Important Computer Facts Everyone Should Know

In the past twenty-eight hours, I’ve made two important computer discoveries. Yesterday, at 7:45 a.m., while I was saying my morning prayers, the telephone (a landline) rang. I could have let the answering machine take the call, but I picked up the receiver because I thought surely it would be a relative or friend calling at that hour.

It wasn’t.

In a voice direct from Calcutta, a man said, “Ma’am, I’m calling from Microsoft because your computer notified us that it has a virus that can destroy all your files. Please go to your computer and I will show you how to fix the problem.”

I did.

But he didn’t fix the problem, because he directed me to a website called Join.me, and urged me to click on START MEETING .

“First,” I said, “I don’t want to join anything, and secondly, what is this going to cost?”

He handed me over to his supervisor, a woman. “Nothing, if there is no problem,” she answered.

Hmmmm. He just told me there was a problem.

“Anyway,” said the supervisor, who had also spent her formative years on the banks of the Ganges, “it will only be $99.99 if there is a problem.” The money, she assured me, “is no big deal.”

“Well, I said, I’m just going to trust that there is no problem,” and I hung up the phone.

I called Microsoft and gave them the phone number with a 215 area code to ask if the people who called me were actually from their company. The customer service representative checked, and simply said, “Ma’am, Microsoft doesn’t call your home.”

I felt really good that I had avoided the scam.

This morning, the first thing that came up unasked for on my desktop computer screen was a notice from Microsoft asking if I wanted to download Microsoft 10. No I do not, so I dismissed it, as I have been dismissing that notice for months.

Why, you ask?

Here are eight reasons from John Navas at the following website:
https://www.quora.com/What-are-disadv...

Privacy: Windows 10 collects data on you, sends it to Microsoft, and there's no way to completely shut that off.

Bugs: Quality control has taken a back seat to rapid releases, so bugs are more common than earlier versions.

Compatibility: Windows XP and earlier Compatibility

Modes have been removed, and not all software and drivers work properly in Windows 10.

Control: Options to control updating have been removed from consumer versions.

OneDrive: Feature regression.

Media: Media Center and DVD Player have been removed.

Cost: Microsoft is being coy about the cost of Windows after the free Windows 10 upgrade "promotion". Subscriptions might be required.

So after checking my email and the weather forecast on the computer, I didn’t shut it down, but I left the room for about an hour.

When I returned around noontime, the computer was downloading Microsoft 10.

I don’t want Microsoft 10, and I don’t like coercion, so I tried to stop the download. Nothing worked until I finally unplugged the dratted machine.

I repeat: I don’t like coercion. I don’t like the fact that Microsoft 10 is lurking on my computer, waiting to insert itself whether I want it or not. Why is Microsoft forcing their so-called upgrade on me? I don’t think it’s to be helpful.

So, here are my two important computer discoveries, in case you’re wondering:
1) Microsoft doesn’t call your home.
2) They don’t have to; they’ve already invaded it.