Better be safe than sorry! Computer dangers

Most of us are afraid that computers can be dangerous and destroy
1. Our health
2. Our wealth
3. Our relationships
4. Our physical safety
5. Our mental well-being.

Let me tell you what I do to use computers safely:

1. Health and ergonomics
I do not use computers for long hours at a stretch. I take breaks in-between. I sit in a well lit room and adjust the monitor brightness so it does not burn my eyes. I sit at a comfortable height and work with my hands and neck placed at the right angles. I don't strain my wrists by continuous stress. I don't play sound too loud. I don't watch long movies or videos.

2. Financial safety
I do net banking and online purchases. I use HDFC Bank which prides itself on net safety. I use Visa card with 128 bit SSL along with Verified by Visa double security. After many years I can state I have never lost a penny because of computer thieves. Once, someone in Amsterdam at a store used my credit card to steal some 28000 rupees. I lodged a complaint with Amex over phone and they refunded the amount to me. But this was Card theft and not computer theft.

3. Social risks
I do not risk myself hobnobbing with strangers on Facebook or Twitter or Yahoo Messenger. I protect my phone number and address in all online chats etc. I believe the mobile phone poses in general a bigger risk. But I have so far faced no issues.

4. Physical safety
I have logical reasons to believe that my physical safety is assured by my life-style and social circles. I am helped by not being too rich or too adventurous. No added risk due to computers.

5. Mental well-being
When I read about people having insane lives driven by computer excesses and watching bad stuff etc. I do see all those dangers. Luckily I am a sober and uninteresting creature of safe habits.

Well, what about VIRUSES? I use AVG SECURITY free licence since 2009. I have had nothing lost due to viruses. I back up data on a removable USB hard disk regularly.I store a lot of personal data on a free Drop Box account. So far I have not lost data or programs to viruses or crashes.
The Apple computer and iPad are intrinsically way more safe compared to Windows computers, due o the sheer architecture of software. But I must say that 80% of my work is on Windows computers.

Read more about computer safety here: http://bit.ly/cccsafety