While the likelihood of acquiring a computer virus has been greatly exaggerated by the media, there really are viruses out there. Anyone who downloads files from the Internet or bulletin boards is in danger of getting a contaminated file. That does not mean that you should stop downloading files, you should just use common sense. There are plenty of things that can be done to protect your computer from viruses.

First, remember that you can't get viruses from picture files (.jpg, .gif).

Secondly (and here is where the viruses actually come from), never open a downloaded file that has the extension of ".exe", ".com", or ".bat" unless it is from a known safe source. Also, avoid any ".doc" or ".xls" files for Microsoft Word or Excel. They could contain macro viruses. There is more information on the Microsoft site about macro viruses. You might want to check out this link: Microsoft Home Page

Of course, the best defense is to make regular and complete backups of your data. That way, if you contract a virus, your data loss will be limited to the new data generated since the last backup.

The next measure to take is the regular use of virus scanning software. There are many programs available to scan your hard drives for potential infected files.

Stay alert and don't let the danger of a virus prevent you from enjoying the Internet and the newsgroups. Just use common sense.