Another Day With My PC

If you’re not a very demanding PC owner, then you’ve probably never heard of the term “overclocking.” I bet that if I dare you to guess right now what that IT gobbledygook means, you’d probably give me answers relating to time settings. Of course, answers following that line are far from being correct.

Overclocking refers to that process or method by which you speed up your PC by pushing its processor beyond the limit set by its manufacturer. CPU speed varies depending on its model. The one that I have right now is a 2.4 GHz Intel Dual Core processor. If you’re not into extreme gaming or heavy multimedia tasking, then a 2.4 GHz Dual Core chip would already satisfy your needs. However, if you think that God’s Will for you is to primarily play every online game that EA sports have created, then I bet my CPU’s second core that you’ve already mulled of trying to squeeze more out of your processor by putting a few more ticks into its clock.

Costless But Costly Upgrade

Overclocking is very tempting for both gamers and ordinary users alike. This is not surprising considering that putting a few more gigahertz into your CPU is like having your PC upgraded without being concomitantly punched on the pocket. And the difference is far from being negligible. You’ll definitely see a considerable enhancement in PC speed after overclocking it.

As with all things, there’s a downside to it. Overzealous overclocking could drive your PC to extreme exhaustion. This would eventually lead to a massive computer cardiac arrest. Overclocking your PC to almost twice its prescribed speed is like whipping a horse every second in order to make it run two times faster than it normally does. It will definitely run faster, but not for long.

Intel Roasting on an Open Fire

If you’re bent on adding a few digits on your CPU, be ready for the consequences. I’m not saying though, that overclocking would always lead to disaster. I just want you to be aware of the possible results or consequences, both good and bad (especially the latter), when you try to demand more from your processor. Make sure that your CPU and other PC fans are also working double time as overclocking is also synonymous to overheating. Don’t you dare put steroids into your PC when you can’t put ice in your system.

Overclocking is a very effective, but also very risky way of increasing PC speed. As with all quick fixes, they are littered with perils. I therefore suggest that you try other optimization methods first before resorting to this extreme measure. There are many ways by which you could speed up your PC, such as by defragging your hard drive or cleaning up your Windows registry so that no unnecessary instructions are flexing your PC’s muscles. These overclocking alternatives may cost you a bit, but in the end, it would actually save you from spending more when you eventually have buy a new chip and motherboard if overclocking toast your computers’ internals.

Have you ever thought of giving your mom a desktop or a laptop for Mother’s Day?

The digital divide between the “haves” and the “have nots” is also replicated between those who grew up playing board games and those who spent their summers holding keypads and tapping keyboards. It’s not surprising then why many old folks are virtually clueless as to what a CPU is.

Don’t get me wrong, though. I’m not saying that they’re entirely clueless about PCs. That’s impossible considering that almost every human activity is assisted, facilitated, or somehow affected by Information Technology.

While it would be great or ideal to orient the older generation on how easy or convenient life could be with a computer around, teaching them how to incorporate new things in their daily routines could be a very challenging undertaking. It’s not as if using a computer is similar to operating a blender. PCs need constant maintenance. While it would be easy for you to demonstrate to your mom how to use instant messengers, teaching her how to clean the registry or get rid if viruses could be a very daunting task.

I’m not discouraging you from giving your mom a brand new PC on Mother’s Day. On the contrary, I’m encouraging everybody to give their moms that sleek HP or Compaq notebook that adorns the display window of many computer shops. Just make sure that the unit is ready to use. Don’t expect your mom to know how to install the operating system, antivirus, registry cleaner, and other essential system utilities. Guide her through the process step by step. Or better yet, install all necessary applications first before giving it to her. Make things easy for her, especially on the day that’s dedicated to women like her.

I was browsing through some sports sites on my laptop when I saw my niece downloading a Carmen San Diego game.

I immediately approached her and asked if it’s the “Europe” version or the “World” version. She smiled sheepishly and asked me why I’m interested in a game primarily made for kids. I chuckled a bit and said that “Where in Europe Is Carmen San Diego” was the first PC game that I was able to play.

I don’t know if the version that I played almost 15 years ago was the first Carmen San Diego game. I really had fun playing it even if it’s in monochrome.

There’s nothing good on TV right now, so guess what I’m going to do? I hope the new Carmen has good graphics already. At least I’m sure it’s already in color. I’m using my old laptop, so I’m quite worried that it might run slow. I hope the minimum CPU requirement is just a Pentium III.

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