I don’t know about you,
but I am finding myself constantly looking to download information; educational
tools, songs, videos, and games from a variety of available sites. There are
numerous sites advertising free media downloads. My biggest concern is, how safe
are these sites? How can I be sure that I am not downloading viruses or spyware
onto my computer?
According to the
“Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the classroom” book, there simply
is no way to totally protect your computer from viruses. Some suggestions from
Shelly (2008) to help prevent viruses from being downloaded and corrupting your
computers are:
Installing
dependable antivirus software
Installing dependable
firewall protection
Scanning of USB flash
drives
Scanning of any files
which are downloaded from the internet
Scanning of any attached
files before opening them
Do not use or download
illegal copies of software
Constantly back up
files!!!!!(2008).
(Allmyapps,2012)
Along with reading books
about safety measures, I also speak with people who work with computers on a
regular basis about the best ways of avoiding viruses. My husband, who was a computer programming
engineer, has constantly warned me not to download or open executable files, which are
files ending with .exe.
One of my favorite sites to download music and e-books from is the Volusia county public Library @ http://volusialibrary.org/ . This site allows people with active library cards to download 3 free songs every week. I also download a new hidden picture from Highlight Magazine once a month from Highlights for Children <highlightsemail@bridge.highlights.com.
Although we have a
wonderful opportunity to acquire a variety of media for work and pleasure from
multiple sources, we must use caution when downloading. Until downloading can
be made totally safe we must not act impulsively. As much as I would like to download every crazy Halloween song I hear, I will download them from only sites which seem safe such as the Volusia County library site.
What
are some of the sites you think are safe to download from?
References
Allmyapps.
(2012). [Antivirus security]. Retrieved October 12, 2012, from
http://allmyapps.com/pages/best-antivirus-apps
Shelly,
G. B. (2008). Teachers discovering computers: Integrating technology and
digital media in the classroom (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Thomson/Course
Technology.
Jodie
ReplyDeleteThis is a big concern of mine, especially now that I am more involved in technology. I have even gone ahead and bought A Mac because I was told it is less likely to get a virus. Of course that is not a guarantee but its a start. In the past I have invested in the virus protection software and that even failed. Nothing is 100% but staying informed and being vigillant is the best we can do. Thank you for the tips.
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I enjoyed reading your blog. As teachers and students we are constantly looking for new material and tools to download. I also tend to be very cautious when it comes to downloading information form a site that I am not familiar with. I have recently bought a new laptop and am using Norton Internet Security as a measure to protect against unwanted viruses. What is also great about this blog is that so many people will contact you with websites that they use. This will provide you and your readers with new resources.
ReplyDeleteJodi
ReplyDeleteAs a new teacher, I am constantly looking for good resources to download and don't necessarily know which sites are safe to download from. Unfortunately, the virus protection software failed on my laptop, making it an over-priced paperweight now! Like Araceli, I bought a Mac in hopes of decreasing my chance of getting a virus. Macs don't guarantee that you won't get a virus, but I feel safer knowing that I'm less likely to get one. I like your suggestion of downloading music and e-books from the public library website; I hadn't thought of that until you mentioned it. Thank you for your tips and safe resource suggestions!
Downloading blindly can have terrible consequences. I am a prime example. I am a music and video guy. I play in a band and I am always looking for tutorial videos and files to help my playing. One day, I was in a rush to find a video on musical scales...one thing led to another...and BOOM. My computer has not worked the same since then. I get pop-ups, computer shut down, files corrupted. It is crazy. And frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI think the main thing that I need to do is use GOOD QUALITY virus protection software when I get a new computer. Next, I need to NOT download from random sites. I think you get what you pay for...
Mike