English for Wizards

Don't be bugged by viruses

By John Moore

コンピューター関連の漫画が豊富なディルバート

These days, computer viruses are in the news again, like "Sobig.F" and "Blaster." I hope they don't scare you. My message for today is: "Keep on using the Internet. Don't worry."

A few months ago my son Peter came running into the living room with a worried face and said his computer would not start. Right away I said, "Take it easy. It's not your fault." And in fact there was really nothing wrong. He just had to remove a disk from the floppy drive. That's all.

Recently, Peter's aunt also rang complaining that her computer had got that new virus. When she took the computer to a repair shop, though, she found out that it was nothing exotic or exciting like a virus. Her computer was just broken.

Everybody relax, OK? Computers go crazy sometimes. That's normal, and it's not your fault.

Of course, there are a few simple things you can do to keep your computer in shape. You can try doing Windows Update (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com). You can refuse to open any e-mail attachments. Even better, you can keep backup copies of all your important files. That way, when your machine breaks, you can restore everything.

But the most important thing is to keep on enjoying the fun and interesting stuff that computers offer. You don't even need to learn technical computer know-how, unless you want to. It's OK.

On the other hand, if you do learn more new ways to use your computer, you might get more out of it. A good place to browse for basic computer tips, for example, is Newbie.org (www.newbie.org). Its main page offers different sections for users of different levels. You can find friendly advice about computer security, and it's all written in easy English.

If you want to brush up on computer vocabulary, try clicking on "Words to Know" on the right side of the Newbie.org main page. You'll see a helpful glossary.

But enough of this technical stuff! I want to have fun. So how about some cartoons?

Dilbert often has funny jokes about computers. For a whole archive of Dilbert strips, go to http://dilbert.com. You can enjoy it for hours. There are also Dilbert online games, a Dilbert newsletter, e-mail greeting cards and more.

But maybe Dilbert is a bit hard to understand. No problem. If you go to UComics (www.ucomics.com/comics/), you'll have a choice of over 100 American comic strips, including many easy ones. Let's relax and enjoy ourselves!

Shukan ST: Sept. 19, 2003

(C) All rights reserved