A Pain in the Whatchamacallit
By Tiny Ruisch
Forrest Gump said, “Stupid is as stupid does.“ Could this mean that an intelligent person who does stupid things is still stupid? Everyone has heard the stories of the computer user that used their disk player as a coffee cup holder. Did you hear about the computer user that called tech support trying to figure out why their computer wasn’t working? Turns out there was a power outage. When you Google “stupid computer stories” you get about 6,660,000 hits. No matter how you look at it, we’re talking about a lot of stupidity.
I’m not planning to talk about stupid computer things, just plain dumb or unsafe computing practices. Probably one of the dumbest things some people do is neglect antivirus and anti-spyware programs. Antivirus programs can be a royal pain in the you know what! They’re always blocking some application you want to use. You often have to disable them to install new software. They have to be updated on a regular basis to do any good. It seems like the subscription is always expiring and prompting you to renew it. You can’t afford to go without virus protection. The malicious programs that AV software detects can not only wreak havoc on your system but can spread via your computer to the rest of your network. Don’t be dumb! Keep your antivirus up to date.
I think it’s really dumb to just click on anything and everything. I know how tempting it is to quickly load that solve everything program without first reading the EULA. Be careful! You might be agreeing to let everyone on the internet send you spam. Even worse, you could do like one of my sisters did – agree to use your address book for a sales pitch. I know how hard it is to resist clicking that email hyperlink your best friend just sent you, just be careful. It’s so easy to download backdoor Trojans without even knowing it. Don’t be dumb and give in to “click mania.” Think before you click a link. Links can also be disguised in “phishing” messages or on Web sites to appear to take you to a different site from the ones they really point to. You can often find out the real URL by hovering over the link without clicking it.
Don’t be dumb and install/uninstall lots of programs. I know how tempting it is to be on the cutting edge, so you often install and try out new software. Beta programs are usually free and give you a chance to sample neat new features before most people. There are also many freeware and shareware programs made available as Internet downloads by their authors. I know none of our club members would never do it, but some users even install pirated software. The more programs you install, the more likely you are to run across ones that either include harmful code or are poorly written and cause your system to crash. Even if you install only licensed commercial software, too many installs and uninstalls can gunk up the registry. Not all uninstall routines completely remove program remnants and at the least, this practice can cause your system to slow down over time. Don’t be dumb. Install only programs that you really need.
I think that it’s really dumb to plug your computer right into a cable or DSL modem and go on the Internet. Some people don’t realize that they’re putting themselves at risk from viruses and attackers. Every Internet connected computer should be protected by a firewall. Just having a firewall isn’t enough. You must also make sure it’s turned on and configured properly to protect you.
I think it’s really dumb to plug in any electronic equipment without using a surge protector. Doing so can physically destroy your computer equipment, as well as the data it holds. You may might think your system is in danger only during an electrical storm, but anything that interrupts the electrical circuit and then restarts the current can fry your electronics. Something as simple as turning on an appliance that’s plugged into the same circuit can cause a surge. If you have a power outage, there could be a surge when the electricity comes back on. Don’t be dumb. Protect your electronics against damage from power surges by always using a surge protector.
Remember that everything in this column is just my opinion. It doesn’t really matter to me if you follow my advice. I don’t gamble very much, but there is one thing I’m willing to bet on. It might not happen for a while, but eventually, you’re going to get caught!