1. Do you Really Need a New Computer? Everything you need to know to decide. Hank Feinberg and Jim Anderson Rockland PC Users Group Rockland PC Users Group

2. Is your computer running very slow?

3. Are you thinking of buying a new computer for the holidays?

4. What do you really need today and what will you need 3 years from now?

5. How do you get the most computer for the least amount of money?

6. Get free software to tell you everything in your computer Including Hardware Memory Licenses, Software

7. Learn how easy it is to transfer your files from your old computer to the new one.

8. Have you considered what you will do with your old computer?

9. What will you do about your personal and confidential information on it?

10. Find out how to protect yourself from identity theft, how to properly and where to dispose of your old computer.

11. Step 1 What is in your computer?

12. To find out what is in your computer Download and use this Free Program SIW System Information for Windows "Everything you want to know about your PC". http://www.gtopala.com/ http://www.gtopala.com/siw-download.html

13. Back up your data on to a portable hard drive. Back up programs Memeo http://www.memeo.com/

14. What do you want to do with your computer 1. Personal use E-mail Word Processing Financials Spread Sheets Taxes Stock Trading, Research Picture Editing Internet - Research

15. 2. Business Use 3. Graphics 4. Gaming

16. Have you done the following to tweak your computer and clean your hard drive and registry? Back up before you do anything Back up before you do anything.

17. Registry cleaning – CCleanerCCleaner Old program fragments De Frag Hard Drive Delete unused programs – Use control panel Clean up your start up menu Archive old files not used

18. Sources - Internet or Direct Fry’s- Outpost Geeks Tiger Direct Newegg Abes of Maine Comp u plus Dell Gateway

19. Wholesale Clubs Costco Sam’s Club BJ’s

20. Stores Circuit City Office Depot StaplesStaples Best BuyBest Buy Micro CenterMicro Center Wal MartWal Mart

21. $199 Linux PC from Walmart http://www.walmart.com/catalog/ product.do?product_id=7754614 It looks like their second batch has sold out

22. Minimum Specs from Microsoft for Windows XP 800 MHz CPU 512 MB RAM 10-20 gig Hard Drive CD drive

23. Minimum Specs from Microsoft Windows Vista 2 GHz CPU 2 GB RAM DVD drive Add-in DirectX 9, 256MB RAM Aero-capable video card (to use Aero 3-Ddesktop)

24. Minimum Specs for Linux (Ubuntu, SUSE, RedHat) 800 MHz CPU 512 RAM RAM CD drive 10- 20 Gig Hard Drive 10/100 Ethernet Network Card (broadband Internet service) current ATI or nVidia video card and drivers (for 3D desktop effects)

25. Free Operating System and Software Ubuntu Linux http://www.ubuntu.com/ Free Open Software for Windows http://theopendisc.com/

26. Minimum Acceptable BetterBest Processor: Intel Pentium III (or equivalent) 1.5 GHz or faster Intel Pentium IV (or equivalent) 2.5 GHz or faster Intel Core 2 (or equivalent) 2.5 GHz or faster RAM: 256 MB512 MB1 GB or 2 GB or more Free (Unused) Hard Disk Space: 1 20 GB40 GB80 GB or more Operating System: Windows 2000 Profession al Windows XP Home Windows XP Professional Windows Vista 3 Office Software: 4 Microsoft Office 2000 Microsoft Office XP Microsoft Office2003 Microsoft Office 2007

27. You should have at least 120 GB of hard drive space as a minimum. If recording and/or editing digital video, you need at least 200 GB of hard drive space All Operating Systems should have all critical updates and security patches..

28. Several Additional points Clean out unused files Update and run your virus and malware programs first Back up before doing anything after steps 1&2 Buy from a long established business in case you have to return it. Be careful about service contracts. Not always what they seem to be. If you dispose of your computer give it to PC ReNew so we can give it a second life with a needy Rockland family.

29. For Additional Information Check our Website www.rpcug.orgwww.rpcug.org Come down to our meetings the second Tuesday of each month at the Palisades Center Mall 4 th floor Rasso Room at 7:00PM Go to our Windows workshop for expert advice

30. Available September 24, 2007 Buy a Laptop for a Child, Get Another 2 for $400 Linux OS http://www.laptopgiving.org/en/ways-to- donate.php

31. Happy Chanukah!

32. Merry Christmas!

33. Greetings of the Season to all and have a Great 2008!