Most PC owners end up replacing a broken down computer for a newer (more expensive) model. By understanding what makes computers break down, you can add years to the life of your system.

The greatest enemy to your computer is heat. It causes the internal parts to wear out and lowers the performance of your system. The first thing to check is the ventilation around your system. Your system should have at least 4 inches of space to the rear, with no clutter, loose paper, etc., to block the flow of air into the computer.

Make sure the top and rear of your monitor are also kept clean and clear of debris. This allows the excess heat to escape. Notice the ventilation slots in the top of the monitor case. If heat is not released, you can cause excess wear to your monitor’s internal electronics which creates color shifting, screen flicker, and failure.

The next thing you can do is clean the dust from the inside surfaces of your system. Do this at least twice a year and your monitor once every 2 years. Think of dust as a blanket, which keeps the chips of your components nice and hot. The more dust, the hotter they get. How much dust is too much? How about .005 millimeters, or enough to barely see! That small amount can raise the internal temperature of your components by 5%. Doesn’t sound like much? It is enough to shorten the life of your system by years.

The easiest way to clean the inside of your system is to use a plastic vacuum cleaner hose. NOTE: Turn off your computer before opening the case! After you get all the dust you can that way, use a can of compressed air. You can pick that up from any Radio Shack or computer store. Spray all the nooks and cranny’s. Then blow the area around the system as well, to get rid of the flying dust. Then wait 5 minutes for the dust to settle and do it again, briefly.

Make sure that you clean the blades of the cooling fans. Clean the power supply fan, the CPU’s cooling fan and the case fan (if you have one) as well. If you don’t have a CPU cooling fan then get one. They cost $5-$10, and plug into the power cords for your floppy drives.

That can of air will come in handy cleaning the keyboard as well. Vacuum first, and then blow the remainder out. Be careful to never spill any liquids into your keyboard, and with regular cleaning, you will add years to the life of your keyboard as well.

Allow your computer room to breathe, and keep it clean inside, and it will be around for many years to come.

Question from our reader: I'm ready to finally go out and buy a new computer? Should I buy a laptop or a desktop computer? Thanks, Krissy from Huffards Animal Hospital.

Hi Krissy. First, ask yourself how you use your computer. Do you usually use your computer on its own, perhaps in conjunction with a printer, or do you use many devices like a scanner, a CD-ROM, a digital camera or a large monitor with external speakers? Hooking up a laptop to a variety of devices can often be a technical challenge. Even when the connections work smoothly, sometimes simply the process of loosening all the screws can be tedious enough.

Laptops often have a shorter useful lifetime than desktops. That is partly due to their lower specification. Also, a laptops' design takes more punishment (vibration/knocks) which can cause components such as hard drives or screens to fail. You can count on four years of rugged work from a top-shelf desktop. Laptops, however, generally last about three years. The life span shortens even more if you bounce a notebook around on car seats or toss one around on airplanes.

The major advantage of a laptop is its portability. This will be the most important factor in your choice if you need to use your computer in different locations such as on planes, at home and in the office or trains. And now, with the new laptops coming out, the performance gap is really closing in.

Anyone can tell you about the technical specifications and pricing of computer systems, but only you know exactly how you're going to use the system. Usability is the most important feature your computer can have.

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I'm tired. For a couple years, I've been blaming it on iron, poor blood, lack of vitamins, dieting and a dozen other maladies. But now I found out it ain't that. I'm tired because I'm overworked.

The population of this country is 237 million. 104 million are retired. That leaves 133 million to do the work. There are 85 million in school, which leave 48 million to do the work. Of this there are 29 million employed by the federal government.

This leaves 19 million to do the work. Four million are in the Armed Forces, which leaves 15 million to do the work.

Take from the total the 14,800,000 people who work for State and City Government and that leaves 200,000 to do the work.

There are 188,000 in hospitals, so that leaves 12,000 to do the work. Now, there are 11,998 people in Prisons. That leaves just two people to do the work. You and me.

Boy Oh Boy . . . And you're sitting there reading this. No wonder I'm tired, I'm the only one working.

One day a father and his rich family took his son to a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"Very good Dad!", said the son. "Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked. "Yes!", said the son. "And what did you learn?", asked the father.

The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have the whole horizon."

When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless. His son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!"

-Anonymous Author

Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude towards life -- you've got everything! You can't buy any of these things, but still you can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing!