Are you sure that you're getting the very best performance out of your PC? Whether you're running Windows Vista or Windows 7, try these tips to give your PC a little extra zip.

Limit how many programs run at startup
There are a lot of programs that load automatically when you boot up your PC—which can really hamper performance. To manage these programs like a pro, learn how to get a comprehensive view of what's running:

• Click the Start button, type System Configuration in the search box, and then click System Configuration in the list of results.
  The System Configuration dialog box
• Click the Startup tab. The programs set to run at startup are indicated with a check mark. You can clear the check boxes for any nonessential programs to disable them, but make sure you only disable programs you're familiar with. When in doubt, don't clear the check box.

Delete, delete, delete
A clean machine is a fast machine. That means your best option is to uninstall all the programs you don't use. Delete things like trial software, limited-edition versions, and anything else you're never going to use. Antivirus software? Just testing. You always want your security program, but make sure you're only running a single, up-to-date program. To uninstall software:

• Click the Start button , and then click Control Panel.
• Under Programs, click Uninstall a program. (If you don't see this page, change the View by option in the upper-right corner to Category.)
• Click the program you want to delete, and then click Uninstall.

Run fewer programs at the same time
If your PC bogs down while you're working, check to see how many programs you have running. All programs take up system memory, which can have a huge impact on performance. In some cases, having multiple instances of a program (such as several open email messages) or multiple versions of a program type (more than one antivirus program) can use up memory. Respond to and close your messages right away and keep open only the programs that are necessary for the work you're currently doing—and you'll see a boost in speed.

Make ReadyBoost your friend
It's all very well to advise you to close programs you're not using—but just because you're not using it now doesn't mean you won't be using it in 10 minutes. The answer is ReadyBoost, a helpful feature that can use the extra space on a flash card or USB storage device to speed up your PC. Plug in a compatible storage device and click Speed up my system when you see the AutoPlay dialog box.

Troubleshoot
If your PC was whizzing along merrily and then suddenly started lagging, run a virus scan. Clean bill of health? Try a troubleshooter:

• Click the Start button , and then click Control Panel.
• In the search box, type Troubleshooting, and then click Troubleshooting in the list of results.
• Under Systems and Security, click Check for performance issues.
• Run the Performance troubleshooter by clicking Next in the lower-right corner.

Clean your hard drive
The more you use your PC, the more programs you use and the more services you're running. Closing a program doesn't always close the service. That's why restarting fixes so many problems; it clears out the memory.

You should also make a habit of cleaning your hard disk to remove temporary files, emptying the Recycle Bin, and getting rid of system files you don't need any more:

• Click the Start button , type Disk Cleanup in the search box, and then click Disk Cleanup in the list of results.
• After the utility runs, you'll see how much disk space you can free up.
• Click OK, and then click Delete Files.

Check your hardware
Is your PC still slow? Take a look at the Windows Experience Index, a method of rating your PC on five key components. Depending on your particular hardware, you might need a new PC or some hardware upgrades. To see your Windows Experience Index:

• Click the Start button , type Performance Information and Tools in the search box, and then click Performance Information and Tools in the list of results.
• Click Re-run the assessment in the lower-right corner of the window.
• Check out your base score. If your score is lower than 3, it might be time to consider a new PC.
  
  

Keep your PC up to date
One of the best things you can do to protect your PC is also one of the easiest: Make sure you are set up to get automatic updates from Microsoft. If you use Windows and other Microsoft software, such as Microsoft Office or Windows Live Essentials, then you should use the Microsoft Update service. You'll also get notices about new Microsoft software that you can download for free.

So how do you turn on automatic updates? Simple: Go to the Microsoft Update website. If you don't have automatic updates turned on, we'll help you through the process.

Adjust visual effects
"Pretty is as pretty does,” my grandmother used to say. Maybe she wasn't referring to computers, but the principle still applies. Windows includes some stunning effects, but if you need more speed you can customize the settings you want to use for the appearance of Windows on your computer.

• Click the Start button , type Performance Information and Tools in the search box, and then click Performance Information and Tools in the list of results.
• Click Adjust visual effects.
• Here you can decide if you want to let Windows choose what's best for your computer, adjust for best appearance, or adjust for best performance.

Original post located at http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/02/12/facebook-policy-change-allows-one-final-post-after-death/23184757/.

Facebook changes its policy to allow a “legacy contact” to make one more post to your page after your death.  Have you designated your “legacy contact” yet?  Read all about it below.

Death may take your body, but it doesn't have to extinguish your online persona.

Facebook announced Thursday that it will allow you to designate a friend or family member to be your Facebook estate executor and manage your account when you're dead.

Starting today, Facebook users in the United States can choose a "legacy contact" to make one last post on your behalf when you die. That contact can respond to new friend requests, update the cover photo and profile, and archive your Facebook posts and photos.

Until now, when family or friends notified Facebook that a user had died, Facebook verified the death and "memorialized" the account, meaning the account could be viewed but it could not be edited or managed, Facebook product manager Vanessa Callison-Burch said.

Facebook has fielded "hundreds of thousands" of requests since the social media site began memorializing pages in 2007, Jodi Seth, a spokeswoman for Facebook, said.

"We heard from family members who wanted to post funeral information or download and preserve photos," Callison-Burch said. "We realized there was more we could do."

Families have long grappled with how to dispose of the digital personal effects of a deceased family member. Fewer than a dozen states have laws governing authority over digital assets, according to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. Virginia in 2013 passed a law that allows parents or guardians to take control of a dead child's online accounts after parents of a dead Virginia teenager couldn't get access to his account.

A Zogby Poll in January found that most adults have some concerns about what happens to their digital presence after they die. The poll of 1,012 adults found that 71% want online communications to remain private unless they gave prior consent, and 43% want their private accounts on online services deleted unless they have given prior consent for someone else to access them.

Facebook's 186 million users in the United States can go into a feature under settings to choose a legacy contact to manage the account, opt to have the account deleted permanently after death or do nothing.

Friends or family can report a death through an electronic form at the online Facebook Help Center. Once Facebook is notified of a death and confirms it, Facebook will add the tagline "Remembering" over the user's name and notify the legacy contact. The legacy contact will not be able to log in as the person who died or view that person's private messages, Callison-Burch said.

Here's how to designate a Facebook 'Legacy Contact':

On the right side of your Facebook page, click on the downward-facing arrow to show the drop-down menu. Click on "Settings."

Choose "Security," then "Legacy Contact" at the bottom of the page.

Choose your Legacy Contact from your friends list. Choose the options you want your Legacy Contact to have.

The system will offer an option to send a message to that person.