As the second semester proceeds, you may begin to notice that the new computer you bought at the beginning of fall is slowing down. This will be especially true to those of you who are still using the computers that you bought last year or the year before.

But this is no surprise to you. The computers you used in high school and before also went through the same transformation into slow pieces of junk. You might think this is result of extended use or a ploy by the computer industry to keep you buying their new products. However, the truth is, even after several years of use, if a computer is properly maintained, it will not become any slower or less powerful than it was when you first bought it.

Obviously, hardware failures still may occur during usage, which is why we have so many computer support services, such as CITES and Engineering IT at the University. But what you are experiencing is something psychologists define as observational bias. That is, since your computer will never get faster than it was when you first got it, all you notice is the negative problems you encounter during use, making you feel it is slowing down overall.

Observational bias combined with resource heavy updates for your operating system and programs give you just a general impression that your computer is slowing down. In the end, you will always need to get a newer computer every few years in order to keep using the newest software.

That being said, here are several free programs you can download off the Internet in order to keep your computer maintained and running as fast as the day you first got it.

1. Microsoft Security Essentials: This comprehensive malware protection program helps defend your computer against multiple threats, such as viruses, spyware and other suspicious programs. It is also not very resource-intensive, which means it can run in the background without slowing your computer noticeably. Best of all, because it is also made by Microsoft, it integrates well with Windows.

2. CCleaner: Colloquially known as “Crap Cleaner,” this program is very useful in helping you get rid of any unnecessary or extraneous files that you accumulate when using your computer. Just like your desk, your computer works much better when clean, and CCleaner empties your recycling bin, deletes extra files from installs and cleans your temporary internet files with one click of a button. It also helps clean up your registry after you uninstall a program.

3. Dropbox: Unlike the other two programs, which are preventative, this program is more a form of “insurance” if your computer does experience problems. It is always good to back up your important files, and Dropbox gives you personal online storage. It easily installs into your computer’s file explorer so your saved files can be directly uploaded into cloud storage. You can access these files from any computer with Internet connection, which is very helpful if you like using the library computers.

In general, as long as you treat your computer carefully, it should last you several years without causing any problems. A good rule of thumb would be to treat it like a baby: Don’t drop it, don’t introduce it to strangers (shady websites), and clean up after it. After all, as something that holds your assignments, it may be just as important.

Brian is a junior in Engineering. He can be reached at [email protected].