Chapter 21
Chapter 21: Ten Essential Dos and Don’ts ..................................................................
In This Chapter
Smoking is bad for your machine’s health
Dusting for fun and profit
Steadying the course
Transmitting problems to your laptop
Bringing along an emergency software kit
A
s songwriter Jim Croce once warned us, you don’t tug on Superman’s
cape, you don’t spit into the wind.. .and if I might add, you don’t mess
around with your laptop when you’re miles away from home. That’s just one
of my top-10 don’ts to protect your computer’s health. The point being you
should take care of your machine at all times at home and on the road, and
only perform major changes or maintenance when you are near the tools,
backups, and support from those you know and love. It’s a jungle out there!Living Long and Prospering ........................................................................
No computer should ever be turned on and then ignored for the rest of its
useful life. The machine needs to be kept clean inside and out, its parts need
to be tested regularly, its storage system needs to be inspected and reorga-
nized from time to time, and it needs to be protected against unauthorized
intrusion. All of these tasks are even more important when it comes to a
laptop; because of its miniaturization it’s more subject to damage from dirt,
heat buildup, and the bad news that follows a fall to the floor.