Summertime Cleaning

My wife (a teacher) made the comment, as have other fellow educators, that summer is when we get things done around the house that are usually done in the spring. I'd have to agree with that sentiment! Summer is also a time when many educators "fill their cups" with inservice trainings, conventions, and by taking classes.

Summer is also a good time to give your computer a little TLC. A few suggestions below are offered, as well as a link to a handout that I received this week at a virtual ISTE conference in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It addresses the many features of Google Apps and how they can be employed to increase productivity and lead to more efficient learning.

First, let's give our computers a little "spring cleaning":

1. Dispose of non-essential files residing on your computer's hard drive. Two free programs do this chore very easily and quickly. One is called Hard Drive Powerwash. The other is named Disk Cleaner. Download and run both programs.  You'll be amazed at the amount of space reclaimed on your computer!
2. When you've sent all of the non-essential files to the Recycle Bin, empty it and run Smart Defrag. First run "defrag only", then run it in "Deep Optimize" mode.
3. After you've defragmented the hard drive, defragment your computer's registry using Free Registry Defrag.
4. I'd be remiss if I didn't put in a plug for checking the computer for malware, trojans, and viruses. Two excellent products to use: AntiMalware and SUPERAntispyware. Download and install both.  Update both.  Run a "full system scan" using both. Delete anything they detect.
5. It used to be that the most common way viruses were spread was via floppy disks. Times have changed and flash drives can now become carriers of viruses. To reduce the likelihood of contracting a virus using a flash drive, download and use USB Guardian.
6. Lastly, back up your files! If you suffer the misfortune of contracting a virus or other form of malware, a degree of "peace of mind" will be had by doing so. Would you like a free, quick program that makes a backup of your computer's drivers? Try  Double Driver.I've recently used it to reinstall drivers after reformatting a PC. It works very well! DriverMax is another free, easy-to-use application that backs up drivers. It's easy to learn, fast, and reliable.

When these chores have been completed, download the handout I received this week at a virtual conference. You'll be amazed at what all can be done with Google Apps! Dr. Howie DiBlasi did a superb job drafting this handout. We spent three uninterrupted hours reviewing this document and trying the various features Dr. H. prepared for us.  The time flew! Thanks, Doc!