Top 10 computer mistakes users make

How to avoid common computer mistakes made by users for business or personal use.

1. Not saving work

At some point in our lives, we are all guilty of having forgotten to save our work. Hours and hours of work, time and money disappeared in a matter of seconds. Whether you’re working online or offline try to get into the habit of saving your work every 10 minutes rather than just at the end, even if your computer program is automatically saving your work. You can never be sure when a power loss or computer crash will occur. It’s better to be safe then sorry you didn’t.

2. Not backing up files
The most common mistake people make is not backing up their computer or entire business system infrastructure. Computer crashes, virus infections, hard drive failures, physical computer damage and theft can all happen and when you least expect them to.

Backing up data doesn’t stop these problems from arising but in cases where they do arise, data can be restored, full or partial recovery depends on what type of backup you have in place and how often its run.

3. Opening e-mail attachments without caution
People are frequently opening email attachments sent to them via email. However, not all people take caution when opening an email and downloading its content. One of the most common tactics of infecting a system is by creating a false sense of trust.

4. Falling for phishing, spam or chain emails
Most people are not aware of how phishing works. You can learn more about phishing here: ‘Know your enemies - A consumer’s guide to online threats’.

5. Downloading and installing bad software
Online users will often download FREE software to subsidise costs. Doing this can come with all sorts of problems if not careful with who or where you are getting the software from. If you do happen to download free software always be sure to do the following:

- See reviewer’s ratings from where you are downloading it from
- Download from the developer’s web page, or a reputable company.
- Avoid installing download manager if you can before you can continue with your download. This is a tactical way of installing malicious software on your system.
- Avoid clicking on ‘spam-like’ advertisements that are displayed on the download page.
- Read what the program is doing during the install.
- Never agree or install anything you are unsure of.

6. Failing to do regular system and software updates
If your system/software doesn’t automatically update, often enough it will prompt you for updates due. Ignorantly, people fail to keep their computer systems/software up-to-date. Installing the latest updates ensures your system/software is running smoothly and fix any security problems found.

7. Not protecting electricals
For safety purposes, users who plug their computer, laptop or smart device into a wall socket should consider using surge protectors. This helps users protect their computer from bad weather, damages or faulty wiring.

8. Buying incompatible hardware or peripherals
When seeking new or replacement hardware, users should be aware that not all hardware components are compatible. It’s important to do your research to see if it meets all your system requirements, try to stick with the same brand and avoid buying copies.

9. Turning the computer off improperly
Many people do not realise that by not shutting down your system properly can cause serious file damages. Always save work, make sure you close all applications running in the background and then power off.

10. Clicking next or ok without reading what they are agreeing to.
In a tech-driven world its common for people to work with the speed at their fingertips. Be aware that not having patience or time to read what you are agreeing to comes with great risk. A program that you did not intend to install on your machine could be a result of this.

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