The Hex Files
IT basics
Plain answers to the everyday technology questions people are shy to ask.
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IT basics
Plain answers to the everyday technology questions people are shy to ask.
- Explainer
What “the cloud” actually means
The cloud is someone else's computers, run at enormous scale, that you rent instead of owning. Here is what that means for a business.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What a server is, and whether you still need one
A server is a computer that serves other computers: files, applications, sign-ins. Many businesses have moved those jobs to the cloud. Some still need one.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Domain names and DNS, explained
Your domain name is your business's address on the internet. DNS is the directory that tells the world where your email and website live.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How an email gets from you to them
When you press Send, your message passes between mail servers, gets checked and lands in a mailbox, usually in seconds. Here is the journey.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why “have you tried turning it off and on again?” works
It is the oldest joke in IT support, and still the most useful first step. Here is why a restart fixes so much.
1 min readRead - Explainer
How long should a work laptop last?
Most business laptops give good service for a few years. After that, repairs, slowdowns and lost time usually cost more than replacing them.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What is VoIP? Business phones in plain English
VoIP carries your phone calls over the internet instead of old phone lines. Here is what that means for a business.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why software became a subscription
Most business software is now rented monthly instead of bought once. Here is what changed, and how to keep subscription costs under control.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why IT asks you to submit a ticket
A ticket can feel like paperwork. It is how your request gets tracked, assigned, remembered and solved, even when the person you would have called is out.
1 min readRead - Explainer
IT terms in plain English
A short glossary of the acronyms and jargon you are most likely to hear from IT people, explained without jargon.
1 min readRead - Explainer
File extensions: the letters that tell you what a file really is
The letters after the dot in a file name tell your computer what kind of file it is. Showing them helps you spot disguised files.
1 min readRead - Checklist
How to find your computer's name and details
IT may ask for your computer's name, model or Windows version. Here is where to find them in a few seconds.
1 min readRead - Checklist
How to take a screenshot that helps IT fix the problem
A screenshot of an error message often saves several rounds of back and forth. Here is how to take one and what to include.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Keyboard shortcuts that save time every day
A handful of keyboard shortcuts cover most of what people do all day. Learning ten of them saves real time.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Memory and storage are not the same thing
Memory (RAM) is the computer's workspace. Storage is where files are kept. Knowing the difference helps when a computer is slow or full.
1 min readRead - Checklist
Name files so people can find them
Consistent file names save time, prevent mistakes and make search work. A few simple rules go a long way.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why your IT should be written down
If the only record of how your systems work is in one person's head, your business depends on that person never leaving or getting sick.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What is an IP address?
An IP address is the number that lets devices find each other on a network. Your office has public and private ones.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What the padlock in your browser does and does not mean
The padlock means your connection to the site is encrypted. It does not tell you whether the site is honest.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What generative AI is, and what it is not
Tools like Microsoft Copilot predict likely words based on huge amounts of text. That makes them useful drafters and unreliable fact-checkers.
1 min readRead - Checklist
How to report an IT problem so it gets fixed faster
A few details at the start can save a lot of back-and-forth. Here is what the help desk needs to know.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What “software as a service” means
Most business software is now rented and used online. That changes who looks after it, where your data lives and what happens when you stop paying.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What website cookies are
Cookies are small files websites store in your browser. Some keep you signed in; others follow you around the web for advertising.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Viruses, worms, trojans and ransomware: what is the difference?
Malware is any software built to do harm. The names describe how it spreads or what it does.
1 min readRead - Explainer
Why IT asks you to clear your browser cache
Your browser keeps copies of website pieces to load them faster. Old copies sometimes cause odd problems; clearing them forces a fresh start.
1 min readRead - Explainer
What encryption is, and where you are already using it
Encryption scrambles information so only someone with the right key can read it. It protects data sent across the internet and stored on devices.
1 min readRead
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