"By saving frugally, we reap liberty, a golden harvest.” The Spartan King, Agesilaus, spoke those words 24 centuries ago, and they are still true today. Here are some financial goals to consider when choosing your New Year’s Resolutions.

Microsoft has announced the launch date for the new Windows 8 as the last week in October. Big deal, huh?

If you ever watch old mystery movies, there is usually a scene where a guy is walking down a side street on a rainy night when he hears a “Psst. Hey fella. I have a secret to tell ya” coming from a dark alleyway. Well I am giving you the same “Psst. I have a secret to tell you.” It is an easy way to tell if your computer is running well and your Internet is slow and some simple things you can do to fix this.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Internet users scanning their Twitter feeds or Facebook accounts Sunday might want to add one more quick click to check their computer for malware.

Q: What should I do to make sure my computer is safe to do my taxes? - Todd

By now, the majority of New Year's resolutions have fallen by the wayside and if remembered at all, they are recalled in sentences like, "What was I thinking? Every time I organize my office, I cannot find anything for weeks!" So how about a few things that are easy to do and will make a difference in your computer life?

Nathaniel Hawthorne once said, "I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air." Autumn is a time to reflect on how well we managed to get through another hot summer and the annual arrival and departure of the monsoons. This year seemed fairly tame in comparison to recent years, but it did leave some work for every computer owner.

Although the theft of personal information -- such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth and credit card numbers -- has been a big problem for individuals for a number of years, the equivalent for businesses has become a multibillion-dollar headache.

Ken Colburn, Data Doctors

Q: I’ve heard that you can install software on laptops and smartphones that will allow you to track them if they are ever lost or stolen. Which ones do you recommend? — Clifton

As a kid, I was fearless. I was always the first to fall in the lake on a family camping trip. If dared, I would do anything to win that dare. I once rode my bike down a steep hill between two trees, no-handed and almost made it.

Q: Is it time for me to install security software on my smartphone? — Trent

On occasion I believe it is helpful and fun to take a look at some of the questions we hear everyday from our loyal readers and customers. As I have mentioned many times, if you are having a certain computer issue chances are someone else has had it in the past, is currently experiencing the issue or is going to get it, so reviewing these e-mails and phone calls is a good way of helping everyone.

I love autumn in Arizona. As Emily Bronte once wrote, "Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree" (you guys thought I was just a pretty face, right)? I do love autumn; the cool evenings and mornings, nights sitting around the chiminea telling tales of a misspent youth, being able to walk outside in bare feet without getting second-degree burns, the return of our winter visitors, the list goes on into infinity. With the return of our winter friends are many computer issues, which, as a computer guy, I love. This autumn there have been two prevailing issues that seem to be bothering almost everyone; a lack of hard drive space and spyware.

A longtime client e-mailed me to ask if I recommended having a certain program run on a scheduled basis. The program happened to be a registry cleaner that she was considering purchasing. A few days later I received an e-mail from a reader asking virtually the same thing. The programs were the same so it sounds like a marketing ploy. This got me thinking about how long it had been since I had written a column on which programs I feel are beneficial for your computer maintenance and which ones may cause more harm than good. Please keep in mind that every PC tech has their own areas of expertise, so their advice may differ from mine.

Q: Is it really true that it's safer to search using Bing or Yahoo than it is to use Google and if so, why? - Anna

I need to apologize to the guy in the cool looking blue Mustang convertible at the corner of Piedmont and 48th streets the other day. I truly was not calling you an idiot, but rather someone on the radio, really! I can appreciate why you may have had an uncontrollable spasm in your hand as a response to what you thought I had directed toward you but, honest, it was the radio.

At 77, Sun Lakes resident Marc Ross is learning how to use a computer and he wants to protect himself from Internet scams and viruses that may find their way into his e-mail box.

I received a call the other day that went something like this; “Hi Mike? Do you guys do exorcisms?”

Q. I'm pretty sure a horrific virus infected the hard drive on my wife's computer. We need to have some way to back up our information, and I'm wondering if a similar virus would infect an external hard drive. - Stephen

Q. I have a 2-year-old Windows computer that’s running really slow, and I’m trying to decide whether to update it or replace it since computers seem to be getting really cheap these days. Any suggestions? — Gene

A popular computer software program that aids in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and was downloaded throughout the Higley Unified School District has raised many questions about what the program is, how much power it uses, what it takes to uninstall and how much it will cost the district.

There are two guys everyone should know and trust: your car mechanic and your computer guy. Both of these people can take you to the cleaners and you will probably never know it.

NEW YORK -- Watch out for Jessica Biel. Security technology company McAfee Inc. on Tuesday reported that searches for the 27-year-old actress are more likely to lead to online threats such as spyware and viruses than searches for any other celebrity.