Succumbing to the latest syndrome: There always will be something new and improved being introduced in the market. This does not mean that we need to buy it. Nowadays computers come with a card called a graphics accelerator card. This card will be useful only for people doing graphic intensive work. Why buy it if your application does not need such a card? Another fad is to go in for the latest chip. But have you stopped to consider that you are not even harnessing the full power of your Pentium 166 or 200?

Buying too much software: Why would I advise against buying too much software? What I'm really advising against here is buying too much software at the same time. Buying software is a lot different for buying CDs in three days. They're enjoyable the first time, and they age well. But software is gruesome on the first day, and the enjoyment curve rises slowly after that. It can take months to learn the basics of a single piece of software. Even after a year, you'll still find features, shortcuts, and neat tricks. So have mercy on yourself at the checkout counter and buy software at a moderate rate.

Using a floppy disk instead of the hard drive: Floppy disks have worth. You need them to move files from one PC to another. You need floppies for backup. And floppies are used to distribute software. But one thing you don't need a floppy for is saving your work; always save your work to the hard drive. I got a fax from a reader once who was frustrated that he shouldn't save a large graphics file he created on his floppy disk. It turned out he had never used his hard drive at all - not even once since he bought the computer. He was afraid it would overflow or something. So he used only floppy disks instead. Please, use your hard drive. Fill it up. Buy another if it gets too full. Only use your floppy disks for backups.

Not backing up files or saving your work often: Saving work on a computer is a many-tiered process. First, save the work to your hard drive while you're creating it. Then, at the end of the day, backup your work to floppy disks. Always keep safety copy somewhere, because you never know.

Turning the computer rapidly on and off: People who turn the computer on and off again rapidly can actually damage their computer. If you must turn off the PC, give it at least a 20-second rest before switching it back. Sometimes, you may not be responsible for turning the PC off and on again quickly. A half-second power outrage at my office one-day cost me the life of my hard drive. It cost Rs 7,500 to replace. An uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) now guards all my PCs in case of another violent attack.

Not labeling your floppy disks: Floppy disks require a proper label for identification. Even if the label just says ``Interesting Stuff.'' And use the disk labels, not a stick - on note. I once had to grab a disk at office for a home assignment. The disk had a sticky label on it that fell off. So there was a stack of 20-odd disks. I took them all home, since I'd rather waste time there looking for the right disk than examining each at an office PC. When you stick the label on the floppy, be careful not to cover any moving parts: that little window where the disk shows through, that little sliding metal cover, or anything else that looks important.

Not acquiring a computer friend, philosopher and guide: This is a big mistake. A computer guru as a friend philosopher and guide will come in handy for obvious reasons. So if you are toying with the idea of buying a computer, follow these suggestions and live happily ever after.

E-mail: bhavani @ bom6.vsnl.net.in.