> > Ugh - every time I get on the computer the little window > pops up > I just "x'ed" out of it - I dont' even know how to set it on > auto update > but auto anything always worries me. > > I guess I've seen too many people on AOL badgered by pop-ups > - I used to have > an AOL account as a back-up - GAWD was that awful. > > I'd like to be able to tell the difference between security > updates and > silly fancy stuff I dont want, though. >
Hi Ann, you must be careful not to put yourself into the worst of all worlds. You admit to knowing very little about using the operating system (and there's no real reason why you should know it in much detail), yet you are not using the facilities which are designed for people in your position. If you don't use auto-updates then you must either leave your system un-updated and therefore increasingly vulnerable, or you must go to the update site yourself and decide for yourself which updates to take - but as you say above you can't tell the difference between the useful stuff and the rubbish. In other words, you're leaving the whole thing to the will of fate. This is like somebody running a car who doesn't know anything about motor maintenance saying they won't put oil and water in it because they've seen too many people pour them into the wrong tanks. Like many of the people on this list, I know a great deal about computers, and like many of them I accept all of the auto-updates. It's a smart system - it won't try to update software you don't have. I use all of the latest Microsoft Office products, including Outlook and Internet Explorer, both at home and at work; despite what a lot of very ignorant people say, they are safe and reliable - billions of dollars around the globe depend on it. I simply don't have security problems with them. No viruses or popups or any of the nasties because I take the simple, basic security precautions. Bill Gates didn't get to be the richest person on the planet by being stupid and ignoring his customers' needs. It's not in Microsoft's interests to mess you around and they have been very responsive since the bad security problems a few years ago. There are bound to be scares and problems in the future - it's inevitable with any complex software - but basic risk management, including appropriate back-up and restore policies, will mitigate these problems. Ignoring them, keeping yourself in ignorance, and listening to old wives' tales and scare stories will not. I'm sure your local library or community will have free or cheap computer awareness courses that will help you gain a better understanding of how to protect your computer. Regards, Bob -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
