Bonus Issue: End of year advice on protecting your computer and other devices (12/27/07)

End of year computer ideas

Surge suppressors protect your computer and other equipment from power surges, but you may not realize that they slowly wear out over time as they protect you from little surges. You should replace the average surge protector every 3-4 years. If you can't remember when you bought your current surge protector(s), you're probably overdue! And, as you put the new one into service, take a magic marker and write on it "Replace me in <month> <year>," picking a date that's 3-4 years from now.
If you haven't already set up a regular backup system, make it a priority to start soon. If you already have a backup system, check to make sure that it's working, and that it's backing up all of your data, especially if your computer habits have changed in the past year. (See my previous newsletter, "What's the single best way to protect my computer?" http://www.kadansky.com/files/newsletters/2007_12_19.html)
Don't leave your laptop, cell phone, Palm Pilot, etc. in your car in the extreme cold. It's 17 degrees Fahrenheit outside right now as I write this, cold enough to damage almost any type of portable equipment and their batteries. (See my previous newsletter, "Hot Summer Tips: Don't Leave It in Your Car!" http://www.kadansky.com/files/newsletters/2007_08_01.html)
As you donate unused clothes and toys to worthy causes this holiday season, consider the same for your old computers and electronic devices. Here's what I do: If it works, I try to find a person or organization that will use it. If it doesn't work, I try to give it to a repair person for spare parts. If it's too old or worn out for even a repair person to be interested, I dispose of it responsibly by calling my local Town Clerk or Department of Public Works and asking what I should do with each component (monitor, system unit, printer, etc.). This is important since computers, monitors (CRTs as well as LCDs), and other equipment may contain materials such as mercury, lead, and cadmium and may need to be treated as hazardous waste.

End of year non-computer ideas
If you run your own business, here are two things you should write down as you turn in on December 31st:

The mileage reading on your car's odometer, which will help establish how many miles you drove during the year, and
Your receivables--who owes you money and how much.

Your accountant will appreciate it!

Where to go from here

If you're not sure what kind of surge protector to get, what to do about your backup, or what to do with old equipment, drop me a line and I'll tell you what I think is appropriate for your particular situation.
If you want to donate and get a tax deduction, try a google search for "donate computer boston"--change "computer" to something else (e.g., "printer") if appropriate, change "boston" to your town or region.
If you don't want or need a tax deduction, check out http://www.craigslist.org (post your message in the "free" section under "for sale"), http://www.freecycle.org (organized into Yahoo groups by town or region, so you'll have to create a Yahoo id to participate), or google "give away computer boston" or "give away books boston" etc.
To learn more about responsibly disposing of computer equipment and other electronics, visit http://earth911.org, google "dispose computer boston," or call your local Town Clerk or DPW.

If you know someone else who might find this helpful, please feel free to forward it to them.
If you have any comments about this article, send me a reply!
If you have a topic that you'd like me to write about, I'd love to hear about it!