Article Suggestions

[Techy]

Evening all,

I have eventually managed to get a free weekend, and being the geek that i am i've decided to use the time to write an article for PCR.

I've noticed that members have mentioned that not enough articles are being produced.

I'm after some suggestions on what to base the article on. What do you want to learn more about? what have you always wondered? never been able to find that how-to? now's your chance to get the answers.

Suggestions please ladies and gents.

Techy

 

[gabriella]

Hi Techy

My wish list:

How to build a computer
How to test temps on PC
How to set up 2 PCs on the internet (probably a PC and a laptop)
What is 'modding' and what do you do?

That's it for now!

Thanks for asking!

Gabriella x

 

[KGB-911]

I think that Gabriella's suggestion of "how to build a computer" would go down very well.

preferably with all the technical things you have to bear in mind when buying the components but not too complicated.

 

[Becky]

My thoughts would be;

• How to test temperatures on a PC (Same as Gabriella) - from a personal point of view it's something that makes me curious, but I don't know much about it.
• How to network computers - the recent poll suggests that the majority of people have more than one computer in their household, and I think this would be popular and useful
• Spring cleaning your computer? Not everyone can afford to upgrade everything, sometimes it's nice to know what would make the biggest improvement (depending on the type of use)
• Programming articles - because we have none!

Hope this helps

 

[Me__2001]

preferably with all the technical things you have to bear in mind when buying the components but not too complicated.

also how to set up the BIOS correctly, that is what put me off building one for so long

 

[crazylegs]

An Article detailing what each command in BIOS actually does and what will happen if you change that particular command....


I think a lot of people (System builders, Modders, Occasional tinkerers, would use this article as point of reference if one was ever Compiled and was posted on the net for public use...

This is the one area where most people building there first machine don't have an inkling on what the Bios means...and the paperwork that comes with most Motherboards is absolutely worthless in this respect...

I have many Customers and friends which ask me advice as to what to do in the bios and what it all means, which leads to lengthy discussion...

So i would welcome somewhere i could point my friends to for information...

 

[Ian]

I can third the BIOS idea There are so many settings in the BIOS that may actually be of use to people if only they knew what they meant (I've seen so many PCs with Hyperthreading disabled or slow ram timings).

 

[gabriella]

Thanks Ian

There may be quite a few of us who want to go further with PCs and haven't a Scooby Doo where to start...there's BIOS, cache, modding and temperatures to consider without mentioning RAM amd HD size.

What I am struggling with is....where to go to next? Is there a course at a local FE centre or can you pick up enough on sites like these?

I am hungry for information and knowledge but acutely aware that a little knowledge can be a very dangerous thing in the wrong hands.

Gabriella x

 

[Cache-man]

The BIOS explanation does sound like a great idea that could greatly benefit some members.

Personally, I would love to see something on programming (such as HTML, CSS, PHP, Javascript etc) with a beginners section, and then a more advanced section.

What I am struggling with is....where to go to next? Is there a course at a local FE centre or can you pick up enough on sites like these?

Gabriella: I self taught myself most of what I know about computing by surfing the net, reading computer magazines (I buy 5-7 every month and read from cover to cover), and a general thirst for knowledge. So you can learn a great deal from this kind of research. The great thing about the internet is being able to Google what ever you want to know about and there is a wealth of information out there just waiting to be absorbed.
I know there are plenty of beginners courses out there but I think you may be a bit past those, as they mainly teach how to turn on a pc, and how to use work and excel etc. You may just get lucky at your local college with a slightly more advanced course.
I find a great way to learn is a forum like the one here, where you can ask for advise, and others will point you in the direction of where you can find out more.

 

[NR117]

The BIOS article sounds good and anything on C++ and Python.

 

[Quadophile]

Great suggestions above, I have a suggestion which is very different from above. My personal idea is that whoever is writing an article or doing a review, someone who also has some knowledge should contribute and help the person with info, compiling etc. Two heads are better than one. As a matter of fact if some of the people can volanteer to jointly come up with articles there will be a lot more done than just putting it on one persons shoulders.

 

[NR117]

Good idea if you can get it to work. Unfortunately some writers are going to say "it's my article, I'll write it my way". Had some experience with writers and they can be very independent and temperamental.

 

[Quadophile]

Thats my take because in both situations I have no problems, firstly if I have to help someone put it together and secondly if someone helps me with my article. We are not taking about original work good enough for Purlitzer Prize, we are talking about putting together and compling articles based on information gathered from google and personal experience of putting it together. Anyone can get enough information if he or she is willing by going through articles and manuals, the only thing is it may take a while to do it but it is possible, we just need to put it in one place for easy reference, that's all there is to it.

 

[crazylegs]

Yes i think your right there Quad this is going to be a serious undertaking to compile such a table...Maybe it will take a tad longer than the weekend...

 

[Quadophile]

Good idea if you can get it to work. Unfortunately some writers are going to say "it's my article, I'll write it my way". Had some experience with writers and they can be very independent and temperamental.

If there is a will there is a way!

Here on PC Review those who write do not do it for personal gains but to share the knowledge and I know that for a fact. We certainly do not have the type you refer to on this forum.

 

[Techy]

So as far as i can see it's between home networking and BIOS/CMOS. and programming but i only do visual basic, a bit of HTML and PHP so i'm probably not the best person to go into programming.

Home networking would be my preference. so i will put something together this weekend but if some wants to help out with putting a BIOS/CMOS guide together i'd be more than happy to contribute.

Anyone up for it?

 

[KGB-911]

Go for it Techy