This book shows the reader how to save money by using free or very inexpensive devices, programs, and services in order to save money while enjoying modern technology. People pay too much money for things that can be had very cheaply or for free if one only knows where to find the goodies. This book is about how to take advantage of technology without having to pay huge sums of money to big business. The author concentrates on tips, tactics, devices, programs, and secrets that actually work. It is the hope that when a reader reads and uses just one thing learned in this book that the book will pay for itself. This books offers something for everyone from a relative beginner to the hardcore geek. This book discuss the advantages and pitfalls in using free and inexpensive inexpensive technology products. Most products discussed in this book come with no strings attached. The products that do have strings attached are pointed out, and exactly what strings are explained. There are many free products available that do the same thing as their expensive counterparts. Microsoft office can cost anywhere between one hundred and several hundred dollars. There is a free program that will do almost everything Microsoft Office will that is legally available on-line for absolutely no cost to the user. The best part is the fact that this program contains no ad-ware or spy-ware. Even though long distance telephone service is getting less expensive each year, it is still pricey compared to the free and less expensive options that are currently available for those in the know. Many people pay tens and in some cases, over one hundred dollars a month so that they can watch decent television programming. In addition to paying these high rates, they often have to put up with annoying advertisements disrupting their viewing pleasure. This book shows free and inexpensive alternatives with fewer advertisements or none at all. Other people, when their computer slows to a crawl, will take their computer to a repair shop and pay tens to hundreds of dollars getting it back up to speed. This book shows people how do it quickly and easily themselves using programs already installed on the computer or available on-line for free. Some people spend tens of dollars per computer per year to protect their computer against malicious software. This book tells how and where to go to do it for free. Many computer users spend hours of frustrating searches on the Internet looking for diagnostic and optimization tools to speed up their computers or to make the more reliable. In many cases, they will come across websites featuring products that claim to do what they want. However, once they go through the trouble of downloading, installing, and using the software, the software performs the job as advertised - at least up to a point. The software will tell them what is wrong, and will have a "fix it" or "optimize" button. When the user clicks the button, he or she will see a notice that the software must "be registered" before the action is performed. Registration usually involves the payment of money. This book will show the users which programs truly do it for free. Using this book will save the reader many hours of searching, downloading, and installing programs only to find a demand of payment. The author has done the research and legwork to find the free gems that will help the reader. This book will also show the user how to use a GPS device or application to avoid speed traps and automated ticketing cameras and where to download the required data. Saving the cost of just one ticket will cause this book to pay for itself many times over. These are just a few of many examples of money savers that can be found in this book.
The author of this book, William Keeley, has been involved with computers and electronics for most of his life. While growing up, he studied, researched, learned, programmed, and made things. As a result of this, William has built up vast stores of knowledge and experience and wants to offer readers the benefits of 31 years of study, experience, and hard work in computer related disciplines. In high school during the mid 1980's, William has won multiple awards at academic contests related to mathematics and computer science. Some of these include 3rd place in Geometry at Chipola College Math Olympiad, 1st place in Computer Literacy at George Wallace College 2 years in a row, and 3rd place in Computer Programming at George Wallace. He also won 1st place in Data Processing Concepts 2 years in a row in district F.B.L.A. competition. He has also helped both students and teachers with computer related problems throughout his high school career and continues to do so to this day. William is also listed in Who's Who among America's Junior Colleges and was on the dean's list during his career at Chipola College. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Navy's Nuclear Field "A" School in Electronics. He has also worked in several different occupations relating to computers, telephones, and electronics. This includes employment as a telephone technician, computer technical support agent, assistant systems administrator, a salesman for a large electronics chain, and a computer integration technician (lots of programming) for a small electronics company. All of these jobs has allowed him to gain his real world, common sense experience relating to technology. William has installed and used several operating systems on his personal computers. These include CP/M, MS-DOS, Windows 3.11, 95, 98, XP, 7, SCO Unix, and Linux. William has also used and worked on computers running Solaris and BSD Unix. William is also a self taught programmer who has learned and used BASIC, Assembly Language, C, C++, and Java. In finding study materials, William has had to wade through tons of junk information in order to get to the real gems that are available on-line. William has also designed, set up and installed his own phone and security system. William currently is a self employed computer consultant and an I.T. Instructor who teaches students with Asperger's Syndrome. William's goal is to teach real world problem solving based on technical knowledge and common sense.
