It's a simple (and sad) fact of life: Windows-powered PCs slow down over time. I'll spare you the techie details as to why, other than to say it's analogous to the way a body's arteries get clogged.

Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show ...