Introduction

Welcome to the TechTips Blog!  This is the first post on the blog (obviously), and I would like to use it to introduce myself and kind of give you an image of my history.  My name is Jerich McAfee, and I am the creator and owner of this blog.  I have been working with computers for years now.  It started in my Sophomore year in high school, when I knew very little about how to fix a computer, or even much about computer security.  I took a computer programming course, and while in that course, I taught myself about computers, starting when we learned DOS.  My self-education has never stopped since then, and I am now studying for CompTIA A+ Certification, so I can be qualified to fix a whole host of computer issues.  Allow me, if you will, to give you a more detailed look at my history.


Before 10th grade, I wasn't what you would call a tech geek.  I had very average browsing habits, and I didn't really know much about computer systems, which means I was probably responsible for more than a few viruses on my mom's laptop.  Starting in 10th grade, though, I decided that I wanted to know more about computers, and that I wanted to be a Computer Programmer or something similar when I grew up.  So I started teaching myself from scratch.  I learned a lot of advanced concepts, and studied how things work.  I quickly learned about cyber security, kind of by coincidence (but I won't go into details here).

During the summer of 2008, I worked in California at my grandfather's insurance company as a programming intern.  I learned about the Java language, and how powerful it was, and I loved it.  I used the money I earned there to buy my own laptop.  I quickly subscribed to Norton Internet Security (even though my friend, John, kept telling me about his bad experience with Norton), and then added Spybot: Search and Destroy and Avast! Antivirus.  Now that I had my own computer, I was free to teach myself however I wanted, without my mom worrying about me ruining her computer.  Needless to say, I advanced at a much faster pace.

Because I had Windows Vista (probably the worst Microsoft Windows OS in existence), I had to learn quickly how to manage my computer.  My friend, John (the same one who had the bad experience with Norton), taught me a few of the advanced tools that I could use to help.  I also soon learned what the Blue Screen of Death was, when it happened to my computer and I was forced to restore it to factory condition.  I have had countless experiences where I was forced to learn.  I am glad to say, it has all paid off, and I am now experienced in the field of computer problem solving.  I also have great sympathy for those of you who still have Windows Vista, because I had to suffer through it all.

Now, after my Senior year in High School, I have two laptops - the first, the one I bought for myself two years ago; and the second, a brand new MacBook Pro that I was given as a graduation gift.  I have managed to get my two laptops to work together, and I am a witness that Mac and Windows can indeed work together without ending the world.

I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I will enjoy writing it.  If you haven't already, and would like to, please become a follower of my blog.