O/T computer topic

steve n carol · Oct 20, 2012

I read about Google's new laptop for $200+ yesterday... a good thing.
It has their own operating system, does not have a hard drive, and uses a 'cellphone' style chip, thus no cooling fan. Software can be accessed via the www. for free. All storage can be on the web too. This is my concern....

This is a cheap price and lures many in. I am concerned mostly about our young folk getting into storing their information in the "cloud" thus making it accessible to others, like the ones who developed the software to store this and those who developed the and maintain the servers that actually store this material. What will happen when these kids become government workers and start storing info in the "cloud"? Just think how many spies will be out of work!

I myself have nothing too sensitive (at least on a national level) to store or keep away from others. Maybe I am just being paranoid, maybe society is becoming complacent.... Am I the only one that sees this?

DaveK(IN) · Oct 20, 2012

I don"t think you are paranoid at all. My kids (late 20"s) are
educated and computer savvy. They tell me I need to get a
facebook page and store stuff in the cloud and use gmail. I
explain that they area leaving their whole life out there for
people to steal ID, mess with their finances and possibly keep
them from getting a job because of a stupid picture they may
have posted in college. They do not believe there are people
both good and bad out there mining their information. YT is
as public as I get. NO online financial transactions either.

rustyfarmall · Oct 20, 2012

(quoted from post at 06:53:19 10/20/12) I don"t think you are paranoid at all. My kids (late 20"s) are
educated and computer savvy. They tell me I need to get a
facebook page and store stuff in the cloud and use gmail. I
explain that they area leaving their whole life out there for
people to steal ID, mess with their finances and possibly keep
them from getting a job because of a stupid picture they may
have posted in college. They do not believe there are people
both good and bad out there mining their information. YT is
as public as I get. NO online financial transactions either.

I agree with most of what you just said, except for the on-line financial transactions. Using your credit or debit card for on-line purchases is subject to a higher level of security than you would encounter using that same credit card at your local convenience store or Wally World. Even if you pay for your gasoline with a personal check, ALL of that info is then entered into a computer and sent through the internet back to your bank. Only thing that might be considered safe anymore would be cold, hard cash, and even THAT might be counterfeit.

To keep this thread on track, no, I do not like that whole "cloud" theory, and I will participate in it as little as possible.

oldtanker · Oct 20, 2012

(quoted from post at 06:39:33 10/20/12) I read about Google's new laptop for $200+ yesterday... a good thing.
It has their own operating system, does not have a hard drive, and uses a 'cellphone' style chip, thus no cooling fan. Software can be accessed via the www. for free. All storage can be on the web too. This is my concern....

This is a cheap price and lures many in. I am concerned mostly about our young folk getting into storing their information in the "cloud" thus making it accessible to others, like the ones who developed the software to store this and those who developed the and maintain the servers that actually store this material. What will happen when these kids become government workers and start storing info in the "cloud"? Just think how many spies will be out of work!

I myself have nothing too sensitive (at least on a national level) to store or keep away from others. Maybe I am just being paranoid, maybe society is becoming complacent.... Am I the only one that sees this?

LOL National security isn't going to be compromised with that. The governement uses their own systems and taking stuff home, putting it on your own computer ect isn't acceptable. So spies will have job security.....

I never put anything on my puter that could be important should it be stolen or hacked.

Most online sales are pretty safe.

Rick

TomH in PA · Oct 20, 2012

The Chromebook has it's own memory and USB ports, so you can save stuff that doesn't really matter like pictures of your tractors on Google's servers and still keep your personal/financial stuff on the laptop and a thumbdrive for backup.

Biggest question for me is the keyboard/mouse interface. I've used a couple of tablets (iPad and cheap a Android), both are okay for browsing but useless for anything that requires typing something like this response.

Royse · Oct 20, 2012

(quoted from post at 11:26:03 10/20/12)

(quoted from post at 06:53:19 10/20/12) I don"t think you are paranoid at all. My kids (late 20"s) are
educated and computer savvy. They tell me I need to get a
facebook page and store stuff in the cloud and use gmail. I
explain that they area leaving their whole life out there for
people to steal ID, mess with their finances and possibly keep
them from getting a job because of a stupid picture they may
have posted in college. They do not believe there are people
both good and bad out there mining their information. YT is
as public as I get. NO online financial transactions either.

Click to expand...

I agree with most of what you just said, except for the on-line financial transactions. Using your credit or debit card for on-line purchases is subject to a higher level of security than you would encounter using that same credit card at your local convenience store or Wally World. Even if you pay for your gasoline with a personal check, ALL of that info is then entered into a computer and sent through the internet back to your bank. Only thing that might be considered safe anymore would be cold, hard cash, and even THAT might be counterfeit.

To keep this thread on track, no, I do not like that whole "cloud" theory, and I will participate in it as little as possible.

Keep in mind that credit and debit cards have different liabilities if stolen in most cases.
It is actually safer to use a credit card online than a debit card.
Paypal is another option for most purchases.
Paranoid, maybe, but just because you're paranoid doesn't mean people are NOT out to get you!
Everything you do online is recorded. A search you type into Google, an email, this post.
Everything.
Anything that is out there can be hacked into if there's enough interest on the hackers' part.

riccumming · Oct 21, 2012

have used a chrome book for a few months works
great, simple to use I love it! fyi you need wifi
to use it on the cloud or a cellular hotspot. btw
they make a keyboard and mouse for android tablets
Google operating systems work so much better then
any microSHAFT software

O/T computer topic

steve n carol

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DaveK(IN)

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rustyfarmall

Well-known Member

oldtanker

Well-known Member

TomH in PA

Well-known Member

Royse

Well-known Member

riccumming

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