For some odd reason I felt compelled to actually use my LiveJournal account. I originally joined it to write reviews on freeware programs but now I realize that it could serve as an excellent outlet for emotional review.

On the plus side, I joined a Community Writing Challenge for a forum that I am in and here is my first entry:
Smoke rolled into the black sky. Even the burning remains of Omega 2 did not light the darkness. It's glow was sucked away into soot. Giles stood completely still, disappointment and the feeling of helplessness coursing through his mind. "I couldn't catch him..." Giles whispered. "He's gone." A large gauntlet rested on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it man..." A calm yet commanding voice spoke. "What Sev did was reckless. I can't lose another good soldier, especially to his own emotions." Giles turned slowly and looked at the figure. It was the General, a man with defiance in his eyes and confidence in every breath. "All right! That's it! Ladies and Gentlemen, we are getting the hell out of this hole!"

- - - - - -

Sev rushed through the scarred grounds, all alone with one thing on his mind.

"Get to Omega 3!"

Almost everyone has had problems with their computers. Among the most common and annoying problems are computers freezing, computers being affected by viruses and the dreaded computer crash. Below are twelve steps that will help to protect your computer and quite possibly... your life:

1. Update Software:
The first step towards computer security is your software's version such as the Operating System (I.E. Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2.) So to keep your software up to par with the current security measures, it is always wise to update your system's software as soon as possible. Doing so will patch and correct any previous vulnerabilities and glitches in the software.

2. Browse Happy:
Internet Explorer was once the greatest explorer in the world, but times have changed and it has become a magnet for bugs and exploits. So do the right thing and browse happy by switching your web browser to a much more secure one such as Mozilla Firefox.

3. Get an Anti-Spyware:
Spyware and Adware are very annoying things that we just can't seem to get rid of. They just keep coming and coming and coming and they also pose serious threats to the security of your computer system. So it is wise to download an anti-spyware program to help get rid of these nasties!

Here is a little list of the best free anti-spyware programs:
- Spyboy: Search and Destroy
- Microsoft Windows Defender
- Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition
- Spyware Blaster
- HiJackThis!

4. Get an Anti-Virus:
Viruses are malicious little critters designed to piss you off and make you sad. So to turn that frown upside down, it is recommended that you acquire an anti-virus solution! Anti-virus software removes those bad viruses from your computer and protects against incoming threats. Because viruses are so common and people keep making variants, it is recommended that you get automatic updates for your anti-virus software. The automatic and optionally scheduled updates will be a life saver as the anti-virus software downloads the latest in security measures to defend against new baddies.

I've included a little list of the best freeware solutions out there:
- Avast! Home Edition
- AVG Anti-virus Free Edition
- Avira AntiVir Personal Edition
- ClamWin Anti-virus

There are a whole bunch of other free anti-virus programs, however these are the ones that have proven to be top notch.

NOTE: Always keep your anti-virus program running in the background!

5. Get a Firewall:
No! Not a flame retardant wall! A program that keeps anyone from accessing your computer's files. A firewall will help keep your system in check by asking you to either allow or deny a certain program's access to the internet. Keep in mind that whenever you connect to the internet, your computer sends and receives information (it communicates with other computers.) Hackers can exploit this communication and gain access to your personal files and the like, but with a firewall you CAN stop this or at least reduce their chances.

Oh, before I forget, Windows XP comes with an integrated firewall, however it is not that great.

Here is a little list of the free alternatives:
- Comodo Firewall Pro
- ZoneAlarm
- Filseclab Personal Firewall

Like the anti-virus programs, there exist a great number of free firewall programs out there.

NOTE: Always keep your firewall program running in the background!

6. A Strong Password A Day...:
Passwords are meant to be difficult for anyone to even hypothesize at what you have chosen. Password crackers use programs called "dictionaries" to try and guess your password from a selected list of words found in the dictionary. Therefore it is wise to shy away from an actual dictionary to help develop a password. In order to make a difficult password, try to make a combination of alphanumeric characters at least 7 letters long (I.E. nGmgX3u) You wouldn't be able to find that in a dictionary would you?

A simple random password generator can be found at Javascript Kit.

NOTE: Make it a habit to change your password for e-mail and other accounts every so often.

7. You've Got Mail... and Viruses!:
A good statistic shows that 98% of all computer viruses are transmitted via e-mail. Although some e-mail services have integrated virus scanning tools into their arsenal, it is wise to follow good practices: To keep from getting infected, Do not download anything other than these file extensions .BMP, .GIF, .JPG, and .PNG unless you are absolutely sure of the download in question. Try to avoid file extensions with .EXE or .VB.

8. Mmmmm SPAM!:
SPAM is not that delicious luncheon meat you are used to, it is unsolicited mail sent to you! It is not delicious in any way and it can not be cooked! E-mail that fit into the SPAM category are chain letters and advertisements. Most of these are either harmful or useless. SPAM is a nuisance that can slow down computer performance, so be careful when using your e-mail to register at certain places.

9. I Downloaded WHAT?!:
Be cautious when downloading files from any website unless you trust it's contents. Some contain hidden adware and other junk.

10. The Boy Who Cried Wolf:
In some cases, "Good things" are the ailment. There are quite a bit of scam sites and fake e-mails on the net which offer slogans like "Remove Viruses Today!" or "You have 3 Viruses Detected! Click Here To Remove Them!" Be careful with these as they may lead you to delete much needed files or worse. Also avoid clicking on pop-up windows that look like Task Windows.

Check out Symantec's Threat Explorer by clicking here.

NOTE: Be smart! If you think it is unsafe, do not open it!

11. CDs, DVDs, and Hidden Doom!:
Be careful what CD or floppy disk you put into your computer to install programs, play music or watch DVDs. Cheap CDs off the streets might seem like a good deal, until you find out they contain spyware, viruses, and all the other bad stuff.

12. Calling for Back Up!:
I have to admit that when I had my first two computers, I did not care to back up sensitive data and other useful tidbits, but now I regret that attitude and constantly make backups of all the niceties. So be sure to always make regular backups on removable disks, external hard drives, and other media storage. The reason for this is that you would still have your information (uninfected and safe) available if your computer did crash.

Phew! That is the end of my article so I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed making it. Now I think I will be going to sleep now...