Computers for Mere Mortals

explains the historical distinction between directories and folders, shows legacy dos commands like dir, cd, md, and rd, and notes ntfs security limits and backward compatibility.

Files are collections of data points, built from bits, with a header, body, and footer; metadata describes type, extension, language, formatting, and security.

Explore how namespace limits constrain how many file names a folder can hold across dos, linux, and ntfs, with examples from desktop clutter, data collection, and credit card terminals.

Learn how to spot internet fraud in remote work, avoid downloading untrusted programs, and use a separate business computer for security and legal compliance.

Explore credit, debit, and cheques/ACH forms, with credit fraud disputeable without proof. Handle compromised accounts by contacting your bank and changing passwords; prefer safer transfers like PayPal or Fed transfers.

Discover how to respond to ransomware: avoid paying, rely on backups, restore to factory settings, reinstall Windows, and recover files from backups, plus spot phishing emails.

Recognize that being hacked is not your fault and that data is transitory. Learn how backups and redundancy reduce risk, and how to shield systems from ransomware and viruses.

When you’re hacked, protect your mental health by seeking counseling and using resources like 988 and the employee assistance program (EAP) to recover with support.

Explore disposable battery technologies, focusing on lithium disposable batteries versus rechargeable types, their best uses in smoke detectors, keyboards, and mice, leakage risks, and outdoor temperature performance.

A router connects a local area network to another network or the internet, often as an edge router with wifi, dhcp, firewall, anti-spoofing, and anti-virus.

Secure a TP-Link wifi router by enabling WPA2 personal, using a long complex PSK, avoiding disable security, backing up configurations, and enabling isolation, MAC filtering, and WPS for strong security.

Boost home and small business network security by using your own router. Connect the ISP router's WAN port to a TP-Link router, then to a switch.

Explore how a network switch manages a local area network and vlans, compare it with an unmanaged switch, and explain how a dumb hub shares connectivity.

Explore printer types from laser and inkjet to dot-matrix and typeface printers, including use cases in shipping and maritime contexts and limitations like ASCII-only fonts and fixed typefaces.

Computers stay within a similar price band of 800 to 3,000 dollars, relative to inflation, while processing power has surged since the IBM system/360 era.

Trace the evolution of Microsoft Windows from early 16-bit systems to modern 64-bit versions, detailing memory management, compatibility, and the shift toward subscription models.

Trace the evolution of server operating systems from dos-based networks and novell to nt and os/2 server, leading to Active Directory and modern options like Server 2022 Essentials.

Explore how cloud servers differ from traditional setups, with managed options from AWS, Google, and Microsoft, including maintenance, VPN access, and data centers.

Discover why telco racks are not server racks by examining a column collapse that toppled stacked servers and caused network downtime.

Recounting a bygone era, the talk shows how printer stands, designed for dot matrix printers, were repurposed to hold early servers, causing a collapse and a shift to baker's racks.