Gone are the days when being able to navigate a computer set you apart from the crowd. Even
though pretty much everybody is tech-savvy these days, the myths surrounding computers
have stuck around. So, are you guilty of still believing things like…
1. Viruses and spyware are slowing your computer down.
Whenever my computer started getting slow, I used to think it’s the handiwork of either
some deadly computer-crashing virus or a crazy hacker who’s installed a spyware and wants
to clean out my bank account. And so, I’d update my old antivirus or maybe even install
a new one. When that didn’t work, I’d get my computer formatted. Basically, I was
jumping through hoops, thinking all these hackers around the world were after MY computer
(because I’m just so special like that, right?), and I was bound and determined to
outsmart them! …Yet my computer was still super slow with every attempt. Well, I finally
figured it all out. My PC wasn’t infected with some virus – the hard drive was simply
overloaded, and I had some outdated software bringing everything down to a snail’s pace.
So next time your computer starts acting up, see a local computer repair tech and get a
system tune-up first. That’s what I do now, and it works every time!
2. Automatic updates slow down your computer. Speaking of outdated programs, I’ll admit
that this can sometimes be the case when it comes to a slow computer, but such cases are
so rare that they should be considered an exception. Most of the time, automatic updates
do a whole lot of good things like closing known loopholes, creating barriers against
lapses that might otherwise get exploited in the future, and fine-tuning the software
to use fewer resources and run faster. So if you’ve been postponing those pop-ups
to update your system, now is the time to press the Allow button. However, keep in mind
that you should only update software that you’ve knowingly installed, not those that
might’ve snuck their way through. It’s best to say goodbye to those ones! And if
you’re unsure whether you must uninstall a program, you have your friendly neighborhood
tech guy to ask for help! …Or a tech-savvy programmer friend. They really come in handy!
3. Leaving your computer on overnight is bad. I’ve heard this argument so many times that
I almost started believing it myself. Plus, it really did feel like my computer was working
smoother in the morning than it had been the night before I shut it off. But after talking
to a few of my friends, I found out that this assumption was simply a figment of the imagination.
On the contrary, putting your computer on Sleep Mode while you go into sleep mode yourself
is a better and faster way to resume working when you wake up in the morning. But keep
in mind that just like any other machine, computers also have an operating lifespan.
So by keeping it running longer, you might be reducing its time here on earth. Therefore,
if there’s no need for the computer to stay running, you should ideally turn it off. Also,
if you plan to travel with your laptop, it’s best to switch it off. Movement and jerks
while the laptop is on can damage internal components and data.
4. Macs don’t need an antivirus. A lot of people think that Macs and Linux
don’t have those problems with viruses we hear about so often with Windows. While this
might’ve been true in Mac’s early days, we’re living in a totally different world
today. In 2015, a senior analyst working with the antivirus company Bitdefender said that
the Mac OS X software had more high-risk vulnerabilities than all versions of Windows combined. Today,
however, we have an updated Mac OS, but the threats still loom high. Just last year in
January, a malware called MaMi infected thousands of Mac computers, allowing the virus’s creators
to see your computer’s internet traffic. This means they got a peak of the web browsing
you were doing on your computer! Pretty scary, right? That’s why investing in a good antivirus
is a smart thing to do no matter what OS you use.
5. You have to defragment your disk regularly. Maybe this was true back in the old days,
but Windows OS has evolved since then and made defragmenting obsolete. The windows versions
that we use today like Windows 7 or higher don’t need to be manually defragmented.
Windows has automated the process for us. Thanks, Microsoft! But, as always, there is
an exception! If you’re a heavy gamer or someone who uses memory-draining apps, then
spending a few bucks on a fast defragmentation utility would certainly be a smart investment!
6. You need to “Safely Remove” a flash drive.
Now, there are two kinds of people in this world: those who “safely remove” a USB
and the ones who yank it out without a care in the world! (Which team are you on? Let
me know down in the comments!) Anyway, if you’re like me and super nervous about messing
up your flash drive and losing all your precious files, I guess we can now all rest assured.
Microsoft recently confirmed that you no longer need to do use the “Safely Remove Hardware
and Eject Media” button. Windows 10’s default policy now lets you remove a flash
drive without clicking any additional icons and worrying about data loss. Of course, don’t
yank it out as it’s still saving or downloading something – then you might be in trouble.
But other than that, feel free to skip the button!
7. Viruses can’t get past antiviruses. Yep, don’t hang on that “anti” part
so strongly because viruses can, in fact, get past antiviruses. Well, great, there goes
my sense of security! So how on earth can I keep my computer safe now? After all, in
today’s paperless world, we all have our personal information, banking details, and
all kinds of other important and private documents saved on our computers. The cold hard truth
is that the risk of a computer getting infected is a reality we must learn to live with. No
matter what we do, our computer will have vulnerabilities that a determined hacker or
an evolving virus can exploit. But it’s not all gloom and doom, folks! You can still
discourage viral infestation by being careful about which sites you visit, not clicking
spammy or strange-looking links or attachments, and using a good-quality antivirus. And remember
to always update your OS and antivirus. Companies regularly release patches to fix vulnerabilities
as they come to know about them. A regularly updated computer is a safer computer, but
not an immune one. Viruses are a real threat, so be ready with a Plan B in case one finds
its way into your PC.
8. There’s no way to recover data that’s been deleted from the hard drive.
Have you watched the show Mr. Robot? In one episode, you can see people destroying their
hard drives by putting them in a hot furnace. But why such a dire step? They could’ve
easily deleted all the information on the disk, right? Eh, not quite! Even if you delete
something AND clean out that Recycle Bin, it doesn’t wipe the memory of the information.
The OS just plays tricks on you and makes you believe that the data has been erased.
In reality, it’s still there! Data-recovery software can bring that deleted information
back. So what’s the way out? The answer lies with some data-shredding software that
you can easily purchase or maybe even download for free. Therefore, if you don’t want to
be caught red-faced by someone who’s a little tech savvy, you’d better use it!
What are some other common computer myths people still believe? Let me know down in
the comments if I missed anything! And don’t forget to give this video a “like,” share
it with your friends, and click that subscribe button to stay on the Bright Side of life!