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1. Anti-Virus

   

   With the number of viruses out there, Anti-Virus software is the most important thing you’ll ever buy. Choosing Anti-Virus software is also more important than you’d think. Not all anti-virus software is good; some are excellent, some are mediocre.

   I used to have McAfee anti-virus, but one day a virus got on my computer that McAfee never found, it dialled phone numbers using my computer [since I have dial-up]. We then got a phone bill costing just over $800 CDN.

   I then sought for help from my friend’s dad, and he recommended Kaspersky anti-virus. I got that, and the anti-virus immediately found and deleted these viruses.

   I’ve been using Kaspersky anti-virus for over 2 years now. My computer has never had a virus since and runs amazingly. It’s an award winning anti-virus software, and is well worth the money.

2. Disk Defragmentation

   

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   Some of you have heard of it, some of you haven’t; disk defragmentation is fast, easy, and will help your computer run fast. Every PC is equipped with a disk defragmenting program; this program is located at: Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools – Disk Defragmenter.

   This program moves files around on your hard drive to free up space and make your computer run faster. Don’t worry, disk defragmenting wont delete or change any of your files locations. Every thing will stay the same; the only difference is that your computer will run faster. It is best that you run this program once every month.

3. Anti-Spyware

   

   Although Spy ware is not as bad viruses, it is still important to stay protected. Spy ware is basically a thing that finds out what you browse on the internet, etc. Some spy ware is dangerous, some is not; but to be safe, you should download an anti-spy ware program.

   Most anti-spy ware programs are good, so finding a good one shouldn’t be too hard. AVG is an example of a good anti-spy ware program. Keep in mind, there are free programs out there, but to make sure you are really safe, it’s best to test out the free ones, and then buy the full version (most free anti-spy ware programs are a trial and have an optional full version if you pay, which, of course, are even better than the free ones).

4. Internet Browsing

   

   Choosing an internet browser is important; there are several ones out there. Most computers come with
   Internet Explorer
   , however, Internet Explorer is known for not being a very safe inter browser.

   Mozilla Firefox is the safest internet browser available, and is recommended to be used on many sites that Internet Explorer and other internet browsers have a hard time viewing. Firefox is safe, free, and updates itself frequently. Not only does it do all that, but Firefox also has many extra features, such as extensions (add-ons allowing you to do more with Firefox) and themes (allowing you to change the appearance of Firefox).

5. Passwords

   

   No matter what, you should always ensure that your passwords are secure. Some people like to use simple passwords, some people even use password as their password. If you make easy to guess passwords, then it is your fault if your account for whatever gets hacked.

   Passwords should be eight or more characters long, and contain symbols (*, =, %, etc.), numbers (7, 23, 8, etc.), and upper & lower case letters (H, P, g, F, s, etc.). Using names of pets, family members, loved ones, and so on, is a bad choice for a password. If your password is dog, Jane, password, etc. than you are lucky if you still have that account that you use that password on.

   An example of a good password is this: $30K_CHEVelle. This password has symbols ($ and _), it has numbers (3 and 0), and it has a combination of uppercase (CHEV) and lowercase (elle) letters, and the password is 13 characters long, making it a great password. These combinations are nearly impossible to just guess, which makes sure your account stays safe.

   So remember to keep your password safe by making is good like this. One last thing, never use the same password in many spots, as if someone hacks one account, they are bound to try the same password on all your other accounts. If you can’t remember all these passwords, write them down on a piece of paper, and store it safely in your room.

6. RAM

   

   RAM (Random Access Memory) is important to run multiple programs at once. If you are the kind of person who likes to listen to music, read your emails, download stuff, do some paper work, and surf the internet all at the same time, then you need lots of RAM to do this all.

   RAM allows you to run more programs at once. If you have around 125MB of RAM, then you will probably experience a slow computer that freezes if you try running more than one program at once. However, if you have 1000MB of RAM, you will notice that you can run many programs at once. The more RAM you have, the more your computer is able to do.

   Think of it this way, RAM = arms; if you trying to cook, repair and engine, play piano, walk the dog, and write an email at the same time, you will need at least 8 arms for that, and at least 10 to do it at a decent speed. Imagine someone trying to do this with just 2 hands; that is how a computer feels when you try to listen to music, browse the internet, watch movies, etc. at the same time.

   So if you get more RAM, your computer can do it for sure. Keep in mind, most new computers have more RAM than you need, so this applies most for older computers (2+ years older in most cases). RAM is hardware, so you can’t download it, you’ll have to buy it from a store that sells computers.

Thanks for reading; I hope this article has helped you learn a bit more about how to keep your computer safe. There are many ways to keep it safe, but I find that these are the most important ways. Stay safe.