Hi Friends, I came across this super cool article in mumbaimirror about the common myths we have about computers!
Techno myths!
What’s common between the Lochness monster, Bigfoot and cancer caused by radiation from a computer monitor? That’s right, they’re all myths!
Myth: Cookies from websites are tracking my every move
Reality: Not true. Cookies do track your activities on a website. But they are simple things which will make sure your next visit to the site is simple and hassle free. Cookies are basically small text files that help the browser remember specific information like your id and password, preferences, shopping cart information etc. Plus they are usually deleted when you shut down your browser. But if you still want to be paranoid about them you can load up Internet Explorer click on tools | internet options | privacy | advanced and click on override automatic cookie handling. But doing this will severely hamper your surfing.
Myth: Viruses affect only .exe and .com files
Reality:Well this statement would have been true a couple of years ago. But viruses have made considerable progress since then. They now can also affect the boot sector (the first sector on a hard drive that boots up the machine, prepping it for the OS), .sys, .bin and they even come in the form of windows document files (.doc) … basically anything that can be executed. So installing a good virus scanner and scanning all files that are not originally from your computer is always a good idea. This brings us to our third myth.
Myth: If I install a virus scanner all my worries are over
Reality: Installing a virus scanner isn’t the end of your troubles in fact. If not regularly updated a virus scanner itself will be prone to newer viruses, which it cannot detect. Hence you must always update you virus scanner on a regular basis, or whenever prompted to.
Myth: Radiation from my computer monitor will give me cancer.
Reality: No! It won’t. In fact I suggest you go and beat the person who told you this so they won’t spread this stupid rumour further. Radiation from your cell phone might give you a brain tumor, but a monitor is harmless. The radiation from your monitor is too weak and also at a different frequency, so rest assure you are totally safe.
Myth: No magnets near my computer please.
Reality: LOL (that’s Laugh Out Loudly for you non-SMS-junkies)! This would have been true in the case of a floppy, but a hard drive and laptop are immune to magnetic radiation because they aren’t magnetic. And neither are thumbdrives, memory cards and CDs, so don’t get hyper and go crazy with those fridge magnets.
Myth: Shouting on your phone will guarantee you will be heard on the other side
Reality: If a person can’t hear you on the other side, then the probable cause is a lack of signal. Cell phones nowadays are advanced enough to pick up even the smallest whispers. So shouting on the phone doesn’t do anything but cause an annoyance to people around you, which can be fun at times.
Myth: You have to completely discharge the batteries on your phone for better battery life.
Reality: Though this issue was extensively covered by us. I would still like to clarify for people who missed the article on battery-life that this myth is in fact incorrect. Most batteries nowadays are lithium-ion batteries, which actually are better off being charged with a little power left in them. The batteries that required the complete drain were the nickel cadmium batteries which are now practically extinct.
Myth: You must shut down your PC every couple of hour so it can rest
Reality: Ok shutting down your PC every few hours may actually be harmful to your PC. Components in the PC are most stressed when they have to either boot or shut down. Doing that every few hours will keep it under constant stress. Though this doesn’t mean you must keep your computer on forever. Operating systems do need a shut down once in a while, because even the best OS’ crash if not given a rest.
Myth: Laptops make men infertile
Reality: This one sort of true , so guys you might want to keep those laptops away from your lap just in case. Preliminary studies have been carried on small groups showing that the temperature in the genitals actually increase when a laptop is being used. Heat and sperm don’t get along so well ultimately over time this may cause infertility. Well till they know better I am going to use my laptop on a desk.
