Bài giảng Business Driven Technology - Technology plug-in T1 - Personal Productivity Using IT

TECHNOLOGY PLUG-IN T1Personal Productivity Using ITLEARNING OUTCOMESDescribe the four steps you can use to create a strong passwordIdentify three tips you can use to manage your filesExplain why you would use Microsoft’s backup and recovery utilityDescribe the six common email mistakesExplain spam and phishing and identify three ways that you can prevent eachLEARNING OUTCOMESExplain the primary uses of spyware and adwareIdentify three things you can do to maintain your computer and keep it running smoothlyExplain why you would install anti-virus protection softwareDescribe the need for a personal firewallINTRODUCTIONA number of things can be done to keep a personal computer running smoothly:Creating strong passwordsPerforming good file managementImplementing effective backup and recovery strategiesUsing Zip filesWriting professional emailsStopping spamINTRODUCTIONA number of things can be done to keep a personal computer running smoothly (cont):Preventing phishingDetecting spywareRestricting instant messagingIncreasing PC performanceUsing anti-virus softwareInstalling a personal firewallINTRODUCTIONCREATING STRONG PASSWORDSFour steps you can use to create strong passwords:Create strong passwords that you can rememberKeep your passwords a secretManage your passwordsMonitor your accountsCreate Strong Passwords That You Can RememberTo create a strong password come up with a passphraseA passphrase is a sentence that you can rememberExample: “My favorite group is Cold Play and my favorite song is Arches” You can make a strong password by using the first letter of each word of the sentenceExample: mfgicpamfsiaMake this password even stronger by using a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters that look like lettersExample: MfGicp&mfsi@Keep Your Passwords A SecretKeeping your passwords safe means keeping them a secretDo not give them to friends, and do not write them down and keep them at your desk or in an unprotected file on your computerBe wary when giving them to the Web site where you created the password in the first placeManage Your PasswordsThe safest password technique is to create a new, strong password for every Web site or log-in Create a handful of strong passwords and use those at sites you want to keep most secure, such as bank account, brokerage, or bill paying companyCreate another small set of easier to remember passwords that you can use everywhere elseMonitor Your AccountsMonitor all your monthly financial statements, and call the appropriate company or bank immediately to report issuesReview your credit report each yearPERFORMING GOOD FILE MANAGEMENTThe best way to manage files is to organize them into folders and then store in specific locationsTips for managing your files:Use My DocumentsLimit file name lengthArchive completed workUse shortcutsUse abbreviationsUse thumbnailsDo not save unnecessary filesUse My Recent DocumentsIMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE BACKUP AN RECOVERY STRATEGIESYou can unintentionally lose information on a computer in many waysA child playing the keyboard like a pianoA power surge, lightning, flood, and even equipment failureRegularly make backup copies of your files and keep them in a separate place, you can get some, if not all, of your information backDetermining What To Back UpDeciding what to back up is highly personalSome suggestions:Bank records and other financial informationDigital photographsSoftware purchased and downloaded from the InternetMusic purchased and downloaded from the InternetPersonal documentsEmail address bookHow To Back Up Your Computer FilesA simple backup in Windows XP requires no special software or skillsTo copy a file or folder, right-click on the file or folder and select Copy Choose the disk or drive where you want to store the duplicate copy, right-click again and then select PastePerform Regular BackupsHow often should you back up your data? If you use your computer occasionally, a weekly backup might be enoughIf you use your computer every day, a daily backup is a good ideaMicrosoft’s Backup And Recover UtilityBackup UtilityThe Backup Utility in Windows XP helps you protect your data if your hard disk fails or files are accidentally erased due to hardware or storage media failureRecovery ConsoleThe Recovery Console performs many tasks without starting Windows XP, including starting and stopping services, reading and writing information on a local disk drive, and formatting drivesUsing Zip FilesCompressing files, folders, and programs decreases their size and reduces the amount of spaceFolders that are compressed using the Compressed (zipped) Folders feature use less drive spaceWRITING PROFESSIONAL EMAILSSix common email mistakes to avoid:Failing to follow email etiquetteAttempting anonymitySending email to the wrong personUsing one email for everythingClicking “Send” too fastForgetting the attachmentSTOPPING SPAMSpam is junk emailSpim is unwanted instant messageDelete junk email without opening themDo not reply to spam unless you are certain that the message comes from a legitimate resourceThink twice before opening attachmentsDo not buy anything or give to any charity promoted through spamDo not forward chain email messagesPREVENTING PHISHINGThieves use a method known as phishing to send email or instant message spam that meticulously imitates messages from reputable, well-known companiesThe forged message capitalizes on your trust of the respected brandHow Does Phishing Work?A phishing scam sent by email may start with con artists who send millions of email messages that appear to come from popular Web sites or sites that you trustThe email messages, pop-up windows, and Web sites they link to appear official Unsuspecting people respond to these requests for their credit card numbers, passwords, account information, or other personal dataHow Does Phishing Work?Help Prevent Identity Theft From Phishing ScamsSome guidelines to help protect yourself from these phishing scams:Report suspicious emailBe wary of clicking on links in email messagesType addresses directly into your browser or use your personal bookmarksCheck the security certificateDo not enter personal or financial information into pop-up windowsDETECTING SPYWARESpyware is a general term used for software that performs certain behaviors without appropriately obtaining your consentYou might have spyware if:You see pop-up advertisements even when you are not on the WebThe page your Web browser first opens to or your browser search settings have changed without your knowledgeYou notice a new toolbar in your browser that you didn’t want, and find it difficult to get rid ofYour computer takes longer than usual to complete certain tasksYou experience a sudden rise in computer crashesHow To Get Rid Of SpywareTo remove spyware:Download a spyware removal tool (such as Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware)Run the tool to scan your computer for spyware and other unwanted softwareReview the files discovered by the tool for spyware and other unwanted softwareSelect suspicious files for removal by following the tool’s instructionsRESTRICTING INSTANT MESSAGESA computer infected by a virus may continue to spread the infection by sending copies to everyone on your IM contact listSteps to help avoid IM virusesBe careful downloading files in IMUpdate Windows softwareMake sure you are using an updated version of IM softwareUse anti-virus software and keep it updatedUse anti-spyware software and keep it updateRESTRICTING INSTANT MESSAGESINCREASING PC PERFORMANCETo maintain your computer and keep it running smoothly, follow these guidelines:Free disk spaceSpeed up access to dataDetect and repair disk errorsFree Disk SpaceBy freeing disk space, you can improve the performance of your computerUse the Disk Cleanup Utility to:Remove temporary Internet filesRemove downloaded program filesEmpty the Recycle BinRemove Windows temporary filesRemove optional Windows components that you do not useRemove installed programs that you no longer useTo Use Disk CleanupClick Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk CleanupIf several drives are available, you might be prompted to specify which drive you want to cleanDisk Cleanup calculates the amount of space you will be able to freeIn the Disk Cleanup for dialog box, scroll through the content of the Files to delete listTo Use Disk CleanupChoose the files that you want to delete, Clear the check boxes for files that you do not want to delete, and then click OKWhen prompted to confirm that you want to delete the specified files, click YesAfter a few minutes, the process completes and the Disk Cleanup dialog box closesTo Use Disk CleanupSpeed Up Access To DataDisk fragmentation slows the overall performance of your systemWhen files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when the file is opened to piece it back togetherThe response time can be significantly longerTo Use Disk DefragmenterClick Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.Click Analyze to start the Disk Defragmenter In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click the drives that you want to defragment, and then click the Analyze buttonTo defragment the selected drive or drives, click the Defragment buttonTo Use Disk DefragmenterAfter the defragmentation is complete, Disk Defragmenter displays the resultsTo display detailed information about the defragmented disk or partition, click View ReportTo close the View Report dialog box, click CloseTo close the Disk Defragmenter utility, click the Close button on the title bar of the windowTo Use Disk DefragmenterDisk Defragmenter for Windows VistaDetect and Repair Disk ErrorsThe Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplacedTo Run the Error Checking UtilityImportant: Be sure to close all files before running the Error Checking utilityClick Start, and then click My ComputerIn the My Computer window, right-click the hard disk you want to search for bad sectors, and then click PropertiesDetect and Repair Disk ErrorsIn the Properties dialog box, click the Tools tabClick the Check Now buttonIn the Check Disk dialog box, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click StartIf bad sectors are found, you will be prompted to fix themDetect and Repair Disk ErrorsUSING ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWAREA virus is basically a malicious computer programThe effects of viruses differ, some either modify, delete, or steal data, and others may give control of your PC over to their creators via the InternetA worm refers to a virus that can replicate and spread by itself over a network (the Internet for instance)Anti-Virus SoftwareThere are three main types of viruses in circulation: Boot sector virusesMacro virusesFile infecting virusesVirus Definition FilesAnti-virus software usually works by checking a file for certain patterns of binary codeThe patterns used to identify viruses are stored in what is known as a virus definition fileAnti-virus products :McAfee VirusScan (www.mcafee.com)Norton Anti-virus (www.symantec.com)Virus Definition FilesCell Phone VirusesCell phone viruses are at the threshold of their effectivenessAt present, they cannot spread very far and they don’t do much damage, but the future might see cell phone bugs that are as debilitating as computer virusesINSTALLING A PERSONAL FIREWALLA firewall is simply a program or hardware device that filters the information coming through the Internet connection into a computerIf an incoming packet of information is flagged by the filters, it is not allowed throughTo Open Windows FirewallTo Open Windows FirewallClick Start and then click Control PanelClick Windows FirewallWindows XP Firewall SettingsWindows Vista Firewall Settings