Articles written by Mike Stanley

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About me - Mike Stanley

Everything you need to know about me. I didn't come from a broken home, wasn't abused, wasn't poor, wasn't rich, I didn't do drugs or join a gang. My mother was a teacher, and my father was a contractor, and my sister turned out normal...

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Computers & Technology > Operating Systems Is Windows Vista worth the upgrade?: 4 of 31

For many of the people running the older Windows XP operating system, thoughts of upgrading may have crossed their minds. The first thing that comes to mind is should I upgrade to Windows Vista? The short answer to this question is no. You might be thinking if I'm one of the many that hate Vista, and you'd be wrong. I have V...
Computers & Technology > Operating Systems Deciding between Microsoft Windows and GNU/Linux: 2 of 9

The age old question of Windows or Linux has sparked many debates among the tech savvy. More and more you see less technical users arguing over it as well. With the economy in decline, people began to think more closely about how much to spend on computers. But is Linux really a cheaper way to go? The decision behind which O...
Computers & Technology > Software (Other) The difficulties of learning Visual Basic: 1 of 4

Is learning Visual Basic really all that hard? For someone that has never written a line of code, the world of programming may seem somewhat magical. The thought of throwing together some characters and mathematical operators and creating a functioning application may seem rather daunting. However, in reality, Visual Basic i...
Computers & Technology > Computers & Technology (Other) The impact of our use of computer lingo on our lives: 1 of 4

How many of us are guilty of telling someone to just "Google" it? The computer world isn't the first industry to affect how we speak, but it is the latest, and probably the most influential to do so. Of this influence, the Internet portion is most likely where the largest part of the lingo comes from. The Internet is shaping...
Computers & Technology > Operating Systems OS previews: Microsoft Windows version 7: 2 of 7

I have been using Windows 7 since the first beta was officially released. So far, I have had mostly positive reactions to the operating system. While it isn't revolutionary in design or function, it does everything an operating system should do, and does it well. As I look around the web, I see that a lot of people in genera...
Computers & Technology > Virus Protection & Maintenance Essential software everyone should have on their laptop: 7 of 20

Although this article is about essential software for laptops, most of this will probably also apply to desktops as well. I prefer to call this, "Essential software for computers." When most people buy a new computer, it usually comes with Windows installed on it. Having worked mostly with Windows in my career, I tend to foc...
Computers & Technology > Internet Security & Safety (Other) The basics of home computer security: 7 of 19

Not everyone holds degrees and certificates in the computer sciences. However, there are benefits to expanding your knowledge of computers for the sake of security. A lot of people assume that their computer came from the store fairly secure, but in reality, default setups from the factory are rarely anywhere near secure. Fi...
Computers & Technology > Hardware (Other) Introduction to computer hardware: 5 of 12

Computer hardware is sometimes seen as mysterious by non technical people. Some find it hard to imagine just how those electrical pulses come together and give the computer a life of it's own. However, the same principles that drives animals and humans to do what they do, also drives computers. People use logic to determine ...
Computers & Technology > Hardware (Other) Where are advances in computer technology heading?: 1 of 2

Remember watching TV and movies while growing up? Do you ever think back on the technology that was shown in those shows? It's fun to look back and think about the flashing lights, big buttons, and monochrome tube monitors. It's amazing how much has changed since then, isn't it? Shows like Star Trek dared to guess what techn...
Sports & Recreation > Outdoors & Sportsman (Other) The best ATV trails in Georgia: 1 of 1

Having moved to the northern part of Georgia where the fall colors decorate the rolling blue ridge mountains a few years ago, I have had the chance to explore a couple ATV trails. I have loved running off road since I was young, and often went mud riding in truck and on ATVs growing up. All a part of growing up southern for ...