Geckology   "The art of Responsible computing"

Let me introduce myself.
They call me Gecko.

I will be writing a monthly IT column for The Hinterland Voice.
Feel free to email suggestions to geckology@smoothsilicon.com.
Having lived on the Sunshine Coast since 1991, and repaired computers
since 1995, I can claim the title of "Local Technician".
My official IT training was conducted in W.A., where they take it to be
a priority.

This column will be dedicated to you, the computer user, and will
encompass common problems that my clients face, and my two bits worth.

Tip of the month: This time of year, thunderbolt and lightning,
  very,very frightening.
  Unplug ALL your equipment at the wall   Savings: Hundreds

I thought I would start with broadband basics.

I often get asked to clarify what the go is, and how to go about it.
Here is my angle.
Earlier in the internets life,dial-up was fast enough.
Here is what happened.

Web site developers, ( me included ) used to have to "weigh" every page
we produced to make sure it wasn't too "heavy". This was because the
majority of people that would visit our site, would use dial-up.
Then, if the page would not load in under ten seconds, we would have to
pull it down and lighten any pictures etc, that could be slowing it
down.
Practically no-one builds a new site to work well on dial-up connections
anymore. All the interaction that the latest sites use relies on a fast
connection.
Regarding which broadband plan to get, I would advise you pick up a copy
of APC magazine. ( Not an add for them, but they have a regular
broadband comparison chart that is very good. )
Not all off these will be available where you are, but it will give you
a good idea of what is available, and what it should cost.

TIP: Be VERY wary of any long term contracts.
Broadband is rapidly becoming faster and cheaper, don't get caught.


Another big one to watch is the minimum data amount.
In English, if you get a 200MB plan say, thinking you only do emails,
then hook up a new machine to the net.
Your first batch  of updates ( Important ) will blow your monthly
download limit, and worse still, you could end up with a big bill.
And don't kid yourself, when you get broadband, and you can watch
and do new things, most people will at least explore some of the
features that you couldn't on dial-up.

Now, you probably use Windows?
Never mind, I can still help you.
Myself, I have chosen Linux as my Operating System of choice.
I became a full blown convert in 1998, when the pop ups and rebooting
became a pain, not to mention viruses.
A properly set up Linux box is a very quiet environment to work in.
It is akin to completing a complex task after the kids have gone to bed.
It allows me more time to concentrate, and has been known to run for
years without a reboot.
Think of those two little champion machines running around on Mars,
Yep, Linux is everywhere.

      * Linux (or GNU Linux, to be correct ) comes in many varieties
        that are referred to as "flavours".My choice is the German
        distribution, SUSE.
Their new desktop is a beauty to behold.
SUSE-11, (pronounced (Sue zaa ), has more than enough eye candy for
anyone, and, inline with Linux's heritage is frugal on the hardware.
In English: Very pretty, and fast too boot. ( Pun intended )
The Enterprise version, SLED-10, is very mature and industry orientated.
Don't bother if you want games and video.
This one is serious.
But who cares ?, I hear you ask.
The operating system is no use without the programs to do your tasks.
This is where Linux ( GNU Linux to be correct ), really comes into its
own.

For example, Photograph editing.

The Gimp.
 This oddly named program has great functionality.
Layers, paths and all that is just the start.
It is often compared to PhotoShop.

Sodipodi.
Even stranger name, and a perfect partner program to The Gimp if you are
really serious.



Office software:

Linux users are justifiably proud of Open Office.
A very comprehensive suite that handles spreadsheets, .docs, databases
and many others, whether they were created on Linux or not.
One nice feature is the ability to transform your work into a pdf file,
right from the toolbar.

AbiWord.
This can be used to work with word documents.

Scribus.
If you are into desktop publishing, have a go at this.
Excellent software and capabilities.

There are similar choices in just about any sphere you can name.

Email me with your PC specs, and I can send you a Linux installation
disc, for the cost of postage & burning.
A lot of Linux flavours will run very well on a machine that is no
longer adequate for the latest of other operating systems.

So, there is an intro to my world of Linux.
Derived from a concept that powered military computers in the 60's,
it is very stable and secure, and now it has grown up.

Did I mention that it is free?

That is free like freedom of speech free too, not just as in free beer!

Back to you

Smooth Gecko.