Websites To Help You Learn Web Development Online

Since the beginning of the web, it has been a tradition for designers and developers to share knowledge and keep learning out in the open. For that reason, there are a number of resources available to anyone who wants to learn web development from scratch. Over the years, various programs have emerged which allow you to learn the basics of web development, build a portfolio, and start on your career.

here are lots of online resources that can help you get started. We are lucky to be working in an industry that is growing exponentially, and the skills needed are out there for you to learn. But you also will be required to drive yourself and push to complete your skill set. For those hungry to acquire knowledge, and eager to get started, there are several places where you can learn web development right away.

Treehouse

One of the leading premium online learning resources is Treehouse. The program comes at a monthly cost with two pricing tiers. It works by guiding you along various “tracks” which are meant to teach you a specific skill or programming language from beginner to advanced. In each track, you will take several courses with videos from an instructor, accompanied by structured code walkthroughs and sample quizzes to keep you on pace. Treehouse has tracks that can help with all aspects of building websites and apps, from building the most basic website with no knowledge of HTML or CSS to back-end languages and iOS app development.

Treehouse comes closer than most at replicating an actual university structure, as its tracks are highly structured and assume no previous knowledge. But it will be up to you to make sure you keep up with a course, and engage with all of the examples provided. But Treehouse also gives you access to a lot of external resources related to learning, including small workshops, a library of books and audiovisual materials, and exclusive conferences. And as you gain more experience, Treehouse also offers help with job placement and internships, which is a pretty big bonus.

Lynda

Lynda is a bit like Treehouse, in that it offers a range of video courses taught by online instructors for a monthly fee. However, rather than break things into tracks, Lynda simply gives you access to thousands of courses which range from beginner to intermediate to advanced. Lynda is not just focused on web development, and has courses on animation, photography, film, music, and even education. But Lynda’s core strength and most comprehensive course offerings are available in web design and development. To get started, you simply need to find the course you want and take it.

It will be up to you to structure your own path, but once you do, there will be a course on just about anything you can imagine. You might want to start learning a bit of basic Javascript, then dive into the fundamentals of a Javascript library like Backbone or Ember. Or maybe you want to learn some front-end development before moving to advanced WordPress theme development. Each course comes with a series of videos, and depending on the course, a few examples for you to walk through and some sample code. Instructors are vetted by Lynda, so you can be sure they are high quality.

If you’re the kind of person who likes to jump straight into things, and works best by example, then Lynda is probably the right choice for you. It will offer you a full range or learning opportunities, and you can work at whatever pace you feel comfortable with.

Codeacademy

Codeacademy is another course-based online learning site, but it takes a slightly different approach. For one, it is completely free. And rather than offer you a set of videos to learn from, you are walked through interactive examples which get you coding right away. Each example will show another facet of a particular programming language, like HTML, CSS or PHP, and through these examples you build up knowledge of the code’s structure and semantics. Samples allow you to type code right in the browser, and your code is evaluated on the fly by the platform, accompanied by explanations and walkthroughs.

Without the background that comes through videos, you may miss some of the theory behind programming, but you will also get started building websites almost right away. And once you’ve learned how to use a language, it might be a bit easier to go out into the world and figure out the why.

Codeacademy has a fairly small number of courses available. Most teach a specific programming language from beginning to end, but the site also offers two courses on how to make a website with no knowledge of development at all. If you’re a “learn by doing” type, then Codeacademy might be the right way to go.

Udemy

Udemy serves as more of a platform than a structured approach to learning. Using Udemy, instructors can set up courses which are meant to be extremely comprehensive and independent learning tracks that teach you a particular skill. Like Lynda, Udemy offers a wide range of course offerings, both in web development and related fields. The strength of Udemy courses rests on the skills of the instructor, so before taking a course there it is worthwhile to research the instructor’s credentials.

Each course has a price, and you get unlimited access to the videos for that course, as well as a connection to the underlying Udemy student community. Like some of the other resources listed here, Udemy is more of a skills-driven website, and is best if you are trying to get started with a specific skill, like HTML5 or CSS fundamentals, rather than a start to finish solution. Udemy features a range of courses on all topics in web development, from the basics of code to building a full website using HTML, CSS, Javascript and WordPress.

WPSessions

If you’re looking for a learning resource that’s a bit more WordPress focused, then WPSessions might be a good option. The site was started by Brian Richards, and works by organizing groups of video tutorials into sessions. Some sessions are free, though most are paid, and each focuses on a new topic in web development. For instance, the “Working with BuddyPress” session deals exclusively in how to use BuddyPress and WordPress. Though the site is more WordPress focused than any other listed here, many of the sessions take you through the basics of web development before moving on to how they apply to WordPress. The “WordPress and Backbone.js” course, for instance, focuses on the fundamentals of Javascript before moving on to how to get started with the Backbone Javascript library

Each session has three speakers, at about an hour each. And Brian adds a unique twist to the site, by allowing you to attend the session live, and interact with the speakers in real time. After a session is over, it goes up on the site for purchase. WPSessions is in the midst of an expansion right now, and is going to offer more and more courses, comprehensive dives into different areas of WordPress development.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy was founded by Salman Khan in 2006, and has since grown into a full non-profit online education platform. It offers courses in a range of subjects, though it’s focus tends to be on Math and Science. Each course has a series of videos that help you learn a new skill, and interactive challenges that guide you along.

The web development section of Khan Academy is still very new, and right now focuses on how to use Javascript. If you’re looking for a good resource on HTML and CSS, you may want to look elsewhere, but it offers a great, free way to get started with JS. I mention this only because at the moment, Khan Academy is in the process of building out their web development section, so it’s something to keep an eye on in the future.

Codrops

Codrops is a resource for web developers at any level, looking for a little inspiration. The site is filled with tutorials and code demos that push front-end code to the limit. Tutorials usually begin with a stunning demo, with animations, or transitions, or dynamic interactions. The demo’s focus on a sole feature, like adding an off-canvas menu, or a preloader. Then, the tutorial walks you through the code and shows you how to get the example up and running. All of the tutorials come with a code package that you can download and look through yourself, so you can see how it all comes together.

Codrops won’t take you from novice to expert, but it is great for those learners looking to stretch their imagination a bit. It takes a “do as I do” approach, coding things up using cutting edge technologies and best practices. One of the best ways to learn web development is to simply dig around existing code, and Codrops offers you lots of opportunities to do so.

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Free Books 50 Places to Find Free Books Online

Free books can be found everywhere--if you know where to look. Below you'll find 50 places offering free books online, including fiction and nonfiction ebooks, audio books, poetry, reference books and even free textbooks.

Free Fiction and Nonfiction Books

Authorama - You can find more than 100 free books from a variety of different authors on Authorama. New books are added to the site each month, and they've all been translated into plain ASCII or HTML so that no e-reader is required.

Book Stacks - Book Stacks hosts tons of ebooks that you can download and read as PDFs.

Bored.com - More than 10,000 free books are available at Bored.com. Book categories include but are not limited to: American literature, British literature, world literature, children's literature, cookbooks, travel books and history books.

Chest of Books - Visit this site to access hundreds of free nonfiction books. A wide range of topics are available.

Classic Authors - This site, also known as Great Literature Online, offers dozens of free, HTML-formatted classic books.

Free Classic Books - This library offers readers free online access to a selection of literary classics.

Classic Bookshelf - Classic Bookshelf uses a Java applet to allow users to fully customize the ebooks they're reading, which makes this a nice place to read classic books online.

Classic Reader - Classic Reader provides more than 3,000 classic books, plays and short stories. Users can read books, print books and add their own annotations.

Daily Lit - You can read free books via email or RSS on Daily Lit. Offerings include classic books and contemporary works and it can all be delivered to your personal computer or mobile device.

Ebook Lobby - Ebook Lobby is flush with free nonfiction books. Categories include art, business, computing and education.
Fiction.us - This site is a great place to find full-length novels, plays, short stories, poetry, picture books and other free digital books.
Fictionwise - Although this site is primarily focused on selling ebooks, readers can download an impressive selection of free fiction and nonfiction 'sample' books.

FullBooks.com - This site offers thousands of free, unabridged books. Both fiction and nonfiction are available.

GetFreeBooks.com - This free ebook site has thousands of books on every topic imaginable. GetFreeBooks.com is a great place to find modern works by lesser-known authors.

Internet Archive - The Internet Archive, also known as Archive.org, is one of the web's largest sources for free media. It offers over 2.5 million free ebooks and electronic texts.

ManyBooks.net - 20,000+ free books are available through ManyBooks.net. Most books are designed to be enjoyed on an iPod, PDA or ebook reader.

Microsoft Reader - Get the free Microsoft e-reading device for access to more than 1,500 free books via direct download. Offerings include fiction, nonfiction and reference material.

Page By Page - Lovers of the classics will find hundreds of books to read on Page By Page. The site includes works by renowned authors like Dickens, Doyle, London and Poe.

Project Gutenberg - With more than 25,000 titles, Project Gutenberg is widely be considered the ultimate source for free books online. The site has tens of thousands of volunteers, which means that new books are constantly being added to Gutenberg's online catalog.

Public Bookshelf - This online library allows users to read romance novels and stories for free. Public Bookshelf offers both classics and modern works, all in the romance genre.

Public Literature - This site offers a fantastic collection of free books, plays and poetry. Modern and classic works are both available.

Questia - With more than 5,000 free books, including classics and rare works, Questia's online library is a must see for any reader.

The Literature Network - Designed for students, teachers and enthusiastic readers, this free literature library offers over 1,900 books, 3,000 short stories and hundreds of poems. Users can also access free author biographies and quizzes.

UPenn's Online Books Page - You can find more than 30,000 free books on the University of Pennsylvania's Online Books Page. Search books by author or title.

Free Education Books and Textbooks

Free Tech Books - This site offers a wide range of free computer science and programming textbooks, lecture notes and ebooks.

Open Book Project - This site, which is dedicated to the free and open dissemination of knowledge, is a great place to find free textbooks and other educational materials.

Textbook\Media - A wonderful selection of textbooks and educational materials are available for free download at Textbook Media. Students can get free access to these materials by choosing 'sponsored' books, which include brief 'study break' ads.

Textbook Revolt - Students fight back against the high cost of textbooks on this site by offering up their used books for free or renting them for a low cost.

Textbook Revolution - Textbook Revolution is one of the best sites on the web to find free textbooks and other educational materials.
Free Reference Books

Bartleby - Reference books on every topic imaginable, including literature, government, anatomy, mythology and religion.

Biblomania Reference - The Biblomania Reference Section contains a decent collection of dictionaries, thesauruses, books of quotations and other free reference materials.

Encyclopedia.com - Free access to information from the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Oxford University Press and the Columbia Encyclopedia.

Internet Public Library - This site provides an impressive collection of almanacs, dictionaries and encyclopedias.

Ref Desk - The Ref Desk is a fantastic place to find all sorts of free reference materials, including information on recent news and current events. One section of the site that is definitely worth checking out is the Encyclopedia Collection
Free Audio Books

Books Should Be Free - This site is a great place to find free fiction and nonfiction. Users can download plain text files and MP3 audio books files.

Free Classic Audio Books - A wonderful collection of free classics. All audio books are available in MP3 and in M4b formats for iTunes and iPods.

Gutenberg Audio - The Gutenberg Audio Book Project has a wonderful collection of audio books read by both humans and computer generated voices.

Internet Archive Audio - In addition to millions of free electronic texts, the Internet Archive offers over 6,000 audio books and poetry recordings for download.

Kiddie Records Weekly - Hundreds of free recordings of classic children's albums. Kiddie Records features golden age characters like Bugs Bunny, Howdy Doody and Walt Disney's Robin Hood.

Kids Audio Books - 200+ free audio books for kids in MP3 format. Most books are from the 40s and 50s.

Learn Out Loud - Learn Out Load is the Internet's largest directory of free audio learning resources. The site also offers educational videos and podcasts.

Librivox - There are nearly 2,000 free audio books available on this site. Librivox is attempting to make an audio recording of all of the books in the public domain, so new books are constantly being added.

Lit 2 Go - A nice collection of free stories and poems from the Florida Educational Technology Clearinghouse. Users can download MP3 files or play MP3 files on their computer and read along as they listen.

Literal Systems - A modest selection of free classics in audio format.

Naropa Poetics Audio Archives - The Naropa University Archive Project features more than 5,000 hours of poetry recordings.

Podio Books - Free serialized audio books that can be delivered to you on a schedule that you set up. More than 200 modern titles are currently available.

Poet Scoop - Poet Scoop offers hundreds of free MP3 recordings from spoken word artists. The site also includes videos of poets reading their work.

Simply Audio Books - This site offers free classic audio books. A new download is available every month.

Spoken Alexandria Project - This Creative Commons library provides free AAC, Ogg Vorbis and MP3 audio books. Classics and modern works are both available.

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Apps to Stop Your Smartphone Addiction

If you're like most busy professionals today, it can be hard to tear yourself away from your phone screen. With apps, email, and social media all at the tip of our fingers, we're constantly distracted by the mobile world. It may seem counterintuitive to use an app to unplug, but in an age where we use our smartphones for almost everything, it makes sense to fight fire with fire.

Here are six apps that can help you to, well, stop using your apps:

1. Offtime (iOS, Android)

This app helps users unplug by blocking distracting apps like Facebook and games and filtering communications. It includes information on how much you actually use your smartphone. You can choose tailored modes like Work, Family, or Me Time to ensure that you have access to the things you need, but aren't distracted by what you don't. Analytics of your phone and app usage can be an important wake-up call, and can help you curb your habits.

2. Moment (iOS)

Moment tracks your device usage and allows you to set daily limits; the app notifies you if you exceed them. You can even use a setting that "forces" you off your phone by flooding your screen with annoying alerts when you try to extend your screen time. Moment can also be used for families, with the option to track your family's device use from your own phone.

3. BreakFree (iOS, Android)

BreakFree incorporates the usage tracking features found in many similar apps, but it differs in that it breaks down the information into an easy-to-understand "addiction score." It also shows you how often you unlock your phone screen, and comprehensively logs your usage for the day. This system makes it a great choice for those who like to set goals and challenge themselves. In an ironic twist, it can almost be addictive to try to see how low you can get your addiction score.

4. Flipd (Android)

If you find that you need a more aggressive approach to unplugging, Flipd is the app for you. Flipd allows you to lock your phone for a set period of time, and once you do, there's no going back. Even restarting your phone won't disable the app, so it's impossible for you to cheat! Flipd can even be used to remotely "flip off" one user from another user's device, which is helpful for teams that want to keep one another on point.

5. AppDetox (Android)

Hooked on mobile games? Can't stop refreshing Twitter? AppDetox can help you get your fixation under control if apps are your kryptonite. You can set your own parameters on an app-by-app basis so you can have access when it's not a disruption. Every time you break one of your own rules, the app reminds you to put down your phone.

6. Stay on Task (Android)

Stay on Task helps your productivity in a gentler way. The app simply asks if you're still on task at random intervals during your day. If you're someone who easily gets distracted, this app can be a great way to redirect your focus when your mind is wandering.

Soucre:http://www.inc.com/jeremy-goldman/6-apps-to-stop-your-smartphone-addiction.html

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Business Ideas to Start While Working Full-Time

Part-time business ideas can be a great way to earn a second income while continuing with your full-time job. Explore all the part-time start-up possibilities and small business ideas in our extensive guides on starting part-time businesses

Antiques
Make new money from old treasures and have fun doing it! Scout garage sales, estate auctions and flea markets for great buys on antique furniture, toys, clothing and other treasures from the past. Rent space at antique cooperatives, or set up booths at weekend fairs to sell your antiques.

Computer Tutor
Whether you're an expert at Windows or Linux, desktop publishing or Web research, HTML or word processing, you can help anyone enhance their computer skills. Start promoting your computer-training services by teaching classes through organizations in your community which offer adult education courses.

Custom Jewelry and AccessoriesPut your creative talents to work designing custom jewelry and accessories. Whether you work with sterling silver or recycled metals, clay or papier-mâché, there's a market for your custom earrings, pins, bracelets, necklaces and belt buckles at art shows, crafts fairs and holiday boutiques.

Espresso CartBrew up profits day after day! Specialty coffee drinks generate gross profits of 55.1 to 61.5 percent per cup, says the Specialty Coffee Association of America. So brush up on your coffee drinks, buy or rent an espresso cart, and head for sporting events, concerts and farmers' markets in your community.

Garage and Attic Cleaning/Hauling ServiceNobody likes to spend a weekend cleaning out the garage, attic or garden shed--it's dirty and time-consuming, and when it's done, there's still the task of hauling off all that discarded junk. But if you don't mind putting in the physical labor, a cleaning and hauling service can be a lot of fun. You can usually find a few treasures among the trash which most people are delighted to give away, and you can add to your income by recycling bottles, newspapers and metal castoffs. You'll need a pick-up truck or other vehicle capable of carrying everything from cast-iron sinks to old timbers.

Handyman
If it's broke, you can fix it. Your phone will ring off the hook with calls from homeowners, senior citizens and others who don't want to fix it themselves. Advertise in shopper publications and on bulletin boards, and drop off fliers at real estate offices. Then start repairing everything from leaky faucets to broken windows.

Home InspectionBuyers need not beware when they hire a home inspector to conduct a complete physical checkup on their dream home. You'll inspect the house for structural problems and refer your clients to the contractors or handymen who can make the repairs. Knowledge of construction and your local building codes will get your business off the ground.

Medical TranscriptionWork as an important member of a medical team without leaving your homebased office. There's big demand by hospitals, doctors, dentists, chiropractors and veterinarians who need outside help transcribing patient medical records. Training in medical terminology and linguistic skills will keep your business healthy.

Mobile Home-Entertainment ServiceWhen it's dirty, disconnected or in need of repair, you'll save the day for homeowners who want their stereo, compact-disc player or videocassette recorder in working order. Brush up on your electrical and wiring know-how. Door-to-door fliers and calls to retail-store managers about your services will get your business off to a great start.

Mobile Window TintWith some training and basic equipment, you'll be seeing plenty of green with your mobile window-tinting business. For best results, have a pager and van ready to help car, van and truck owners prevent heat damage to their vehicles' interiors. Other hot markets: homes, high-rise condominiums and office buildings.

Office and Home OrganizerAttention all neatniks: Help packrats, overworked executives, and other organizationally challenged individuals clean out messy closets, straighten files, and throw out the excess clutter. Putting your knack for neatness to part-time business use is bound to arrange some tidy profits for you.

Personal ChefWhat's for dinner, honey? Great home-cooked meals for working parents and busy professionals who hire you as a personal chef. There's plenty of demand for this specialized service. So plan your menu, make out your shopping list, and go to work to satisfy your hungry clientele.

Personal TrainerPumping iron; pumping profits. Americans of all ages, sizes and shapes want to keep fit, trim and healthy, and they're willing to hire their own personal coach to exercise correctly. Spread the word about your physical-fitness expertise at health spas, running, swimming and biking clubs, and other athletic outlets.

Picture FramerGet in the frame with a picture framing service. You can work with gallery owners, artists, portrait photographers and individuals who've purchased a print, painting or fine photo. If you aren't already a framing expert, read up, take classes at a local college or community center, then assemble your tools--including clamps, saws, miter boxes, glue, and a pneumatic or hand stapler. Establish relationships with local artists' groups, galleries, photographers and print shops that can give you their business or refer their customers to you.

Plant Leasing And MaintenanceGot a green thumb and a delivery van? You're all set to service corporations, home builders, health clubs and other businesses who want fresh greenery. Develop a steady clientele with a regular watering, pruning and fertilizing program and a full replacement guarantee.

Records SearchUsing specialized databases, you'll search public records on your computer to help your clients find lost loves, check out questionable suitors, track down debtors, verify a contractor's track record, or dig up facts on a business opportunity. Clients include attorneys, businessowners and individuals.

Restaurant DeliveryWhether it's macaroni and cheese or a five-course gourmet meal, at-home meal replacement is fast becoming the newest way to dine. When customers want their restaurant orders "to go," you'll be "on the go" with your restaurant delivery service. A great way to make your late afternoons and weekends extra-profitable!

T-Shirt DesignIf you're an artist in search of a medium, why not make T-shirts your canvas? Paint, draw, bead or appliqué your designs on plain T-shirts, and spend your weekends showcasing your art-to-wear at farmers' markets and crafts fairs.

Wallpaper HangingHelp residential and commercial clients turn drab walls into works of art with your wallpaper-hanging skills. Build a growing business with great referrals and repeat customers. Drop off fliers at paint and wallpaper stores; also, advertise in shopper publications, in homeowner-association newsletters, and on bulletin boards at local supermarkets and malls.

Yoga and Tai Chi InstructorIn today's hectic, fast-paced world, parents, business owners and students alike can benefit from the deep-breathing, relaxation and centering techniques you can teach them. Get started by offering classes at health clubs, through your city's recreation and parks department, or on your own.

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Tips to Make Your Computer More Secure

From the moment you boot up, your computer leaves footprints. Websites leave tracking cookies, following you from page to page and session to session, alongside the usual traces left by your IP address. Persistent logins from Google and Facebook tie each site visit to your offline identity. If anyone really wants to go after you, they can also make a direct attack, targeting malware to track your movements in the background. With the right tools, a computer is an open book.

Not this computer, though. It's running Tails, an open-source operating system designed to leave as little trace as possible, launching version 1.0 today after more than five years of open development. It's an amnesiac system, which means it's completely fresh every time you boot up. There are no save files, no new programs, and most importantly, it becomes a blank slate the moment you shut down. It's the digital equivalent of buying a new computer for a single session and tossing it into the river once you're done.

In contrast to just ten years ago, computers and smartphones are intergral to almost everyone’s lives. We use them in our workplace and at home- and often there are multiple computers in all our houses. Then there are our smartphones which are basically computers.

With everyone using computers on a daily basis they are becoming more and more vulnerable to cyber criminals and hackers. It can potentially affect all types of computers whether your running Windows, Mac OS, Linux or a smartphone equivalent.

The problem is that most people either don’t have the time or are just not interested in making their computers secure. It doesn’t have to be this way, it’s just that the information out there about computer security is just too complicated or confusing to understand.

I hope to make a start at simplifying things. I say “make a start” because, computer security is a huge topic, and one that many large companies spend millions of pounds or dollars on each year.

1. Do you need to be connected to the internet all the time?

The answer to this for me (and I suspect more and more people) is a resounding “yes!”, but if you have a computer running for long periods of time and you don’t need to be connected to the internet, then it’s probably quite prudent to switch your internet router off. Hackers tend to prefer to exploit “always on” connections, and if your internet connection is more sporadic, you’ll be less attractive to them.

However, for most people this just isn’t going to be practical. More and more of the stuff we do these days requires an internet connection. With Windows 8 coming later this year and new versions of the Mac operating system, our computers will be demanding “always on” connections. It’s not just computers either- it’s our digital TV boxes and even our fridges and dishwashers (assuming you have an internet ready one!). If this is the case, you’ll need to ensure that you protect your connection to the internet at it’s entry point- usually your router.

2. Make sure your router has a decent firewall

A firewall is a piece of software or hardware that (simply speaking) lets the good stuff in and the bad stuff out. Most internet service providers offer a free router and modem when you sign up with them. Make sure that it has a decent firewall. If you are a tech-savvy person then you can even upgrade the firmware (using the likes of Tomato or DD-WRT) on many routers to improve the security amongst other things. 

3. Make sure your Computer or Device has a decent firewall

Most computers these days have an intergrated firewall built in to the operating system. Windows has the imaginatively titled “Windows Firewall” and Mac OS X has an intergrated one too (see here for more information on how to enable the Mac OS X firewall in Snow Leopard). For Linux, it depends on your flavour, but this article from Tech Radar gives a list of decent firewalls you could consider.

4. Install Decent Anti-virus Software

I know some people believe the conspiracy theory that some of the software houses that produce anti-virus applications actually generate the viruses in the first place. The thought is that they do this in order to whip up some hysteria so that more people will buy their product. Although it’s tempting to believe this, I don’t think there is much truth in it. This article from Computer Hope gives some excellent points against the view. There are some people that say having anti-virus software is a waste of time as long as your careful and that all they do is slow down your computer.

The truth is, anti-virus software is a must for almost everyone. Yes, they will slow down your computer a little, but I think that is a pill worth swallowing as opposed to being infected by a virus. You don’t need to spend any money on it either. One of the best anti-virus applications for PCs is Microsoft’s own Security Essentials which will be built in for the first time to the forthcoming Windows 8.

It’s a complete myth that Mac users are exempt from viruses as the recent Mac Flashback virus outbreak shows. There aren’t many free anti-virus applications for the Mac, as this article from the Guardian recommends, you could always try ClamXav.

Finally, anti-virus applications have to be updated regularly- I’d recommend at least twice a day. Make sure you check the settings. Also if you use USB thumb drives or external hard drives, do scan them for viruses- particularly if the drive belongs to someone else. I know of many friends whose computers have been infected by using an infected drive belonging to a friend.

5. Keep Your Computer Up to Date!

I know it’s annoying, but make sure you check your computer for updates! I’ve seen so many cases of computers that have never had any updates done to the operating system. Both Microsoft and Apple roll out updates regularly to their operating systems. These can be important security patches and you may be compromised if you don’t install them!

6. Don’t Visit Porn Sites (or any other dodgy or affected site)!

Did I really write that? Erm, yes I did. The problem is, that there are sites out there that are out to get you. They may have been effected by a worm that modifies the website with the intention to infect your computer with a virus. Some sites are there to deliberately get you. Things are a little better these days, but there are still plenty of cases of infected sites.  Be careful where you’re browsing- and again make sure you’re anti-virus software is up to date.

7. Keep Your Password Safe and Hard to Guess.

I wrote an article before about how easy it is for your password to be compromised. The truth is you can’t trust any site that you give your password to because you don’t know how they store it. It’s best to use a different password for each website your sign up to. I know that sounds hard, but it’s quite easy to do- more information in my earlier article. 

I’d also highly recommend the password manager- Last Pass. This manages all your passwords securely so that you never have to type it on your computer (in case you are infected by a keyboard sniffer) or store them anywhere insecurely. It also has a password generator, so you can effectively have a different strong complicated password for each site you visit. It is highly recommended!

Finally, be careful about saving passwords on applications on your computer. Famously, the FTP client Filezilla stores your passwords in plain text. Not great for security.

8. Use a Decent Web Browser

Most people still use Internet Explorer or Safari for browsing. They’ve come on in recent years- especially Internet Explorer. Still, my personal recommendation is to use Google Chrome as your browser as it’s been hailed as the most secure of browsers again and again.

 9. Don’t Trust Public Wifi

If you surf the web whilst sipping your latte in your local coffee shop beware! Did you know that much of your internet connection (web browsing and email) is being sent over the connection unencrypted? Anyone malicious in the coffee shop could be listening in and stealing your passwords. If you have a 3G connection then use that, but if not, you’ll need to secure your connection. 

Websites that use https (Facebook and Twitter for example) encrypt your data, but most websites won’t. For this, you’ll need to use a VPN or virtual private network. This encrypts your connection by connecting to a secure server in the middle. You can build your own (as this Lifehacker article tells you), but it’s probably easier to use a VPN service. Again, Lifehacker comes to the rescue with a list of the best VPNs. Personally I use the VPN service from Private Internet Access* which is reliable and very secure.

10. Never Leave Your Computer Unattended

I know this is obvious, but don’t leave your computer on if you’re not around. I suppose it depends where the computer is. I have a server at home that is on all the time, but I do trust my wife not to hack in to the computer and install a virus! It’s not enough to go to the lock screen either, as someone could just connect a device to your computer and steal your data or even your whole computer. It’s probably a good idea to look at encrypting your hard drive, but that’s for another time…!

Conclusion

These tips are only the tip of the iceberg. There are many other things you can do to protect yourself. I haven’t mentioned anti-spyware scanners, computer cleaners (such as CCleaner) and of course there is the whole chestnut of encrypting the data on your computer and whether you can trust cloud providers like Dropbox with your data. That’s for another post. David Haslam makes some great posts below about making secure you use decent security settings on your wifi connection, and in particular to use WPA or WPA2. Looks like I’ll be adding that one to the next post too!

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