SEPARATE YOUR STUFF FROM THE ACTUAL PROGRAM

It is a good idea to store or save your stuff separate from program stuff. If you ever want to copy all of your stuff to a floppy disk or zip drive, is it all in one place? Or is it mixed in with the actual program itself.

Many users do not really understand the difference or the reasons for doing this.

A few real world examples.

The Word Processing Upgrade

I have decided to use Microsoft Word as my word processor. I used to have WordPerfect. After installing Word, I decide to remove WordPerfect completely from my system. I no longer need it. It is just taking up room on my system that could be used for other things.

I could uninstall it through Windows Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs

I could delete the folder or folders that contains the WordPerfect program and all of its related programs including the speller, thesaurus, and grammar checker.

Oops, all of my word processing documents were in the WordPerfect folder. Now that I save deleted it, they are gone.

The Accounting Switch

I use Microsoft Money to manage my finances. My friend says Quicken is a better program and I will be able to transfer my Money financial information to Quicken.

I uninstall Money properly using Add/Remove programs. This is the proper way. But there are still files in the Money folder. I am switching to Quicken so DELETE, DELETE the remaining files in the Money folder.

Bye, Bye financial information. All of my financial information was saved in the Money folder. Now Quicken cannot transfer anything. Its all been deleted.

The above examples can actually happen. The moral of this story is to use folder segregation. Keep your data separate from the program. Know where your stuff is saved, or create your own folder to save stuff.

What is your stuff?

What is program stuff?

Your computer is a mixture of your stuff and programs.  Your stuff is anything you create and save starting from nothing.  Program stuff is any software that you purchase and install on your computer.  Programs also include software downloaded from the internet that may be free.

Programs work with and allow you to create your stuff.

• Word Processing documents, letters, reports, homework, resumes, lists of names etc. (The Word or Wordperfect program is program stuff that you purchased and installed)

• Accounting and Financial information saved in Quicken, Quickbooks, Excel, Microsoft Money or any other accounting/financial package.  The files that contain your financial records are your stuff.  Quicken or Quickbooks are programs.

• Internet Explorer,  Netscape Navigator, AOL, Microsoft Outlook  are programs that allow you to get on the internet or use e-mail.  Your list of favorite places, bookmarks and email address books are your stuff.