Larry Hechler's Hardware Lecture

In my opinion, the most important thing that Larry Hechler shared with our class is the importance of backing up files.  He told us a few horror stories about students who had put in countless hours of work on projects that were stored on their laptops, and when their laptops crashed or were damaged, they lost all of their work.  Those stories really made me think about how valuable some files are - essays, music, pictures, etc. are all things that are difficult (if not impossible) to replace.  So I'll definitely be backing up my files from now on... He also shared some useful computer cleaning tips.  For example, you should never use any kind of cleaner with alcohol, acetone, or ammonia in it.  It may seem like common sense to more tech-savvy people, but I've definitely been guilty of wiping my laptop down with Lysol wipes to kill germs.  He suggested that we use a rag moistened with water and a mild detergent for cleaning off our computers.  Good to know.  Also, while he was telling us the stories about students who had not backed up their files, he mentioned that Dell is the only brand that offers complete care on laptops - that includes up to four years of protection that includes free repair/replacement if something happens to it.  After that lecture, I'm definitely thinking that my next laptop will be a Dell (and that I will be consistently backing up my files from now on!).