Nine times out of ten, when someone finds out work for an IT department, the inevitable follow up question is “Oh, so you can fix my computer?” While the answer is most likely yes, I actually try to avoid fixing computers for family and friends wherever possible because I don’t want to become their go-to person or liable for anything that may go wrong (or they think has gone wrong). Thankfully over the years, my job has transitioned to less tech support and more management, so I have an easy out, and can simply say “Actually, I don’t fix computers,” which usually ends the conversation.

With that being said, I’m not against providing answers or insight as to good technology practices or app recommendations. In fact, that’s the part I truly enjoy about supporting technology – helping people use technology smarter.

A few days ago, I realized I’ve managed to distill my tech advice into 3 non-negotiable rules:

1. Buy as much RAM and HD space as you can afford. – You won’t regret having the extra when you need it.
2. Back up, back up, back up. – Having a local back up like TimeMachine is good. Having a local back up and a cloud back up like Backblaze is even better.
3. Practice good password hygiene. – Don’t re-use passwords or variations of passwords. Use a password manager like 1Password.

Following these three rules surprisingly cover a good deal of questions and complaints I get about technology. Moreover, they reduce the likelihood of the major catastrophe events that always seem to crop up – slow computers, not being able to install app updates, losing precious photos, compromised accounts, forgotten passwords, etc.

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

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