When should you buy your next PC?

A few days ago I wrote about out improved computer designs virtually guarantee that your next computer will be more energy efficient than the one you use today. That's great, but it raises a question: When should you buy that new computer?

There's no need to rush. If you're currently happy with your computer, you may as well keep on using it rather than turning it into landfill. As Planet Green points out in an informative article, there are also a few things you can do to extend its life, such as swapping in new parts like hard drives and more memory if you have the courage to open up your computer and do the installation.

The most important change you can make in the short term is to replace your old CRT (tube) monitor with a flat-screen LCDs monitor. Inch-for-inch, flat screens use half the power of an old-fashioned monitor, and even better, they save space on your desk and have none of that subliminal flicker that causes eye strain. Radiation may or may not be a health threat over the very long term, but as Planet Green points out, LCDs generate a lot less of it.

A few of Planet Green's other good hints:

• Vacuum in and around your computer to get rid of all that dust.
• Clean the fans.
• Defrag your hard drives for optimal performance.
• Use online services in place of software packages when you can.

Don Willmott's blog posts are provided by LifeWire, a part of The New York Times Company.