Computer Basics
This page describes frequently asked questions and misconceptions about computers.
Table of Contents:
What do we mean by 'Restart'?
What we mean: The power-off option that explicitly says 'Restart'.
What we do not mean: Close the lid, 'Shut Down', 'Sleep', 'Reset', 'Sign Out', etc.
Restarting reboots several important computer processes in a way that none of the similar options do. This is useful for when you want your computer to update, refresh, kill a program that is starting to do strange things from running too long, etc.
There are times when the other options are applicable, but restarting the computer is a great way to start troubleshooting.
When should you update your device?
Having wireless connectivity issues? Update. Can't access certain websites? Update. Installing available updates is the second biggest troubleshooting step for most issues, right under restarting.
Updates are important! Your device has to communicate with hundreds of external services on a daily basis, and not installing updates creates a language barrier that only gets worse over time. Websites and applications might provide support for the last few years of outdated versions, but there is always a point where support is cut and older devices can no longer communicate.
A good analogy is to try reading the original text of Beowulf. It's in English, but it's so old that the average modern English speaker can't make sense of it.
What are the downsides to using autofill?
Password managers aren't evil, but people often rely on them a bit too much. If you use any form of program that remembers your login information, please keep in mind the following:
1.) Password manager programs are not perfect. Sometimes they try to use a login for the wrong site. Sometimes they glitch out and block important page elements.
2.) Having your password saved drastically increases the chances that you don't actually know your password, since you're not typing it in multiple times a day.
3.) It might have an incorrect or expired password saved. Chrome's password manager asks you if you want to save a password even if the login fails.
4.) Deleting the autofilled information and typing in your own could still lead to the site acting as if the autofilled information was passed. If you think this might be the case for you, clear your browser's cache & cookies, and delete old saved passwords.
Is this a scam email?
Every time a new phishing scam gets sent out, we get dozens of clients asking whether the emails are legitimate or not. 9 times out of 10, the answer is the following:
Always check the "from" address. Password expiration warnings and other "your account is going to be deleted" announcements will not come from some random person's address - that includes @colostate.edu emails. Most CSU groups you'll receive announcements from have a shared email address with a display name indicating the group's title, not a person's name.
As far as general guidelines, here are some we've compiled for determining the validity of emails yourself:
1.) Should you even be getting this email?
Don't have a Netflix account? Don't respond to the email saying your fees are overdue. If someone used your email address for a website or service, that's on them. If the emails get annoying and you think it might be legitimate, find the contact information for the service through your preferred search engine (not from any links in the email itself) and notify them of the issue. Or just block the sender.
2.) How professional does it look?
This isn't an exact science - sometimes websites have poor formatting for their emails. But coupled with the other guidelines, it can be a dead giveaway that something is up. Impersonal or informal language, spelling errors, and weird formatting are important to look out for.
3.) Check the sender's address. Who are they?
As said before, checking the "from" address and questioning whether it makes sense is a great way to weed out a poorly-formatting (but legitimate) email from a scam.
Is it supposed to be from within your organization, but sent from some random address? Is there a slight variation from what you would expect (colostate@helpdesk.com vs. help@colostate.edu)? Does the address have a bunch of seemingly-random numbers in it?
4.) What are they asking for?
Do they want your username? Password? SSN? Bank account number? Always be suspicious of emails that ask for such sensitive information without warning.
5.) Are they trying to scare you? Excite you?
Extremely tight deadlines, ALL CAPS, threats of deactivation, and too-good-to-be-true offers are some of the ways that scammers attempt to get you to act on impulse rather than thinking rationally about what they're asking. If the email attempts to elicit a gut reaction (positive or negative), take a step back.
If you're still unsure, send us an email with a screenshot or forwarded copy of the potential scam.