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In no particular order, here are some general computer tips from the WCR Technology Department:
- Top Scams of 2011 - Review this list of the biggest online scams of 2011 so you don't become a victim. Information courtesy of the Better Business Bureau.
- Unsolicited Calls from "Microsoft:" Many people are getting unsolicited calls from "technicians" at "Microsoft" calling to let them know their computer has been compromised and needs fixing. These scam artists then walk you through setting up a remote control link between their computer and yours and then they browse through your files looking for things like tax records, passwords, account statements, email addresses, etc. Anything that they can use for identity theft or that they can sell to other scammers and spammers. One example is here.
- Run Windows Update: Run Windows Update (called Software Update on Macs) on an automatic basis.
- Antivirus: You should have an automatically updating antivirus program on your computer. If not, or if your subscription has run out, try Avast or Microsoft Security Essentials. Both are free for home use.
- Toolbars/Add-ons/Helpers: When confronted with an option to install anything, look carefully and uncheck the boxes that add any kind of toolbars or search enhancement to your internet program. YOU DO NOT EVER NEED THEM AND THEY SLOW DOWN YOUR COMPUTER AND OFTEN WILL SPY ON WHAT YOU DO.
- Backups: Back up your personal files often (documents, pictures, music, home videos and schoolwork). External hard drives are easy. Using blank cd's or dvd's is cheapest. Use CDR or DVD-R or DVD+R. Using the RW versions costs too much and are not always readable on other computers.
- Web Broswer: Use a new internet program: Firefox 14 , Internet Explorer 9(Vista/Win7), Safari 6, Opera 12.
- Microsoft Office: If you do not have Microsoft Office, you can download OpenOffice for free! If someone sent you files from a new version of Office and you can't view them (their name ends in docx or xlsx or pptx or pubx) then you can get this free update from Microsoft that will let your older computer understand the new format.
- What about all those pesky updates that are driving me nuts? You only really need to frequently update two things - the operating system (Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Macintosh OSX, Apple iOS) and your antivirus. Both can be set to do this automatically.
- Updates for Other Programs: Java, Adobe products, iTunes, Quicktime, etc. do not need to be updated that often. You will be doing updates every single day, and often they mess up or leave old versions behind. I typically do these in a big round once or twice a year, unless something comes up that absolutely requires it. You are best to turn all these annoying prompts off.
- Java: Java is a special kind of programming what was very popular for website designers in the early days of the internet and world wide web. However, it has fallen out of favor and is not used much anymore. Old versions have several security vulnerabilities and I recommend removing all instances of Java in the Add/Remove Programs control panel. Some programs, like OpenOffice, require Java. If that is the case, keep only the newest version of Java on your computer.
- Fake Antivirus Sites/Programs: As you run searches on Google, Yahoo, etc, you may come across an entry that looks very relevant to your search but turns into a page saying you have viruses, spyware or other security risks on your computer. It will also prompt you to clean it right now by clicking their convenient link and pay them a $50 (usually) fee. These are all fake! Know the name of your antivirus program on your computer, keep it up to date and X out of anything else. Often, these pages have spelling errors, poor grammer and an emphasis on doing something RIGHT NOW. Exit them as fast as you can. You can usually spot these sites in your search results if you look and the actual link below the description. The link will usually have a gibberish-ey looking name of a randome mix of letters and numbers.
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Links to Commonly Used Files and Programs.
(These are not in any way endorsed or paid placement. They are here for the convenience of students, parents and staff of WCRMS.)
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