Tidying Up Your Computer Space
Also see: System Mechanic by iOlo for system performance speed.
Tidying Up Your Computer Space - Tips to Make Your Computer Work Area Easier and More Enjoyable to Use:
Here are some tips for transforming your computer work-space into a more manageable, easier-to-use and more enjoyable home-space.
These suggestions expand on Section III of the Home Computer Maintenance - Tips and Guidelines page already posted in the Tech Help area of CheckWithArthur.Com.
You may find you need help with some of these recommended steps, but many of them are just part of normal housekeeping.
I hope you find this to be a helpful checklist.
Computer station positioning
· Position your computer and connected devices with plenty of elbow room for yourself.
· Leave 6-12 inches between the back of the tower or other devices and the wall.
· Use a comfortable chair and allow enough leg space to relax.
· Choose a location that is near one or more grounded electrical outlets, and near the Cable or DSL outlet on the wall.
Lighting
· Position your computer away from direct sunlight, but with ample indirect lighting in the room.
· Place lamps for additional lighting to one side or the other.
· Avoid having bright light directly in front or back of where you sit, to prevent glare in your eyes or distracting reflection on the screen.
· Keep a flashlight handy for handling cable connections.
Dusting
· Keep your electronics free of dust accumulation - a monthly dusting is ideal.
· Turn off your computer and devices while dusting and take caution not to build up static charge yourself.
· Use a damp cloth and avoid strong cleaning products - alcohol wipes and mild solutions suitable for electronics are recommended.
· Computer cleaning kits including mini-vacuum devices are available from retail outlets.
Floor and wall area
· Keep a plastic, rubber or wooden cover surface on any floor area where cables may be laying, especially if floor is carpeted.
· If possible, set up your workspace so cables lay a few inches off the floor, or dangle a few inches away from the wall.
Surge protection
· Use only grounded electrical outlets for power cords to your adapters and devices.
· Run all power cords and originating signal cables through a surge-protector, e.g. a surge-protective power strip or a UPS unit.
Ventilation space
· Position your computer tower with open surrounding space to allow proper functioning of the ventilating fan.
· Position the tower with open space around cable connections in rear side ports.
· If using a laptop or notebook, consider setting it on a cooling pad when in use for lengthy time periods.
Workspace
· If possible allow yourself a yard's width of workspace in choosing a desk or table area.
· Side furniture with shelves for placement of disks, cables, notebooks, manuals or the like can be helpful.
· Consider replacing your conventional mouse and keyboard with a wireless mouse and keyboard.
Cable spaghetti
· Periodically disconnect and untangle cables and power cords to the rear of the computer.
· Using labels to identify the purpose and connecting ends of cables and cords can be helpful.
· If you have too few accessible USB ports on your computer, consider use of USB extenders and hubs.
Device placement
· Speakers may have criss-cross cables that tangle easily, so placing them away from the immediate workspace can be helpful.
· Printers should be set on a surface separate from the computer. USB cables come in different lengths, and many printers are wireless enabled.
· External devices and storage media don't need to be plugged in all the time. Consider extra shelf or drawer space plus side space with a hub.
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