Computer myths

Top 5 PC Myths and Legends There are a great many myths floating around the internet related to computers which I bet most of us have given credence to in the past. Here is my personal top 5 of PC myths and legends some of which are true and some not.

5. Can your microwave oven affect your wifi connection? Myth: Microwave ovens can affect wifi signals and hinder your surfing on the internet.

Reality: TRUE. Don't be surprised if your wifi connection goes down when a nearby microwave oven is turned on. Microwave ovens possess a radio antenna emitting at a 2.450MHz. These radio waves are usually confined within the oven's case, but sometimes a small amount can leak out. Considering that your wifi network operates on a 2.4 GHz frequency, these radio frequency interferences may result in a decrease in performance of your network connection (downloading files or surfing on the Internet become slow and unreliable). Note: Microwaves aren't the only thing operating at 2.4GHz. Cordless phones, remote control toys, wireless speakers, and even baby monitors can be found clogging up this radio band.

4. It is possible to know who blocked you on MSN? MSN Messenger is an application allowing you to talk through Windows Messenger, Windows live messenger etc. It is however possible to give your status to your list of contacts. You can also block the contact of your contacts. Myth: It is possible to know who blocked me on MSN.

Reality: FALSE. Many sites offer to tell you who has blocked you on MSN by asking you: • Your MSN ID (often your personal email address); • Your password; • Your secret question and answer. Careful: These sites are misleading and it is recommended never to give personal identification on the Internet. It is however a scam with the aim of stealing your account, access your emails, passwords, etc. These sites can even install software / virus without your consent. Do not trust them, under any circumstances:

This technique is called phishing. It’s not just MSN. Other sites are fraudulent and will attempt to steal your login details to banks, PayPal, insurance, etc...

Note: If one of your friends has invited you to subscribe to one of these sites, it is recommended that you tell them to immediately change their password.

3. Phone and laptop batteries should be completely emptied from time to time to be effective. Myth: Mobile phone and laptop batteries need to be fully discharged from time to time to keep them effective.

Reality: FALSE. (This can even be destructive to the equipment). The battery type Lithium-ion should not be completely discharged, and can even cause some to become unusable.

It is not recommended to fully discharge the battery and can cause 20% loss of its capacity! This is because the batteries are connected to a complex electronic circuit that is constantly fed. Also, a total discharge of the battery leads to a degradation of chemical elements within the battery. For laptops, in Windows XP, Vista or 7 just adjust the battery discharge by going to the Control Panel, then Power Options. Note: If storing a laptop over a long period without use, charge them to around 40 and 60% and store them in a cool place.

2. Can I get a free domain name?

A domain name is a distinctive name given to a particular website on the Internet to enable its identification and location. Domain names usually have separated parts that compose their URL.

Myth: As the webhosting services are growing, users also have in mind that they can obtain a domain name for free on the Internet. This will then allow them to get a personalized URL but that will have the domain address of their own.

Reality: TRUE (But at a cost). If you want to obtain a domain name of your own, you will be asked to either register with your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or another domain name provider on the Internet.

You should bear in mind that there is a big difference between web hosting and domain name. Webhosting is a service that allows users to store their contents on an address provided by the webhosting services themselves. Hence, if you decide to get free webhosting, this is easy and hassle-free. You simply have to register with a web hosting service provider and the job is done.

If you have acquired a domain name then it means that you have purchased it from your ISP or from a domain name service provider. Even websites that advertise free domain names either require a payment for the subscription to the website or they will ask you to display several advertisements on the website. Hence, if you do not meet these conditions by generating enough traffic on the website, you might lose the website quickly. Note: I would strongly suggest those registering for a domain name for a company or business purposes not to seek for free domain names. Contact your ISP to clear any doubts about the registration of domain names.

1. Is “[...]” the most searched topic on the Internet? Myth: With the fast rise of pornographic materials on the Internet, it has been set in everybody's mind that [...] is the most queried through search engines. This idea is backed up by some online articles, describing how [...] has affected the world as it is becoming more accessible through Internet tools.

Reality: FALSE. Search engines have gathered a database, which have been made public, of the most searched topics on the Internet year after year. And to our great surprise, [...] does not seem to be present in the top 10 searches on the Internet. With time and technological advances, it can now be proved that [...] is not the only thing that the Internet offers and many users have understood and proved it through the numbers that you can find in the links below:

Google: http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/zeitgeist/archive.html

Yahoo!: http://buzz.yahoo.com/

AOL: http://hotsearches.aol.com/

That concludes my top 5 Myths related to the world of computers. I am sure there are some things you will agree with and some that you won’t, so power up your PC and check out Google if you want. Oh and by the way, the most searched topic on the internet? “Weather” of course.