Inquiring minds wanted to know this year ...

By BILL HUSTED

Cox News Service

December 30, 2007

I have a great seat for watching the technology parade go by — in no small part because of the e-mails, letters and calls I get from you. They give me a pretty clear picture of what you like, what puzzles you and what you wonder about.

Today, as 2007 comes to a close, we'll run down a few of the most popular questions of the past year — and the outlook for 2008.

More "Technobuddy" Cut down on downtime in a few easy steps  You're no dummy, but you should know this  Prepare ahead of time for winter power outages  Full list Bill's Reader Q&A

What does the switch to digital television mean for me?

Stations are changing to digital broadcasts in 2009, and you'll start hearing a lot more about that. Many of you worry you'll need a new television. Far be it from me to discourage the purchase of a nice, new wide-screen TV. I have one and love it.

But you don't have to have one. No matter how old your TV is, cable and satellite subscribers won't even notice the change. Your receiver or cable box is — or will be — capable of getting a digital signal and converting it to an analog signal your old television can use.

Even if you only have rabbit ears, digital receivers — they'll look like a cable box — will let your old TV work just fine. Watch your newspapers and Web sites for information on how to get these receivers in coming months.

Will I have problems if I move to a Macintosh?

Apple sales are surging, especially to home users. Nowadays it is common to receive e-mails from PC users who are thinking of making the switch.

Some analysts say the rise in Apple's fortunes comes from the popularity of iPhone and the iPod music player. That's part of it, but — for many of my readers — it's an escape from the virus-ridden world of the PC.

To answer the question, there are no real problems switching to a Macintosh. The menus and operation of a Mac aren't all that different from using a Windows PC. You can even run Windows on a Mac, as well as the native Apple operating system.

How do I know if I need a new computer?

When I first started writing this column, back in 1993, I created Husted's First Law of Computing. It still holds true today:

"Replace your computer when it can no longer do a satisfactory job at the chores you need it to do."

How do I stop e-mail spam?

It's almost impossible to stop every bit of spam. Even with anti-spam software, you are likely to get some amount of spam every day.

The major spammers are well-run businesses, often located in other countries. Professional-level computer experts work at ways to avoid spam filters.

The only method I know that comes close to being universally effective is a cumbersome system called Challenge and Response. When someone who isn't in your address book sends you an e-mail, the Challenge and Response software sends back a challenge in the form of an e-mail that asks the sender to copy down some letters he sees on the screen. Spammers won't go to that trouble for millions of pieces of spam.

If you want to know more about this technology, or about some of the programs, try this Web site: joewein.de/sw/spam-challenge-response.htm or this entry in Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge-response_authentication.

Should I turn off my PC at night, or just let it sleep?

Nary a week goes by without someone worrying about this. The answer: It's OK to leave your PC on all the time; it's OK to turn it off when you go to sleep at night. No big deal either way.

Personally I turn off my PC at night or when I leave the house for an extended period. It cuts electricity use, even if only slightly, and it means the computer isn't online waiting to be hijacked.

There's another benefit. While desktop PCs are capable of running 24/7 with no harm, that's based on everything working correctly. If the fan goes out, or if the cooling vent is clogged, a PC can overheat.

What's the biggest change coming?

Mostly it's evolutionary — faster computer chips, bigger and cheaper hard disks, faster and larger solid-state memory chips, for instance. Each year you get a little more performance for the same or smaller price.

Probably the most important trend right now is toward home computer servers. A central computer handles all your backup chores and serves as a storehouse for data and your music and video files. Microsoft's Home Server software is one effort in this direction. You can read about the product here: www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/default.mspx

It'll be fun to see the questions the new year will bring.