Inside iolo Labs

Damian Giannunzio, lead research for iolo Labs, tells you what’s currently on his mind.

1. How would you describe your job?

My primary responsibilities are testing System Mechanic on various computer configurations, testing new hardware/software to ensure that the iolo technologies development team is knowledgeable about the latest updates in the field, and assisting in the discovery of new and better ways we can improve the performance and reliability of computer systems.

2. What current project are you most excited about and why?

I’ve recently been involved with testing the newest features of System Mechanic on a variety of PCs. One of the new tools is pretty amazing because it targets and eliminates issues of system reliability in an area of Windows not usually—if ever—addressed (Windows Management Instrumentation). Without going too deep into the nitty gritty details, System Mechanic users who may have experienced driver issues are now a thing of the past.

3. What PC issues are you studying right now?

I’ve been immersed in system memory and how to pinpoint issues sooner. The earlier you can catch the problem, the easier and more likely it is to save the investment in memory-related hardware by fixing the problem before damage is done.

4. What’s the most common problem you see that slows down PCs?

I get asked this a lot, but it’s a sticky question. In reality, someone experiencing a single issue of slowness or a few regular errors is likely seeing the combination of a few “usual suspects.” This is why it’s so important that System Mechanic has been developed to incorporate numerous precision tools which target ALL of the contributing factors to any given PC slowdown. Some of the more common examples of these issues are memory leaks in poorly designed applications, drive fragmentation, WMI errors, even network connection settings that are poorly tuned for a PC’s actual connection.

5. What is one of the most important tools within the iolo Lab?

I would say the array of test systems in “great” working shape all the way to our test systems loaded down with “bloatware” programs to represent struggling PCs. It’s of paramount importance in testing to understand the impact of system changes in every possible environment.

6. What’s next?

Well…some very interesting new technology that can really improve the way your computer responds to your needs. I can’t say more at this time, but the news will be breaking within weeks.