Plan ahead to prevent computer headaches when guests arrive

by Rick Castellini Special to PRIME My most common help calls after the holidays are from computer users who suddenly find they have unrecognizable computer screens and other tech oddities. With all the traveling done during the holidays, your computer is bound to be taken hostage by friends and family who want to check their email or play a game or two. Unlike a TV, however, a computer can be victimized, unintentionally, by all this attention. When everyone returns home you may not recognize your computer or have problems with the way it runs. Got guests? Set some rules! If you like the way your computer is running, set a few ground rules for the use of your computer (and please follow the same rules if you are the one doing the borrowing of a loved one's precious PC). In no particular order, my suggested house computer rules are as follows: Don't add or subtract any programs from the computer without obtaining the owner's permission first. Don't 'fix' anything on the computer unless asked by the owner and then only if you truly know what you are doing. Don't wander into the Control Panel and change the display, sound, or other settings. Leave the desktop icons and wallpaper alone. If you set up an email account in Outlook or Outlook Express, etc. for the purpose of checking your email during the holidays, remove the account before leaving for home. Respect the computer owner's way of handling his or her computing tasks. Although his or her methods may be different from yours, he or she is clearly happy and comfortable with their methods. If you create any new documents, either print them and delete the files or copy them to a disk and delete them from the computer. Take some precautions Because constant monitoring of your guest's Internet browsing activity is not possible, I highly recommend downloading and installing Mozilla Firefox from www.mozilla.com. Firefox is an alternative browser that actually helps protect your computer from many of the spyware attacks that cause computer slowness, pop-ups and other problems so common in today's Internet-driven world. Also, make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software are current and run complete scans with them when your guests head back home. Following these few sensible steps when guests stay with you and use your computer will keep your computer running smoothly. And a smooth running computer saves you time, money and frustration. No one wants to be a nag during the holidays regarding computer use, but in turn, no one needs the hassle and/or expense of fixing a computer that worked perfectly well before houseguests started using it! Rick Castellini is an author, computer consultant, and hosts a nationally syndicated computer radio show from Colorado. Visit his web site at www.HelpMeRick.com for new tips every week and sign up for his free weekly email newsletter.