New Computer

[Dawson]

I just plugged in my new Dell and I am downloaded Glary first thing.  What other programs do I need to be sure to download?  Is Firefox is still the only web browser that is color managed?  Mircrosoft edge is the only browser on it right now.  Do you recommend that I download both Firefox and Chrome?  Also, do you recommend I uninstall programs that are in my start up menu that I would never use?  This is my first time to have a computer with windows 10.  Thanks for any advice!

 

[Brian]

On 1/3/2020 at 12:44 PM, Dawson said:

What other programs do I need to be sure to download?

Be sure to run Windows Update to get the latest patches and fixes. What Anti-Virus software did they pre-load? I'll bet you it's McAfee. Worthless program. Believe it or not, the standard (and free) Windows Defender works really well.
 

On 1/3/2020 at 12:44 PM, Dawson said:

Is Firefox is still the only web browser that is color managed? 

Yes. Well, Safari is color-managed as well. But I personally use Firefox.

 

On 1/3/2020 at 12:44 PM, Dawson said:

Do you recommend that I download both Firefox and Chrome?

Yes. I'd download both Chrome and Firefox. Use Firefox only for judging images. Chrome works fine for general browsing. For anything that has to do with Pictures or accurate colors, be sure to use Firefox. One thing to mention about Chrome...is it's basically "spy software." People like it because it's fast and free. They always seem to forget that Google Chrome harvests a ton of data about you and your browsing habits. Give this article a read, it's concerning on what Chrome records about you and where you go online.  Personally, I use the current version of Firefox. Colors are accurate and it respects one's privacy and it's not THAT much slower than Chrome.

Also be sure to download the Adobe Reader DC, the Free Version. I can't directly link to it since it's their website is detecting my Mac, but if you Google, "Get Adobe Reader DC" it should take you to a page to download it. Just be sure to un-check the optional offers / stupid virus protection thing. Just get the Adobe Reader DC, open it and it will prompt you to change your Windows setting to set it as the default .PDF viewer program. You want to do this and not use Edge. The only time I use Edge is to download other browsers.

 

On 1/3/2020 at 12:44 PM, Dawson said:

Also, do you recommend I uninstall programs that are in my start up menu that I would never use? 

That's a tough one. For the most part, yes. You don't have to go all Nuclear though, just right click on the tiles and select "Unpin from Start." In the future I'm going to write a document in where I go step-by-step on what to do with a new computer. Unfortunately, I need to get a Windows 10 computer first for home. I fix Windows Servers and Computers all day, and the last thing I want to dork around with when I get home is my personal computer. That's why I have a Mac. That said, for educational purposes, and to write tutorials, I will need a Windows 10 Computer. As to when I'm going to write that tutorial, it's on the list. No idea of time-frame.