May 2015
Our computers have become as essential as home appliances. We rely on them for news, information, entertainment and communication.
If your condo corporation is focused on effective communication with residents and keeping costs down, you also rely on your computer for internal condo communications. You submit work requests electronically, inform the concierge of expected visitors and provide access authorization, and receive information about activities taking place in your building. Much of this was discussed in the March 2014 issue of Yonge-Sheppard Condominium News. These articles are available in the Condo Archives here and here.
When computers don’t work as expected we are frustrated and feel cut off from the world.
Today the biggest problem most have with their computers is the Internet. High speed always on Internet access is what we want. As with most things in life, there is a downside.
As you read e-mail, open files, watch videos and access the Internet your computer system is exposed to anyone who may want to access it over the Internet. This may be via e-mail, trojans, worms, pop-up ads, computer viruses or other malicious technologies. Some of these infiltrations install programs on your computer. They may run in the background and slow down or prevent other applications from working properly. More malicious infiltrations may delete or destroy data, grant access to your computer to outsiders or make your computer unusable.
Problems often start small. Your computer may take longer to start up or open a program. There may be periods where your computer pauses for seconds or minutes. Over time these problems can get worse. At an extreme, you may not be able to open some programs or even start your computer.
As with other home appliances, periodic maintenance is required. There are ways to identify and remove these malicious technologies from your computer system. Don’t wait until you are unable to access your files or start your computer. By this time it may be too late to recover files or repair the damage. A regular system cleanup can help to ensure that your computer system remains working for many years and should be undertaken at least once a year.
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Toronto Condo News’ Condo Consulting Services provide computer support services for condominiums. Call (416)721-8247 for information.
