Computer Literate

We live in the age of computers. They are everywhere, from workplaces to homes. People use these powerful tools daily. But how many people are actually familiar with them? Computer familiarity means being able to communicate using a computer and being able to store information with a computer. A person who is familiar with a computer should also be able to do these things safely.

Computers allow people to communicate in a variety of ways. Emails are direct, and they work well for talking between two or three people. People use emails to keep friends and family updated or to send information at work. Websites allow people to talk with multiple people more easily. Some websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, offer direct messages. They make group communication simpler, because the whole group can see what each person said. Messages are also faster than emails. Forums are a way of talking with people who share an interest, such as computers or medieval fantasy. They give people a place to discuss hints, the latest model, and ask questions. Computers provide access to all of this.

Computers store information. People store documents, such as essays, stories, and instructions, to name a few. Since people can create as many folders as they need, documents can be filed away into categories for easy reference. People also store pictures. Storing pictures digitally is cheaper and easier than printing them out and putting them in an album. Some people also use a computer to prune through their pictures and decide which ones to print. Another thing people store on computers is music. Computers have a lot of storage space, and they can hold more music than a regular phone or iPod.

Computers need to be used safely, like any other tool. Passwords should be strong, such as a line from a poem or a memorable phrase. They should be written down in a secure place that only the creator knows about. Having a password for the Administrator account that the whole family knows means that children can install whatever they want on the computer. This leads to malware and viruses getting installed. A hacked bank account causes a lot of trouble, and a hacked Facebook account is bad, too. That compromised account can be mined for information about the account owner, their friends, and groups the owner belongs to. A stolen password for Facebook can be used for anything from simple mischief to job loss.

Secure habits, such as logging out of websites and locking the computer, keep information safer. Staying logged into a website lets anyone who gains access to your computer also gain access to all the accounts on those websites. Leaving the computer open compounds the problem. Not only can people access the Web from there, they can cause all sorts of mischief on the computer itself. An unlocked Administrator computer account means that whoever comes over there can install or uninstall anything they want to on that computer. Any account that gets left opened on an unlocked computer can access files and pictures for any other account. They can delete or copy those files easily.

People can copy posts or screenshot them; they can easily spread a post beyond the friends of the poster. What is posted on Facebook may not stay there. Choose wisely what gets posted, so that if it does get copied no one will embarrassed or endangered. Once a post is out there, it never truly goes away. Some people receive all posts from a person or their feed in emails, and those emails don’t get deleted when the post does. Google Hangouts messages can’t be edited or deleted after sending. Anyone who has access to the account can download them.

A computer is a versatile tool that, used safely, can enrich our lives. Communication and data storage are easier than ever before. With computers, the average person has more power than an emperor in the days of Rome—instantly access information or message a friend with the click of a mouse.