I had no connectivity at all yesterday but since it was Monday, I wanted to remain productive.

1. Clean out and categorize your bookmarks. I don’t know about you, but I tend to just click ‘bookmark this page’ and call it good. Yesterday, when I hit the little ‘down arrow’ on Firefox to let the bookmark list scroll down I counted. Not sites, but seconds. 11 seconds worth of scrolling bookmarks is way too many. If you haven’t visited a site in a month it’s not important.

Create categories and organize the list of bookmarks after you’ve eliminated all those links you don’t need. Do not create a miscellaneous category. Catch-all categories do exactly that and soon become difficult to use.

2. Delete programs you don’t use. Why delete them when you have plenty of space on the drive? Because it makes things like Scandisk and Defrag run faster. It might not make your PC run any smoother, but you’ll feel good knowing you aren’t wasting space.

3. Unplug your PC, take the cover off and clean out the dust. Invest in some canned air. Heat is a PC’s enemy and even in a clean environment, cooling fans suck dust through every opening and it builds up fast. If you have pets, do it once a month. I cleaned out enough dust to build a rabbit hutch to keep all the dust bunnies in.

4. Write your next blog post. If you use a blog client like BlogDesk just write and save. If not, write to a text file and format it after your connection is live. Not being connected may force you to write about something different, like say, five things to do when you have no Internet connection.

5. Run any maintenance programs you don’t have auto-scheduled. Reclaim your drive space and allow your PC to run smoother.

And now for number six, the bonus item. This is something I put off for a long time because it’s time consuming and no one really likes to think about what happens to the ones we love should something happen to us. You may need connectivity to accomplish this one, which is why the title isn’t six things to do with a PC when you have no Internet connection, but this one is important.

6. Write down your logins and passwords for all your sites, blogs, email accounts, Adsense, affiliate programs, where you purchased your domain names, etc. All that information is the key to your business. If something should happen to you your spouse or significant other will need that information.

When you’re done, put the information in a safety deposit box or keep it in a fire resistant safe at the house and let the people that may need that information know where it is kept.


  1. graywolf

    Nice tips. I use roboform for my passwords and it has nice username/password dump option for the “if I get hit by a bus folder”.

  2. Stuart

    Cleaning your computer is an important tip - even if all you do is scrape the accumulated fluff and crap off the fan vents.

    But get inside the box if you can - one came into the shop the other day that had so much dirt inside you could almost grow a crop of potatoes in there.

    If you haven’t got any canned air don’t even think of using a vacuum cleaner - instead find a soft paint brush (the type you paint your house with) and gently brush all the rubbish out of the box and especially from between the fins of any heat sinks you may have in the box. Check all the hard-to-get-at places too.

    Be prepared to find some unwanted inhabitants in there too - mice like to live in computer boxes because it’s nice and warm in there.

  3. Combat

    If i go down, my pc and its multitude of passwords and usernames go with me, nothing of value on here except… well nothing :S.

  4. martin

    one of those should be ‘play solitaire’

    (obviously i’m ignoring the fact that you wanted to ’stay productive’ but yea)

  5. lol

    Turn off the computer, open the door, go out, find yourself a girlfriend, and LOSE YOUR VIRGINITY.

  6. hdustinbing

    Lol has a point. Maybe a bit harsh, but he has a point. There are lots of things that regular, well adjusted people do that don’t involve computers AT ALL, let alone internet connected ones. Many people do these things for most of the day even when their internet connection is fine. How about trying one of those things instead?

  7. seriously...

    go outside.

  8. Shine
  9. David

    Also sounds like a good time to perform a thorough BACKUP of all your important files: documents, settings, etc., precious photos, music, and videos. Burn them to DVD+R’s (better for archival purposes than -R), external HDDs, networked folders, or another HDD in the same computer…if they’re not already RAID1′ed.

  10. Rekzai

    Thanks for reminding me lol I really need to clean the inside of my PC

  11. johnny

    Maybe I’m a self-righteous over-critical ego maniac, but this is such a depressing list. It’s probably true that this list applies to the majority of computer users, but it’s also a direct testimate to how the majority of computer users are consumers and without the internet, a computer seem useless. To someone who actually produces content, enjoys stimulating thier own mind, and in general contribute to the world or thier own well being rather than simply be a bottom pit of consuption, a computer is a godsend.

    The computer is by far the most advanced, sophisticated, creative tool in existence and it’s a shame that it’s primary use is to waste time surfing the internet. A computer can be used to write books, solve complex equations, explore the nuances of magic of mathematical functions, be an infinite canvas for hand drawn art, a dark room for photography, a studio for creating music, an editting room for making a movie, and if you know how to program there are a countless number of problems in the world that are simply sitting at your finger tips to solve. This is all possible without the internet.

    With Word, you can write a story. With Excel, you can teach yourself trigonometry, probability, and discrete calculus. With Powerpoint, you can draw, make games, and tell visual stories. If you have fancy programs like or similar to Photoshop, GarageBand, and FinalCut then the only limitation is your own willingness to try.

    “Organize your bookmarks,” please. What a sad thing to do with the most powerful creative tool in existence.

  12. Henka

    It’s true, but i would have added several more things (though that might be counter-productive), like sorting your pr0n and backing up documents (ie, pr0n).

    Also see you are using my IRL friends theme, first I thought I had gone to the wrong site :)

    ah well, sorry for my weird sense of humor :P

  13. mark

    Great list! The last one in particular is highly recommended.

    Might I add… #7, Get a life and go outside! :)

  14. phil tadros

    hey bottom line this dude did this and is sharing it and not looking for life advice, it was a moment he had documented and shared’ for the moment

    i wouldnt’ do any of that stuff cause i’m .. well me, but they are all smart tips, thanks

  15. Oliver Tani

    What a great list of things to do! I don’t know about all of you, but I live my whole life on the internet pretty much. I hate to say it, and I know I’m a complete geek for admitting this, but I actually have a backup dialup account if my cable ever goes down! And for those of you who don’t remember, it is painfully slow, so it’s sometimes not even worth it. When I don’t want to deal with dialup in these situations, I often find myself firing up Photoshop and messing around in there for a while.

    As far as exercising or something to that effect, I think the most exercise I’ve got in a while is the typing I’m doing right now… man, I really need a life!

  16. Aaron

    Here’s a shocker — I’m a web developer / programmer, and my primary computer doesn’t have an internet connection on it. It has everything I need on it, and I have two Apache servers to test things on. If I need something online, I have another computer that I only use for internet access and e-mail (though I do most of my e-mailing from my laptop). When I’m working on a website live, I do it from my internet-only computer (which I also use for launching the site).

    The reason is dead simple: my computer is totally pristine. Always has been, always will be. I’m running XP Pro and my computer gets reset about once a month, and then only because something comes up that forces me to turn it off for a bit. I’ve never had a single bit of malware, or even a device driver that I didn’t want.

    So, what do I do without an internet connection?

    Everything.

    It’s sad to see how dependant people have gotten. Heaven forbid people go ten minutes without their Digg fix.

  17. Tyler

    I would that that “find an internet connection” would be #1

  18. Stuart

    Funny how many commenters here don’t quite grasp that some of us actually work online.

    I know that’s a strange concept but some of us actually do use our Internet connection for work.

    Unlike some others we also manage to have a life outside of the Net too.

  19. Retro Computer

    As per the comments on the wasted use of the computer for browsing the internet.
    Computers to a great degree are a communication device.
    At least they are being used for some purpose.
    Many people have a powerfull computer for little more use than a dim lamp bulb and a conversation piece so as not to be left out of the discussion mix.
    At the most more than a high percentage of people use their powerfull computers only to play the stupid simple game of solitaire.
    Go figure.

  20. Bob Smith

    Someone up-thread said you should never use a vacuum cleaner to clean the inside of a PC. That isn’t entirely true - I use one all the time. Compressed air is expensive and doesn’t last long, especially if you clean many PCs. So I went to Home Depot and bought a small vacuum called “Little Stinger” - or something like that. The cost was about $30. Attach the hose to the outlet, so air is blowing out of the hose - not sucking in - and dedicate that vacuum to blowing out PCs only. Never use it for anything else. The air must be clean.

    I’ve been doing this for a long time. It works better than compressed air and has paid for itself several times over.

  21. hdustinbing

    Stuart..this article was obviously not aimed at people who use their home internet for work. If you require the internet for work, and it goes down, then you would have to go somewhere where you would have access to the internet, NOT do all these things suggested.

  22. Curtis

    Great ideas—especially no. 3. I’m going in (even though I am online at the moment.) [Insert spaghetti western soundtrack.]

    Thanks!

  23. Vigil

    “If you haven’t got any canned air don’t even think of using a vacuum cleaner” - Stuart
    I, and everyone I know, have done that for years, using a vacuum cleaner, without any problems.
    So, why not, what exactly could happen?

    @Johnny
    No need for that crap, all you need is Writer, Calc (or better, Math) and Impress.
    And for graphics, just use Blender, Gimp, or Paint.net.
    Or if you got an internet connection there is a ton of online tools you can use, that allows you to collaborate in a easy way.
    Or you can just bring your PDA down to the park, that should give you better inspiration.

    But, who uses a spreadsheet-maker to learn math anyway, or a presentation-maker to draw or make games?
    That’s just wasting resources.

  24. Chris

    Number six is the best tip, think I should work on that.
    Thanks for sharing, cheers

  25. Johnny

    repsonse to Vigil:
    Yes, there are lots of great free tools if you are using linux.

    I frequently use Excel as a super graphing calculator. Using it’s plotting capabilites you can visualize the behavior of complex functions and visualizing math definitely helped me in high school and engineering school.

    Powerpoint is a suprizingly competent layout and vector drawing program once you poke at all the options. Myth was created in HyperCard, which is pretty much the same as PowerPoint.

  26. Johnny

    sorry I meant to say “Myst”, not “Myth”. The adventure game.

  27. kidpieces

    lol! really funny..how about helping out ur grandma with the cookies? or watch after her cactus? lol!

  28. azari

    see the world,get a life and don’t be a computer freak,hahaha..

  29. Raquel

    This article can lick my sweaty balls. if i had no internet connection, i would kill anything that moved with my ether net cable of power. :)

  30. Neil

    How about the following as well
    - Finish the half read programming books gathering dust on your bookshelf
    - Actually do some of the scripting/coding that you have been postponing
    - Maybe even go out in the sunlight and do some pending chores
    - Call upfamily and friends
    etc.

  31. Sameer

    Try out or test newer software, esp if you have downloaded it earlier. Better still try out newer systems…Linux distros are abandunt. Start your own project - call me a FOSS advocate but this is cool. For less enthusiasts read a book, watch a movie (pref outside) and yes go for a walk

  32. honza

    nice tips,

    except number 1, just use del.icio.us

  33. Sanchez

    What is this Scandisk and Defrag?

  34. Matt A

    I’ve been thinking about doing #6 for some time now.

  35. Ivan Minic

    There are 6 things :|

  36. Vigil

    @Johnny
    Ok, I see your point.
    Though we have to learn Matlab, so I’ll have to use that anyway (i.e., I’ve had no real reason to use something else).

    But, “Yes, there are lots of great free tools if you are using linux.”, all of the programs I mentioned are available for Windows too.

    I also forgot to mention Inkscape, which is great for vector graphics.

  37. hroswith

    Ha! Good tips! I’m guilty too of keeping a messy uncategorized list of bookmarks too… I’m more orderly when it comes to programs: I frequently unistall anything that is of no use to me and defrag often.

    Another thing I do in these circumstances is to check the contents of my past back-ups: CDs don’t last forever, so I occasionally take the time to make a new backup of my older backups/archives. Another thing I do on occasions is copying to my hard disk old files that I want to reuse or to include in new archives/galleries (usually images).

  38. tombrennan.org

    There is one thing that’s not on the list…be creative! You don’t need access to the internet to make a video, work in Photoshop OR even make a website (static HTML works fine).

  39. god

    Nice tips sure , if your a no friend lamer ,
    heres my 1 tip when you don`t have an internet connection.

    Get the hell outside and Enjoy LIFE!!

  40. amiripz

    Thanks for the advises. Really helful!

  41. Edward

    Good job!

    I like comments 4, 18, 2, 26, 27 and of course 6

    Honorable mentions go to 10, 11, 13, 19, 40 and of course 35.

    Comment 12, what the hell are you smoking???

  42. DG

    I wanted to go outside God, I really did, but after walking the dogs for 20 minutes in the 15 degree cold, they just wanted to come back inside and hang out by the fire. If you could make my Internet outages coincide with some nice weather I’d appreciate it. ; )

  43. Things To Do With a PC When You Have No Internet Connection - Quantum Designs

    A good list to keep anyone occupied. So far, I’ve completed numbers 1, 2 and 5. I’ll try number 3 at the weekend.

  44. Psychicboom

    Good idea.. but the people reading are most likely to have an internet connection

  45. Rob

    Yup, it’s a good idea to save passwords and stuff. Here’s a tip in that regard:

    Google “password safe”

    and, download an application to store all that info securely.

    There are a couple of free password safes that are very useful for this task

  46. completelychemical

    What is it that you do when you do have connectivity that you can’t carry out all these basic crap?

  47. Shankar Ganesh

    Good Tips

  48. DG

    Work! I work from home as a consultant and have for the last 8 years. Just keeping up with the latests news is time consuming, let alone keeping up with email, analysis, writing, etc.

  49. Crazy Si

    1) thing I do with no internet connection. Go through all my temporay internet files and pretend the internet is still working……whilst rocking back and forth stroking my hair…..

  50. vpatrickd

    Thanks for the tips.
    I’d try it from now on.

  51. fronyboy

    yeah, i do pretty much the same, except 2. and 6., too lazy for that ;-)

  52. Joe Resparian

    The # 6, ” write it down” is great.
    I use an address book, Cheap one, I enter all the passwords, user ID’s etc. It took a while to read all the scraps of paper I had in the desk, but once done it works out well

  53. Mike

    I think you are cool.

  54. Dan

    Lame. You must take Adderall

  55. Anna

    Ahahaha interesting post! I’ve actually done all six of them!
    I believe that I may not have a life during that time cause I was able to do all that in one day. ;)

  56. Brett

    Nice! I’m going to bookmark this for next time I don’t have internet connection.

  57. 6ixthsense

    This 6th ones particularly important to me.

  58. Me

    Use computer as a paper weight.

  59. themarkr

    Great tips! Thanks for sharing. :)

  60. DR PRABHAT TANDON

    great ideas to do the things which u forget in past. but I have more ideas to do at home where I have no internet connection. In my clinic , where I have a lone internet connection, I store all the web pages in portable firefox
    (in pen drive ) & then at home this portable device gives the lot of fun to open & read the web pages.
    for more details log on http://funnychehre.blogspot.com/2007/02/blog-post.html
    Though the post is in hindi language yet u can easily understand the value of portable firefox.

  61. mackingattack

    how about leaving the computer, or reading a book?

  62. DG

    Mackingattack, I love to read. But people shouldn’t need a list of things to do without a computer, at least, I hope they don’t.

  63. mozey

    Once, i was left out without a computer in my first internship. SO, i ended up writing a whole bunch of prime number little programs using java script :( my machine did’nt have anything else i can use at the time!. It was a nifty little project tho :) i wish i had the source code.

  64. Anders Bruce

    how about leaving the computer, or reading a book?

    :) Glad I’m not the only one to whom that occured.

  65. Ajantis

    Why don’t you just start a single player game and waste some time? ;)

  66. Rami

    Run Disk Defragmenter

  67. Paul Chislett

    Great site - I will have to check often for tidbits - well big morsels - of info.

    Thanks
    Paul

  68. Chick -let

    all those can be done while your on the net! Or play solitare

  69. DG

    For those of you that suggest reading, I agree. Just got that little gadget a few days ago and I love it.

  70. dougruhs

    Go to the nearest Apple store drool over the gear!!

  71. mckatie

    Wow! I enjoyed and appreciated the logic of this post. As far as the commenters went they added to the mix. This was a great read with valid advice. Thank you!

  72. Araym

    what if you have no internet for a year? *points to self*

  73. Noah Campbell

    KeePass works great for password management.

  74. shinyobjectsandbumblebees

    DG- I’ve been inspired! haha! thanks! if you feel so inclined, please peruse the list I’ve tracked back to here in comment #92.

    For those of you who suggested reading, I concur.
    A couple great books to help you cope:
    1. The Living by Annie Dillard (slow-paced, weighty)
    2. Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding (hilarious, great time waster)
    3. The Rain Maker by John Grisham (one of his best stories)

    happy reading! :D

  75. The Founder

    I love it man.. good post :)

  76. frank

    I have a mac, but still, when I meet the oh-so-rare-and-shitty coffee shop with no internet (or even worse, when startbuck’s internet doesn’t work) I usually do like stated above, I clean. Then, I get back to work… being a web developer I have the good sense of having most the tools I need installed on my machine

    ie: Apache, php, mongrel, ruby, rails, textmate, photoshop, etc….etc…

    I even have the php ad ruby docs installed so I’m never too sad when the connection lags.

  77. cylithria

    absolutely great idea…… adding you to my bookmarks now so on outage days I can organize my long list of bookmarks :)

  78. body4god

    Very good information. You’ll definitely be added to my list of bookmarks, that by the way has been freshly organized!!

  79. mermaid632

    LOL oh well if nothing else ya got alota blog traffic. personally i think it was a great reminder. probably a few other things you could put on there. thanks!!

  80. Vespaziano, o Especialista em Coloproctologia

    nerd.. without net i’d just smack my head against the wall…nice uh? xD

  81. Kit

    Weird, my internet went down Sunday night. I was so bored without it!

    I went through my music and rated them from 1-5 stars. After doing that for about 20 minutes, I went and played some video games and went to bed. I think I watched Full House at some point, too. It’s all a blur…

    Things are so boring without the internet….

  82. curt

    I find it very amusing when people, on website comments, state that people need to “go outside” or “get laid” or “get a life”.

    You’re commenting on a website when you say that, stupid. Unless you’re outside, having sex, and doing your dream job all at the same time, STFU.

  83. Long Nguyen

    Too bad the title is Five Things to do WITH A PC…

    I would have suggested to get away from the computer and find something else to do rather than sit there.

  84. Pete

    It’s funny that in #1 you recommend against a “misc” category for bookmarks, but yet you categorized this blog in “uncategorized” :)

    In any case, this blog is interesting and provides some food for thought — thanks!

  85. Drainbamage

    Talk with real people face-to-face rather than via Skype/IM or better yet…Have a conversation with your spouse and/or kids, since they will not be on computer either :-)

  86. DG

    Busted. Man I hate that default category.

  87. AndyW

    start playing a ukulele

  88. willie

    Look at the pretty lights blinking in tandem and pray for a miracle while you’re on the phone speaking with every outsourcing company your telephone provider uses to provide you with that which is one of the basic elements to sustain life.

    A non-working Internet connection (even if it is a billing problem) is a travesty, especially when your computer’s juice is severed based on the decision of another computer.

    In all seriousness, if your Internet is down, alcohol is not the answer. See how many push-ups you can do and then pursue that Internet connection sharing idea with your neighbor that you thought up the previous time your connection was down.

  89. thepearlady

    So, by the article and comments thereafter, it appears one can get a lot done with and without a connection. Great post/conversation all around (even ermmm…God)!

  90. xadman

    This is nice post, but the most funny thing about that, you cannot read that w/o internet :)

  91. Technoraider

    but what if i lose my internet connection and cannot get to this page to know what to do? (jk)

  92. positiveemotions
  93. Jonathan

    Thanks for the great reminders! I definitely have to do some of those right away!

  94. Acidrain69

    #7 Try to break into borrow your neighbor’s wifi connection and use their pipe while waiting for yours to go back up.

    #8 Built that projector you’ve been watching collect dust working on for the past 3 months while waiting for #7’s cracking to complete.

  95. Mitch McDad

    Or, you could just get a Mac.

  96. DG

    I didn’t know Macs had magical properties that could keep ISPs from failing. If I had known, I would have already bought one. ; )

  97. Marsha J. O'Brien

    I though your points were good and positive as I have seen a few people whine if there connection is down. At least you were being creative and offering some good suggestions.

    I might get up, stretch, take a breath or two and walk outside for a few.
    Oftentimes we tend to sit way to long without moving…I like to get my
    circulation going and then when I head back to the computer I am regenerated and ready to go again.

    Thanks!

  98. myanger

    today my internet connection was down due to industrial action with the telephone company. So I did a regisrty cleaner and compressed space left, also defrag. Then I did offline work like paper work for my online project.Internet was functional around 6p.m.

  99. FooBar

    If my internet connection is down, how the hell am I supposed to get to this web page to see what I’m supposed to do? Can someone fax this to me?

  100. Mark

    Everytime Comcast goes down I re-introduce myself to my wife and have sex. Kid #4 is on the way now :)

  101. truckerswife

    Great advice I never have time for any of those things but I plan to catch up on some when I have time.

  102. anonymous

    1. Try to get on the internet
    2. Find an unsecured wireless network
    3. Go over friend’s house who has internet

  103. Terri Ann

    Where was this list the last few times the IT guy at my old job “broke the Internet?”

    I like the tips about the bookmark organizing but I have a tendency to want to open up the bookmarked pages to remember what it was that was so good on them that deserved the bookmark before I move it into the folders. If I haven’t viewed it in a month, chances are that I may have bookmarked it for future reference, a reference I have many a time needed to go back and find.

  104. marketlikehell

    Excellent advice. Funny how we let all this crap build up on our computers and it just leads to disorganization. Drives me nuts. That part about the favorites is so true of me. And hey, whatever happened to creating stuff on your computer that you don’t need internet access to do. Design a website, create a slideshow about something relevant, write an article to submit somewhere. I agree, computer maintenance is a great thing to do if your ISP is down.

  105. marketlikehell

    People need a list of things to do if they have to leave their computer? So sad. Maybe you could clean your bathroom. That’s always therapeutic.

  106. claremc

    great post! some good ideas :o)

  107. mikelypp

    Ok…Hang ON one SECOND!… Are these 5 things to do after you’ve feverishly rebooted the pc and the modem, then checked and replaced your NIC, reloaded the drivers that are on your server, rebooted the pc, then roamed the neighborhood for unsecured wireless all the while your heartbeat is steadily increasing? Perhaps the post should be entitled; “6 things to do….After you have calmed down, recieved oxygen, and succombed the the harsh reality that you can’t get on the internet.”
    My Tandy 1000TX won’t run anymore, so I can’t use a computer that is not on the internet.

  108. huniii

    Thats awesome! My ISP is crap and I keep getting bits of downtime at least weekly. It may take me a month, but i reckon i can get your list done AND still feel useful! woo hoo!
    (because I cant keep running to the pub everytime i cant be productive, now can i?)

  109. Root

    If my connection goes down my biggest fear is the imminent cardiac arrest brought on by the misery of not being able to operate. And if you think that in that state I am going to wade into the accumlated dementia of seven years worth of bookmarks to *reorganise* them.? No way . :)

  110. Dan

    Great ideas. My internet connection was down for a day and I almost went into withdrawl!

  111. geekcritic

    play a game!
    read a book!
    can’t you leave the computer for a while?

  112. Eleftherios Kosmas

    Install linux :)

  113. wphj

    For those of us with Macs, we don’t have those fancy anti-virus stuff to do. Boo hoo, guess I’ll have to play around with iLife instead.

  114. adorablay

    Fantastic tips! Bravo and thank you. This happens to me every now and then and I think these steps may take away the “need” I have, that computer addiction, ha!

  115. bradh

    When you’re offline, why not browse and search your web by using Webaroo? http://www.webaroo.com

  116. A Glib Norse

    In re suggestion #6: *don’t* use a safe deposit box as the only “crash” site for any information key to your business — at least in NY, safe boxes are sealed until probate and banks have people reading obituaries to make sure it happens.

  117. Farghana

    Hey that were some cool tips!!
    :)

  118. Katie

    I’d like to add “Disassemble the cable ball behind your desk,” since you’re already pulling your PC out to give it a clean out. Untangling a cable ball can induce a state of Zen it’s hugely rewarding when your mouse reaches as far as it used to.

    One day at work a couple of jobs ago our internet went down for an unschedualed outage. The help desk informed us that it would all be up and running in 45-60 minutes if all went to plan and by the end of the day if it didn’t. Well in the end it obviously didn’t because we were without the net for 6 hours, making work dificult when we connect to the international head office to do our jobs. Management were reluctant to let us go home, just in case the net did come up in 60 minutes so we cleaned each of the PCs, tidied cable balls, rewired half the network (OH&S suggests you probably shouldn’t have blue cables strung across the floor in walk ways) and then had a solitaire-off … All whilst ping was sitting there calling out to the world every 60 seconds!

  119. mr.cappuccino

    wow… that is amazing! you have more than 100 responses! i’m from indonesia. blogwalking around wordpress users. and this is an freaky fantastic blog! :D

  120. Matthias

    Wow. Usually just do something else instead of going on the computer when the internet is down. Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll keep them in mind! :)

  121. FeRtoll

    Or you can go to the park and and do something else and bread fresh air…

    1) You can go to the woods or park and walk through around, just for fun…

    2) You can go drive a bicycle, or do any other sport…

    3) You can clean your room too! Or make lunch for your family i am sure that your mom will be happy, and you will be too!

    4) Have something old like car that you haven’t turned on for a long time… Go and start it drive it a little don’t let him to die!

    5) You can call your friend/s and make funny - happy day.

    6) You can again sit in park and think for happy moments or what you have to do and how will you do that on the best way…

    7) You can go do something stupid…

    8) There is many things you can do…

    9) Those up ^ are good for your health, relationship, soul, brain, family…

    10) Sorry on bad English i am from Croatia…

    11) But what you did is that you gived the people the good tips what to do when you dont have to do nothing… As i did… :)

    12) Sorry if i wroted something wrong and if you don’t understand it on the way i was writing it…

    13) Anny way i am on computer also long time of life, i work on the job on the computer form 08:00 to 16:00 then i go home eat something and go to the school from 17:30 till 20:30 and when i have no school i stay home and sit on computer.

    14) At dot 13 i fucked up my story! :)

    15) Good story/tips D.G.

  122. How Keat

    Useful tips! Thanks!

  123. Heather Flanagan

    Your list sure beats the hell out of my usual.

    1.Cry
    2.Spit
    3.Hit
    4.Cry more
    5.Curse
    6.Sleep
    7.Pace
    8.Pull my hair out by the roots
    9.More crying
    10.Up my dosage

    All that and I still won’t go through my email inbox and delete the old messages.

  124. mastermistress

    (sharp loud inhale!) .. what do you mean .. no internet connection?!?!??! :-D ;-)

  125. George D

    1. Take a deep breath.

    2. Pick up the phone and cancel your contract with ISP

    3. Go and sign another contract with a different ISP.

  126. ramoody5

    I’ll just add somethin else…………….SLEEP

  127. teknsik

    Hi I am also using it.. http://www.theultimatevista.com/

  128. nert

    If you’re that worried about being without a net connection (and don’t need it for work) I suggest either seeing a therapist or phoning a friend (if you have any).

  129. plubius

    Lol. Thanks for the list, I’ll have it saved on my desktop… The horrors of the world without internet was experienced here in Hong Kong for around 2 weeks, when the Taiwan earthquake broke several undersea cables… =K THnxs again!

  130. laurafee

    sounds like a wonderfully productive day :-D

  131. alvin

    actually, you can do all things with the internet connected (except the 3rd: cleaning the cpu) even if you are using it to download stuff… duh.

  132. within6degrees

    Great ideas!! It’s certainly more productive than sitting around worrying about all of the time you’re wasting offline:-). You know, when I started working I had a computer—but I rarely used it. Nowadays, if the computers are down at the office, everybody might as well go home!:-) It’s amazing how the pc has influenced the way we do business, isn’t it? Great post—thanks!

  133. Lloyd Budd

    The last sentence should really be part of number 6.

  134. Blue Athena

    I pretty much go with Heather Flanagan’s 10 step list (comment #164). Except I WILL eventually sort the 3000 items in my inbox, while repeating steps 1 through 10.

  135. Akbar

    #7 Shut it off and do something actually productive like read a book or take a bath or sleep.

  136. nicola

    no need to clean your system if you’re using linux

  137. Bobby

    Watch TV on your PC…

  138. jjahastings

    minesweeper?

  139. Rakesh

    Nice Tips.

  140. pennymoon

    No internet connection? What is this thing you speak of?

  141. Alaphic

    so, all these people that are telling everyone to go outside and get a life when their internet is down: why aren’t you doing that right now instead of wasting everyone else’s time with your rather pedantic attempts at bashing their lifestyle?

    it just seems like it would be such a better use of your time, considering the emphasis you seem to put on it…

  142. Apache and IIS Servers

    Read a book?

  143. bizzle4rizzle

    Wow…thanks for the tips!

    Well I usually just try to watch a movie, play a game or read a book or catch some well-deserved sleep.

    I like the one about bookmarks, I just dump them all in one folder.

  144. Farhan

    haha…one thing to add….
    Arrange all files and document in specific files

  145. Luisa

    Number 7:
    Turn off the PC and go play outside.

  146. moseswilbur

    6. Buy a Mac.

  147. Sajid Iqbal

    Very very nice article indeed. It really helped me out… :D

  148. thedesktop

    Or you could go to the public library and use their internet :P.

  149. rtone

    Work!
    For years I have worked in offices where only a privileged few have internet connection permissions. Lately things have tightened up, and sites like Yahoo! and Hotmail are banned even for those with access rights.

    We are “supposed to be working”!
    rtone.wordpress.com

  150. riley

    boot up counterstrike and brush up your skills playing against bots….

  151. johnnystarr

    Visit your local apple store, have a look around. If you do buy a mac you wont have to worry about de-fragging etc….

  152. abu ameerah

    “Unplug your PC, take the cover off and clean out the dust. Invest in some canned air. Heat is a PC’s enemy and even in a clean environment, cooling fans suck dust through every opening and it builds up fast.”

    good point.

    Dust is EVIL!

  153. nottakingsides

    How about reorganize your contact lists and delete people while your at it? It is actually kind of therapeutic……hehe….

  154. bigBiz

    Hi there
    These are good tips for me to do something else rather than sitting in front of my PC and connect to the internet all the times. I used to try to do ‘offline’ things with my PC but at last …. you know the answer :)

    Thanks for sharing
    bigBiz

  155. newtimes

    what about getting a programming book and trying to venture through the coding world. HTML does not require any extra software and is amazingly interesting to learn.

    IS Review.WordPress.com

  156. dansdvds

    I always find drawing on Paint is a good if unproductive timewaster when forced to be offline

  157. Eddie Wolfe

    About the password business in point 6. You could always use the same password and tell your wife!

  158. Eddie Wolfe

    Seriuosly, I just saved all my internet marketing passwords to a store n go stick and put it in the safe!

  159. Chris

    You said to delete programmes on your computer. I wouldn’t recommend doing that a lot because when you delete a programme sometimes but very unlikey but still can happen some of microsoft get deleted with it. It is anotehr annoying problem microsoft has. I know this because it has happened to me before.

    Many Thanks

  160. imparare

    Interesting comments.. :D

  161. pat

    We bought a new computer and gave our old one to our granddaughter. It is a HP computer. When she hooked the monitor to the computer she gets a message that says something to the effect about self test and indicates that the monitor is working but she cannot get the message to go off the screen. She does not have internet access-just wants to be able to play her games on the computer. Do you have any idea what is wrong? We cleaned everything of ours off the hard drive before we gave the computer to her.

  162. RGV Ki Aag

    Great Tips!!!!!!!!!

    I liked the sixth tip a lot.

  163. lalitnagrath

    when i have no internet connectivity i ll trying figuring around with my linux system !

    cleaning the case , wiping out dust .
    praying for intenet to come back ..
    thinking more blogging ideas !!

    listening to some songs !!

    awwwhhh ,,
    it s harsh times without internet

    Bollywood film links

  164. PS3 fanatic

    LOL what an awesome article. I’m always so frustrated at what I CAN’T do when I have no internet…but I should try to be more productive!

  165. steve

    Thnx for this sugesstion.I will try this.

  166. Bollywood -Hollywood

    great article
    how abut cleaning u r room :)

  167. me me me

    Great advice to do when bored but you would not be able to know this unless we had the internet

  168. Opessevep

    Make peace, not war!

  169. Sophie

    Lol this is sad,

  170. Tom

    Ugh! This happens to me so much in my area. Usually I stick to playing non-multiplayer games until the connection comes back.

    -Tom
    my website:

  171. internet legal compliance

    make your website compliant with the law. It will save you from serious problems. The best part…you can do it in under 60 minutes.