Seven Things More Computer Owners Should Know

As a computer owner, you have a device that offers you a lot in terms of entertainment and education.

It is also common to rely on a computer for work, and even people who are not tech-savvy are trying to learn to use the device so that they have more opportunities.

It takes time to become familiar with a computer, but the more you use it, the better you will be.

Of course, it also helps if you take a proactive approach instead of letting things evolve naturally. 

You could create a list of things that you wish to learn more about as a computer owner and focus on them.

In case you are looking for some ideas for such things, you will find seven suggestions below.

Potential Threats

Security and privacy are often emphasized these days, given how many different threats are present on the internet.

The issue is that even if you are aware of potential malware attacks and have tools to deal with them, you might still slip without realizing it.

For example, you may open a random email attachment or click on an URL that you received from someone you know via email.

In some instances, reliable antivirus software might not be enough to protect you. 

A similar thing can be said about online advertisements that are aggressive and force you to click on them to continue.

And when you click, these ads redirect you to dangerous landing pages.

Knowing what to expect and how to counter such threats will help you remain safer when using the computer. 

Keyboard Shortcuts

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Knowing relevant keyboard shortcuts is one of the experienced computer user traits.

You might already be familiar with Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V, but there are plenty of other shortcuts that can make your life on a computer easier.

Using keyboard shortcuts saves you time as you do not have to drag and click the mouse as often. 

If you want to find keyboard shortcuts that you believe to be relevant to you, check the available lists depending on the OS that you have on your computer since shortcuts for different operating systems vary.

Available Software

Computers come with some great built-in tools that are often enough.

For example, macOS has Spotlight, Time Machine, Preview, iMovie, GarageBand, and Safari as its default internet browser, to name a few.

That said, you should not limit yourself to just default applications on software.

If anything, it is recommended to check available software and consider whether you should download it.

There are plenty of great options for free, such as VLC if you need a media player, or Chrome and Firefox to surf the net.

Some software and applications cost money, but an average computer user should be fine without spending money and sticking to free options. 

System and Software Updates

As a rule of thumb, you should check for available updates regularly.

Both the operating system and software you use will run more optimally if they are running on the latest version.

In addition to more optimal performance, you will also benefit from the latest features, particularly when it comes to the OS.

Whenever there is a major update, users are eager to see what new features the developers will introduce.

Some updates are small and do not take a lot of time to download and install, whereas others might be the opposite.

Regardless, as soon as you see an available update for your operating system or one of the applications or software you use, do not hesitate to download and install it at your earliest convenience. 

Drive Storage

If you fail to check your space on the computer’s drive frequently, you might not realize how fast it runs out.

After that happens, the computer begins to underperform, and dealing with the clutter on the drive is not that simple.

It would be better to take precautions in advance before too much of the drive space is occupied.

Instead of waiting for the files to accumulate, you should keep tabs on what you download and install and remove data you no longer need.

You can also transfer some files to external storage.

Services like Dropbox and iCloud offer a few gigabytes of space for free. And if you want, purchase an external HDD or a USB flash stick.

Fun Pastimes

Entertainment is often one of the main reasons why someone has a computer. You can use the computer for different pastimes. It comes down to what you like.

Those who seek knowledge and want to learn about new things can watch videos on YouTube or documentaries on streaming platforms. Reading articles and listening to podcasts are worth a shout as well.

Services like Spotify provide plenty of music, though you can also use YouTube to listen to tunes you like.

Playing video games or socializing with friends and family via voice chat, thanks to available communication platforms, are also popular ways to pass time.

Hardware Upgrades

Those who have a relatively new computer should not be too worried about hardware upgrades.

On the other hand, if the device gets outdated, you are bound to encounter sluggish performance that might not be that easy to solve without investing in new hardware.

The problem with hardware upgrades is that you will likely need to spend a lot of money to make a significant enough change.

And if you have a laptop, your upgrade options are going to be limited because laptops come with integrated hardware.

Nevertheless, if adding extra RAM or switching to an SSD instead of an HDD are worth it for you as far as improving the overall computer performance goes, then do not hesitate and go for it.

Conclusion

All in all, some of the things mentioned in this article might seem quite obvious, whereas others are less so.

Whether you are an advanced computer user or someone relatively new to these devices, you should still find some useful information to make the most out of your device and maintain it in good condition.