Today I thought I’d talk a little about operating systems. Your operating system is the software that talks to your hardware and gives you and the programs you wish to run a way to interact with the hardware as well. The operating system is the great translator, really.

In order to be able to do this translation, the operating system you want to use has to speak the “native” language of the hardware you want to run it on. If you recall the recent big deal made about Apple moving to run on an Intel processor, part of that is because Windows can also run on Intel and that meant enterprising individuals (or those with much time and specific needs) can get a single computer system to run both Windows and the MacOS (though not simultaneously except via the workaround of running virtual pc).

Available Operating Systems
For personal computers, there are really three main operating system choices out there – Windows, MacOS and Unix. There are many versions of each of these with usually only the most recent one or two being available for easy purchase.

For an average user who doesn’t care to worry too much about updating things individually or learning somewhat esoteric computer knowledge, I’d highly recommend sticking to a version of MacOS or Windows.

Windows
Windows is one of the front runners. The current version that is just out is called “Vista” and has some nice features. The version just prior to Vista was called Windows XP. One downside is that shopping for a new version of Windows can be a tad confusing because it’s being marketed in multiple sub-versions. Home Edition, Ultimate Edition, etc. What you need depends on what you do on your computer but most people don’t need more than the Home edition.

MacOS
The current edition of the MacOS is called OS X Tiger. The previous edition was called Panther and the upcoming one (due out late this year – October was the date I heard) is called Leopard. Because MacOS comes pretty much in a single “flavor”, shopping for it is pretty easy.

Linux
Linux is the third major operating system and the most common used “flavor” is Red Hat. Linux is based on an open-source model where anyone can obtain the source code for the operating system and make changes, fix bugs or write new features. The operating system is free as well bet is less immediately user-friendly than either Windown or MacOS. While quite powerful, it does mean that you have the ability to shoot yourself in the foot as well.

Linux users often use Windows emulators to run Windows programs that are not built to run natively on Unix/Linux.

For most users who do not want to have the learning curve associated with Linux and/or don’t really need the additional power or transparency it provides, Linux is not the best choice. The downsides of having fewer native and familiar applications, fewer resources for help and needing to learn more are too compelling to write off.

Operating System Myths
There are quite a few myths I hear when people start to talk about their operating system choices. A few of the common ones are:

Virus Vulnerability
Any time someone says an operating system can’t get viruses or be affected by malware, they are either lying or are not well informed. The only way for any system to not be vulnerable is to be a closed system that is rigorously tested as well. The system would be able to take no input and interact with nothing else. Not terribly useful, really.

The people who write and distribute malware are doing it for a reward of some sort – either reputation, data or money. It’s really a business for most of them. This means, like any good business plan, they aim to have the highest return for the least effort. Because Windows is the most common operating system, it makes the best target. Thus more malware is written aimed toward machines running the Windows operating system.

There most certainly is malware out there aimed toward MacOS and Linux systems. It doesn’t receive as much news because it doesn’t affect as many systems overall and because it doesn’t hit as often. If one of those two operating systems become more popular, more malware will be written to affect them because it will make better business sense. If a group of users is complacent because they believe their operating system isn’t vulnerable, they will have an ugly awakening later.

Everyone needs to run good anti-virus and anti-spyware software at all times and scan their systems regularly, no matter what operating system they use.

Data Loss
Just as no operating system is immune from malware, none are immune from data loss. The way the data loss is presented to users may be different but it can happen all the same. All important data should be regularly backed up so, if you experience data loss, you may be able to recover it.

Ease of Use
This is something each user has to judge for themselves. The trick is actually to find a balance between the control you want and the ease you need. In a way, it’s akin to a manual vs an automatic transmission car – an automatic does more work for you and tends to be easier to learn to drive but an automatic give you more control over exactly what the car is doing which some people may need or prefer.

One of the things that makes some people say an operating system is “easy” or “hard” is how well their own thought processes and assumptions match that of the operating system from the get go. I find some “easy” software incredibly frustrating because they assumptions it makes are at odds to what I want – often because it’s automatically doing something that I don’t want it to do.

Unfortunately, this is one of the things that is really only learned by experience.

My Advice
If you need to be able to run a particular application or applications, then you need to make sure that application is available on whatever operating system you prefer. That may make the decision very clear right off.

If you are thinking of switching and already run a set of applications, see what operating systems the manufacturer supports. It’s easier to switch if you can obtain the same applications for a different operating system. That would be one less thing you need to learn or relearn.

If you are choosing an operating system for the first time, then your best bet is probably to find a chance to play with at least a sample system using MacOS and one running Windows. Try to do this without someone hanging over you and telling you where to click or what to do. You’re trying to get a feel for how easy you find the system to understand and use and you probably will not have someone behind you to help you all the time. Look around the system. Open folders. Start applications. Try whatever you think you might want to do. Explore.

If you are thinking of switching operating systems, you should find a way to play with a system running the operating system you are considering switching to. Try to perform tasks you normally perform and see how easy or difficult you find it. See how different or similar it is to what you do now.

While you do this, take lots of notes so you can remember what you thought. It’s easy for it to turn into a big blur.

Then you need to sit down and decide what you think the right choice is for you and what you need to do with the system.

Remember that there’s nothing wrong with having several systems that run different operating systems for different reasons, if you need them. It’s also not a lifelong commitment. You can always change to another operating system later. Your goal should be to use an operating system that is not a such a source of frustration that you can’t stand to turn it on.

What computer you should get depends on how you intend to use the computer, what programs you want or need to run and what your budget is. Unfortunately, despite all the hype of the various manufacturers, there is no one clear cut choice that works for everyone. You really have to weigh the pros and cons for yourself.

Operating System
The preference for operating system often takes on the fervency of something nearing a religious war but there are really only a few factors that need to be considered. This is the first item in my list because, based on your decision here, you can immediately eleminate a set of systems from your shopping list and simplify further decisions. There are two main operating systems that come pre-installed on machines for the average users – MacIntosh OS (MacOS) or Windows (XP or Vista at the moment). Much to the probable displeasure of proponents of the Linux operating system, I’m not putting it on the list as my intended audience is not that shared by Linux – it requires more sophistication and a greater learning curve than the two I have mentioned.

If this is your first computer, I highly recommend going to a few stores and playing around with demonstration systems using both operating systems. As you do so, you may discover that you have a preference for one over the other. Or you may discover one is more intuitive for you.

What applications do you need to run?
This is the biggest factor, really. If you need to run a piece of software which is not made for one of the two operating systems, it would be silly to buy a computer incapable of running it. If you already own copies of your desired software for a particular operating system, a decision to switch operating systems will require you to buy new copies of that software.

What are you used to?
This plays a definite role in your decision. If you are already using a Mac, a switch to Windows will include a bit of a learning curve and vice versa. You can certainly switch if you wish but the choice should be a conscious one.

Desktop vs. Laptop
This used to be a very easy decision – if you wanted performance, you bought a desktop system. Because of all the strides made in laptop and mobile computers in recent years, that is no longer as true until you get to where you need VERY high performance. The desktop vs. laptop decision really revolves around two main questions:

What is your budget?
Laptops generally run about 2 to 3 times more expensive than desktop systems do for the same basic functionality. Although current laptops are quite a bit more powerful than their predecessors were, that power costs a fair amount of money.

Where do you need to be able to use the computer?
This also plays a strong role in your decision. If you always use the computer at home or in a home office, having the portability of a laptop may not offer you much besides a smaller box on the desk. But if you are always on the move – travelling, going to school, visiting multiple work sites, etc., the portability may be a necessity for you.

Computer Components
The things you most need your computer to excel at vary greatly by the tasks you need to perform with it. When you start to shop for a computer, you’ll see a lot of specifications that seem to be written in some code. How do you decypher them? Some of this information is covered in the prior issue but I’ll repeat it, just in case.

CPU Type and Speed
In general, deciding between CPU manufacturers when you are just an average consumer is a bit akin to deciding between a Buick or an Oldsmobile. The differences between them are unlikely to impact you when they’re getting your data somewhere.

The speed of the CPU, however, is something you care about. You should read the minimum requirements of the software (including the operating system) you wish to run and the highest minimum speed of all listed processor speeds is your MINIMUM acceptable speed. But remember this is a minimum. I try to buy the sort of midline processor between the absolute minimum speed I need and the really fast (and very expensive) processor available in the type of computer I’ve decided on. This means the computer should run at a reasonable speed and yet not cost me both arms.

If you are a gamer or render graphics programmatically, you may need to move up the scale toward the higher processors because of the processor intensive work you will be doing. If, however, you are just running a word processor program and IMing, you may be able to slide back down the scale because processor speed is not as important to you.

Memory (RAM)
There are really several things to consider when it comes to memory.

How many memory slots are available to install memory in? In general, the larger amount of memory per “stick”, the more expensive the memory is. So a single stick of 1gb of RAM is more expensive than 2 sticks of 512mb RAM. And the more slots you have to use, the greater the possibility of adding RAM later.

How much RAM does the computer ship with? Typically, you shouldn’t buy the a computer with the minimum memory you need to have to run the software you want to run. The software may run but it won’t run fast or well.

How much memory is the computer capable of using? This has an impact on how long the computer will be usable by you. The trend is always for newer versions of software to take more memory than older versions. If you buy a computer that has a low maximum memory size, you may have problems later.

Video Card
If you are not playing games that require lots of rendering or watching movies or even photo manipulation, video cards may not be as big a deal but you should try to get the best deal you can. Things to watch out for in video cards include:

What resolution does the card support. This is expressed in pixels per x and y axis. So the resolution can be expressed as 1024×768 or 1200×800. The higher the numbers, the more pixels there are. This, combined with the monitor or display you use, determines how grainy or smooth the shapes you see on the screen are. The finer details you need, the more pixels you want. I actually recommend getting the best resolution you can if you spend a considerable amount of time on the computer – it really does have an impact.

If you are playing games, another important aspect is how much memory the video card has. The more memory the card has, the less system memory is needed to store information to be displayed. It will also mean the card is capable of more effective textures, etc.

Monitor/Display
The actual monitor or display you have will also make a difference. Except for the actual monitor resolution (similar to the video card’s height by width pixel rating), there are monitor preferences like LCD vs tube, gloss vs matte surfaces, etc. For those issues I encourage you to look at the actual monitor or display and decide what you like and don’t like.

Hard Drive Capacity and Speed
You can rarely go wrong with getting a bigger hard drive but if you already have a computer, you may be able to get a reasonable idea of how much space you need by looking at the space you have and how much is used or how often you have to delete something to make room.

The speed of the hard drive makes a difference in how long it takes the computer to retrieve data off the drive. Faster tends to be better but if you don’t mind things being a tad slow, you can save money by not buying the fastest drive available.

Networking
If you work mostly on a laptop or connect to a wireless network, you will want to buy a laptop that has an integrated wireless card. If you are buying a desktop system that is going to be connected to your modem or router via a cable, make sure the computer you are considering has the correct type of port for your needs.

USB Ports
If you use a lot of devices that are connected via a USB connection, it pays to be sure you have a reasonable number on your system. Some systems come with only 2 but I’ve personally found I need a minimum of 4.

Make a List
Now make a wish list of just what your dream machine would contain and what you are willing to settle for. You’ll use this list to start comparison shopping.

Shop and Shop, Touch and Feel
Once you know your budget, the uses you have for your new computer and what operating system it needs to run, you should start shopping around to get an idea what is out there. Surf the internet sites of the manufacturers. Wander through computer stores. You are going to spend a lot of money on a new computer and you should plan to gather data for a while before you make a purchase in order to get the best deal possible on a system you will be happy with.

Don’t give in to the salespeople that want to send you out of the store with a computer right then. That’s their job but it may not be the best thing for you. Instead write down what the salespeople recommend and why.

Read Reviews
After this fact finding, start looking for reviews of the various systems that have been recommended to you. I usually type the name of the system into my search engine and add the word “review” to find the published reviews. These reviews will both tell you what the reviewer thought of that system but may also offer a competing product’s name that the reviewer would recommend instead of the one you searched for. These are usually also worth looking at.

In addition to reviews of the entire system, if you game or use specialized software, be sure to see if you find information on user groups or support sites for that software that indicate how well the computers you have narrowed in on work with that software.

Shop for the Best Price on the top Contenders
Now start to price the top 3 to 5 contenders on your list. Be sure to check both the manufacturer’s online site as well as local and internet electronics stores. As a tip, you can often get good deals around the holidays and in the fall when manufacturers are competing for sales to students.

If you are not fairly computer savvy, I recommend you buy a new computer rather than a used one. This will give you the benefit of technical support and warranty repairs as well as having a basically clean system. If you buy a used one, you are never 100% sure what you are getting and what state it is in.

Look for the next newsletter edition at the start of May!

Note that in this issue I’m really only addressing your computer itself, not peripherals, drivers, etc.

There are certainly valid reasons to need (or just want) a new computer but if you are on a budget, it may be possible to resolve some issues by changing or adding pieces of new hardware or software instead of replacing an entire computer. Some of these things are easy for almost anyone to do, some would require a quick trip to whomever helps you with your computer problems and some are really only for hard core geeks.

So the first thing I recommend is to decide IF you need a new computer or can try other steps to improve the performance of the one you have. Of course, if you just want a new one, there’s no need to walk through these steps.

Slow Performance
There are actually multiple possible reasons for this and it pays to investigate them a bit if money is tight. Your computer can run slow all the time or it can have considerable slowness only when performing specific tasks, depending on what is causing the problem.

Determining what is constraining the system is important because you can improve parts of a computer but if that thing isn’t what is causing the bottleneck, you won’t see the improvement you might anticipate. Thus I’ve tried to list the possibilities in the order I’ve found to be both most common and easiest/cheapest to fix.

Viruses and Spyware
Everyone should be running regular virus scans of their systems along with having a real-time anti-virus solution in place. I recommend that an anti-spyware program be run as well. Viruses and spyware can cause a lot of problems, including slowing down your system. This is because the system is running those programs as well as the ones you specifically ask it to run and that uses up resources that your legitimate software needs.

Getting rid of these pieces of malicious software and keeping them off your computer can improve your system performance. The anti-virus and anti-spyware software may cost a small amount but it’s well worth it.

Legitimate Software Running in the Background
A lot of software that you legitimately want to have installed has an option to be set up to auto-run. This means it will be run when your system starts up. This is generally set when the software is initially installed.

The theory is to make the program immediately available when needed, rather than you having to launch it yourself. The price you pay for this convenience is that if you have a lot of these programs running all the time, they eat up your system resources.

I strongly advocate only letting programs auto-start if you really use them more than 75% of the time you are using your computer.

I’ll cover assessing this later in my message board but you can often disable the programs you don’t use constantly enough to need to have them always loaded. It’s free as well!

Too Little Memory
The average amount of memory (RAM or Random Access Memory) needed to make your system run at an acceptable speed varies because it really depends on what applications you run and how many applications you have open at any one time.

If you have too little RAM memory, your system will use something called Virtual Memory in order to run your programs anyway. In order to do this, the system will write data to and retrieve data from the hard drive constantly. The most common symptom of this is that your computer’s hard drive will be constantly active and the light on most of the time while you are using it.

There is a way to look at how much RAM you have and how much your system is using but it’s rather convoluted and I’ll take it to the message board.

It may be possible to increase the RAM in your computer to try to resolve the problem. Whether or not this is possible will depend on how much memory is in your system already, what configuration that memory is in, and how much memory your motherboard or processor can support.

If you have a name brand computer, the technical support staff for that name brand manufacturer can often help you to determine if you have options for adding memory to your system. If you do not have a name brand computer, you may have to speak to the person who built it for you or take it in to the computer technician you use.

The cost to upgrade memory is a fraction of what a new computer would cost.

Fragmented Drives
When you write and delete information from your hard drive, the drive can eventually become fragmented. This is because your computer tries to make maximum use of the space on your hard drive. To do so, if what you are writing is larger than the first available space found on the drive, the computer won’t just skip that space as “too small” in order to look for a place in which all the information will fit into as a single contiguous unit. Instead it will write whatever fits in that first space, then use the next space it finds for as much more as will fit in that space and continue this until the data is all written to the drive.

Lots of writing and deleting of files will cause everything written to the drive to become fragmented over time. This means when the system needs that data, it has to retrieve pieces of it from all over the drive instead of being able to read the whole piece of data from one location. All this hunting and assembling takes time, so the system will slow down, sometimes rather drastically.

This can be resolved by periodically de-fragmenting your drive. I’ll post instructions for doing that on the Message Board soon. This is another free fix.

Too Slow a Processor
The speed of your processor also has a lot to do with how fast or slow your system can run. You can look at the processor you currently have by clicking on Start, then right-clicking on My Computer and then clicking on Properties to see what processor you have and compare the speed of the processor to what is supported by your Operating System or software.

Note that processors are usually described as a type and then a speed. The system I am writing this newsletter issue on has an AMD Sempron 1.6 Ghz processor. In my case, AMD is the manufacturer, Sempron is the particular model of the processor and 1.6 Ghz is the speed of the processor.

My typical guidance is that if you want to upgrade your software, you should look at the requirements of that software and if your processor is less than 150% of that speed, you may need a faster processor. Remember that the minimum requirements are just that, minimum.

In most cases, if you need a faster processor, you are talking about getting a new computer unless you are a rather advanced geek and, thus, probably wouldn’t be reading this.

Unable to Run the Software You Want
A compelling reason to buy a new computer is that the one you currently have does not meet the requirements for the software you want to run on it. There are a few parts of a system – especially in a desktop system – that can be upgraded in order to meet software requirements if that is the only thing really stopping you from running the software you want to.

If you have multiple items that need upgrades or you need to upgrade an integrated or central part of your computer, you may decide to just buy a new one instead of attempting to perform these upgrades.

Graphics Card
This sometimes happens if you play a lot of games that are very current and sophisticated, you want to play videos or use some program that is very graphics intensive like CAD or something similar. There are quite a few graphics cards on the market but you can narrow down a selection by looking at the program’s requirements and asking other users of the software online what they’ve had good experiences with.

Installing the graphics card is relatively easy but if you aren’t comfortable opening up your system, you can take it to your computer technician.

Memory
Memory is relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain if your system supports an upgrade. Again, installing it is relatively easy but you can always have someone else do it.

Peripherals
Sometimes there is a dependency on a peripheral being present and those are generally easy to obtain and hook up. This can include things like a monitor, a joystick, etc

.

Change in Form Factor
An insurmountable issue would be that you need or wish to have a different form factor than what you currently have. This could be a situation where you have a desktop computer but want or need a laptop, or vice versa. You could also need a smaller laptop for travel while the laptop you currently have is a heavy widescreen one.

This is a situation where you should just resign yourself to buying a new system.

Instability
Another problem that can signal a need to buy a new computer is if your existing computer is somehow unstable – it can crash frequently for no known reason, it can have recurring errors appear that can’t seem to be resolved, it can fail to boot up. It pays to talk to your computer technician or the technical support team from your computer’s manufacturer first, sometimes these can be resolved relatively simply. But if your computer is also a few years old, it may be a symptom of something going badly wrong.
Be sure to take full advantage of any warranty period in effect before you write off the computer you have. But you may have to buy a new system.

The next issue of this Newsletter will talk about picking out a new computer. Stay tuned!

© 2007 Maura Anderson

Focus
The focus of these newsletters is on demystifying the PC that is running a Microsoft® Windows operating system. This is because it happens to be what I am the most familiar with and feel I can offer the most insight into. There are certainly many subjects that are universal to computers and technology as a whole and will be of value to those people who use an Apple® MacIntosh or a computer running a non-Windows operating system.

Computer Guided Tour
There are two main subareas of computers – hardware and software. You really need both to have a functioning system but I’m going to separate them in order to explain the part they play. An important thing to keep in mind while you read this is that this is an overview. There are intricacies and details that I’ve deliberately omitted in order to not get bogged down in details.

Hardware
Your computer’s hardware is the physical electronics that give the software something to run on and you something to interact with. The hardware is broken up into additional subareas.

Computer
The main box of your system or laptop is the actual computer. This box encloses multiple other pieces of hardware.

Case
This is the outer shell of your desktop or laptop computer. A case can have a multitude of appearances – everything from the non-descript beige box to a shiny silver laptop to some really fancy and wild looks, often for gamers. Cases also come in a multitude of sizes and orientations.
The internal hardware is mounted to the case for both protection and portability. Each case is made to support a particular layout of mounting screws and brackets and will have various numbers of places for connections or fans to be placed.

Motherboard
The motherboard is the circuit board that houses the CPU (Central Processing Unit) – this is the large and complex (and expensive) chip that does the bulk of the work for the system. In essence, it’s the computer’s brain.
The motherboard also has connections to allow the CPU to communicate to other parts of the system. Some motherboards have integrated functionality like sound or video that allows the finished system to be more compact. This is especially true in the very tight quarters of a laptop computer.
The motherboard also has sockets for the computer’s memory and for any additional expansion cards that are needed.

Expansion Cards
Expansion cards are used to provide additional functionality to your computer or to improve on the functionality that your motherboard may have integrated into it. The most common expansion cards are network, video and audio cards.
Expansion cards plug in to a socket on the motherboard so the CPU can communicate with them and typically have connectors on the end that protrude from the case to enable a monitor, speakers, etc to be connected to the expansion card.

Memory
Most of the computer’s memory is comprised of RAM (Random Access Memory). This comes in the form of small “sticks” of multiple memory chips that work together and these sticks are plugged in to sockets in the computer’s motherboard. RAM is what the computer uses to store programs and data it is actively using and it’s one of the most common things to upgrade.
Although motherboards have only a certain number of sockets available that can house RAM, sticks of RAM come in a various capacities to allow you to add more memory.

Internal Drives
There are several types of drives that are available. They have in common the fact that they are used to store data for later use and that a minimum of the drive itself remains in the computer’s case. Some drives are read-only and some allow both reading and writing.
Drives use a controller on the motherboard to allow the CPU to send and retrieve things from the drive.

Fixed Media
These use a media that is not made to be removed so both the drive and the drive’s media remain in the computer’s case. These are almost universally hard disk drives.

Removable Media
These drives allow the media to be removed and transported. This used to consist of floppy disk or tape drives but a wide variety of removable media drives are available now.
These can include:
• Floppy disk drives
• CD drives
• DVD drives
• Media card drives

Power Supply
This is the device that takes the current from your wall socket and converts it from AC (Alternating Current) to DC (Direct Current) and distributes it to the rest of the computer. The power supply is what your computer’s power cord actually plugs in to.

Ports
Most computers have several types of ports that connect to the motherboard and are accessible from outside the case. The most common ones are:

Keyboard and Mouse (PS/2)
These are the smallish round connectors that are used to connect older keyboards and mice to. Many keyboards and mice use USB now.

USB (Universal Serial Bus)
These are rectangular ports that many peripherals are now made to plug into. Most computers now come with two or more USB ports.

Cooling
Computers generate a lot of heat and fans are a necessity. Most computers have at least one fan to help keep the system at a reasonable temperature.

Input Devices
The most common input devices are the keyboard and a pointing device. The pointing device can be a mouse, a trackball, a joystick, etc. These are how you interact with your computer.

Display
Most computers have a single monitor color display. On laptops it’s built into the case of the computer while it’s a separate device on desktop computers.

Peripherals
These are pieces of external hardware that add functionality or improved functionality to your computer. Something is only considered to be a peripheral if it is truly optional.
Some examples of peripherals are:
• External disk drives
• Printers
• Scanners
• Web cameras
• Laptop docking stations

Software
Software is the programming that gives instructions to the computer hardware to tell it what to do. There are thousands of different pieces of software out there but they fall into only a few categories:

Operating Systems
Your computer’s operating system is the software that is made to sort of run the show. It takes care of knowing how and when to talk to different pieces of hardware, how to send things to the monitor, etc. Without the operating system, you would have to try to talk to the hardware in its native language of binary.
Operating systems are designed for a particular chip architecture and use drivers in order to sort of learn the language of different hardware.
Your computer’s operating system also lets applications tell it what to tell the hardware.

Applications
Applications are pieces of software that are generally designed to perform a function or solve a problem for users. They are made to work with a particular operating system or systems and vary a great deal by what they are designed to do.

Who am I?
I’m a 40-something year old software development engineer in test who lives and works in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. I’m a wife and a mother as well – which can lead to a rather busy life sometimes. I’ve got a mixed bag of interests that include things like online gaming and software security but also things like knitting, reading, jewelry making, etc. I often joke that I suffer from an incurable disease called “Interested in Everything”.

And if those two jobs weren’t enough, I’m also an author. I started out by writing technical documents at work, then moved to teaching classes to fellow employees on some in-house tools, then moved to technical reviewing for MSDN Magazine. During all this I discovered that I really like to write and teach and I have a talent for it. I seem to be able to convey what I need to, even to people with different levels of sophistication or experience.

I saw a need for a book to teach other software testers how to conduct software security testing so I channeled my passions into that task, writing and selling the book Testing Code Security which is scheduled to be released in June 2007. It was a lot of work – hard work – but I really loved it.

After it was complete I debated writing another technical book right away but instead asked my agent about the possibilities of a book that was geared toward the task of demystifying computer and technical subjects for the average person. My agent didn’t feel there was a market for that type of book but that just didn’t make sense to me – if there was no market, why would I field so many questions from friends and family? Even strangers in my favorite coffee shop have asked me questions.

So I decided to try an experiment… this newsletter and website.

Why am I doing this?
I actually have two reasons to do this.

The first reason is that I want to prove or disprove the statement about whether there is a market for this subject. I’ve talked to family and friends and they keep telling me how much they would like to have the information I proposed. When I asked about some of the “Dummies” or “Complete Idiot’s Guide” books, most people told me they were decent, but they were too geared toward a younger crowd and sometimes they felt a little too cute or condescending. If this sort of grass roots effort develops a following, I will have proven my case. If, however, I am only talking to myself, I will have instead proven my agent’s opinion to be likely.

The second reason is that I really do like to teach and help others and think that computers and technology are treated a bit like a dark art – even down to the language the majority of information is couched in. This is a chance to help others.

What are my intentions?
I intend to cover a multitude of computer subjects in real-world, ungeeky terms. My list of possible topics ranges from a basic tour of computers to things like:

As you can see, I am not going to cover questions that involve the intricacies of a particular program in the Newsletter. I want to cover information that will give readers a foundation to build on when they read more involved instructions or have to make decisions.

I’m going into this project with a minimum commitment on my end of producing two newsletter a month (on the 15th and the last day of the month) for six months. At the end of six months, I’ll look at what readership I have and decide how to best proceed.

If there isn’t much of an audience, the decision to stop may be easy (and obvious).

If, however, there is a following, I’ll have to make a more difficult decision – either keep the site going or write a book proposal – or even both. I really won’t know until the six months are up and I can look at the readership, my own time and other commitments.

What can you do?
I’m not a huge promotion person and my time is a bit limited, so feel free to send a link to your friends and family or refer people to the site. Let me know what you like or don’t like. Suggest topics you’d like to see covered in a newsletter. In other words, talk to me

- Maura