What do I do with the results of EtreCheck if I am trying to be proactive? embarrassed grin Can anyone help?

Question

Good morning. This is my machine: 
EtreCheck version: 1.9.12 (48)
Report generated July 31, 2014 at 6:52:07 AM EDT
Hardware Information:
  iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2010) (Verified)
  iMac - model: iMac11,2
  1 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 CPU: 2 cores
  16 GB RAM
Video Information:
  ATI Radeon HD 5670 - VRAM: 512 MB
  iMac 1920 x 1080
System Software:
  OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 2 days 0:35:41
Disk Information:
  APPLE HDD HUA722010CLA330 disk0 : (1 TB)
  EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
  Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 999.35 GB (886.28 GB free)
  Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
  OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5680H 
USB Information:
  Apple Internal Memory Card Reader
  Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
  Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
  SAMSUNG SAMSUNG_Android
  Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
  Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
FireWire Information:
  LaCie Rugged FW/USB 800mbit - 800mbit max
  disk1s1 (disk1s1) <not mounted>: 32 KB
  LaCie (disk1s3) /Volumes/LaCie: 499.97 GB (139.69 GB free)
Gatekeeper:
  Mac App Store and identified developers
Launch Daemons:
  [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support
  [not loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist Support
  [loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist Support
  [loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist Support
Launch Agents:
  [not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist Support
  [loaded] com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist Support
  [running] com.brother.LOGINserver.plist Support
  [loaded] com.divx.dms.agent.plist Support
  [loaded] com.divx.update.agent.plist Support
  [loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support
  [loaded] com.hp.help.tocgenerator.plist Support
User Launch Agents:
  [loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist Support
  [loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist Support
  [failed] com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[...]@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist
  [not loaded] com.google.Chrome.framework.plist Support
User Login Items:
  iTunesHelper
  MacLWSLauncher
  AdobeResourceSynchronizer
  EvernoteHelper
  Caffeine
  Android File Transfer Agent
  Dropbox
  VerizonUpdateCenter
  WidgetRunner
  Google Drive
  RealPlayer Downloader Agent
  EvernoteHelper
  Kodak Share Button Agent
  HP Product Research
  HPEventHandler
Internet Plug-ins:
  o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.4.2.18903 Support
  OVSHelper: Version: 1.1 Support
  Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
  Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 2.4.4.2 Support
  RealPlayer Plugin: Version: (null) Support
  AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support
  FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
  DivX Web Player: Version: 3.2.1.977 - SDK 10.6 Support
  Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20513.0 - SDK 10.6 Support
  Flash Player: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
  iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8
  googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.4.2.18903 Support
  QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
  AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support
  CouponPrinter-FireFox_v2: Version: Version 1.1.9 - SDK 10.5 Support
  SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.3 - SDK 10.6 Support
  WidevineMediaOptimizer: Version: 6.0.0.12757 - SDK 10.7 Support
  JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 14.9.0 - SDK 10.7 Check version
Safari Extensions:
  Conduit Search for Safari: Version: 1.0
Audio Plug-ins:
  BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
  AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9
  AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9
  iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
iTunes Plug-ins:
  Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9
User Internet Plug-ins:
  ConduitNPAPIPlugin: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.6 Support
  Picasa: Version: 1.0 Support
3rd Party Preference Panes:
  Flash Player  Support
  Flip4Mac WMV  Support
  Growl  Support
Time Machine:
  Skip System Files: NO
  Auto backup: YES
  Volumes being backed up:
  Macintosh HD: Disk size: 930.71 GB Disk used: 105.30 GB
  Destinations:
  LaCie [Local] (Last used)
  Total size: 465.64 GB
  Total number of backups: 210
  Oldest backup: 2011-01-02 19:28:34 +0000
  Last backup: 2014-07-31 10:04:28 +0000
  Size of backup disk: Adequate
  Backup size 465.64 GB > (Disk used 105.30 GB X 3)
  Time Machine details may not be accurate.
  All volumes being backed up may not be listed.
Top Processes by CPU:
      2% Dropbox
      2% WindowServer
      1% RealPlayer Downloader Agent
      0% fontd
      0% launchservicesd
Top Processes by Memory:
  262 MB Finder
  229 MB mds_stores
  213 MB com.apple.IconServicesAgent
  164 MB Evernote
  164 MB Numbers
Virtual Memory Information:
  10.43 GB Free RAM
  3.78 GB Active RAM
  560 MB Inactive RAM
  1.24 GB Wired RAM
  8.88 GB Page-ins
  0 B Page-outs

Answer 1

I stumbled upon a forum discussion of EtreCheck. It seemed like a good way to be proactive for problems
It isn't. Below is a good way to be proactive for problems.
How to maintain a Mac
1. Make two or more backups of all your files, keeping at least one off site at all times in case of disaster. One backup is not enough to be safe. Don’t back up your backups; all should be made directly from the original data. Don’t rely completely on any single backup method, such as Time Machine. If you get an indication that a backup has failed, don't ignore it.
2. Keep your software up to date. In the App Store or Software Update preference pane (depending on the OS version), you can configure automatic notifications of updates to OS X and other Mac App Store products. Some third-party applications from other sources have a similar feature, if you don’t mind letting them phone home. Otherwise you have to check yourself on a regular basis.
Keeping up to date is especially important for complex software that modifies the operating system, such as device drivers. Before installing any Apple update, you must check that all such modifications that you use are compatible. Incompatibility with third-party software is by far the most common cause of trouble with system updates.
3. Don't install crapware, such as “themes,” "haxies," “add-ons,” “toolbars,” “enhancers," “optimizers,” “accelerators,” "boosters," “extenders,” “cleaners,” "doctors," "tune-ups," “defragmenters,” “firewalls,” "barriers," “guardians,” “defenders,” “protectors,” most “plugins,” commercial "virus scanners,” "disk tools," or "utilities." With very few exceptions, such stuff is useless or worse than useless. Above all, avoid any software that purports to change the look and feel of the user interface.
It's not much of an exaggeration to say that the whole "utility" software industry for the Mac is a fraud on consumers. The most extreme examples are the "CleanMyMac," "TuneUpMyMac," and “MacKeeper” scams, but there are many others.
As a rule, you should avoid software that changes the way other software works. Plugins for Photoshop and similar programs are an obvious exception to this rule. Safari extensions, and perhaps the equivalent for other web browsers, are a partial exception. Most are safe, and they're easy to get rid of if they don't work. Some may cause the browser to crash or otherwise malfunction. Some are malicious. Use with caution, and install only well-known extensions from relatively trustworthy sources, such as the Safari Extensions Gallery.
Only install software that is useful to you, not (as you imagine) to the computer. For example, a word processor is useful for writing. A video editor is useful for making movies. A game is useful for fun. But a "cache cleaner" isn't useful for anything. Cleaning caches is not an end in itself.
Never install any third-party software unless you know how to uninstall it. Otherwise you may create problems that are very hard to solve. Do not rely on "utilities" such as "AppCleaner" and the like that purport to remove software.
4. Don't install bad, conflicting, or unnecessary fonts. Whenever you install new fonts, use the validation feature of the built-in Font Book application to make sure the fonts aren't defective and don't conflict with each other or with others that you already have. See the built-in help and this support article for instructions. Deactivate or remove fonts that you don't really need to speed up application launching.
5. Avoid malware. Malware is malicious software that circulates on the Internet. This kind of attack on OS X was once so rare that it was hardly a concern, but malware is now increasingly common, and increasingly dangerous.
There is some built-in protection against malware, but you can’t rely on it—the attackers are always at least one day ahead of the defense. You can’t rely on third-party protection either. What you can rely on is common-sense awareness—not paranoia, which only makes you more vulnerable.
Never install software from an untrustworthy or unknown source. If in doubt, do some research. Any website that prompts you to install a “codec” or “plugin” that comes from the same site, or an unknown site, is untrustworthy. Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must come directly from the developer's website. No intermediary is acceptable, and don’t trust links unless you know how to parse them. Any file that is automatically downloaded from the web, without your having requested it, should go straight into the Trash. A web page that tells you that your computer has a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with it, is a scam.
In OS X 10.7.5 or later, downloaded applications and Installer packages that have not been digitally signed by a developer registered with Apple are blocked from loading by default. The block can be overridden, but think carefully before you do so.
Because of recurring security issues in Java, it’s best to disable it in your web browsers, if it’s installed. Few websites have Java content nowadays, so you won’t be missing much. This action is mandatory if you’re running any version of OS X older than 10.6.8 with the latest Java update. Note: Java has nothing to do with JavaScript, despite the similar names. Don't install Java unless you're sure you need it. Most people don't.
6. Don't fill up your disk/SSD. A common mistake is adding more and more large files to your home folder until you start to get warnings that you're out of space, which may be followed in short order by a startup failure. This is more prone to happen on the newer Macs that come with an internal SSD instead of the traditional hard drive. The drive can be very nearly full before you become aware of the problem.
While it's not true that you should or must keep any particular percentage of space free, you should monitor your storage use and make sure you're not in immediate danger of using it up. According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of free space on the startup volume for normal operation.
If storage space is running low, use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper to explore the volume and find out what's taking up the most space. Move seldom-used large files to secondary storage.
7. Relax, don’t do it. Besides the above, no routine maintenance is necessary or beneficial for the vast majority of users; specifically not “cleaning caches,” “zapping the PRAM,” "resetting the SMC," “rebuilding the directory,” "defragmenting the drive," “running periodic scripts,” “dumping logs,” "deleting temp files," “scanning for viruses,” "purging memory," "checking for bad blocks," "testing the hardware," or “repairing permissions.” Such measures are either completely pointless or are useful only for solving problems, not for prevention.
To use a Mac effectively, you have to free yourself from the Windows mindset that every computer needs regular downtime maintenance such as "defragging" and "registry cleaning." Those concepts do not apply to the Mac platform.
A well-designed computing device is not something you should have to think about much. It should be an almost transparent medium through which you communicate, work, and play. If you want a machine that needs a lot of attention, use a PC.
The very height of futility is running an expensive third-party application called “Disk Warrior” when nothing is wrong, or even when something is wrong and you have backups, which you must have. Disk Warrior is a data-salvage tool, not a maintenance tool, and you will never need it if your backups are adequate. Don’t waste money on it or anything like it.