craig
July 6, 2009

1 comment

What Version Do I Have?

You may be wondering why I’d post a how-to on something that seems so basic? Well, despite the fact that it’s extremely simple to do, many people don’t know how to look up the version number of the operating system or program they’re running!

I have no evidence of why this is, but here’s a couple of theories. One, since a large portion of computer users run automatic updates and mass install every new version of their operating systems and individual software programs, they become lost in the constant stream of numbers and decimals. They trust that the manufacturer is going to update a piece of software for a good reason (i.e: a security patch) every time, and would never suspect an update to be harmful, or useless (i.e: bloatware). Second, there’s not a whole lot of instruction for checking the version after an update, and against common sense, the version number is rarely displayed in an easy to see area such at the title bar, menu bar, etc.

In consideration of our actual purpose here at VersionDownload, it seems appropriate to post simple instructions on determining what version of a program you are running:

OS (Windows 2000/XP/Vista):
Step 1) Click on the Start Menu on the taskbar.
Step 2) Click the “Run…” application.
Step 3) Type in “winver” (no quotes) and hit OK.
Step 4) Learn all about your Windows version, in addition to other interesting and useful facts about your computer’s system and hardware!
Alternative:
Step 1) Right-click on the “My Computer” icon (Sometimes in the Start Menu)
Step 2) Click “Properties”
Step 3) Learn all about your Windows version, in addition to other interesting and useful facts about your computer’s system and hardware!
Software Application:
Step 1) Run the application you want to learn about
Step 2) On the far right of the Menubar of the program (File, Edit, etc.) you will see “Help”. Click it.
Step 3) Click the option that says “About (software’s name)”
Step 4) Learn what version you are using, so you can update or downgrade to the most appropriate one.
Bonus Tip:
If you want to know the version of Adobe Flash Player you are running (Since it often runs supplementary to other software) either right click on something running the player and clicking “About Adobe Flash Player”, OR going to this link.

Hope this helps!

-Craig

Share/Save

Posted in General, Software, Windows. Tagged with , , , , .

By Craig
June 8, 2009

No comments