-----Original Message-----
Dear Friends,
Is there any registry cleaner that is recommended that is
effective and simple to use by novice as myself? Is it
recommeded to use for maintaining computer?
Thank You,
Robert
After having perused the long string of responses to this
question, I think that there are strong opinions on both
sides. Generally speaking, strong opinions ususally
emanate, at least partially, from some sort of bias that
is not necessarily grounded in pragmatism.
Unless a user understands what the registry is and how and
why it works, at least on a basic level, he or she should
not mess with it. The potential for disaster far outweighs
the potential benefits.
On the other hand, for users who do understand the
mechanics and potential risks, and are prepared to deal
with them, a good registry cleaner can be a useful tool.
This is especially true in cases where one is attempting
to install a new version of a program and the old conflicts
with the new due to registry anomalies. It is also useful
when software, after being uninstalled, leaves all kinds
of crap behind that might interfere with subsequent
installations.
I agree with Mr. Clayton in saying that it is, for the
most part, an overrated issue. For some users, tweaking and
fiddling and hacking is a hobby. These are the types that
are likely to opine that registry cleaning is imperative.
In their world, it is, but that world is based on a sort
of benign neurosis that the rest of us should just ignore.
Until, that is, the neurosis manifests itself in
questionable advice to novices, in which case we have to
hope that common sense will prevail.