Common Computer Terms

Common Computer Terms

Boot: The act of starting up a computer.

Byte: One character (eight bits of data).

Cracker.  The preferred term to refer to a computer criminal who penetrates a  computer program to steal information or damage the program in some way.

Crash. A malfunction in hardware or software that keeps a computer from functioning.  

Cut and paste. To move a block of text from one place to another.

Cursor: The blinking vertical or horizontal line that indicates where text is being typed.

CD-ROM: Compact Disc Read-Only Memory

CD-R/CD-RW: CD-Recordable/CD-Re-Writeable.  Disc drives that create (or burn) new CDs.

CPU: Central Processing Unit.  The computer's electronic brain.

Crash: A hardware or software failure.

CRC Error:  These can occur when you try to decompress a file that has become corrupt during the downloading process, usually as a result of too much resuming.

Cybrarian. The electronic equivalent of a librarian.  A person who makes a career of  online research and data retrieval.

Dialog Box: A window that asks a question or requests the user to make a choice.

Drive: A device that spins disks or tapes in order to read and write data; for example, a hard drive, floppy drive, or CD-ROM drive. Each drive has an assigned letter. The “C” Drive is the hard drive (information is stored in the computer). The “A” drive holds the floppy disk (information is stored in the floppy).  The “D” Drive is the CD-ROM drive.

Download: The act of retrieving data from another computer.  

Upload: The act of sending data to another computer.

DVD: Also called DVD-ROM. Digital Versatile Disk Read-Only Memory.

File: Any form of digital data that's saved to a disk.

Filename extension: The last three characters of a file or folder name, appearing after a period (dot). For example, DOC is the filename extension of MyLetter.DOC.

Floppy Disk:  The standard removable storage device used with computers.  The floppy disk goes in the “A” Drive.

Icon: A small drawing that represents a program, command, data file, service,  function, or website.

Hacker.  A dedicated computer programmer. The term hacker is sometimes used erroneously to refer to a computer criminal who penetrates and damages a computer program.  The preferred term for a computer criminal is cracker.

Hardware: The electronic, electrical, and mechanical components that make up a computer.

Hypertext markup language (HTML). The formatting language used to establish the appearance of a Web page.

Hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).  The protocol used on the World Wide Web that permits Web clients (Web browsers to communicate with Web servers.  This protocol allows programmers to embed hyperlinks in Web documents using hypertext markup language.

Kilobyte.  A measurement of the storage capacity of a computer.  One kilobyte represents 1024 bytes.  Kilobyte may be abbreviated K or KB; however, KB is the clearer abbreviation since K also stands for the metric prefix kilo (meaning 1000).

Maximize:  Expanding an open window to fill the screen by clicking the maximize button.

Megabyte.  A measurement of the  storage capacity of a computer.  One megabyte represents more than 1 million bytes.  Megabyte may be abbreviated M or MB; however, MB is clearer since M also stands for the metric prefix mega (meaning 1 million).

Minimize: Shrinking an open window by clicking the minimize button.

Mouse: The standard pointing device used with computers.

Mouse potato.  A person who sits glued to a computer screen in the same way that a couch potato sits glued to a TV screen.

Mouse elbow.  A repetitive strain injury similar to tennis that  is caused by repeatedly using a mouse.

Open: To activate a program or data file.

Operating System:  The main program that controls your PC (personal computer).(Windows 95, 98, ME, XP ,Windows7,Windows 8 )

Pointer: The arrow that moves when the mouse is jostled.

Port:  Input/output receptacles which enable your PC to  connect  to other hardware resources,  such as a keyboard, printer, mouse,  and so on.

RAM: Random Access Memory. The computer's temporary memory. It is used when you are running a program or creating something. RAM is erased when you turn your computer off.

Software:  Programs that run in a computer, such as a word processor, spreadsheet, database, web browser, or e-mail system.

Shouting.  The use of all capital letters in e-mail.

USB:  Universal Serial Bus. The standard input/output port for connecting devices to computers.

Virus.  A piece of computer code designed as a prank or malicious act to spread from one computer to another by attacking itself to other programs.  Some viruses simply cause a humorous message to appear on the screen, some cause minor glitches, and some cause serious damage to a computer’s memory or disks.

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Find your Computer Uptime In Windows 8

Find your Computer Uptime In Windows 8

A trick for all geeks who would like to know how long since they haven't shut down their computer.
1. Go to Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc brings without UAC popup)
2. Go to performance tab.
3. In the system Information you can check out the uptime in the format
Hour : Minute : Second .

You can track your computer uptime easily now.

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Computer Viruses

Computer Viruses

A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes.
Viruses can also replicate themselves.
All computer viruses are manmade.

Types of Computer Viruses
Trojan horse
Worms
Boot virus
Macro virus
Directory virus
Logic bombs
Resident virus


Trojan Horse
A Trojan Horse program has the appearance of having a useful and desired function.
A Trojan Horse neither replicates nor copies itself, but causes damage or compromises the security of the computer.
A Trojan Horse must be sent by someone or carried by another program and may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort.


Computer Worm
A computer worm is a self-replicating computer program.
It uses a network to send copies of itself to other nodes (computers on the network) and it may do so without any user intervention.
It does not need to attach itself to an existing program.

Boot Virus
This type of virus affects the boot sector of a floppy or hard disk.
This is a crucial part of a disk, in which information on the disk itself is stored together with a program that makes it possible to boot (start) the computer from the disk.
These are normally spread by floppy disks.

Macro Virus
Macro viruses are viruses that use another application's macro programming language to distribute themselves.
They infect documents such as MS Word or MS Excel and are typically spread to other similar documents.

Directory Virus
Directory viruses change the paths that indicate the location of a file.

Logic Bombs
Their objective is to destroy data on the computer once certain conditions have been met.
These are viruses which are programmed to initiate at a specific date or when a specific event occurs.
Some examples are a virus which deletes your photos on Halloween, or a virus which deletes a database table if a certain employee gets fired.

Resident Virus
This type of virus is a permanent which dwells in the RAM memory.
From there it can overcome and interrupt all of the operations executed by the system: corrupting files and programs that are opened, closed, copied, renamed etc.


How does Computer Virus Spread?
Computer virus is a program that must be triggered or somehow executed before it can infect your computer system and spread to others.
Computer viruses can be spread via:
Network / Internet
Storage media

What do viruses do to computers?
Computer viruses can:
Damage files
Interfere with computer's operation
Viruses can't do any damage to hardware.
Unexplained messages appear on the screen
Specific files are mysteriously deleted
Unknown files are added to a disk
An entire disk or drive is erased
The keyboard does not work properly
Unexplained modifications are made to data or documents
Application software seems to be changed
Operating system software appears to be modified
Unexplained printing problems occur


How Can You Protect Yourself? 
Install Anti Virus software.
Practice caution when working with files from unknown or questionable sources.
Do not open e-mail attachments if you do not recognize the sender.
Download files only from reputable Internet sites.
Scan your hard drive for viruses monthly.


Symptoms
Computer may shut on and off all of a sudden
A computer may run slower than normal
Programs may crash often
The computer screen may not be visible
Windows may seem to freeze from time to time
Error messages may come up when you start or shut down the computer


Antivirus Software
Antivirus Software is used to prevent, detect, and remove computer viruses, worms, and Trojan horses.
Antivirus basic functions:
Scan your storage media
Remove
Heal / Repair
Quarantine
Update virus definitions


Examples of Antivirus Software
Norton Antivirus
AVG
Kaspersky
Avast!
PC-Cilin
McAffee
Bitdefender

Virus Removal Tools
Virus removal tools are software for removing specific viruses from infected computers.
They are designed to remove specific viruses.
Examples:
-McAfee Stinger
-Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

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Scan your Computer with online antivirus

So it seems difficult for you to uninstall your favorite antivirus program and install a new one, as two antivirus can not work simultaneously efficiently on a single machine, therefore you can opt for an another alternative that is to check your computer online for viruses. In this post i will tell you a lot of popular and free online virus scanner that you can use to get rid of viruses/spywares and malwares etc...

Sometimes your antivirus does not uninstall and your resident antivirus may malfunction .Even you have a resident scanner effective scan is required to combat the threat of virus.The undermentioned online scanners will protect from virus.

An online virus scanner should never be considered a substitute for an installed antivirus scanner. But if you suspect your installed antivirus is missing a threat or you simply want a second opinion, an online scanner can be a valuable adjunct to security. Each of the following online scanners are considered best-of-breed and can offer important adjunct protection.

1. Norton Security Check Scan Now!http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/WelcomePage.asp

2. One Care Scan Now!
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/center/howsafe.htm

3. Kaspersky Scan Now!

http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner
Kaspersky Online Scan service doesn't allow neither removal nor healing of detected infections, my suggestion is that you use some other scanner to eliminate present malware. However, I myself use Kasperksy to verify the clean state of the system. Two scans are always better than one, don't you agree? ;) And Kaspersky is important because it is the only PC security scanner developed by Russian programmers, so its algorithms are very much unique.

4. McAfee Antivirus Scan Now!
http://home.mcafee.com/Downloads/FreeScan.aspx?ctst=1

5. Bit Defender Scan Now!

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html

6. Eset NOD32 Scan Now!

http://www.eset.com/onlinescan/

7. Avast Online Scanner Scan Now!

http://onlinescan.avast.com/

8. Panda Security Scan Now!
http://www.pandasecurity.com/usa/homeusers/solutions/activescan/default.htm?track=80383
“Panda” scanner will save us from popular viruses. Another good thing is that it scans our e-mail too. But on the other hand, this scanner doesn’t perfectly detect Trojans and backdoors.

9. Trend Micro Housecall!

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
If you are being attacked by popular viruses, than you need to scan your PC with Trend Micro Housecall. This scanner easily finds and kills popular viruses. But on the other hand, rare viruses usually aren't found by “Housecall” and Trojan horses escape too. “Rootkits” has even bigger chance to hide from this program.

10. Computer Associates Scan Now!
http://www.ca.com/us/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx

11. Virus Total
http://www.virustotal.com/

12. F-Secure Online Virus Scanner
http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/ols.shtml

The following online scanners were tested
F-Secure, Trend Micro, Symantec, Panda, BitDefender and Windows Defender scanners were tested.

Which one is the best?
No virus will survive against BitDefender. Program perfectly kills viruses, Trojan horses and backdoor programs. Spyware and rootkits has a better chance to hide from BitDefender, that’s why I also recommend scanning your PC with an anti-spyware.You should use Internet Explorer, because other browsers are not supported. If you are using Firefox 19, you can install an extension, which is called “IE tab”. It will make BitDefender think, that you are using IE.

13. Dr.Web Online Scanner
http://online.drweb.com/

DrWeb is another PC security product from Russia. The desktop version of DrWeb is very popular in Russia and CIS countries - and there must be serious reasons for that. DrWeb offers to scan single files - the webpage is as simple as possible, there's nothing on it except the "browse" button to specify the path to the target file.

14. a-squared malware web scanner

It's been a couple of months since EMSISOFT updated it's desktop a-squared anti-malware to version 4.0, and now the company decided to join the army of online virus scanners!a-squared web malware scanner offers anyone to check computers for Trojan Viruses, Worms, Backdoors, Rootkits, Spyware/Adware, Keyloggers, Dialers, Hacking Tools, Riskware and TrackingCookies. All you need to run this tool is Internet Explorer with ActiveX enabled and a stable Internet connection.a-squared online scanner requirements:

* Windows XP or Windows Vista;Windows7 and Windows8.
* Internet Explorer 5.0+
* User account with administrator privileges;
* 32-bit system .
* 64-bit system
Upon first scan you will be prompted to install a-squared ActiveX components. Agree to that.
http://malwarescan.emsisoft.com/

15.AhnLab MyV3 Online Anti-Virus Scanner
http://global.ahnlab.com/global/products/myv3.html

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The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

The 1st Commandment
Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
In the age of information and/or the digital age, more and more personal information is available online.  From financial to personal, information online is the property of the individual and entities that they share it with and no others.

The 2nd Commandment
Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
With greater and higher speed access the user is to benefit and incorporate these advances in technology for the betterment of their work and for the collaboration with others.

The 3rd Commandment
Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.
Again with the increase in speed and access it is left to the user to continue their use in an ethical manner.

The 4th Commandment
Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
With other commandments and with the advancement of technologies it is to the user to utilize equipment in a manner in which benefits the Web 2.0 community.

The 5th Commandment
Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
Computers, cell phones, chat rooms, instant messenging, blogs, wikis…. Daily there are multiple means and options to post information for the global community to see.  It is the responsibility of the user to utilize these powerful tools to benefit this global community.

The 6th Commandment
Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid.
For those looking for “free” software and applications, Web 2.0 applications provide users with “free” and “open” applications which users can utilize in an ethical manner and at no cost.

The 7th Commandment
Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.
With the drop of costs and the increase in capabilities computer access in more common than ever.  Even with an atmosphere of openness users must remember to simply ask permission when using equipment.

The 8th Commandment
Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
The Creative Commons community allows users and creators of information quick and easy use in identifying the usability of their work.

The 9th Commandment
Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing.
As users and programmers collaborate from around the world it is with the intentions of betterment of the world that they continue their work.

The 10th Commandment
Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for your fellow humans.
Computers are powerful tools that can and will be used to share knowledge with the global community.  It is left to the user to consider their purpose.

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