PC Do’s and Don’t. . . ideas that hold true over time

I thought it was time I talked about and expanded a bit on my series of Do’s and Don'ts listed on my web page.  What get’s me is how they have stood the test of time.  Some might seem a bit rusty and maybe even dated, but let’s dig in deeper and see what’s going on. 

Over these next series of blogs I’m going to discuss what I consider to be critical things each PC owner needs to consider.  Some of these go back as far as computer time itself, some are more timely and some just might bring on some discussion.

In each post I’ll try to talk about at least one Do and Don’t. 

Let me know your thoughts as we move through this next series. 

And remember to share with with a friend.  It’s easy and it’s the right thing to do. 

Do #1 Back up

Once it’s gone it’s gone. . .

I can’t tell you how may people simply don’t back up their photos, itunes, documents and so on.  The reason is simple in my mind.  It’s a pain in the butt.  Services like Carbonite and Mozy make it mindless.  Let’s face it we like mindless. I use it you should too.

Don’t #1 Use AOL or any of its products

This is the one I hear about more then any other recommendation.  Sorry folks but I have to be firm on this one.  Let’s face it, AOL got America online in the 90’s.  But at what cost.  AOL put you in their environment and made it very difficult to get out.  So much so that people still can’t get out.  However they made it very easy for the bad guys to get in.  There products are virus ridden, slow your computer and make you look outdated.  If you are applying for that next job and have an AOL email address, your next potential employer might wonder which decade your in.  Do yourself a favor and get a Gmail account.  It’s free, well supported, hardware independent and works great with Iphones and Android phones.

Do#2 Use anti virus software

Simple right?  Not so fast.  The overwhelming majority of clients I see have antivirus software that’s outdated or is simply not working.  This is the single most important thing you can do to protect your computer.  There are lots of good choices in freeware and paid software.  Please make sure you have antivirus software installed, updated and scanning on at least a weekly basis.

Don’t #2 Use any file sharing sites like Limewire and Kazaa

First of all downloading content you did not buy is illegal.  People argue this all day, you don’t need the financial hassle of getting in trouble with a lawyer out to prove his cause.   Second programs like Limewire and Kazaa open your computer up to the world and I mean the world.  For all you know a Russian teenager is running a file server off of your computer (bad news.)  I know kids love these programs, but the cost is too high.  Please uninstall them today.

 

Be looking for future posts on Jeff’s Do’s and Don'ts by Pineapple PC

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