The Wear-and-Tear Myth:

Have you ever heard that computers naturally become slower as they get older? Or that crashes are normal? This is simply not true. A mechanical device such as a car may run for many years, but as time goes on the loss of performance and reliability from wear-and-tear becomes obvious. Computer components don't wear out in the same way. In fact, a properly maintained computer should continue to run as well as it did the day it was bought.  Unexplained slowdown and crashes are a strong warning sign that something's not right and it's time to have your computer checked out.

Your First Line of Defense:

In the past, email and floppy disks were the primary way viruses and other nasties spread. These days, they most commonly come right from the websites you visit. As such, the first line of defense for your computer is your web browser. Microsoft Internet Explorer is the browser of choice for most people, and as such, most virus authors target it exclusively. Using an alternate browser such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Opera is a great way to minimize your risk. No matter what browser you choose though, it's critical to ensure your browser is always kept up to date with the latest version.

Preventative Medicine:

Viruses are always a concern these days. When your computer gets infected personal files can be stolen or lost, your computer may slow to a crawl, or ads may start appearing in places they should not be. The best way to prevent viruses before they can cause permanent damage to your personal files or software is to install an antivirus program. This is the final line of defense against viruses. Though antivirus software is very effective, it can only stop viruses it is already is aware of. For this reason it is important to keep it updated. Thankfully this is usually automatic these days. I recommend Norton Antivirus and Microsoft Security Essentials, the latter of which is free for most Windows users.

Beware of E-mail Attachments:

An easy way to send someone a file is by attaching it to an e-mail. Unfortunately, scammers and virus authors are aware of how easy it is, too. For almost a decade now, unsolicited e-mail attachments have been infecting computers. They claim to be something they are not. It is trivial to spoof the name of people in your contacts list so it looks like it is from someone you know as well. The best way to know an unsolicited attachment is safe is to verify what it is, where it came from, and why it is being sent. Go ahead and call the friend that sent it to you. Make sure they actually sent it. Also, make sure they didn't just pass along an unsolicited attachment that they received.

Bundled Software, A Hidden Danger:

Found a great new program you want to install? Watch out for bundled software. Many freeware (and even some pay-for) programs have begun to "bundle" advertising software or spyware with their applications. This unwanted software can install silently in the background as the program you actually wanted is being installing. With any new software, it is critical to read those obnoxiously long license agreements and any screens the installer presents you with. These will usually tell you if there's something there you may not want. It is also a good idea to research any program you're not familiar with online - see what other people have to say about it!