Steve Bass

My buddy, a network administrator, insists on leaving his PC on day and night. He says that the system's RAM, CPU, and hard drive can be harmed by turning the system on and off. I agree that treating the computer like a microwave and flipping the switch a dozen times a day could cause problems. But turning it on in the morning and off at night? Not a big deal. Either way, it's still a controversy. But I'll tell you what I do: I turn it off at night.

Vista has launched and Microsoft made a big splash with it. If you're bound and determined to make the upgrade, here are a few things for you to consider.

I bet you use e-mail all day long to swap files and information with clients and coworkers. How'd you ever live without it? But think of the time you waste waiting for people to reply or to send the file you need, like, right now. I spend way less time on the e-mail equivalent of hold since I started using a supersmart real-time collaboration tool.

Who in the world would spend two hours comparing the prices of sunblock and multivitamins on the Internet just to save a lousy three bucks? That unapologetic shopaholic would be me.