Don't worry. As advanced as computer technology is these days, computers won't be taking over the world anytime soon. They do, however have one main limitation (other than learning how to use them). Electricity. No matter how new and powerful or old and slow a computer is it cannot function without electricity. If the power goes out, you've got yourself an expensive paper weight. That's why its important to save your work often so you don't lose any data in the event of a power outage. This is an important and often overlooked task that you should get in the habit of doing even if what you're working on isn't that important. If you've been working with computers for very long then you probably know what it feels like to have to retype 15 pages of a term paper or to start a project over from scratch because you forgot to save your work. With the recent power problems at Tech I thought I would post a few pointers to help you avoid the headache of losing your work.
1. Save! Save! Save! When working on a Tech computer, ALWAYS save your files and work in your U drive and be sure to save your work often. Your U drive is a network drive so the files in it are actually stored on a server that has a battery backup. If the power goes out when you're working, then the files will still be there when the computer boots up again.
2. Avoid saving files to a "floppy" disk. Let's face it, floppy disks are known for being very unreliable because their magnetic surface wears out over time; and they are fast becoming a storage medium of the past. If I had a dollar for every term paper lost on a floppy disk I would be giving out financial advice instead of computer advice.
3. When working on something important, ALWAYS save MORE THAN ONE COPY of the file in MORE THAN ONE LOCATION. For example, if you want to use a floppy disk, thats fine, but you should also save a copy of the file in your U drive as well. That way if the floppy disk fails, you will have a recent copy of the file in your U drive.
4. Invest in a better technology for saving your files. Thumb drives, USB keys, whatever you want to call them are the portable storage device of choice. This is the same technology that's used in the iPod, the Zune, digital cameras and camcorders, and many other small portable electronic devices. They are called thumb drives because they are about the same size as your thumb, very small and easy to carry around. They are also inexpensive and can hold the equivalent of hundreds of floppies worth of data for about $10.00 or less! They are also very durable. I've heard several stories of thumb drives being run over, dropped, sat on, washed, and put through all sorts of abuse and still working just fine. I do not recommend trying any of the above, though, just in case.
5. Last, but not least, if you want to go "hard-core" when it comes to power failures you should purchase a battery backup for your computer. They are the most expensive option but you can guarantee that your computer will not turn off as soon as the power fails. Battery backup units come in all sizes and shapes. Most of them come with software that will even control your computer and tell it what to do in the event of a power failure. How cool is that?!
Remember that power failures can happen at any time and without warning (storms, heavy power consumption on a single power grid, squirrels getting roasted by a transformer, etc.). Forming good habits about saving your work will help you avoid those stressful nights of having to start your project from scratch.
