Below are previews of articles written by Geek Housecalls' geeks as part of our "A Geek Told Me" series of newsletters and publications. To view an entire article, click the title:

Issue 1 : Why is my Computer suddenly so Slow? Do I have a Virus? (part 1)

"We all know what it's like to start up the computer in the morning and wait and wait annnnnnnd wait for it to finally finish booting so we can get on with work, fun, or online life. But what happens when it finally finishes booting and is still slow as molasses? " [more] [return to top of page]

"In the last issue of A Geek Told Me I discussed how one or more of many computer viruses could be the cause of a sudden and inexplicable slow-down of your computer. Of course as much as the viruses get the national headlines, there are two other very common culprits that can cause similar problems... "[more] [return to top of page]

"If wild viruses and memory mayhem in earlier issues of AGTM left you with brain cramps, I have good news. This issue will be a little less scary than viruses and a little less technical than paging memory out to disk. Instead we're going to examine another common source of computer slowdowns that is present in many households... "[more] [return to top of page]

"There's a lot of discussion and a lot of hype in the stores and online right now about wireless home networking. If you were to accept the hype coming from the retail stores and wireless equipment makers, you could quickly come to believe not only that wireless networking is as necessary as the computer itself, but also that setting it up is as easy as making a peanut butter & jelly sandwich! Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of home networking and of wireless too (what do you expect from a geek?!), but as with any technology, wireless is not a one-size-fits-all solution and to determine whether it's the right solution for you, there are a few things you should consider... "[more] [return to top of page]

"Okay, this question is so ridiculous, it stands more as a rhetorical question than a genuine inquiry, but nonetheless, let me ask it of you the readers: Do you know what spam is? Of course I'm referring to the spam of the Internet, also known by the drier technical terms "Unsolicited Commercial Email" or "UCE" by us geeks... "[more] [return to top of page]

"One of the challenges I face every day is helping my customers make difficult decisions about their computers. Now I'm not talking about decisions like choosing between Windows PC and Macintosh, or flat-screen LCD vs. conventional CRT monitor (although these too can be difficult decisions!). What I'm talking about is the more fundamental matter of the economics of maintaining a computer in today's volatile computer price market. To put it simply: When is it wise to invest in upgrades and when is time to throw in the towel and replace your equipment? "[more] [return to top of page]

"If you know only one thing about geek culture, you probably know that we geeks simply cannot resist getting our hands on the latest and greatest technologies. Whether hardware, software, or gadgets, we go to great lengths to be the first to try out something new, often going into seclusion for days when a coveted new gadget arrives. Although this obsessive behavior is something that can strain an ordinary relationship, our spouses and families generally put up with it because they understand that geeks must have new toys to stimulate the imagination just like plants must have light and water to stimulate photosynthesis. Well, as a geek, I have a confession to make... "[more] [return to top of page]

"People always ask me what are the most common requests we geeks get from our customers? Of course there are a range of "common" requests that run the gamut from cleaning viruses to networking home computers to fixing startup problems to solving weird error messages. But a geeks life just wouldn't be complete without also getting some of the less common requests like floppy disk stuck in the drive, beer spilled into the laptop, or that old standby: "do you guys also program VCRs?" "[more] [return to top of page]

"You are the essence of modern. You have a Personal Computer or even a network of computers at home. You have high-speed access to the Internet. Your task list, calendar, and address book are all carried handily in your PDA and synchronized with your computer. You have CDs, DVDs, USB and a PC with XP. You have the Klez virus, your cell phone is a portal to the world, and the family dog is one of those little robotic jobs. (SCREEECHHH! Put on the brakes! The Klez virus??!) Okay, so by now you know, that just behind the glamorous sheen of high tech equipment you've been surrounding yourself with lies the new Wild West... "[more] [return to top of page]

"You may have spent weeks online researching all the latest technologies, comparing processor types, gigahertz, gigabytes, RPMs, access speeds, resolution and aspect ratios. Or you might have spent hours in a retail store listening to salesmen drone on about USB, Firewire, Dot Pitch and more while you tried to sift through what's important and what's not. Or, you might have come home one night and found a pile of boxes sitting in the foyer and a "Oh honey, I bought a new computer, can you help me set it up?" But no matter how you got your new computer, you have a challenge ahead of you that we all face when upgrading to a new computer. A challenge that often we don't even realize or stop to think about until the new computer is set up and booted for the first time... "[more] [return to top of page]