The Cutting Edge: COMPUTING / TECHNOLOGY / INNOVATION : Time to Get Personal With Your Brand New PC

A computer is a terrible thing to waste. Yet many computers that found their way into homes during the holidays are still in the box. Or if they have been installed, they’re not yet being put to good use.

If you haven’t already unpacked your PC, leave it where it is for a moment until you have a chance to organize the work area. You can put a PC almost anywhere--you don’t have to spend a lot of money for a computer desk--but it’s essential that the keyboard be at the right height.

Most writing desks and dining room tables are too high. On average, the keyboard should be about 26 inches from the floor. If your table is too high, you can mount a pullout keyboard drawer below the tabletop. I don’t like the computer desks with built-in monitor stands because, typically, the monitor is too high, causing neck strain. You should be looking straight ahead or slightly down.

Don’t forget the lighting. There should be plenty of it, but it should be diffused so that it doesn’t create glare on your screen. Adjustable lamps--especially those that can be adjusted so that the light bounces off the ceiling--are a good idea.

Be sure you have plenty of three-prong grounded electrical outlets. Power strips with switches and built-in surge protection not only add outlets but let you use one switch to conveniently turn all the equipment--including your printer, modem and monitor--on and off. Your PC has a fan, generally in the back, so be sure it’s not backed up against a wall. You don’t need a lot of space, but an inch or two breathing room is essential for adequate cooling.

If your PC came with external speakers, make sure they’re not touching the monitor. Speakers have magnets that, in many cases, can cause temporary distortion of the monitor. The magnets in the speakers aren’t nearly strong enough to affect your hard disk, but I’d avoid laying floppy disks directly on top of a speaker.

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Some PCs come with a built-in modem. If you’re not sure, look for a telephone jack on the back. If you plan to spend a lot of time online, you can avoid busy signals and keep peace in the family by getting a second phone line. If you have call waiting, be sure to disable it before you go online, because an incoming call will interrupt your online session. If your PC has a 14,400 bit per second modem, ask the dealer if you can trade up to 28,800 bps.

If you don’t already have a mouse pad, be sure to get one. It makes the mouse easier to use and helps keep the moving parts clean. You can get one for less than $5, but if you want the best one on the market, spend about $15 for “3M Precise Mounting Surface.” It’s a nearly flat pad made of high-tech material that makes your mouse easier to control while keeping it squeaky clean. (3M can be reached at [800] 697-5423.) Mouses eventually do collect dust, so periodically turn them over, remove the ring that holds the ball in place and clean the rollers with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab.

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A good chair is also important, especially if you plan to spend a lot of time typing. The chair should allow you to adjust the seat height and the position of the back rest. It should be comfortable and offer you plenty of support.

Be sure you have a good place to store your CDs and floppy disks. Contrary to what some people say, CDs (both computer and audio) are not indestructible.

The data is written on the blank side of the disc and any scratches on that surface can cause problems. Keep the CDs in their protective case or, to save space and effort, buy special CD sleeves to store your discs.

Be sure to keep all your packaging and receipts in case you need to return the machine for servicing, and write down the number for the computer maker’s technical support department. You may need it for help or warranty service.

These days, just about every PC you buy will come with either Windows 3.1, Windows 95 or the Macintosh operating system already installed on the hard disk. Many systems come with additional software on the hard disk or on CD-ROMs or floppy disks. Check out these programs before you buy additional software. Computers often come with Microsoft Works, ClarisWorks or another integrated program that typically gives you a reasonably powerful word processor, spreadsheet, database and graphic program.

Both Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 come with small word processing programs, which are fine for writing letters and short reports, though they do lack a spelling checker. Windows 95 comes with software for getting on the Internet and many computers these days come with software for signing on to Prodigy, America Online or CompuServe.

The most important thing you can do with a new computer is to use it. Short of dropping it or hitting it with a hammer the first time it frustrates you, there’s virtually nothing you can do to break the machine.

Lawrence J. Magid welcomes electronic mail at magid@latimes.com and invites you to visit his World Wide Web site at https://www.larrysworld.com. Magid is the author of the newly revised “The Little PC Book: A Gentle Introduction to Personal Computers.”