If you are still using Windows XP or an older version of a Microsoft Windows operating system (OS), you will be in for quite a change when you upgrade. While Windows Vista is well known for its drastically different layout, there’s a lot more about Vista to discover.

Released to the public in January of 2007, Vista set out to make some needed changes to the previous OS’s. Windows XP, the predecessor to Vista was highly criticized for its safety vulnerability. All user accounts are automatically set up as an administrator, giving them full access to all the programs, files, and system information. Vista set out to combat this and other security issues with a high level of security measures in place.

User Account Control is the primary security feature built into Vista. When certain changes are attempted to be made, a window will pop up asking for your permission to continue (you have probably noticed this many times if you have a Vista OS) and even ask for your password if you have one set up. Ironically, this is one of the highest complaints Vista gets from users—the ubiquity of User Account Control popup windows.

Another major change in the operating system is the graphical user interface (GUI). The sleek new layout, called Windows Aero, actually somewhat resembles the Macintosh OS’s design, according to many users. The new look is sharper and offers many “user-friendly” options, renames a few Control Panel options, and a few other things that are great for computer newbies, but confusing to people accustomed to older Windows OS’s.

Another change in the graphical features is the applications that you can run on your desktop on the new Windows Sidebar.  You can customize your sidebar by choosing from the Desktop Gadgets gallery, including a calendar, clock, weather forecaster, and picture puzzle.

One helpful new feature is located in the start menu. There is now a search bar in the bottom of the start menu that will allow you to type the name of any system component (like Control Panel), personal files, and programs. This will help you quickly locate things if you’re not sure where to find them! To learn more about the features and details about Vista, go to microsoft.com/vista.

Overall, Vista has received many negative reviews by both users and computer technicians for being confusing and/or unstable. As for the confusing new layout, that is to be expected, since Microsoft hadn’t released a new version of Windows in five years when Vista was released. This is the longest span of time for no new versions to be introduced. Needless to say, millions of people have become quite accustomed to XP. Even today, the majority of computer users are running an XP operating system—even more than all other OS ever made, combined!

Windows 7, the latest version of Microsoft OS’s was released in 2009 and is said to resolve many of the security and stability issues Vista had. If you have Windows Vista now because you recently bought a new computer, you might want to check out Microsoft’s website to see how you can upgrade to Windows 7. If you have a Windows XP or older and would like to upgrade to something more recent, try Windows 7. You can find out more by going to www.microsoft.com 

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net. Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

Software usually comes in three forms: 1, pre-installed on your computer, 2, on a CD—either a performance program (like Microsoft Word) or the driver software that came with new hardware (like a modem), or 3, as a download from the Internet. Let's explore these individually:

Preinstalled Software

When you buy a computer, there is an operating system (usually Microsoft Windows) and several programs already installed. Typically, these would include a word processor and other tools and applications, like Word pad, Solitaire, etc., and an Internet browser like Internet Explorer. All the software that makes you're computer function and runs hardware is system software. All the programs on the All Programs list is application software.

Some programs come preinstalled, usually as a marketing tactic, and use system resources by starting up every time you turn on your computer, like Windows Messenger and sometimes a free trial of Norton Antivirus, or some other security software. Of course, just because these programs are installed doesn't mean you have to use them. You should probably uninstall anything you won't use to avoid using your system resources.

CD Software

Since software is basically just a complicated string of digital codes, the only way to physically buy it in a store is to buy a CD with the code stored on it. You then put the CD in your computer and install the program to use it. The majority of software programs (including the ones in the other categories) can be bought on a CD. Office tools, games, music players, security packages, and photo-editing programs are all typical software applications that are often purchased in stores. This is probably the most expensive route, but if it didn’t come preinstalled on your computer, it is usually worth it.

The best reason to buy software on a CD is because you can always reinstall it from the CD. Software can become corrupted, lost, or damaged after it was installed. Or worse, your computer could crash and you would have to reinstall everything back onto it. Having the CD means you can always reinstall the programs, or install it on a different computer in a matter of a few minutes.

Drivers are another type of CD software. All hardware is useless until it has the correct software that will make it be recognized by your computer's system software. When you buy a new printer, modem, or other attachable hardware, you are always prompted to install something from a CD. This is the driver. Most manufacturers will also list free links to download drivers in case you lose the CD, or the CD becomes damaged or outdated.

Downloadable Software

The Internet is one of the best and easiest ways to obtain software. You can download almost anything from the Internet, and much of it is free. There are antivirus and other anti-malware programs, browsers, games, photo/video editors, word processors and other office tools, etc. Download.com is one of the best places to find free downloads. Most people download programs because it is easier and cheaper than finding and buying it from a store. Sometimes tools and programs can be downloaded to troubleshoot hardware issues (like a corrupted driver), find and remove malicious software, and perform maintenance tasks, like scanning your computer or cleaning up unnecessary files.

You must be careful with Internet downloads, as some of them are disguised malicious software. Research a program before you download it if you're not sure that it's legitimate. You should be able to find reviews of the download fairly easily by doing a Google search for that program name.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net. Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

When you connect to the Internet or perform computer tasks, many elements of hardware and software are necessary to make all this possible. Each program you run on your computer to complete tasks is considered application software. Software is necessary for hardware to perform the tasks you ask it to do, like print a paper or connect to the Internet. Not only that, software is also responsible for maintenance and performance tasks that you are probably not even aware of. The most basic tasks and functional level software that enables the computer to function and run application software is called system software.

Your operating system is a core component of your computer’s system software. It is responsible for the look and feel of your computer, how it operates, and how it is compatible with hardware and application software. There are many operating systems created by many companies and function, just like there are hundreds of brands for clothing and food. Although they perform many similar functions, they layout and programming is different among these companies. Most people use Windows operating systems (like XP, Vista, and the newest one, Windows 7). Although most computers are sold with Windows operating systems, there are actually quite a few operating systems created by dozens of companies. The two most popular operating systems used today are Microsoft’s Windows, and Apple’s Macintosh.

Operating systems are responsible for getting the hardware to do what the user wants. It is also the mediator between the hardware and the system software that runs it, and the application software that needs to run on it. For example, the operating system allows you to open a word document (application software) to view on your monitor (hardware).

There are other background tasks your Operating system handles, like processing input and output, implementing security features, and managing memory. This is a primary reason that operating systems are constantly being upgraded. Every time new technology allows for better processing speed and storage space, etc, for hardware, the software has to be upgraded to keep up and take advantage of the new and improved capacity! Therefore, a new operating system is necessary.

Operating systems are also the interface the users see when they turn on their computer and operate their computer. The layout, options, features, and how the basic computer system is organized is a part of the operating system. For example, the way your desktop looks is one of the key elements of an operating system. On a Windows XP operating system, the start button is a rectangular green button and the taskbar is blue. On a Vista or Windows 7 operating system, the start button is a black or dark blue circular button with only the Window’s emblem on it.
Changes to the GUI, or, the graphical user interface (the layout, default colors, buttons, features) is another reason operating systems change over time. Whether it’s a new way to organize or just better colors and features, operating systems often have different layouts than a previous version.

As you can see, your operating system is responsible for most of your computer processes. It is also constantly being improved (or at least changed) and upgraded by their designers. These changes are an inevitable part of progress and an undeniable part of technology.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

Internet services and computer processing are two very important aspects of daily life for most people. If these processes don’t function properly or too slowly, it can greatly hinder your ability to complete daily tasks. Therefore, it is important to understand some basic core functions of all computers, so that troubleshooting errors and slow speeds is possible. One of the basic elements of computer processing is your software and its relationship to your computer system.

Your computer is made up of hardware and software. The hardware is the physical pieces and parts, both inside and outside of your computer. Your software is the display, the controlling and moving force that enables your computer to do, well, everything. Everything that displays on your monitor and allows you to make changes, create projects, and perform tasks is software.

There are many ways that software is necessary and beneficial. The majority of the software on your computer (especially that which came with your computer) is probably necessary for your hardware to function, and for you to perform tasks. It is possible though, that “good” software can go bad or not be right for your computer.

For example, every piece of hardware in your computer system needs software, usually called a driver, in order for it to operate and work with the rest of your computer system. Sometimes, hardware (like your printer or modem) performs poorly or not at all because the software has become corrupted or is out of date. This is most likely the case, especially since software is constantly being improved over time. It is also the easiest and least expensive issue to fix. For these reasons, the first suggestion to fix a problem is almost always to reinstall or upgrade the software program or the software driver of the hardware that is giving you trouble.

Another way that software can be problematic is if it is not compatible with your current system software, like your operating system. As software improves, changes are made in the way they run and display that were not even invented when your computer was built. Often, adaptations can be made, but constant upgrades are almost inevitable when it comes to computer systems. Compatibility issues are usually quite simple to identify. You will get an error message or some other clear indication that the software will not work. Sometimes, on websites offering software downloads, you will be notified before you download that your computer is not compatible, or you will see a list of versions of that software in order to choose the one that will work with your computer.

Software can also cause your computer to function poorly if it is too advanced for your hardware, and vice versa. New and improved software often takes up more space and uses more system resources than there primitive predecessors. This means that slower, older hardware can have trouble keeping up. On the other hand, newer computers are constantly being built with nearly a hundred times more speed or capacity than those of 5 or so years ago, which means that software is constantly having to be upgraded that will be able to take advantage of that speed and space, otherwise, the improvements cannot be used!

Understanding what software you have, and how it works with your computer is the first step to keeping your computer up-to-date. Knowing how to find, upgrade, and install software will help you troubleshoot your computer and save money.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

If you have problems with your computer performing normal processes, or it seems to work excessively slower than it should, there are unfortunately far too many reasons for why this could be to just blame it on one thing. Many times, computer speed or performance, especially when you are connected to the Internet, is dependent upon a dozen components to work efficiently. In order to understand how to fix or improve your computer, you have to understand how your computer works. One important aspect of computer efficiency is the relationship between hardware and software.

Hardware is the actual physical components of your computer, like your keyboard, mouse, and the monitor. Not only should you understand what these components are, it is also very helpful to know what each part does in relationship to the others. The specifications, or specs, of internal hardware, like your hard drive and RAM, are also helpful to know, as they can help you understand their capacities and capabilities.

Software is the digital data that enables hardware to perform user tasks, like Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer. There are hundreds of software programs and system software (built in commands and controls in your computer) that perform many different tasks—like audio and visual features, or functional features for creating or organizing projects. It’s important to know what software you need to not only be compatible with, but also optimize the efficiency of your hardware. You also need to know what version of your software you have, as an outdated version can severely inhibit your ability to keep up with computer (and especially online) activities.

Here’s how it works:
1. Without hardware, software would not exist. If, for example, there were no modems, there would be no software for the Internet.
2. Without software, hardware would be useless. Everything your computer does, even powering on, is run by some type of software.
3. Hardware and software cannot work together unless it was made to work together. Just like Ford parts won’t make a Chevy work, or trying to use parts from a previous model won’t work with newer cars, most software must be run on a machine that was built for it.
4. Hardware occasionally needs to be upgraded. Most computers today, even the cheapest ones, have hardware that more than a hundred times faster and better than the best and most expensive computers of 10 years ago. Hardware that is too old will not be compatible with new software, or will not be able to keep up and make your computer slower.
5. Software needs to be upgraded. There are constantly newer releases of all kinds of software to make use of the improved capacity and speed of hardware upgrades, as well as to be compatible with other computers and new Internet applications and features. Even with a new computer, outdated software will cause slow performance and could keep you from enjoying modern technological achievements both online and offline.

Understanding the relationship of software and hardware, and knowing which ones you have is the first step in keeping your computer in good shape and running order.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

The use of Internet services are one of the most dominant reasons for having personal computers and laptops. In order to operate and especially to maintain and troubleshoot your computer, it’s important to understand basic functions and terminology for computers. All of the fundamental components of computing are either hardware or software.

*Hardware *
Hardware is all the physical components of a computer—the monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, and tower (or, on a laptop, the base, keyboard, and display screen) are all hardware. Other pieces of hardware can be added, changed, or removed after buying the basic components. Although hardware is the things you can see, you do have hardware parts that you can’t see, because they are connected or installed inside the computer tower. This is called internal hardware. External hardware is usually plugged into the back of the tower and is internal hardware. Here are more examples of hardware:

*CDs and DVDs—the physical plastic disc is hardware that stores software programs to run on your computer.
* CD drives and burners—for playing or recording information on CD’s.
* Modems—dial-up, cable, and DSL all require a modem (dial-up modems are often internal, but can be sold as external devices
* Wireless router—this device can be attached to a broadband modem to convert digital signal to wireless, so that you can connect to the Internet without having a cord plugged into the computer.
* Wireless card/network adapter— Usually internal, this component makes connecting wirelessly to broadband services possible, can also be bought and attached externally.
* Ipods, smartphones, Iphones, cellphones, blackberries—these devices would also be considered hardware, especially since they are often connected to the computer and can be used to connect to the Internet.

*Software*
Software is everything you can’t physically touch. It’s the programs and applications that make up everything that displays on the screen, enables the hardware to run and communicate with each other, and performs tasks. Without software, your computer would just be a complicated pile of metal and plastic.

There are basically two types of software: system software and application software. System software is what makes your computer function and controls background processes—most of which you do not need to control or might not even know about. Application software, or applications, is everything you use to complete your tasks. Here are some examples:
* Microsoft Office Suite—Word, Excel, and Outlook are all applications, and so are similar programs like WordPerfect or OpenOffice.
* Web browsers—Internet Explorer, Firefox, and MSN Explorer are just a few examples.
* Games, Calculators, Calendars, Wizards—well, everything on the All Programs list!
* Antivirus programs, Spyware scanners, Registry cleaners, etc.
*Music players like Windows Media Player and RealPlayer

Software is available in all sizes and styles to perform almost any imaginable tasks or form of entertainment. You can usually download them from the Internet, purchase it on CD’s in stores, and often come stored on a CD accompanied with hardware purchases.

Knowing the difference between software and hardware and how they work is the first step to keeping your computer in good shape (e.g., knowing how and when to upgrade it) and to troubleshoot basic problems (determining the cause of the problem—is it hardware or software related?).

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

The computer and Internet world is new to many people. It’s a wonderful and exciting thing—but it can also be scary. With horror stories of identity theft and computers crashing due to spyware and viruses, it’s no wonder it’s a scary place for many. Here’s some helpful information to understand the basics of malware and determine the differences between the types of malware.

Malware, the shortened name of malicious software is any software that has an ulterior, unscrupulous, or dishonest motive. The effects of malware can be as harmless as simply being annoying and slightly slowing down your computer’s performance, or as dangerous as attacking your computer and your important files or collecting private information from you, like credit card numbers and passwords.

There are two basic categories of malware, the “front door” and the “back door” intruders. Malware that tries to infect your computer through email and networks is known as front door intruders and can be detected and caught fairly easily by an antivirus program. The “back door” intruders are hidden and disguised software that is often bundled with another program or appears to be something helpful. Usually these are downloaded by users from the Internet. Back door malware cannot be detected by antivirus programs. The following is a brief description of the different types of malware in each category:

*The Back Door Intruders*
Spyware: This is software that collects information about a user, often to obtain search or surfing habits or private information, like passwords and credit card information. There are different types of spyware, like keyloggers that detect what keys are pressed, and “security programs” that promise to scan your computer for infections, but instead install programs to use your computer memory and give hackers access to your computer.

Adware: This type of malware is typically packages with other software, especially if it is free. It can vary from simply bombarding you with advertising every time you use the software, or collecting information about the searches and surfing you perform in order to tailor advertising to your interests.
A good indication that you may have spyware or adware on your computer is if your browser redirects to other pages by itself or search sites you don’t recognize, your homepage changes by itself, or advertisements pop up constantly, especially if they address you by name or appear even when you are offline.

There are several tools that can be downloaded to remove existing back door malware, but be careful what you download, as a misleading program might simply worsen your situation! A good firewall or antispyware program will help prevent new back door malware from having access to your computer.

*The Front Door Intruders*
Computer Viruses and Worms: These programs enter the computer through a computer network or through files like email attachments. They can replicate themselves to infect core computer files. Viruses and worms use up computer resources and are poorly built, so an infected computer will run slowly or crash often.  Some types are very dangerous and can destroy important system or personal files. Because of their replicating nature, these infections become more harmful the longer they are on the user’s computer.

Trojan Horse: This is a file that appears harmless or helpful, but once installed, it can open a “back door” through which a hacker can access the computer, use system resources for spamming and other malicious purposes, all without the knowledge of the computer’s user. Unlike a virus, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves, but they are usually installed and running without the user’s knowledge or intent.

You may have a virus if you computer suddenly begins lagging significantly more than usual or shuts down and gives error messages repeatedly. You should have an antivirus program installed and running on your computer. You must also keep it updated constantly so it will be aware of new virus threats. A computer scan by your antivirus may resolve basic virus problems, but an advanced virus infection may require in-depth resolution by a computer technician. In many cases, this step results in the loss of personal files, so keep your documents, pictures, and installation files backed up regularly to another computer, CDs, flash drives, or an external hard drive.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!