It is one thing to propose the possibilities to how computers can enhance the lifestyle to the individual in any field; it’s another thing to actually apply it to a persons everyday life. Sure, cell phones and blackberry’s caught on as a “trend” and a way of life, but the desktop, laptop, notebook (now small enough to call a “Net book”) are still tools that can be used in a persons everyday planning, recording, and reviewing. It is so much more than just an internet tool.

            The biggest issue to address is how the average person views the use of the computer, as if it was either a toy, or work. I have seen individuals needing to “make time” to sit in front of their desktops, and push aside other activities; in a sense, making schedules of when to use the machine for emails and other projects. It’s more of a concept though, and right along the same lines of the cell phone, where one is hardly used as it could be, laws are introduced to fight the abuse of multitasking, when the need to focus on life’s activities need that much attention.

            When it came to truck driving, even I found it hard to get past the concept of introducing the work at hand on the machine, and include it in my everyday activities. I know many think it should only be on when it is in use. But completely shutting it down, using the shut off process, means it takes time to boot it back up, without experimenting with putting the computer in “Stand By” mode, or “Hibernation”.  A quick understanding to these two processes that we see when we go to actually shut off the computer is as follows:

• Stand By: A mode to where the computer stops running the computer, and holds everything open, until such time as it is powered on again. This only shuts down the monitor (on laptops), and hard drive, and still uses battery or electrical power to keep programs that were running at their last place of activity. Keep in mind, it is handy to use, but it does not save information on its own, but only holds everything open until it is powered back on. It is still handy when the time it needs to be off is a very short duration. Should the power be lost (or the battery drains out), the start-up of the machine would go through the process of starting up (boot up).
• Hibernation: This process also keeps all programs open, but saves information, and settings, and at the same time shuts down the computer. When powered up, it displays everything still opened, and is quickly ready to use.

Hibernation is one I favor during my days activities. It keeps everything I am working on where I left off, and without going through the process of waiting for the computer to completely boot up, and then, opening all my projects. It is quicker than booting up again, and marginally slower than using Stand By. Even with no power or battery strength, once it is plugged in and started, it would come out of hibernation.