My father recently inquired about how to make his computer run faster. He's been having problems with it taking several minutes to boot and even longer to start programs. While its not a new computer, I thought about how I should have mentioned a few things when he first purchased it. Here are my top 5 tips when buying and setting up a new computer.

When buying a new computer:

1) Maximize the RAM. This is probably one of the best suggestions I can make. Don't bother buying subpar amounts of RAM because it equates to subpar performance. If your computer can handle 2GB of RAM, buy 2GB! As of this writing, you should have AT LEAST 2GB of RAM for a home desktop computer. The ideal amount to have with Windows Vista is 4GB. But you should have the same amount for Windows XP too.

2) Speaking of Windows Vista, buy Windows XP. I'm not saying Vista is crap, I'm saying give it a little more time. A lot of programs are still not supported on Vista, but they will soon enough. There is no need to rush out and get the latest and greatest if all you do is surf the web and use MS Word here and there. Give it time to mature and work out the bugs and then buy it.

3) Purchase a robust anti-virus package. The cost is well worth the security. If you're looking for a good package without the cost, try ClamWin. Its free and is as good an antivirus as anything out there.

4) When setting up your new computer, or if you haven't already done so, make sure you DO NOT USE AN ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT to do everyday tasks. In other words, your computer should have AT LEAST two user accounts: one administrator and one limited user. Use the limited user to do everything except install programs. NEVER surf the internet with an administrator account. Virus programs and hackers generally need one thing to take over your computer and steal your information: access to an admin account. Using a limited user account significantly reduces your computer's risk to being compromised by hackers, viruses and spyware.

5) Regularly and diligently update the operating system. Windows Vista and Windows XP have automatic update capabilities of which you should take advantage. This is another suggestion that significantly reduces the risk of being attacked by hackers, viruses and spyware.

Those are the basics. They are nothing new and I'm not claiming to be the first to have said them, but at least my family will think I'm somewhat smart.