Shocking Facts about Updating Your PC Operating System

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By:Jason Frovich

From "ignorance is bliss" to "surprise attack and disaster" - how

many thousands of Internet users have experienced this

frustration and grief?

This raises the obvious question: "Why haven't they prepared to

avoid it?"

The startling fact is that there are many long term Internet users

who have never even considered updating their Operating

Systems and protective Safe-ware.

Perhaps the complexity of it all contributes to what might be

described as User apathy - or indifference and a lack of enthusiasm

toward the following:

* The news of yet another vulnerability or patch process.

* The potential damage to computer, personal information and

reputation - i.e. the "It can't happen to me" attitude.

* Their own abilities - i.e. "I'm too old, too dumb, too whatever - to

learn how to fix a computer without breaking something."

* Updating - i.e. "My computer came with an anti-virus program, so

why does it need to be updated now?"

The sad fact is that the lack of confidence people have in their

ability to build a defense often leads to a reluctance to even accept

the reality of Cyber Threats.

Some of the lesser-experienced Internet users rationalize their

lack of action with pessimism, even defeatism. Human nature often

supports these excuses with defensive attitudes and mis-beliefs

like:

* False sense of disaster support - "My nephew, neighbor, son or

whoever, is a computer whizz. They'll be able to fix the problem if

anything ever happens."

* Scepticism - "All this talk about viruses is just so the "news

people" will have information for publishing, and so the software

manufactureres can scare people into buying more of their

products."

* Ignorance (of the extent of deception, skills and sophistication

that the malicious hackers have attained).

* Disbelief (that personal computer might be infected and used by

others to spread malicious viruses and worms). "My computer

seems to be working ok - a little slow, maybe, but it is getting

pretty old."

* Overwhemed (too many choices with firewalls, anti-virus, anti-

spam, anti-spyware, Trojan removers). "Why do I need all of these

and which ones should I use?" or "Do I really need to update my

Operating System, my anti virus, spam, spyware stuff?"...I'll just

never learn how to do all of this.

* Expense (How much will all this cost and is it really necessary?)

* Fatalism - "Hey, if it's going to happen, it will, and I'll just junk my

computer and get another one. Mine's getting kind of old,

anyway."

Here, then, are the Shocking facts about updating PC Operating

Systems.

There are many unaware Internet users who have been online for

years, but lack in these ares:

* They don't know what "Updating" really means.

* They have never responded to the popup message associated

with the icon in the Task tray that announces new Windows

Updates.

* They have never clicked on the Windows Update icon in the

Program Start menu.

* They have never visited the Microsoft Windows Update web

page at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.

* They have never updated their PC Operating Systems.

Even if they have been able to navigate to the Microsoft Update

webpage, many just throw up their hands in despair at the

overwhelming number of choices and unknowns, such as:

* Choosing what to update from the long list of options.

* Waiting for Windows to check the registry for available updates.

* Deciphering the Update descriptions (and instructions).

* Selecting or Removing the necessary options.

* Starting the download.

And oftentimes, many people have never even used the Windows

Help information to find out how to update their computer

Operating Systems.

How many self taught or untrained computer users are going to

persevere through all of the hassle described above? Is it any

wonder so many computers become infected? The criminal Hackers

building their bot and zombie armies have nearly an open and

undefended playing field; many are using it every day to steal

money and identities.

So, what is the solution to this problem?

If individuals with computer "understanding" would help and assist

others with less knowledge, there would probably be less of a

problem.

Nearly everyone who has faithfully kept their PC Operating

Systems and Safe-ware up to date surely has family members and

friends who could benefit from an hour or so of basic instructions.

This would make it much more difficult for the criminal Hackers to

compromise another persons computer.

Hacker's would eventually be faced with a growing number of

adequately protected computers, educated Users and hopefully

would finally give-up trying!

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Article keywords: spyware removal, free spyware, adware removal

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