Like Bigfoot and George Washington’s cherry tree, some myths just don’t want to go away. In the world of computers, here are a few by which you should not be fooled.
“All my computer needs is a virus scanner, and then, my troubles are over.” To be sure, computers need antivirus programs to stay healthy, particularly computers that are exposed to the Internet. Antivirus programs made by Symantec and McAfee are among the most widely sold, with Alwil’s excellent Avast Antivirus (www.avast.com) being my favorite among free programs.
However, there are hundreds of new computer viruses released “into the wild” every day, and your antivirus program needs to be updated frequently in order for your computer to remain protected. Once a day is not too often to be updating. Also, some antivirus programs, Symantec’s Norton Antivirus in particular, need to have their settings and options properly configured before they provide the best protection. Finally, make sure that the free, trial-version antivirus program that came with your new computer has not expired!
“Radiation from computer monitors will give you cancer.” To be sure, computer monitors emit radiation. But, a reality of life is that we are surrounded by radiation. Light is a form of radiation, as are heat and sound. The surface of the earth itself emits radiation. Simply put, radiation is energy that comes from a source and travels through some material or through space. Electronic devices such as televisions, computers and monitors give off what is known as electromagnetic radiation (EMR).
A sort of “computer monitor scare” was stirred up in the early 1990s, fueled by magazine and newspaper articles publicizing poorly researched studies that came to some since-discredited conclusions. Worries were also expressed about other modern technologies such as overhead power lines, and more recently, cell phones. Prodded by public concern, numerous carefully conducted studies disproved the EMR monitor cancer scare, but by that time, the myth was firmly entrenched in the public psyche. The fact is, the radiation emitted by a computer monitor is a small fraction of that produced by a florescent light bulb.
“There’s nothing important on my computer, so those bad Internet hackers won’t want to mess with me.” I consider this to be the #1 modern computer myth, as it’s often used as an excuse for lax computer security practices. In truth, many Internet bad guys could care less about what’s on your computer. For them, the goal is to infiltrate your computer with specialized viruses that will turn your computer into what’s known as a “zombie” computer, which they can secretly control to engage in Internet warfare.
Once done, your computer is added to the ranks of their zombie armies, which are used to attack other, potentially more lucrative computer systems. Other zombie computer chores include distributing spam email, pornography, and bootleg music and video files. Make sure your computer is properly secured, lest you unwittingly become an accessory to computer crime.