'Freedom Riders' film on PBS
After watching the clip on the film we'll have small discussion about what this issue means to us and how digital media has given us an opportunity to shine light on issues that are important to us.
I would also like you all to brainstorm issues that are personally important to you. Try and think of topics that SMART talks about, or issues that are neglected in mainstream media and history books. If you had the chance to put together your own film or some other type of digital piece what would you want to talk about? What would you want people to take from it?
Feel free to leave comments on this post stating your ideas.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Chatspeak/Textspeak
Chatspeak/Textspeak
This and other notes are available online @ smartcomputerclass.blogspot.
Last week it came to my attention that some of us don't know chatspeak, or if we do we don't know a lot of it. Since it's coming to the end of the term why don't we take a break from all that dense stuff and have a little fun getting to know chatspeak. :)
Chatspeak (aka Textspeak) came into popularity around the time instant messaging (or IMing for short) was introduced to the world--but it really took off when more and more people started text messaging (or texting for short). Chatspeak takes the first letter of commonly used phrases and makes it somewhat it's own word. Those familiar with chatspeak are able to understand easily--but those that don't may be lost! Since it takes time to text and also since some people aren't very fast typers chatspeak provides a quick and easy way to send out messages. It is also the "language" of choice for avid twitterers (people who use twitter a lot...if you don't know what that is just ask and I'll explain haha...).
Okay so there's our little history lesson...now let's take a look at some chatspeak!
Just so you know this isn't a COMPLETE list...not even I know all the different chatspeak words...but these are pretty basic ones that will help out a lot.
ALSO--some of them refer to certain adult words. For the sake of keeping this page PG I've blanked them out, but you're all smart, you'll figure it out haha...
!!THE LIST!!
(I put a * next to the most commonly used ones...or at least the ones I use the most. ** means I use it a lot.)
.... - awkward silence/pause
! - surprise
? - confusion or questioning
@ - at
A/S/L? or ASL? - Age/Sex/Location?
ALOL - Actually Laughing Out Loud (because some people type LOL and it isn't true!)
ASAP - As Soon As Possible
BBQ - Barbeque (Yum)
BC or B/C - Because
*BDay or B-Day - Birthday
BF - Boyfriend sometimes Best Friend
BFF - Best Friend Forever
BFFL - Best Friends For Life
BFFLNMW - Best Friends For Life No Matter What
*BRB - Be Right Back
BYO - Bring Your Own
BYOB - Bring Your Own Beer
*Cmon or C'mon - Come on
*Cus - Because
D/L or DL - Download or Down Low
Dunno - Don't know
Enuf - Enough
EZ - Easy
FML - F--- My Life
FYI - For Your Information
*G2G - Got to Go
GF - Girlfriend
*Gonna - Going to
GR8 - Great
H8 - Hate
HW - Homework
*IDC - I Don't Care
*IDK - I Don't Know
IH8U - I Hate you
ILU - I Love you
*ILY - I Love You
IM - Instant Message
IMAO - In My Arrogant Opinion
*IMO - In My Opinion
IMHO - In My Humble Opinion
IMNSHO - In My Not So Humble Opinion
ISLY - I Still Love You
*IRL - In Real Life
JIC - Just In Case
*JK or J/K - Just Kidding
K - Okay
L8R - Later
*LMAO - Laughing My A-- Off
LMBO - Laughing My Butt Off
**LOL - Laugh Out Loud or soemtimes used for Lots Of Love, but typically people will think you're laughing if you type this. (sometimes lolz)
MLIA - My Life Is Average
Msg - Message
*NVM - Never Mind
**OMG - Oh My God (sometimes zOMG)
*ORLY - Oh Really
Pls/Plz - Please
PM - Private Message
POS - Parent Over Shoulder (added this one in case you're ever by your child/grandchild and you see them type this...hahaha...)
POS - alternative meaning Piece Of S--- (if it's not a kid typing then you can assume this is what they mean)
POV - Point Of View
Ppl - People
Prolly - Probably
RIP - Rest In Piece
*RLY - Really
ROFL - Rolling On the Floor Laughing
ROFLMAO - Rolling On the Floor Laughing My A-- Off
RT - ReTweet (Twitter reference)
RU - Are you
SMH - Shaking My Head
Sry - Sorry
STFU - Shut The F--- Up
Sup - What's up
Thx - Thanks
*TMI - Too Much Information
*TTYL - Talk To You Later
*TY - Thank You
*W/ - with
W/B or WB - Welcome Back
W/E - Whatever
*W/O - Without
*WTH - What The Hell/Heck
*WTF - What The F---
XOXO - Hugs and Kisses
ZZZZ - Sleeping or Bored
Someone sent you something not on this list? Try checking out this page for more chatspeak http://www.webopedia.com/
!!SMILEYS and OTHER STUFF!!
(I use these more than anything else)
<3 - heart
</3 - broken heart
:) - Smiley face
:( - Frowny face
:P - Sticking tongue out
P: - Something yummy....
:D - Big smile
D: - Big Frown
:O - surprise
XD - Laughing face
DX - Crying or angry face
>:D or >:) - evil smile
D:< - Really mad face
):< - Not happy
;) - winking/flirty
:') - Happy tears
:'( - crying
:* - kiss
^_^ - smiling cheerfully
-^_^- - blushing while smiling
>^_^< - cat smiling
O_O - surprise
OuO - Wide eyed smile
OwO - Kitty smile
X_x - Dead...
>_> - shifty eyes
= _ = - exhausted
-_- - annoyed/exasperated
@_@ - Dizzy or nerd with glasses (lol)
nlm - the middle finger
(_|_) - a butt or mooning
(>'-')> - Kirby or little ghost thing...
You can take a look at this list for more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Sam's Comments on Chatspeak/Textspeak:
I don't use very much chatspeak/textspeak anymore. I used to use it a lot when I was in elementary school and high school, but when I got to college I noticed that it had started to affect my grammar and writing skills. Because of that I have made it a point to type "longhand" as much as possible and not use too much chatspeak. IMHO kids today both benefit and suffer from chatspeak. Since they are learning abbreviations and "shorthand" typing before they learn how to even spell they're never really allowing themselves to learn spelling and grammar--because they don't need to in order to get their point across.
It's also important to remember that when you are online or testing the way you type becomes your voice. Someone who uses a lot of chatspeak and abbreviations is judged differently than someone who types "longhand." Always consider who you are sending your messages to and how you want them to perceive you. If it's your friend or sibling or some other peer feel free to type anyway that you want. If it's someone you don't know or an employer or someone of other importance skip the chatspeak, use spell check, grammar, and punctuation--you want to look as professional as possible. If it's your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or some other young person make sure you really know the meaning of the chatspeak words your using before you use them, because they'll probably make fun of you if you get it wrong. Although, they'll probably make funny of you anyway because young people are ageist.
Anyway, now that we had a little crash course in textspeak/chatspeak it's time for our assignment for the day!
!!ASSIGNMENT!!
Part 1. Using mostly or only chatspeak/textspeak reply to this comment and write a few sentences.
Part 2. Think of phrases you like to use a lot and create your own chatspeak word. Reply to this comment again and tell us all what it is and when you use it.
!!QUESTION REVIEW!!
1. What does LOL mean?
A. Lots Of Love
B. Laugh Out Loud
C. All of the above.
2. What does SMH mean?
A. Shaking My Head
B. So Much Homework
C. All of the Above.
3. You would use XD when....
A. Laughing really hard at something funny.
B. Talking about HTML and coding.
C. All of the Above.
4. Which one of these is the REAL chatspeak word when stating an opinion about something?
A. IMO
B. IMHO
C. IMAO
D. All of the Above.
This and other notes are available online @ smartcomputerclass.blogspot.
Last week it came to my attention that some of us don't know chatspeak, or if we do we don't know a lot of it. Since it's coming to the end of the term why don't we take a break from all that dense stuff and have a little fun getting to know chatspeak. :)
Chatspeak (aka Textspeak) came into popularity around the time instant messaging (or IMing for short) was introduced to the world--but it really took off when more and more people started text messaging (or texting for short). Chatspeak takes the first letter of commonly used phrases and makes it somewhat it's own word. Those familiar with chatspeak are able to understand easily--but those that don't may be lost! Since it takes time to text and also since some people aren't very fast typers chatspeak provides a quick and easy way to send out messages. It is also the "language" of choice for avid twitterers (people who use twitter a lot...if you don't know what that is just ask and I'll explain haha...).
Okay so there's our little history lesson...now let's take a look at some chatspeak!
Just so you know this isn't a COMPLETE list...not even I know all the different chatspeak words...but these are pretty basic ones that will help out a lot.
ALSO--some of them refer to certain adult words. For the sake of keeping this page PG I've blanked them out, but you're all smart, you'll figure it out haha...
!!THE LIST!!
(I put a * next to the most commonly used ones...or at least the ones I use the most. ** means I use it a lot.)
.... - awkward silence/pause
! - surprise
? - confusion or questioning
@ - at
A/S/L? or ASL? - Age/Sex/Location?
ALOL - Actually Laughing Out Loud (because some people type LOL and it isn't true!)
ASAP - As Soon As Possible
BBQ - Barbeque (Yum)
BC or B/C - Because
*BDay or B-Day - Birthday
BF - Boyfriend sometimes Best Friend
BFF - Best Friend Forever
BFFL - Best Friends For Life
BFFLNMW - Best Friends For Life No Matter What
*BRB - Be Right Back
BYO - Bring Your Own
BYOB - Bring Your Own Beer
*Cmon or C'mon - Come on
*Cus - Because
D/L or DL - Download or Down Low
Dunno - Don't know
Enuf - Enough
EZ - Easy
FML - F--- My Life
FYI - For Your Information
*G2G - Got to Go
GF - Girlfriend
*Gonna - Going to
GR8 - Great
H8 - Hate
HW - Homework
*IDC - I Don't Care
*IDK - I Don't Know
IH8U - I Hate you
ILU - I Love you
*ILY - I Love You
IM - Instant Message
IMAO - In My Arrogant Opinion
*IMO - In My Opinion
IMHO - In My Humble Opinion
IMNSHO - In My Not So Humble Opinion
ISLY - I Still Love You
*IRL - In Real Life
JIC - Just In Case
*JK or J/K - Just Kidding
K - Okay
L8R - Later
*LMAO - Laughing My A-- Off
LMBO - Laughing My Butt Off
**LOL - Laugh Out Loud or soemtimes used for Lots Of Love, but typically people will think you're laughing if you type this. (sometimes lolz)
MLIA - My Life Is Average
Msg - Message
*NVM - Never Mind
**OMG - Oh My God (sometimes zOMG)
*ORLY - Oh Really
Pls/Plz - Please
PM - Private Message
POS - Parent Over Shoulder (added this one in case you're ever by your child/grandchild and you see them type this...hahaha...)
POS - alternative meaning Piece Of S--- (if it's not a kid typing then you can assume this is what they mean)
POV - Point Of View
Ppl - People
Prolly - Probably
RIP - Rest In Piece
*RLY - Really
ROFL - Rolling On the Floor Laughing
ROFLMAO - Rolling On the Floor Laughing My A-- Off
RT - ReTweet (Twitter reference)
RU - Are you
SMH - Shaking My Head
Sry - Sorry
STFU - Shut The F--- Up
Sup - What's up
Thx - Thanks
*TMI - Too Much Information
*TTYL - Talk To You Later
*TY - Thank You
*W/ - with
W/B or WB - Welcome Back
W/E - Whatever
*W/O - Without
*WTH - What The Hell/Heck
*WTF - What The F---
XOXO - Hugs and Kisses
ZZZZ - Sleeping or Bored
Someone sent you something not on this list? Try checking out this page for more chatspeak http://www.webopedia.com/
!!SMILEYS and OTHER STUFF!!
(I use these more than anything else)
<3 - heart
</3 - broken heart
:) - Smiley face
:( - Frowny face
:P - Sticking tongue out
P: - Something yummy....
:D - Big smile
D: - Big Frown
:O - surprise
XD - Laughing face
DX - Crying or angry face
>:D or >:) - evil smile
D:< - Really mad face
):< - Not happy
;) - winking/flirty
:') - Happy tears
:'( - crying
:* - kiss
^_^ - smiling cheerfully
-^_^- - blushing while smiling
>^_^< - cat smiling
O_O - surprise
OuO - Wide eyed smile
OwO - Kitty smile
X_x - Dead...
>_> - shifty eyes
= _ = - exhausted
-_- - annoyed/exasperated
@_@ - Dizzy or nerd with glasses (lol)
nlm - the middle finger
(_|_) - a butt or mooning
(>'-')> - Kirby or little ghost thing...
You can take a look at this list for more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Sam's Comments on Chatspeak/Textspeak:
I don't use very much chatspeak/textspeak anymore. I used to use it a lot when I was in elementary school and high school, but when I got to college I noticed that it had started to affect my grammar and writing skills. Because of that I have made it a point to type "longhand" as much as possible and not use too much chatspeak. IMHO kids today both benefit and suffer from chatspeak. Since they are learning abbreviations and "shorthand" typing before they learn how to even spell they're never really allowing themselves to learn spelling and grammar--because they don't need to in order to get their point across.
It's also important to remember that when you are online or testing the way you type becomes your voice. Someone who uses a lot of chatspeak and abbreviations is judged differently than someone who types "longhand." Always consider who you are sending your messages to and how you want them to perceive you. If it's your friend or sibling or some other peer feel free to type anyway that you want. If it's someone you don't know or an employer or someone of other importance skip the chatspeak, use spell check, grammar, and punctuation--you want to look as professional as possible. If it's your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or some other young person make sure you really know the meaning of the chatspeak words your using before you use them, because they'll probably make fun of you if you get it wrong. Although, they'll probably make funny of you anyway because young people are ageist.
Anyway, now that we had a little crash course in textspeak/chatspeak it's time for our assignment for the day!
!!ASSIGNMENT!!
Part 1. Using mostly or only chatspeak/textspeak reply to this comment and write a few sentences.
Part 2. Think of phrases you like to use a lot and create your own chatspeak word. Reply to this comment again and tell us all what it is and when you use it.
!!QUESTION REVIEW!!
1. What does LOL mean?
A. Lots Of Love
B. Laugh Out Loud
C. All of the above.
2. What does SMH mean?
A. Shaking My Head
B. So Much Homework
C. All of the Above.
3. You would use XD when....
A. Laughing really hard at something funny.
B. Talking about HTML and coding.
C. All of the Above.
4. Which one of these is the REAL chatspeak word when stating an opinion about something?
A. IMO
B. IMHO
C. IMAO
D. All of the Above.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Software & Antivirus
We talked about hardware we could add to our computers, now let's take a look at software.
If hardware is made of the physical devices that you can add to your computer, then what is software?
Software is made up of the programs and applications you can install on to your computer.
Here are some examples of software:
Microsoft Suite
Adobe Suite
Dragon speaking software
Computer games like the Sims
Can you think of more examples of software?
There are lots of different types of software and countless programs and applications you can install on to your computer. Instead of focusing on all those different types of software we are just going to focus on one; antivirus software.
So what is antivirus software?
Antivirus software is software that detects, prevents against and eliminates malware.
Malware is made up of computer viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, adware, and any other computer threat. All of these things are bad for your computer but some of them are worse than others. If you ever want to protect and maintain your computer on your own it's good to know the difference between them. It can be a little confusing though, so if you can't remember it's okay!
Let's take a look at some of the categories of malware.
- computer viruses act a lot like real life viruses. The viruses attach themselves to existing files on a computer and corrupt them, then proceed to make copies of themselves to spread infection further. These viruses have the ability to spread from one system to another; making all computers they come across "sick." Viruses can be spread through attached files in e-mails, infected files on CDs, DVDs, USB drives, or anything else that can carry files from one computer to another, and downloaded from the internet. The best way to protect your computer from viruses is to be careful about who and where you're getting files from and to have a functioning antivirus program.
It is important to remember that computer viruses are malware, but not all malware are computer viruses. People generally like to use the term "virus" to refer to everything that has infected their computer--but this is an inaccurate statement.
- a computer worm in many ways can be a lot scarier than a virus. Worms don't need to attach themselves to files in order to make copies of itself. Ever received an e-mail from a friend to a link that didn't work that they said they didn't send or have had someone post something on your facebook page that they said they didn't write? These are examples of computer worms, they are spread through networks. Someone clicks on a link in an e-mail or on a post that they think was sent to them on a friend--then nothing happens. Or at least, it seems like nothing happens, in truth the worm has wiggled its way on your computer and will now send that same message to all of your friends. The destruction worms can cause varies and it typically not extremely terrible--however it can be. Most worms just take up space but others have the ability to "eat" or delete important files.
The best way to avoid getting worms is to be extremely cautious when clicking on links! Worms are designed to fool you into believing that they are harmless. You must be suspicious of every link and attachment someone sends--even if it's from your best friend. Keep in mind how your friends write to you, what are their digital mannerisms? If you receive an e-mail or a link with a generic and impersonal message that doesn't quite fit with the relationship you have with the sender just delete it and call and write them to see if it was something they really sent you. Better safe than sorry.
Here are some wormy phrases you should be aware of:
- "OMG you have got to see this picture of you doing (whatever)! I can't believe it (link)!" <--- plays on your insecurities or fears, makes you think that there are pictures of you on the internet you're not aware of.
- "Haha this is so cute/funny/crazy you have to see this (link)" <--- no indication of what "this" is, meant to peek your curiosity, plenty of variations of this
- "Make lots of money really fast! It worked for me and since you're my friend I had to show you! (link)" <--- this is also commonly used to infect your computer with other types of malware.
BE AWARE! TRUST NO LINK UNLESS YOU'RE CERTAIN!
- Phishing is done in a similar way to computer worms. Links that seem secure are posted, instant messaged, or e-mailed--but typically by strangers (who usually want to give you free stuff or lots and lots of money for no reason at all!). Phishing isn't really malware, but still something to be aware of because it is EXTREMELY EXTREMELY dangerous for you! The purpose of phishing is to steal your personal information. Fake websites that look exactly like real and trusted websites (i.e. Amazon.com) are created to collect your personal information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card information.
Since phishing doesn't infect your system with malware it's somewhat easy to avoid. When you click on a link to go somewhere check the address bar. Does the address in the address bar match up with the website you think you're on? The best way to be sure you're logging on to a website is to type in the address yourself and not click on other links to go there.
Another way to avoid getting your information stolen is to just delete those e-mails that promise you gifts and money. If someone were to offer you the same deal in real life, you would no doubt be suspicious--treat solicitors on the internet the same way you treat people in real life.
- Trojans or Trojan horses live up to their name. They appear to be harmless, even desirable, disguising themselves as useful software for your computer or entertaining applications. Ironically--the most successful trojans are ones that say they are antivirus software. Trojans trick you into downloading them on to your system and may actually do the tasks you downloaded them for--but meanwhile they are corrupting your system. They may download spyware and adware on to your computer, they may delete or corrupt your files, they may invade your privacy by watching your internet history, they may steal your passwords by copying down your keystrokes, they may be used by hackers to spy on your system. Dangerous, dangerous, deceptive things indeed.
The best way to avoid them is to not download things from the internet unless they are coming from a trusted site--and even then you should always be cautious. Also, spend the money on the name brand antivirus software! The "free" stuff might actually end up costing you a lot in the end! (Although AVG does offer a free version of their antivirus software here: http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage, and that is free antivirus software you can trust)
- Spyware can be unintentionally installed on your computer by visiting certain websites or downloading trojans OR it can be intentionally installed on shared computers by someone who is trying to track another user (say a jealous girlfriend who thinks their boyfriend is cheating on them for example). But....we're just going to talk about the stuff that you download by accident...if you're interested in the other kind of spyware you can do the research on your own! Spyware can do lots of things when it's on your computer. It can collect your personal information, it can track your actions, it can log your keystrokes, it can slow down network connections and make your computer run slowly, and it can be really hard to detect and get rid of without good antivirus software.
Best way to avoid it is to, once again, avoid downloading things from the internet! Also, avoid going to unsafe websites.
- Adware is somewhat like spyware in the way it gets on to your computer--but at the same time it's the complete opposite. Adware lets you KNOW it's there. It bombards your computer with pop-ups and advertisements in an attempt to get you to buy something you don't want. Or even if you don't buy something--every time you click on one of those little pop-ups, someone, somewhere is making money. Adware alone is irritating and frustrating to get rid of, but--unless it's paired up with another type of malware such as spyware--it's the most harmless.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER AGAINST INFECTION!
- Do NOT download things from the internet unless you are 100% certain its safe.
- Do NOT click on links you're unsure of.
- Do NOT trust e-mails from people you don't know.
- Do NOT trust "deals" giving you gifts or money.
- Do NOT download your antivirus software from shady websites.
- DO be cautious at all times.
- DO buy and install a trusted antivirus software such as Sophos, AVG, Norton, McAfee, etc.
- DO talk to tech support when buying a computer about ways you can protect your system.
- DO get your computer checked out as soon as it starts having issues--the problem will not go away and it'll get worse before it gets better.
- DO consider a Mac if you're really scared. Currently they are unaffected by malware :)
These are some of the tips I thought up, maybe you have some more suggestions?
I know all of this seems really scary and overwhelming at first, but that doesn't mean you should quit on learning how to use a computer! Malware has affected every computer users life at least once and honestly the consequences are typically not as bad as it could be. Remember, if you have a good antivirus program and keep it up to date you won't have to worry so much. :)
If hardware is made of the physical devices that you can add to your computer, then what is software?
Software is made up of the programs and applications you can install on to your computer.
Here are some examples of software:
Microsoft Suite
Adobe Suite
Dragon speaking software
Computer games like the Sims
Can you think of more examples of software?
There are lots of different types of software and countless programs and applications you can install on to your computer. Instead of focusing on all those different types of software we are just going to focus on one; antivirus software.
So what is antivirus software?
Antivirus software is software that detects, prevents against and eliminates malware.
Malware is made up of computer viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, adware, and any other computer threat. All of these things are bad for your computer but some of them are worse than others. If you ever want to protect and maintain your computer on your own it's good to know the difference between them. It can be a little confusing though, so if you can't remember it's okay!
Let's take a look at some of the categories of malware.
- computer viruses act a lot like real life viruses. The viruses attach themselves to existing files on a computer and corrupt them, then proceed to make copies of themselves to spread infection further. These viruses have the ability to spread from one system to another; making all computers they come across "sick." Viruses can be spread through attached files in e-mails, infected files on CDs, DVDs, USB drives, or anything else that can carry files from one computer to another, and downloaded from the internet. The best way to protect your computer from viruses is to be careful about who and where you're getting files from and to have a functioning antivirus program.
It is important to remember that computer viruses are malware, but not all malware are computer viruses. People generally like to use the term "virus" to refer to everything that has infected their computer--but this is an inaccurate statement.
- a computer worm in many ways can be a lot scarier than a virus. Worms don't need to attach themselves to files in order to make copies of itself. Ever received an e-mail from a friend to a link that didn't work that they said they didn't send or have had someone post something on your facebook page that they said they didn't write? These are examples of computer worms, they are spread through networks. Someone clicks on a link in an e-mail or on a post that they think was sent to them on a friend--then nothing happens. Or at least, it seems like nothing happens, in truth the worm has wiggled its way on your computer and will now send that same message to all of your friends. The destruction worms can cause varies and it typically not extremely terrible--however it can be. Most worms just take up space but others have the ability to "eat" or delete important files.
The best way to avoid getting worms is to be extremely cautious when clicking on links! Worms are designed to fool you into believing that they are harmless. You must be suspicious of every link and attachment someone sends--even if it's from your best friend. Keep in mind how your friends write to you, what are their digital mannerisms? If you receive an e-mail or a link with a generic and impersonal message that doesn't quite fit with the relationship you have with the sender just delete it and call and write them to see if it was something they really sent you. Better safe than sorry.
Here are some wormy phrases you should be aware of:
- "OMG you have got to see this picture of you doing (whatever)! I can't believe it (link)!" <--- plays on your insecurities or fears, makes you think that there are pictures of you on the internet you're not aware of.
- "Haha this is so cute/funny/crazy you have to see this (link)" <--- no indication of what "this" is, meant to peek your curiosity, plenty of variations of this
- "Make lots of money really fast! It worked for me and since you're my friend I had to show you! (link)" <--- this is also commonly used to infect your computer with other types of malware.
BE AWARE! TRUST NO LINK UNLESS YOU'RE CERTAIN!
- Phishing is done in a similar way to computer worms. Links that seem secure are posted, instant messaged, or e-mailed--but typically by strangers (who usually want to give you free stuff or lots and lots of money for no reason at all!). Phishing isn't really malware, but still something to be aware of because it is EXTREMELY EXTREMELY dangerous for you! The purpose of phishing is to steal your personal information. Fake websites that look exactly like real and trusted websites (i.e. Amazon.com) are created to collect your personal information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card information.
Since phishing doesn't infect your system with malware it's somewhat easy to avoid. When you click on a link to go somewhere check the address bar. Does the address in the address bar match up with the website you think you're on? The best way to be sure you're logging on to a website is to type in the address yourself and not click on other links to go there.
Another way to avoid getting your information stolen is to just delete those e-mails that promise you gifts and money. If someone were to offer you the same deal in real life, you would no doubt be suspicious--treat solicitors on the internet the same way you treat people in real life.
- Trojans or Trojan horses live up to their name. They appear to be harmless, even desirable, disguising themselves as useful software for your computer or entertaining applications. Ironically--the most successful trojans are ones that say they are antivirus software. Trojans trick you into downloading them on to your system and may actually do the tasks you downloaded them for--but meanwhile they are corrupting your system. They may download spyware and adware on to your computer, they may delete or corrupt your files, they may invade your privacy by watching your internet history, they may steal your passwords by copying down your keystrokes, they may be used by hackers to spy on your system. Dangerous, dangerous, deceptive things indeed.
The best way to avoid them is to not download things from the internet unless they are coming from a trusted site--and even then you should always be cautious. Also, spend the money on the name brand antivirus software! The "free" stuff might actually end up costing you a lot in the end! (Although AVG does offer a free version of their antivirus software here: http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage, and that is free antivirus software you can trust)
- Spyware can be unintentionally installed on your computer by visiting certain websites or downloading trojans OR it can be intentionally installed on shared computers by someone who is trying to track another user (say a jealous girlfriend who thinks their boyfriend is cheating on them for example). But....we're just going to talk about the stuff that you download by accident...if you're interested in the other kind of spyware you can do the research on your own! Spyware can do lots of things when it's on your computer. It can collect your personal information, it can track your actions, it can log your keystrokes, it can slow down network connections and make your computer run slowly, and it can be really hard to detect and get rid of without good antivirus software.
Best way to avoid it is to, once again, avoid downloading things from the internet! Also, avoid going to unsafe websites.
- Adware is somewhat like spyware in the way it gets on to your computer--but at the same time it's the complete opposite. Adware lets you KNOW it's there. It bombards your computer with pop-ups and advertisements in an attempt to get you to buy something you don't want. Or even if you don't buy something--every time you click on one of those little pop-ups, someone, somewhere is making money. Adware alone is irritating and frustrating to get rid of, but--unless it's paired up with another type of malware such as spyware--it's the most harmless.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER AGAINST INFECTION!
- Do NOT download things from the internet unless you are 100% certain its safe.
- Do NOT click on links you're unsure of.
- Do NOT trust e-mails from people you don't know.
- Do NOT trust "deals" giving you gifts or money.
- Do NOT download your antivirus software from shady websites.
- DO be cautious at all times.
- DO buy and install a trusted antivirus software such as Sophos, AVG, Norton, McAfee, etc.
- DO talk to tech support when buying a computer about ways you can protect your system.
- DO get your computer checked out as soon as it starts having issues--the problem will not go away and it'll get worse before it gets better.
- DO consider a Mac if you're really scared. Currently they are unaffected by malware :)
These are some of the tips I thought up, maybe you have some more suggestions?
I know all of this seems really scary and overwhelming at first, but that doesn't mean you should quit on learning how to use a computer! Malware has affected every computer users life at least once and honestly the consequences are typically not as bad as it could be. Remember, if you have a good antivirus program and keep it up to date you won't have to worry so much. :)
Friday, May 6, 2011
Memory
Last week we learned about how external hard drives can help preserve memory on a computer--but what exactly is memory and how can you tell how much you have available? Additionally, when buying a computer or digital device how do you you know if you're buying something with enough memory?
Webopedia defines memory as this:
"Internal storage areas in the computer. The term memory identifies data storage that comes in the form of chips, and the word storage is used for memory that exists on tapes or disks. Moreover, the term memory is usually used as a shorthand for physical memory, which refers to the actual chips capable of holding data. Some computers also use virtual memory, which expands physical memory onto a hard disk.
Every computer comes with a certain amount of physical memory, usually referred to as main memory or RAM. You can think of main memory as an array of boxes, each of which can hold a single byte of information. A computer that has 1 megabyte of memory, therefore, can hold about 1 million bytes (or characters) of information.
There are several different types of memory:
(http://www.webopedia.com/
They mention "bytes." Bytes are the unit of measurement for memory.
1 bit = smallest amount of memory
8 bits = 1 byte (B)
1,000 bytes (B) = 1 kilobyte (KB)
1,000 kilobytes (KB) = 1 megabyte (MB)
1,000 megabytes (MB) = 1 gigabyte (GB)
1,000 gigabytes (GB) = 1 terabyte (TB)
(a more extensive chart and explanation can be found at http://www.whatsabyte.com/ )
Currently, electronics are sold with a number of GB or smaller. Hard drives and computers seem to be the only things sold in TB. However, as our software and technology grows and demands more memory--devices will need to be sold with more memory. This is why computers made in the 90's (for example) cannot handle the same tasks that computers today handle with ease.
So let's put this into context:
iPhone comes in 8GB, 16GB or 32GB
iPad comes in 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB
Laptops are now sold with 250 - 320GB
Desktop computers are now sold with 640GB - 1TB
Digital cameras use memory cards with 2GB - 16GB or more
Assignment
For today's assignment we are going to do a scavenger hunt to help us understand how much memory is worth.
1. Find three pictures and figure out how big they are.
(Hint: if you search google images google will tell you how big the picture is. If you search on the computer click on the file and the size of the file will show up at the bottom of the window)
2. Find out how much memory an EMPTY folder uses.
(Hint: open any folder on the computer, right click, create new folder, click on the folder and at the bottom of the menu it will tell you how big it is)
3. Find three mp3s and figure out how much memory they use.
(Hint: search an mp3 download website. The size is usually listed)
4. Find out how much memory on your computer is used and how much memory you have left.
(Hint: open desktop folder click on my computer icon, stats will show on the side or the bottom)
Good at math?
Try and figure out how many pictures or mp3s you could download to fill up the space available on your computer :)
Question Review
1. How many bits are in a byte?
A. 6
B. 8
C. 10
D. They're the same thing just spelled different.
2. Which is bigger 1,000 KB or 1 MB?
A. KB
B. MB
C. They're equal.
3. Which is bigger 1,000 MB or 1 TB?
A. MB
B. TB
C. They're equal.
4. How many megabytes (MB) are in a gigabyte (GB)?
A. 1
B. 10
C. 100
D. 1,000
Webopedia defines memory as this:
"Internal storage areas in the computer. The term memory identifies data storage that comes in the form of chips, and the word storage is used for memory that exists on tapes or disks. Moreover, the term memory is usually used as a shorthand for physical memory, which refers to the actual chips capable of holding data. Some computers also use virtual memory, which expands physical memory onto a hard disk.
Every computer comes with a certain amount of physical memory, usually referred to as main memory or RAM. You can think of main memory as an array of boxes, each of which can hold a single byte of information. A computer that has 1 megabyte of memory, therefore, can hold about 1 million bytes (or characters) of information.
There are several different types of memory:
(http://www.webopedia.com/
They mention "bytes." Bytes are the unit of measurement for memory.
1 bit = smallest amount of memory
8 bits = 1 byte (B)
1,000 bytes (B) = 1 kilobyte (KB)
1,000 kilobytes (KB) = 1 megabyte (MB)
1,000 megabytes (MB) = 1 gigabyte (GB)
1,000 gigabytes (GB) = 1 terabyte (TB)
(a more extensive chart and explanation can be found at http://www.whatsabyte.com/ )
Currently, electronics are sold with a number of GB or smaller. Hard drives and computers seem to be the only things sold in TB. However, as our software and technology grows and demands more memory--devices will need to be sold with more memory. This is why computers made in the 90's (for example) cannot handle the same tasks that computers today handle with ease.
So let's put this into context:
iPhone comes in 8GB, 16GB or 32GB
iPad comes in 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB
Laptops are now sold with 250 - 320GB
Desktop computers are now sold with 640GB - 1TB
Digital cameras use memory cards with 2GB - 16GB or more
Assignment
For today's assignment we are going to do a scavenger hunt to help us understand how much memory is worth.
1. Find three pictures and figure out how big they are.
(Hint: if you search google images google will tell you how big the picture is. If you search on the computer click on the file and the size of the file will show up at the bottom of the window)
2. Find out how much memory an EMPTY folder uses.
(Hint: open any folder on the computer, right click, create new folder, click on the folder and at the bottom of the menu it will tell you how big it is)
3. Find three mp3s and figure out how much memory they use.
(Hint: search an mp3 download website. The size is usually listed)
4. Find out how much memory on your computer is used and how much memory you have left.
(Hint: open desktop folder click on my computer icon, stats will show on the side or the bottom)
Good at math?
Try and figure out how many pictures or mp3s you could download to fill up the space available on your computer :)
Question Review
1. How many bits are in a byte?
A. 6
B. 8
C. 10
D. They're the same thing just spelled different.
2. Which is bigger 1,000 KB or 1 MB?
A. KB
B. MB
C. They're equal.
3. Which is bigger 1,000 MB or 1 TB?
A. MB
B. TB
C. They're equal.
4. How many megabytes (MB) are in a gigabyte (GB)?
A. 1
B. 10
C. 100
D. 1,000
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