Computer tips for seniors
By Doyle Voss, Director of Information Technology
The internet is full of people trying to take advantage of unsuspecting people, so internet safety needs to be a top concern. Below are some tips for seniors.
- Get Windows 10. Windows 10 has been around since 2015 and has since matured into a stable and secure platform. Microsoft is constantly updating and improving the software to keep it that way. Microsoft stopped support for Windows 7 in January of 2020, so no more “fixes,” “patches,” or improvements are coming out for that product.
- Update your software regularly. I mentioned above that Microsoft releases updates, patches, and fixes frequently, but it is your responsibility to make sure those updates get installed on your computer. You can configure Windows 10 to install the updates automatically or at your discretion, but I wouldn’t let your computer fall too far behind. Some are large updates and take a significant amount of time, so you want to stay current.
- Invest in a good antivirus software. A “paid” version is typically going to be a better choice and will be more thorough, but if you don’t want to pay for antivirus software, many decent FREE versions are available. Here is a list of the top 10 FREE antivirus software products of 2021, in order, according to the Antivirus Software Guide.
- TotalAV
- PCC Protect
- McAfee
- Bitdefender
- Norton
- Avast
- ScanGuard
- AVG
- Kaspersky
- Malwarebytes
- Use Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Firefox for browsing the internet. Internet Explorer is no longer considered to be safe and thus should not be used. Some websites will not even allow Internet Explorer to be used when browsing their sites.
- Avoid clicking on the pop windows that try to get your attention.
- Be careful when using email. Email is a tool that many seniors use to communicate with friends and family. Because of this, seniors are the targets of marketing campaigns and fundraising requests, as well as the more sinister types of schemes. Below are some things to consider BEFORE opening an email.
- Do you know the sender? If not, be very careful. Even if you do, don’t assume that the email is safe, as your friend’s email may have been hacked, or a hacker may have changed the email address slightly to look as though it came from your friend. Look for other signs that the email is dangerous.
- Does the subject line attempt to spur you to action or give you a sense of urgency? The sender is trying to get you to act without thinking it through clearly.
- Does the email request personal information? Reputable banks do not send you unsolicited mails asking for credentials, they do not use link-shortening services, and they will certainly not ask you to send your credit or debit card to them by (snail) mail. The IRS and Microsoft will not email you to tell you that you owe them money or that your computer has a virus.
- Are you expecting an attachment from the sender? Don’t open any attachments that you aren’t expecting. If the attachment is from a friend or someone with whom you work, ask the individual if he or she sent it before double-clicking.
- Where does the link go to? Links in an email can often take you to bad websites. HOVER your mouse over a questionable link, and the destination should pop up on the bottom of the screen before you click on the link.
- How are the grammar and spelling? If the email came from a reputable company, it will be professional. If it has lots of grammatical or spelling mistakes, be wary.