needed to view most of the images on this Web site - just a couple of clicks and you're "good to go."
Welcome
Photos of Larryblakeley
http://www.royblakeley.name/larry_blakeley/larryblakeley_photos_jpeg.htm
(Contact Info: larry at larryblakeley dot com)
Important Note: You will need to click this icon to download the free needed to view most of the images on this Web site - just a couple of clicks and you're "good to go."
I manage this Web site and the following Web sites: Leslie (Blakeley) Adkins - my oldest daughter
Lori Ann Blakeley (June 20, 1985 - May 4, 2005) - my middle daughter
Evan Blakeley- my youngest child
I suppose it's time to break-away from devoting all of my time to my "labor of love" Web site at http://www.royblakeley.name and tend to the flock a little.
Maybe I should devote this time I have allocated to the flock by disclosing to others what "products" that I use to keep my desktop computers (2 Windows XP's; 1 RedHat Linux desktop; and, an old standby Windows 98 for journeying back to the future) up and running, as if they were the same frisky "little fellas" they were when I first purchased them (unless, of course, you've been hanging on to that 5-year old box of yours - I have - don't throw it away - not just yet. You may be able to use it - I'll cover that at the end of this article).
First of all - some of these maintenance functions can be done by hand, but since the products are relatively inexpensive, and since I have been using them for well over 5 years now - I do not have any reservations of recommending them to you. But, just keep in mind - this Web site is non-commercial - which means I really don't care how much money I make, as long as I get fed, the lights stay on, and I can lay my head down on something comfy at the end of the day (note: this is not my wife's (Jackie) idea of living - close to the edge of destitution) - so, I will compromise that restriction a little bit, here, for the benefit of the flock - which is really the intent of this Web site in the first place.
Why do I feel it's necessary to mention some products by name? Because there are a lot of folks (like my dear Mother, my dear sister, my dear daughters, and so on, and so forth) that think their computer needs to be replaced because it just hums .... ever so slowly.
Well, there really is hope - and, you can possibly get the "gitty-up" back into those "little fellas'" step; but, let me tell you a short story, first.
Why, another story? Because that's the way we learn - from real life, by looking at real life, thinking about it - what does this mean, what does that mean, and, so on down life's trails of learning and understanding - all, right there in front of us, everyday - just to be brought to our consciousness, possibly by folks like me.
About 6 months, or so, a certain person that I know (whose name will remain anonymous in order to protect me) was complaining that he had "some sort of virus (or, rather, "rash" - Phil, "City Slickers", 1991 - a film dear to my heart and soul - about cowboys, careers, and mid-life crises) - something that was just slowing his computer down.
Well, let me tell you - if you have teenagers in the house, and they are using your computer, then you've got a whole lot of "housecleaning" to perform on that "little fella".
Why is that? I'm not sure, but it is my guess that it's from traveling to the music Web sites - these marketeers are notorious for putting these little spyware, adware, pop-up nuisances on that "little fella." And, all of these little programs take up memory, at the very least - insidiously, sloooooowing that "little fella" from a fast gait to a slooooow walk.
In any event, I went over these same products that I am going to recommend to you, and I have an idea that he did not use them, but just kept on trying to get around a problem that he did not understand the source of in the first place. Possibly, he is either an attorney, or an accountant, but regardless, this poor soul was asking, but not listening to my answers.
And, that is the very first thing you must force yourself to do. IF YOU ASK - FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE - YOU MUST LISTEN! Do I need to be any more clear about this? Are you listening (reading) my words, here? If you are not then if I was you - well, I would just close this message from your monitor.
And, further, if you do not understand what you have asked another to help you with, then by all means - keep asking - for, if he (or she) is willing to expend their breath of life to answer, then it is a pretty good bet that they will continue to explain, as long as you are still struggling to learn and understand. You just will not get anywhere in this strange, at times, digital world.
In fact, this poor soul, even brought in an "expert" computer guy over to his home to solve the problem; called technical support no telling how many times; and just wasted hours and hours of his time on that silly "little fella" - needlessly, because he just could not get that brain of his to accept the fact that what I was telling him would solve his problem - cheap and quickly. He could have bought a new computer for just nearly what he paid himself (if you want to look at it that way - which I do, for myself - and MY TIME) and others to figure out what manner of "rash" this "little fella" had taken on.
Oh, well - I write articles about the vanity of the "American man" http://www.royblakeley.name/larry_blakeley/articles/why_learn.htm - a distinct breed of humanity that just seems bent on completely seeing nobody or nothing, hearing nobody or nothing, and talking to nobody and saying nothing, to anyone, but himself. He just never quite "got it" - he was blind sided somewhere after birth - and, his ability to use just plain old "common sense" - in order to see, hear, and tell the truth, just never developed in him. But, that's what my other Web site is about - and, I try to keep these mind-over-vanity issues corralled at my other Web site, my "labor of love, an effort to explain the 'damage done'" http://www.royblakeley.name/larry_blakeley/songs/damage_done.htm by these men.
And, in fact, my dear sister, Karen, was having the same problem - a "rash" - several months ago - and, she called me to get a recommendation on what computer she should buy. She was ready to replace that "little fella" that just seemed to have lost it's zest for the digital world - all of its friskiness, pep, and willingness to go - fast, was gone from its spirit - just a beaten down horse, that had no more "gitty-up and go." And, further, she had budgeted somewhere around $1,000, to search out a replacement for this "little fella" of hers.
To make a long story short about her situation - she saved herself $1,000 - enough to later purchase a newer monitor for herself, and still have money left over for buying me dinner.
OK, here is what I use, and what I recommend that you consider, as well, for yourself:
First of all you need to read this article:
"As a weapon, "Just say no! was useless in the war on drugs, but it is the best defense against spyware.
Usually, spyware programs don't leap onto computers by themselves. Somewhere along the line, users initiate the download, accept the installation of software and allow the infestation to take place. There's no way to sugarcoat it: If you've got spyware, it's your own fault.
Spyware collects and transmits data about how you use your computer so marketers can target their advertising pitches. Some spyware applications launch pop-up ads for products that match the sites you visit or the searches you perform. Others can change Web browser preferences, add entries to Internet Explorer's Favorites list and transmit sensitive information like passwords. The sneaky programs often cause application crashes and slowed system performance." -
"An Arsenal to Combat Spyware", by Michelle Delio for Wired News, 02:00 AM Jun. 25, 2004 PT
http://www.larryblakeley.com/Articles/spyware_20040625.htm
Then, read this article:
http://www.larryblakeley.com/Articles/monthly_articles/AOL_NCSA_online_safety_study_press20041025
And, then download and try these 5 products:
1. Registry First Aid:
http://www.rosecitysoftware.com/Reg1Aid/
2. Registry Compactor:
http://www.rosecitysoftware.com/RegistryCompressor/
File Name: email_from_registry_compressor_eric_salmassy20041018.txt
Subject:
Re: Registry Compressor Upgrade Request
From:
"Eric Salmassy" <eric@infinisource.com>
Date:
Mon, 18 Oct 2004 17:35:36 -0700
To:
"Larry Blakeley" <larry at larryblakeley.com>
*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
Larry,
Registry First Aid and other registry cleaning programs work on a logical level. They search for unused/wrong/unwanted entries and so on. They change the LOGICAL structure of the registry. If you run regedit after running RFA, then you will notice that registry keys/values were changed.
This is not the case with Registry Compressor. The logical structure remains exactly the same. It works only on a PHYSICAL level with registry files. Registry Compressor defragments registry files and reorganizes them on physical level only. The registry becomes smaller, but no changes are made on the logical level.
So, both programs are achieving the same goal (performance boost) doing completely different things.
Windows 98/ME has a compaction functionality in the OS, and although it is not as effective as Registry Compressor if you are running one of those Windows versions then you may find Compressor to be redundant. Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 Server do not include a registry compaction functionality.
Regards,
Eric
--
Eric Salmassy
Account Development Manager
Rose City Software / Infinisource, Inc.
www.rosecitysoftware.com
File Name: email_to_registry_compressor_eric_salmassy20041018.txt
Subject:
Re: Registry Compressor Upgrade Request
From:
Larry Blakeley <larry at larryblakeley.com>
Date:
Mon, 18 Oct 2004 13:24:23 -0500
To:
Eric Salmassy <eric@infinisource.com>
Hello, Eric - looks like you guys have been working on the interface.
Say, one thing that confuses me is this - Is Registry Compressor and Registry First-Aid overlapping in functionality?
Thanks.
Larry Blakeley
Dallas, Texas
http://www.larryblakeley.com (information and knowledge management systems overview - and, FREE!
3. Spybot
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html
4. System Cleaner
http://www.pointstone.com/products/systemcleaner/
5. Diskeeper
http://www.diskeeper.com/coverpage.asp
So, please don't fret - all of these products have a 30-day trial version. You will need to use them all in order to wake that "little fella" up.
If they don't correct your problems, then possibly you need to re-install your operating system (fresh copy). But, with the prices of hard drives today - I would recommend just buying a new hard drive - loading a fresh operating system on it, and using the other one as a "slave" drive. This will enable you to retrieve your files from the old drive, as you get time to do so. And, for sure, after doing this - that "little fella" will act just as it did when you first bought it - maybe, better, if you get a faster drive (RPM) with more cache functionality.
In fact, it would not surprise me in the least that if within 5 years, or so, that we just carry around a small hard drive (with it's accompanying operating system, personal settings, etc.) for ourselves - and, just plug it in - whenever, and wherever, we need to.
If you are thinking of trashing the replaced computer - don't - give Linux a try, download the image files for Red Hat Linux http://www.redhat.com/ Desktop version, and install it on the old machine.
After it's installed then go to http://www.mozilla.org and download Thunderbird email client program and Firefox web browser. I have been using these programs for years - even before they gave them these current names.
And, just use the Linux machine for all of your web browsing and email.
- "Gitty-Up, Gone," Larry Blakeley, October 27, 2004.