Using the Family Computer

Even without getting on the Internet, there are still plenty of opportunities to get in trouble if you don't know the proper way to use a computer.

Theft of Software

Software is a set of instructions that make computers do what we want, like play games, run income tax programs or design birthday cards. Software comes on compact discs or can be downloaded. It can often be installed on more than one computer. For that reason, it is very easy to give to other people.

Giving away or accepting such software is theft. You'll probably never get caught, but it is theft nonetheless. Many people would never think of shoplifting a candy bar from a grocery store, but are willing to give away or accept a $400 software program.

Preventing Viruses from Getting on the Family Computer

Viruses are computer programs written by malcontents whose sole purpose is to damage computers. A virus may do something as mild as put an odd message on your machine or it may cause you to lose all your data. Your computer can get a virus from downloading something off the Internet or by using a disk that came from a contaminated computer. Various manufacturers offer antivirus software that can catch most viruses, but this software works only if computer users know about it, take precautions and a new virus hasn't been written since your antivirus software.

In essence, any disks that are put into your computer should be checked, particularly those that come from schools, copy centers or any other multi-user locations. Any files downloaded from the Internet should be scanned as well. The virus protection software should be turned off only while installing new, just-out-of-the-box software.

Make sure that everyone in your family understands this. Viruses can affect everyone's files, folders and software. Although viruses aren't the end of the world and the vast majority are readily removed; they can take a lot of time and be a headache to fix.

Patrolling the Software Your Kids Use

Though there are software applications for almost anything, genealogy, cooking, calendars, you name it, most kids use computers to play games. Some are rather innocuous games in which kids send a character through increasingly difficult levels. Others, however, have very realistic simulations of violence and sex.

Boys seem to enjoy games in which they become characters whose mission is to wander through some sort of landscape, building or fantasy world, killing various bad guys who jump out from time to time and blast away. While in one sense, these games are just another sort of cops and robbers game that boys have always played, the shooting can get more realistic than some parents can stomach.

Realizing that most parents don't always know much about games, manufacturers have a rating system that evaluates games according to the content. Most games display the rating on the front and provide guidelines about the appropriate age for players.

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