The Computer Wizard

04/15/2025

I recently sent out this information by email. Also posting it here, for anyone who might still use this page.

Hi, everyone. I hope tax season is treating you well this year. This will be a medium-length email with just a few logistical updates.

1. Yearly Checkups - If you haven't had your computer checked in 6 months or longer, now might be the time. If it's been at least a year, please strongly consider a checkup, even if you don't notice anything wrong.

2. Windows 10 - If you have Windows 10, it will need to be updated to Windows 11 by October of this year. Microsoft has set that date as the End-of-Life (EOL) date for Windows 10, which means it will not be getting any more security updates starting in November. This means you will need to do one of the following:
* Upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11 on the computer you already have. This is an option for most people receiving this message.
* Replace Windows 10 with a different operating system, such as Linux Mint. This open-source, peer-reviewed operating system is often the best option for older computers, or for people who don't want to have to worry as much about viruses or online tracking in the future. Much of the software you already use is available for it (e.g. Chrome, Firefox, LibreOffice, VLC).
* Replace your computer with a new one that already has Windows 11 installed.
* (Not recommended) Disconnect your computer from the internet permanently, except when updating your antivirus. This would also mean avoiding or minimizing the use of any disks or flash drives from other people. "Air-gapping" a computer is the only safe way to keep an operating system that is no longer getting security updates.

You might be asking, "What version of Windows do I have, anyway?" This website will tell you. Feel free to send me a picture of what you see when you go there:

https://whatsmyos.com/

3. My email address - I suggest using this email address, [email protected] , to reach me in the future. My old email addresses [email protected] and [email protected] *DO NOT* work anymore.

4. Contact preferences - I treat phone calls (and only phone calls) as urgent. I also return messages in the same way as I receive them. If you email me, asking me to call you, I'm going to email you back asking why you didn't just call. My number is 412-401-1204 . Please do not send me text messages at this number, unless you have been unable to reach me by phone or email.

5. Pronouns - Some of you already know this, but in many cases it never came up: my pronouns are they/them. Please do your best not to call me "he" or "him". My name change from Jason to Chance was partly about being non-binary. I used to be more lax about bringing it up, but now that we have a president who is targeting trans and non-binary people, I am unwilling to be quiet about it (except when absolutely necessary). I have already had to change my X marker on my driver's license back to M, for safety when traveling through rural Pennsylvania. I am very lucky that I never changed my gender marker on my passport, or else I might not even have a working passport right now.

6. Creeping Fascism - if you are one of my rare clients who voted for the orange would-be dictator, please know that I am unwilling to help you with anything, ever again. My time is valuable, which is why I will not assist fascist collaborators. Their money is no good with me. For the 98 percent of you who didn't need to be told this, I hope it is reassuring to know it nonetheless.

Help finding out what Operating System your running. How to find your Operating System version. Finding out if your OS is 3 2-bit or 64-bit. What version of windows do I have?

12/01/2020

I figure a little computer humor couldn't hurt, once in awhile.

05/06/2020

I made this guide for one of my classes. I'm sharing it here for those of you who would like to know more about how to clean your computer.

This guide for removing malware and viruses is by The Computer Wizard (www.computerwizard.org)

07/02/2019

While I can't officially endorse a product that hasn't been manufactured yet, this Kickstarter seems promising for anyone who might need a second or third screen when using their laptop. Not sure how many people here that applies to, but I try to be helpful.

Save up to 49% NOW on Kickstarter

05/31/2018

To celebrate and provide easier access to services for veterans and their families on fixed incomes, we are running this special offer from Memorial Day until Monday, June 4th at 11:59 PM.

$40 off two prepaid house-call hours with either Tyler or Jason. This discounts Tyler's rate for two hours from $140 to $100, and Jason's rate from $180 to $140.

As usual, these hours are transferrable; you can give one to a friend if you like. House calls still have the usual one-hour minimum per visit. Additional time beyond two hours will be billed at the discounted rate ($50/hr for Tyler, $70/hr for Jason) for this one visit only.

These hours may be used for remote support, if desired, at our standard conversion rate: 1 hour of remote support = 2/3 hour of in-home support; 1/2 hour of remote support = 1/3 hour of in-home support. We hope this will allow them to stretch a little further for anyone who prefers to use them that way.

One special per household, unless you're purchasing a gift for someone.

This special requires 1-week notice for appointment scheduling, except in the case of emergencies such as data loss, hardware failure, or serious virus infections.

If you're interested, please send an email to us at [email protected] and we will send you a PayPal invoice for the special. If you want us to use a different email address for the invoice, please mention that in your message.

11/17/2017

If you're looking for a new Sprint phone, or willing to switch to Sprint, this post will probably make you very happy. This is my guide to how to get a high-end, well built Android phone for at least 2/3 off the original $800 sticker price.

If you're an iPhone user, you'll probably want to skip this post, or pass it on to a friend who likes Android phones.

The Essential Phone has been compared favorably with the Google Pixel, but its launch was delayed several times and a lot of people who preordered it decided to switch to something else. Sprint seems to be trying to liquidate its stock of these phones now: Their 18-month lease is $5 a month, with $25 down when you get the phone. When the lease expires, you can buy the phone for $175.

Total cost if you buy it from a Sprint store or sprint.com: $290.
Now here's the really funny part. I went to the Best Buy in North Hills, because the Sprint store I visited after work didn't have any Essential Phones in stock. All their terms were the same, except the buyout price after the lease was only $30.

This may be a glitch or a one-time thing, but the guy who sold it to me said it should ring up the same way every time. Best Buy may have discontinued it or something along those lines. If so, then:

The total cost if you buy it from Best Buy should be $145.
If the review below makes you want the phone, get one while you can. The best part: if other Best Buy stores are like the one in North Hills (which has 2 more, by the way), they won't even have one displayed with the other Sprint phones. Which means they should be there, patiently waiting for someone who comes in already knowing what they want :-D

For convenience, Best Buy's product numbers are as follows:

Black - Model: ESS2ALBBBLK SKU: 5938400
White - Model: ESS2ALBBWHT SKU: 5938303

The Essential Phone was a tough sell at $699, but at $499 it is compelling. It offers flagship specs with lots of potential, but there is some risk in a startup launching its first phone.

05/12/2017

I've long steered clients away from HP computers because they don't last very long. But here's an even better reason not to buy one.

Audio driver supplied by Conexant may put PCs from other makers at risk, too.

03/21/2017

You know how MacBooks have that neat magnetic charging mechanism?

Now you can add that to any phone or tablet. It has the bonus of helping to prevent the charging port on the device from wearing out (since you won't be inserting or removing cables anymore).

I just received mine and I'm very happy with it. It's in my phone, so I'm ordering another for the tablet.

https://www.magnetphonecable.com/products/magnetcable

2.4A High Speed Charging Magnetic Cable for iPhone and Android Devices. 2.4A Maximum Output Charge. Supports USB 2.0 Data Transfer. Hurry, before it is gone!

02/17/2017

If you travel internationally, please read this article carefully.

A few months ago I wrote about how you can encrypt your entire life in less than an hour. Well, all the security in the world can’t save…

02/14/2017

Reasons to consider a tablet instead of a new computer:

1. Usually at least 2-3 times the battery life of a laptop on a single charge.

2. Faster startup times.

3. Impossible or (in the case of Android) nearly impossible to get viruses.

4. Tablets can do anything a computer can do, if there's an app available for that function.

5. Touch-screen computing is more immediate and feels more satisfying on a visceral level than using a keyboard or mouse.

6. Most tablets are more affordable than laptops.

Reasons not to consider a tablet instead of a new computer:

1. The operating system is going to look a bit different from what you're used to at first.

2. You may need an external keyboard if you want to type long documents.

10/26/2016

If there's one thing I could impress upon people when they're dealing with tech support, it's this:

Don't be afraid of saying "I'm not sure" or "I don't understand" or "I don't know".

It's so much better than saying "yes" or "no", and having the technician later find out that isn't the case.

And for what it's worth, even as a tech support person with 20 years' experience, I often have to say "I'm not sure, that's a good question" or "I don't know, let me look that up for you". Not only is there no shame in it, it can be the best way to handle things.

I once heard it said that there are two types of knowledge: knowing something, and knowing where to find information on something. In the age of the internet, that's more true than ever.

So try to remember that "I'm not sure" or "I don't know" or "I don't understand" is usually an opportunity to learn something new, an opportunity you miss if you cover your ignorance with a "yes" or "no" instead.

09/09/2016

For anyone who might be looking for a medium-size Android tablet, have I ever got a deal for you. Recently I replaced my long-suffering Asus tablet with a nVidia Shield. Here are my impressions of it:

This tablet is fast. Like, way faster than any sub-$200 tablet has any right to be. Super impressed.

And the speakers are LOUD, with excellent sound quality for being so tiny. The Asus Transformer's speaker was super wimpy compared with an iPad... but this thing might even be louder.

The screen is crisp, with vibrant colors and very sharp lines.

Also, added bonus, it works with Qualcomm Quickcharge chargers like my Note 5's charger, though this feature is unadvertised.

The battery life isn't great, especially when playing 3D games, but I know a few easy ways to mitigate this if it becomes a problem for you. Overall, this tablet is really solid and a pleasure to use... especially after wrestling for years with one that had major lag / freezing problems.

If you like the sound of it, but would like a bigger screen, the Nexus 9 is very similar, and is also available with 32 GB internal storage instead of 16 GB.

Highly, highly recommended. So far it's been truly a pleasure as a laptop replacement, and of course the gaming performance is a great bonus.

Buy the new NVIDIA SHIELD tablet K1, a high-performance Android tablet designed for the best gaming and entertainment experience.