Family Computer

From science fiction to a part of life

Just about anywhere you look you can see a computer or a web address. Not so long ago the first computers were being developed. They were monstrosities that could take up a room. When I was little televisions still had tubes. In school we were told the wristwatch phone that James Bond used in the movies was science fiction and would remain so. Technology changed though. Electronics got smaller and smaller. Now it is possible to make a phone call from a watch. Now not only do many homes have a t.v. in nearly every room but some homes have just as many computers. They are in our homes and cars. They can even control homes, cars, and about everything that is powered by electricity.

Although computers can be convenient and simplify some task there are also problems that come with them. Not only must we guard against a computer virus, adware, and spyware but we must guard our children and ourselves from online predators. If you have children but have no computer in your home that doesn't mean they don't have access to one. They probably have friends with one and computers are in just about every school.

The dangers we face from computers come from being connected to the internet. To avoid the dangers don't get internet. Let's face it though. No matter how much a computer can do they just don't seem much fun or sometimes much use if there is no internet connection. You can test that on your children. Disconnect the internet and see how long it takes them to forget the computer and head for the console game system. That home computer is interesting for the first few days out of the box. After that not so much. You need that connection if you want to send e-mail or download music. Also some of the programs you buy may not work on your machine unless you get patches or updates for the program or computer. If you can't download the patch you will have to try and get it from the program or computer vendor. That is if you even know why the program is not working. Usually the answer to why it isn't working comes from searching the internet.

This section of Along The Way will contain articles and links to help deal with the dangers from the internet. Also a few tips for your home computer and some information on free software. Yes Free Software.