Step 1: Get serious about backup
Backup is a personal thing. Most of us have
"things on our computer" that we'd
hate to lose -- photos, correspondence, business
records -- things like that. Many of us also
invest considerable effort installing programs
and getting our computers set up the way
we like them. We'd hate to lose that. Your
backup strategy should depend on what you
have at risk and what you're willing to lose.
Think of backup as insurance. Yes, it costs
something -- time, effort and perhaps a little
money. And it takes some discipline, but
it's the only way to make sure you won't
lose the things that are important to you.
Backup can be both insurance against little
mistakes, and insurance against disaster.
If you don't do anything else to manage your
computer, at least back things up. Go here to decide what you're going to back up.
Then go to the "Backup" page to learn how to do it effectively.
Step 2: Develop an effective online defense
The World Wide Web has become the Wild Wooly
Web. Antivirus programs are important, but
viruses are no longer the biggest online
hazard. "Drive by downloads", spyware
and adware are probably the biggest hazards
for the unwitting. Hackers have always been
a major hazard for computers with "always-on"
broadband Internet connections, but the threat
is growing for dial-up connections too. Spam
has become more deceptive and vicious. It's
dangerous out there.
The very first thing you should do is install
a firewall. (Or make sure you at least have the Internet
Connection Firewall enabled if you have Windows
XP.) You simply should not be online without
firewall protection.
Then keep going with a more complete online defense plan. Just installing firewall and antivirus
software is nowhere near sufficient. You
need to learn about the hazards, take the
right steps to protect yourself and stay
on your toes. In fact, you would be pretty
safe if you had just a firewall and knew
how to use your wits online. However, a systematic
online defense is much better.
Step 3: Perform routine maintenance
If you neglect routine maintenance for a
long time, your software, including Windows
can become corrupted. That's an extreme case.
Usually the only effect is gradually declining
performance. The best policy is to perform
regularly scheduled maintenance.
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Human nature makes us ill-eqipped to deal with computers though. It's easy for us to learn intuitively and by experience. It's hard for us to look ahead, and to be systematic and thorough. I hope this Web site will help you overcome that and learn what you need to know. The key steps are outlined below. Follow the links to the detailed information you'll need.