Fundamental Software Solutions

I often am asked "what do you think about..." and other similar types of questions.  One that was particularly interesting was a presentation to a group of independent salespeople about web marketing.  The claim in the meeting was "we can get your web page to the top of Google" and most of the salespeople left the meeting having signed up on the thought of being on top.

I had to wonder.  Since the salespeople were all wanting to be on top - and most of them live in the same place, have the same type of businesses and want the same keywords, how was this company going to get their pages all to be the top listing - guaranteed?

The answer is that they cannot do it for those common "normally" looked up keywords.  The marketers have to separate the keywords and choose something significantly different, such as the client's name or the client's slogan.  You just can't have everyone on the top listing at the same time for the same thing.  (And, if they promised they could do just that, it would mean that they would have to bump the previous client that was at the top - a client that had paid and now was going to have to pay again  [... and again...])

If the web promoter used the client's name, most often than not, they were already at the top to begin with.  Nine out of ten names out of some of the attendees of the meeting, I found this to be the case already.

I don't think that all internet marketing is a scam - internet marketing takes careful design and implementation and definitely some hefty work to get right.

The only way to beat the scams is to ask questions and research.  Make the scammers work so hard that it isn't worth their time, or your money.

I heard some advertisement the other day for some website that would fix my computer for me.  The ad actually generated some calls to my phone and emails to my in-box, and I thought I would check in to some of these claims and blog about it.  (I can't seem to find the URL for the exact company at the writing of this article, but I will try to add it later.) 

(I won't get into the advertisement using Apple computers on the screen, yet having a disclaimer that it only works for Windows PCs.)

One of the claims was that this repair system can fix "registry errors." I then did a search to find out what these "registry errors" are that need fixing.  One site says:

"Typically, real registry problems come on slowly and steadily.  They manifest themselves in continual slowdowns.  This happens because the registry becomes corrupted over time, even if the computer is not used rigorously.  Corruption is natural because anything that changes in your computer, such as deleting a text file or jpg, actually corrupts the registry. " (http://www.repairslowcomputer.com/registry_problems.htm, March 15, 2009)

It is this quote that I focus upon, but the rest of the page is very comical.

This entire quote is completely fraudulent.

1. "real registry problems come on slow and steady."
   Only if the user mis-configures their computer "slow and steady."
   
2. "They manifest themselves in continual slowdowns."
    The registry doesn't slow down the computer.  The software the user installed slows down the computer.
   
3. "This happens because the registry becomes corrupted over time, even if the computer is not used rigorously"
   The registry never becomes corrupted, if it stores what you tell it to store.  Microsoft even came up with a way that Windows backs up and automatically uses the registry hive if they detect it is corrupted, but that is only due to hardware failure such as disk problems.  Registry corruption cannot be fixed with "registry cleaners, anyway - what the article is supposed to be about.  Additionally, if your registry is completely corrupt, you won't be able to get to the website to fix the registry.

Most of all, I like the part about "such as deleting a text file or jpg, actually corrupts the registry."  They don't correlate whatsoever.  It may as well have said "Don't kick your car or your house may catch immediately on fire."

What is the truth?

The registry is a storage place for configuration information.  As such, it is responsible for identifying what the computer runs.  For example, you can have Internet Explorer as your main internet browser, but you may want to switch that to FireFox.  The registry allows both to be installed, yet one is your default.  You may even want Windows to look like an Apple.  Just a quick change, some software that looks like an Apple, and it will do exactly that.

The "error" that the sites are talking about is the problem of mis-configuration, not "registry error."  If you install fifty pieces of software that all start up when your computer starts, the computer will take at least 50 times longer than it normally did before those installations.  If, however, you uninstall them - the computer will return to being fast again, unless the software doesn't uninstall properly.  Again, this is a software problem, and nothing to do with "the registry."

Why do they say "registry error" then?

I think they report this because nobody is going to think they are an expert if they don't have some sort of fear attached with their message.  Saying "you just need to get rid of some software you don't use anymore" seems easy.  Saying that you probably have "registry corruption" makes people think about back-alley bribes or dark crimes, and that isn't something they need in their computer.  According to our computer expert from above, the user corrupts the registry with everything they do!  Since the user doesn't know - they artificially place the "registry error" promoter on a pedestal.

There is no tool supplied within a normal copy of Windows that will cause real "registry errors" when you run it.  You can run "regedit" and delete your registry - but that isn't a registry error, it is essentially removing Windows' ability to know what to run, what your computer looks like, etc. (I would call that "user error")

What do we recommend?

First, ensure that you know what you are doing.  If you don't understand software - learn.  If you don't understand Windows and how it works, learn.  There are consequences to not having virus software up to date, or Windows Updates regularly installed. 

Registry cleaners will not significantly effect your computers speed or reliability and won't save you from problems that you induce.  They will make your computer run slightly faster by cleaning up artifacts of the install/uninstall processes - but won't give you even 10% faster operation without effecting the software that you told it to run.

Most importantly, always bring your computer to a qualified repair person that can fix the problem.  When I say qualified - someone that won't just run one of these tools, charge you five hundred dollars for it and then give it back.  Check your invoice.  If they say generics such as "repaired registry errors" and can't tell you what - get your money back.