Using Computers

How do you use a computer?

No, I am not referring to basic computer literacy. In fact, it's possible to call this post "Taking Care of Computers." Still, that's not all there is to this post. So it might be better if I didn't ask "how do you use a computer?". Instead, it should be "how should you use a computer?"

On computer security
One big problem with society nowadays is that almost everyone has access to computers. Back in the old days (and all of this is just supposition, as I wasn't born yet back then!), only the geeks and computer hobbyists were comfortable around computers. Now, even people who only know how to use word processors own computers.

I'm not saying that's a problem per se, but the troubles lie in the fact that they don't usually take care of their computers. And when complications arise, they turn to us so-called "geeks" for help. Unfortunately, not every geeky person is a monopoly of knowledge. Actually, for many students who are in computer-related courses, the usual course of action when trying to fix other people's computers is simple: look up a solution on the internet.

So here are some tips for you to stop pestering us.

1. Get antivirus software.
This is the least you can do for us, and for yourself. Many glitches would not surface if you just properly protected yourselves from outside threats. I suggest that you look for free AV software from the internet; there are many choices out there. Avira Personal Edition is a good pick for me.

2. Be careful with removable media.
In the Ateneo, the computers are crawling with viruses and other horrors. You should scan your USB flash drives before opening them. In fact, I have my own "ritual" when using these thumb drives in my Windows system. I first run a virus scan, then open the drive by typing the drive letter in the address bar. (This is done to prevent autorun scripts from executing.) Next, I set the options to display all hidden files and folders, as well as the protected operating system files. I then delete everything that I didn't create myself: autorun.inf, RECYCLER (which sometimes is actually an executable disguised as a folder), and other hidden files. I don't hide my files on my USB, so there's no reason why there should be a hidden file in there. (As an added note, be careful when deleting files on an external drive; some of them might be essential for the drive to work properly.)

3. Know your alternatives.
Before running to us squealing about how your computer is crashing every five or so minutes, you should at least have tried to solve it yourself. Many casual computer users seem to be using Windows nowadays, so here's a tip for all of you. For Windows, there's the so-called System Restore, which might help if you just recently installed new software on your computer. If a program isn't working correctly anymore, try to recall if you've recently reconfigured the settings on that program, and revert it to its previous state.

4. Learn to google.
Sometimes, it is just impossible to avoid the occasional problem on your computer. When that happens, you should try using the Internet to your advantage. Yes, I know that the Internet can be an unfriendly place at times, and that sometimes it's difficult to find websites that tackle problems even remotely related to yours, but here is a tip: take note of error messages and error codes. You know it's an error code if it's a number, or if it's preceded by something similar to "Error Code," or if it's an unintelligible string of characters such as 00FFDC235A. By learning to google, you effectively save us the trouble of doing what you yourself could have done.

I'm not saying that you should rely only on yourself. What I'm saying is that we're helping from the kindness of our hearts, but we're also busy with our own affairs. It would make us geek-types really glad if you at least exerted some effort on your own end before asking us to help. It wouldn't hurt for you to learn a little more about computers, would it? :)

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