With Valentine’s day just around the corner, it’s probably a good idea to focus on building a relationship with the partner you spend more than half your waking hours with – your computer.

Human relationships parallel our relationships with computers in more ways than you would think. Some people think that the computer should obey them. They buy a computer, then sit and stare at it, waiting for the computer to grant every wish. Does this work with your mate? It won’t for your computer, either. 

Your computer is much like any other new technology. If you buy a PlayStation, you’ll probably want to read the manual to know how to use it. But how many people read the computer manual? NO ONE! Why? Because it’s long and boring.

Best shortcut: visit the "Help" section on your computer. Click "Start," then click on "Help and Support." You’ll be amazed how many tutorials, tips and other wonderful tidbits exist that you can easily understand and implement. No manual needed.

Also, similar to human relationships, stay proactive. Maintenance is required! You need to have updated antivirus and spy protection. It’s also important to keep your software updated to the newest version. Most software creators, like Microsoft, release “patches” for your programs on a regular basis.

And then there’s the thing no one wants to think about in a relationship: life insurance. Consider data backup as life insurance for your computer… and, your company’s computers. Many people don’t want to think about it. They think they won’t need it, not any time soon. But, what would you do if all your data was lost? Could your business survive?

Finally, when things are getting stale, the aggravations won’t go away, and you’re not sure what to next before you have a crisis… Go to therapy. Talk it through with a computer consultant. Your relationship with your computer doesn’t have to be a miserable one.

We all want healthy happy relationships, with loved ones, family, friends, and – admit it – your computer.

Russ Levanway is the CEO of TekTegrity, Inc. TekTegrity is an IT Strategies and Management firm that provides premium IT services to businesses, government, education and nonprofit organization in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Monterey and Kern counties. TekTegrity’s goal is to become your organization's long-term strategic partner by supporting your IT infrastructure with your bottom line in mind. Some of TekTegrity’s services include System and Workstation Installation, Virtual Hosted Servers, Priority Backup, Off-Site Data Replication,, and Total Systems Management™ (TSM). TSM is an industry-leading managed services model that emphasizes proactive and preventative IT support at a predictable fixed monthly fee. For more information about TekTegrity, you can reach them by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , on the Web at www.tektegrity.com, or by telephone at 805-596-0135.