++ When your ultra-expensive headphones start separating at the weakest part, where the wires connect left to right, if you melt candle wax over the rupture point, allow to harden, then chip away carefully any unnecessary crap. You will have a lovely fossilized piece of loose wiring which is unable to loosen any further, and you can pretend you have a prehistoric mosquito trapped in amber hanging from your neck.

++ Don't listen to anything too loudly and your ears will be more perceptive. Turn the TV down to the lowest level you can, and do the same with music. This not only saves your hearing but it makes loud experiences that much more eargasmic, especially in regards to music.

++ Back up any important data on disk. Your C drive is not indestructable.

++ Keep an extra power supply around, you never know when yours will blow.

++ If you're on a budget, use the 'draft' option when printing long documents, it uses about 1/3 the toner you'd normally use and doesn't look too bad.

++ Don't skimp on parts. You get what you pay for.

++ Restart once a week, whether you think you need it or not.

++ Take some time to get to know your computer. Seriously, it's amazing how many people are impressed by the most basic computer knowledge. If you know enough and it is known that you are a "computer geek," people will offer you money to build computers for them or solve
their computer problems; a very easy way to make a quick buck.

++ Blow the dust out of your computer. This has magically fixed many overheating problems, and prolongs the life of almost all your computer
compnents. This goes double if you're a smoker, as the tar in cigarette smoke will coat PCBs and the components on them and cause lots of overheating and damage over time.

++ Back up all of your important files onto something external (CDR/RW, DVDR/RW, or external hard drive; not a floppy) fairly often. These things are dirt cheap, and hard drives fail a lot. This leads to a more general statement: Never keep important data in only one place. This applies logically: keep multiple copies on multiple media -- and spatially: keep some copies in a place other than your room. Scale this up depending on how important the data is -- for example, you may want to keep invaluable, mission-critical data on magneto-optical media and put one in a safe deposit box, one in your parents' house, and one with your uncle in New York. But MP3s are probably safe on recordable CDs or DVDs in a rack next to your computer.

++ Wet a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and clean your game cartridge with it. Works much better than the "blow hard while moving game
up and down" method.

++ Go into a Wal-Mart. Find the lightbulbs. See that Great Value bulb? See that GE bulb? Both of those bulbs were made by GE. Probably in the same plant. Lots of store brand stuff is like this. Over-the-counter pharmacy stuff especially.

++ Make sure your speakers are magnetically shielded or keep them way far away from your computer and monitor.

++ Don't open up a tv and play with it. The capacitor has a deadly charge for a while, even after it is unplugged.

++ When shopping for new computer hardware, if the sales guy says "buy basically any brand but the one in your hand," take his advice.

++ When shopping for new computer hardware, if the sales guy says "buy this brand, it's the best," keep looking around.

++ Flatten and reinstall Windows once or twice a year. If you have a separate partition or drive, you won't have to worry about losing that 40GB of completely legal MP3 files, and your system will be squeaky-clean and error free.

++ Write your Windows CD Key on an address label and stick it to the inside of your case. You know, just in case (HAR HAR).

Computer buying advice

++ If you have to skimp on something to save some money, skimp on the CPU. Stepping back a few speeds from the top will save you a fortune
(often 50-80% of the CPU price), and you probably will never notice the difference. The CPU is probably the least important component these days for general usage. (Within reason - obviously you won't want to run Windows XP on a Pentium 100.) Need high performance? Get as much RAM as you can afford, up to 512MB or 1GB.

++ Never skimp on the monitor. The monitor is the single most important component. You stare at it constantly when you're using your computer, so get one that will fit the amount of space you have, provide you with enough space to work with all of your programs comfortably,
and run your intended resolution at or above 85 Hz refresh rate. Lower than that and you're causing eyestrain.

++ Get a good-quality, comfortable keyboard and mouse. Again, you'll be touching these things a lot, so you might as well spend the extra money (from the CPU reduction ) to get nice ones that fit your hands and your computing style.

++ Laser printers cost more up front, but they'll save you a bundle over their lifespans. Toner is many, many, many times cheaper than ink.

++ High-end computer speakers are a waste of money. If space isn't extremely restricted, the best computer speakers are regular stereo speakers hooked up to a regular stereo or receiver. You can connect your computer to the unit's RCA inputs with a $3 cable from Radio Shack. Even if you don't have a stereo to use for this, buying one is a lot cheaper than buying high-end computer speakers, which can run $200-300.

++ When you're thinking about buying a component upgrade, like a new CPU, give it the following test:

If someone came into my place when I wasn't here and swapped the new one out with the one I have now, but everything looked the same,
how long would it take me to notice? If it's longer than a couple of days, it's probably not worth it.

++ Similarly, ask yourself the following question, especially when deciding between a high-end part and a regular part:

++ This will give me a X% increase in whatever, Y% of the time. Is X% for Y% of the time worth the $P cost? Actually, apply that to everything you buy, not just computers.

++ Never buy high-end cables, and never buy cables at retail. Cables have higher profit margins than almost everything except extended
warranties. Despite what the marketing and sales people will tell you, there is no difference. It's been scientifically proven many
times. It's all placebo. Hooking up some speakers? Get lamp cord at a hardware store by the foot from the big reels. Need a computer
cable? Order it from a wholesaler online such as Newegg. That USB cable that your printer requires will cost you $25 at Staples and
$1.50 at Newegg.


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