Tech Jargon III
A very warm welcome to my faithful readers...ahem...well, if there are any. Don't know how many actually read my series, but if I can make a difference to even a few people's confidence level by helping them feel like they can at least nod their way through a hi-tech conversation, I don't think I'm doing that bad a job. For those readers who have just started reading, welcome aboard! My mission here is to help you understand certain computer-related terms along with a dash of humor. Today let's talk about some of the annoying aspects of technology...spam, bugs and viruses!!! Spam: Here is a very irritating issue. Spam refers to bulk commercial e-mails posted to your inbox for advertising. That's right, they're those annoying emails advertising the beauty products, webcams…what not... "Buy our new innovative foot massager! Tried and tested for guaranteed comfort!". These spam mails usually tend to take up a lot of space in your inbox, and sometimes it may so happen that when your friend tries to send you an urgent mail, your inbox will be too full to accept the mail. The good news, however, is that there are special programs called antispams that can help you filter out spam from your email. Using this program, you can either block out spam or complain about it. (Spam is even illegal in some places). Most email services provide antispam facilities. However, be careful, these software can sometimes treat genuine email as spam too and block it. Trojan: A program similar to a virus, which is disguised as something harmless like a game, but when launched, it can actually sabotage your computer. This world is a cruel place!! Bug: Error, especially in a program that has been missed while the program was being tested. The story goes that the original bug was an insect that unfortunately had to come face to face with its sad demise while inside an electrical circuit of an early computer. This caused the computer to fail. However, it took the programmers ages to figure out what was causing the problem, and when they eventually found the bug, they thought of honoring the bug itself by making it a legend in the computer world. Hacker: A person who uses computers to access (hack) systems that they are not supposed to have access to, like bank accounts, military secrets, or even private files of regular people. The world is full of these malicious antisocial elements! Firewall: A program running on your computer that is dedicated to preventing hackers, spammers and similar undesirables from taking over your PC. A firewall is absolutely essential if you have an always-on internet connection. Nahid Akhter
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