Normally the older technology gets then the less expensive it becomes. It happened with stereos. It happened with “walkmans.” Not only did the technology get less expensive, but it also seemed to grow more compact.

Personal computers seem to defy that logic. Instead of getting less expensive, they hold their price or even go up in expense. The increase in technology only makes the personal computers currently residing in homes completely outdated – requiring families to upgrade computers if they want the ability to use software.

If I were one prone to conspiracies then I would say that computers are built with designed obsolescence. Much like pantyhose (and sometimes it seems with the same life span), cars and especially printers, the personal computer is built and sold with the understanding that it is just a matter of time before the same person will be back for another one.

There have been some attempts at “affordable” computers over the last few years, but none that have a real place in the every day life of a technological society. A wind up computer might be helpful when you are out in the wilderness away from civilization, but it probably won’t be much help when you have a term paper due tomorrow.

There has to be an easier answer than upgrading every few years.

High speed internet is not available to everyone – forget the commercials that cover the airwaves. Living in a rural community can make it impossible to enter into the world that exists on the internet today. Dialup may be the only way to surf the web and that means missing out on many of the downloads and websites around the Web.

When AT&T bought out Bellsouth, they agreed to have high speed internet service available to everyone in their service range by the end of the year. That was 2007. By December of 2007, we realized that getting AT&T high speed was a dream (or delusion).

Satellite was not a top choice. Or location keeps us from always getting a good signal for our television and that’s not something to be easily dealt with over the internet, particularly when you are in the middle of working online. Besides, the two satellite companies that serviced the area wanted a small fortune to install and then another small fortune each month.

Cable was the ideal solution. It offered the fastest speeds around and there was no limit to access or connections. Only the cable company claimed our location was unserviceable. For just a few thousand dollars they would be glad to MAKE us serviceable.

After being disappointed by the unfulfilled promises of AT&T and after too many hours waiting for dialup to download, we bit the bullet. We paid the ransom to get the high speed – let’s just see if it’s really worth all the hype and trouble.

Recently there was a news show on that had the two anchors discussing the smartphones. They were comparing the new cell phones to laptops. In their opinions, the new phones were capable of doing much of what a laptop can do.

I can understand their points – to some extent. If you are carrying around a laptop or notebook to check emails when you are traveling or other simple computer tasks then one of the smartphones would work just as well. The problem is that few people who carry around a laptop or notebook are limiting their work to simple tasks.

For many of the people who have a entire bad devoted to their mobile computer needs a cell phone just doesn’t have the capabilities to do what needs to be done. Even if it did have the power and storage, the keypad is just not large enough to accomplish complicated tasks.

Although one of the two anchors predicted that the newer smartphones would eliminate the need for laptop and notebook computers, I think that day is a long way off. There are too many tasks that need to be done that require the larger and stronger laptop.

Still, it will be interesting to see what how small technology will be able to get in the future.

There is nothing quite as frustrating as trying to work on the road on my laptop only to have my time run out because the battery is drained.  The ideas are flowing through my head, but my laptop isn’t flowing anywhere.  Now I have to take the time to dig out the plug and charge the battery back up – there goes the flow!

What if it were possible to work all week long without charging the battery even once?  It may be in the not so distance future that you can get a 40-hour rechargeable battery for your laptop. 

By using nanotechnology a team of scientists from Stanford University have made a breakthrough in battery life.  They are currently evaluating the technology further to see if it can be used commercially.

This revolutionary development will give batteries 10 times more charging ability.  It was made possible because the scientists used silicon nanowires instead of the traditional graphite.  It has long been theorized that the silicon anodes have the highest charge capacity, but until now no one has been able to determine how to put them into practical use.

The only real concern that I have is the price.  I got a GREAT deal on my laptop (especially when you add in rebates and the fact that I bought it on a no tax weekend).  It would be cruel irony if the battery that I needed to get my work done cost me more than the computer I was doing the work on. 

No matter what the cost (and you know it is going to cost) might be it will be worth it to have that kind of charge life on the battery.

The corporate world is all about making money - particularly when it comes to software.  The companies may set out to “make your life easier” with one application or another, but once they reel you in then they charge you for every conceivable notion or else just make life more difficult.

It wasn’t a security issue that got me - although I’m sure as I advance in my computer literacy that will be come an issue.  I’m stuck on dial up and most software companies don’t conceive of this possibility.  I took my time, researched the software, and brought the best choice home.  Imagine my shock and dismay when the CD that was in the box only gave me a connection to an online download of the actual program - not going to happen with dial up. 

The inconsiderate software company got me.  Most places won’t let you return software once it is opened.  Fortunately, I had spent over an hour discussing my situation with the folks at the store and they accepted the return.  Others may not have been as lucky.

Companies have to be concerned with the bottom line, but they also have to consider their customers.  If they make life more difficult and costly while attempting to make life easier, we won’t be back.

It is time to start shopping for a new computer.  There seems to be no end to the design, color, and look that I can get these days.  What I really need is a machine that will do all I need it to do (run the kids’ educational programs and maybe a word processing program along with games) without costing as much as the new (used) car.  If a company like Quanta can make a laptop that costs less than my electric bill, why aren’t there more inexpensive options on the market?

In my opinion, the make and model isn’t as important as the function.  I’m not as interested in who makes the computer (except when it comes to customer service or having the machine worked on) as I am getting a system that works for our family.  I want a machine with extra usb ports and easy access to expand if necessary.

I’m not a computer whiz by any stretch of the imagination.  It is important that the company or sales rep break down the technological terms to as simple as possible.  Telling me about RAM and REM (get it ;) ) only confuses me.  Even when I compare like to like (and write down the specifics to be sure) I still don’t know what I’m comparing. 

Make it easy and make it cheap.  Sale me a computer that will run 20 games and 20 educational programs along with 2 word processing programs all for under $300.  Will it ever happen?

Web 2.0 is becoming the end all and be all of the internet.  Websites want to be the best in the social networking world.  It’s really exciting when you find out that your little site has won a prestigious award.  It is not so exciting if you discover that everyone and your grandmother also got the same award.  It’s the internet equivalent of a participation trophy.

Is there any real way to tell if your site is among the best?  I know of people that are making money from websites that could be written by my eight year old (who hates to write).  At the same time, there are sites out there that are generating plenty of traffic and putting out quality material and aren’t making a dime.  Clearly, money is not the clear answer as to whether or not your site is a good one.

If knowing who is on top is not a matter of money or awards, then it must be a matter of personal perception.  If you want to get a lot of traffic and you are then you are tops in your own eyes.  If you want to be one of the folks the news stations call, and they do, then that is a sign you are tops in that area.

Awards are great, but they are not the only way to judge a website.

The internet is becoming a more acceptable form of communication for many in the baby boom generation.  These less than tech savvy surfers are trying to negotiate their way through forums, chat room, websites, and blogs.  With the expansion of Web 2.0, the field is becoming even more dangerous.  Many of the new users end up abusing their own sites, often without ever coming to realize it.

Recently, my SIL set up a website so that friends and family from around the world would be able to get updated information about her small children and about my brother (who has recently started back to med school).  The interesting thing was listening to my parents discuss how her site worked.  My dad insisted it was a blog.  My mother insisted it wasn’t.  Neither of them would really know a blog if it bit them in the rear end. 

It’s easy to get lost in all the technical jargon that comes with the internet territory.  Instead of avoiding the technology or finding out too late that you are using it all wrong, just take your time.  There are classes at almost all community colleges or universities that will walk you through the basics of the internet.  Once you get the basics down, you’ll find that there are online classes available to help you expand your world.

Chess is a game my children learned early.  At just 8 and 10, they enjoy playing with each other or against the computer with the software that I’ve purchased.  It’s more of a video game than a straight chess match, so they seem to play it longer.  It just leaves me wondering if they are learning how to better their chess game with the help of this software or if they are only trying to reach the next level.

I’m not an expert chess player myself, but I enjoy the challenge of thinking ahead of my opponent and then luring them in the direction I want.  It can be great tactical information - especially if you find yourself in a business meeting that isn’t quite going the way you saw it. 

Chess is not only a great game; it’s a great analogy for life.  I would love for there to be software (and maybe a curriculum) developed around the strategic concepts involved in chess.  This way I would feel more confident that my children were going to get more than a few hours of entertainment from the game.

For now, I’ll just have to rely on the software I have found and continue to keep my eyes out for something more and better.  I’ll use our one-on-one games to push forward the chess concepts as I know them and to gauge what the computer is teaching them.  Even if it’s only where the pieces can go and when, I know it will be more than most children their ages are getting today.

It amazes me how many people that use the internet aren’t worried about someone stealing their information.  Part of the lax attitudes comes because they don’t realize that someone would concern themselves with average ordinary people.  Part of it comes because they don’t understand how vulnerable they are.  The first line of defense is the passwords they use, and most passwords used today are as easy to crack as 1, 2, 3.

The key to a good password is to mix it up.  You need some capital letters, some numbers, and some symbols - if the site will allow symbols.  It is NOT a good idea to use your social security number or your birthday.  These can be easy numbers to find and they can lead to identity theft in the future.

The second idea to consider about a strong password is that it NOT be an actual word.  It is best to have a misspelling or even a made up word that others wouldn’t be able to figure out with ease.  If you aren’t a movie star or some other individual in the spot light, then odds are a difficult password will be enough to keep you safe from the hackers.

Some last ideas about passwords.  Keep a list of your passwords in a spot away from your computer.  If someone does steal your computer, they will still have the challenge of cracking your passwords.  It would also be a good idea to set new passwords every few months.

The password is your first line of defense against the bad guys.  Having a simple password is like living your home or car unlocked.  It is an invitation for trouble.

The social community of web 2.0 has its fingers in every aspect of life.  Blogs, Myspace, Facebook, and other applications are making the world a community of neighbors.  It’s affecting everything from how you do your taxes or cook your dinners to how you vote in elections.

The democrats pushed the revolution to a new level (good or bad is still up for debate) when they choose to do a live debate on YouTube.  The republicans declined to offer to follow suit.  But all the candidates have seemed to embrace the internet with blogs, websites, and other uses of the medium.

MySpace has pages for all the candidates and it is set to have the candidates do live interviews in the next few weeks.  This is a push to get the youth involved in the election, but will have other repercussions as well.

The internet could be the catalyst for grassroots efforts to take over the nominations.  Online communications make the process seem more intimate and tend to encourage people to have a more personal stake in the outcome.

It is a fine line between trying to pull new voters into the process through the use of new and unusual means and crossing over to situations that demean the very position that it is trying to promote.  Candidates need to use the internet with discretion and dignity.

Living in a small, rural community with no easy access to an electronics store can make finding good software hard.  Searching the internet doesn’t always help.  Much of the shareware or freeware is either worthless or harmful.  What’s worse is that there doesn’t seem to be an easy way for the non-techie to know the best from the worst.

Awards were once a way for you to know that what you were getting was worth it.  One of the oldest awards I know about is the “Good Housekeeping Seal” but I’ve seen, used, and bought products with that seal that I wouldn’t recommend to my worst enemy.

Software is the same.  I’ve tried asking people that are in the know what I need and every one of them has a different thought or opinion.  It seems that software can be as much about personal taste as it is about how it runs on your computer.

The best way to find the software that is right for you is to experiment - with caution.  Don’t download something because you think the site you are visiting is safe.  Take some time to do a little research about the company first.  And make sure you anti-virus and anti-spyware programs are up to date before you start to download.

Finding your way through the mounds of software available today is not easy.  The good AND bad news is that it will only become more complicated in the future.

It is more likely that a child will be struck by lightening than abducted by a stranger, but parents still worry about the safety of their kids.  The internet has made it impossible to keep kids away from strangers.  Many of the Web 2.0 communities give the kids using the sites a false sense of security.  It also allows those same kids to keep what they are doing out of the hands of nosey parents.

Until now.

Myspace has announced that it will offer software that will give parents the ability to monitor portions of their children’s online activities - at least on the home computer.  It won’t give parents the ability to spy (read emails or profiles) but it will allow them to know what age, description, and location the child is advertising.

Does it really go far enough?  Most experts would say no.  The idea that kids can block their parents from accessing anything of theirs is wrong.  If kids want that kind of freedom they need to get jobs, move out of their parents’ homes, and fend for themselves.

Myspace is trying to find a way to appease the parents and still keep the business of the kids.  This software is just not the best way to make either side all that happy.

Computers should be more than an expensive paper weight, a game boy, or a chat opportunity. With the software that is available, it can be all of that and so much more. It can go beyond the even the typical “tech” activities of movie, music, and photo editing and help you develop your hobbies or just create something amazing.

When I first began on a computer, I was lucky to be able to figure out the commands on my basic writing programs. As time has passed, and I’ve become better acquainted with my computer, I’ve stepped out and tried new and different things. The more I realized that I could recover from my mistakes (most of the time), the more I was willing to try.

And the more I tried, the more I found to try. Who knew that I could make art with the simple act of visiting websites? It is possible to create a virtual library that includes ratings of my books and a place to keep up with who I’ve loaned them out to.

Computer software seems to be capable of doing it all for the most part. If I could find one that would change the baby’s diapers then I might actually have the time to use all the fun (but not necessarily constructive) items that are out there.

Every computer I have ever bought was full of junk that I never used.  For the most part, I downloaded much of the software that I needed.  It seems that the free stuff is often as good, if not better, than anything you might find to buy.

There are exceptions to every rule, but so far my choices haven’t let me down.  I would probably have lots more freeware, shareware, or other free products found online, but I have dialup.  I am limited in what I can download onto my computer.  But never fear, even dialup can get into the free market.

I was introduced to Foxfire a few months back and haven’t even thought of using another browser.  I love the way it is set up, and the options that can be added.  It was one of those finds that everyone needs to experience.  The price is unbeatable (free) and the performance is the best I have found.

The great thing is that there are hundreds of free software programs available over the internet.  Just because your computer comes preset, doesn’t mean you are stuck with that software.  Look around and test out some of the other options that are available to you.  This is a particularly good project BEFORE purchasing lots of software.  It may be that what you need is free and just a download away.

Web 2.0 is much more than just the catch phrase of the day.  You only have to peruse the internet for a short time to see that the social networks (the very heart of Web 2.0) are taking over.   YouTube is already one of the hottest Web 2.0 sites.  It is now making it easier to connect with other Web 2.0 networks.

YouTube has announced that it will be adding a button to allow users to Digg, StumbleUpon, Reddit, and basically mark the entries so that it is easy to post them at other social content sites.   The “Digg this” button is probably one of the most exciting features.  Digg.com has a strong hold on Web 2.0 in its own right.

While it’s good that the different sites are making it easier to connect to other social networks, I’m not so sure it’s all good.  My last major tour through Digg provided me with hours of pointless, worthless, and mindless information.  I actually WANT more than entertainment out of my computer.

Like anything that is good, people have a way of making it bad.  It would be nice if you had to get a license (or in some way proof your value) before being allowed to surf the Web.

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