Top 10 tips for a healthy PC

5. Avoid alpha and beta versions

Iain Thomson: This is important for the bog-standard user but especially true if you are running any type of corporate systems.

I’ve never understood why people occasionally queue through the night so they can be the first to buy a new operating system or gadget. iPhone buyers found out in a hurry that Job’s hit them with a nerd tax when they did and anyone who voluntarily rushes to install an operating system needs their heads examining.

When it comes to technology being first may have a cache to some, but this vanguard will encountered all the bugs, blocks and conflicts the programmers never even considered.

After the first human wave has eliminated the most obvious pitfalls the more canny computer user steps in. Personally I don’t touch anything that’s version one unless it’s really exciting, particularly if it’s Microsoft code.

Shaun Nichols: Many of us love to run the latest and greatest products, and using a beta version of an app is the geek equivalent to buying a band's t-shirt before they sign a major label deal.

Unfortunately, early adopters often pay a heavy price. Alpha, Beta and Release Candidate builds are quite liable to be very unstable and conflict with other components of a system. The only version they are released to the public is so developers can gather data on what doesn't work and what still needs to be fixed. Data on crashes is usually logged and uploaded.

Those who use pre-release versions of software are essentially volunteering themselves as test subjects for the developer. This is by no means a bad thing, particularly for open-source and community-produced applications, but don't be surprised when that beta program takes a dive on you.

4. Empty out your batteries

Shaun Nichols: Nothing is worse than having your battery die on you when you need it most. We've all experienced it at one time or another, and having a battery go out can put one you into crisis mode.

Because of this, most users like to keep the batteries on their phones and notebooks at maximum capacity and charge up even when the battery is not significantly depleted. Unfortunately, this is not especially good for the battery and can eventually lead to a significant depletion in overall capacity.

To prevent this, most vendors recommend that every month or so you completely drain your batteries to preserve a constant 'zero point.'

Doing this is simple enough; run your notebook or handset as normal until the battery becomes low enough that the system shuts down. After the device shuts down, leave it unplugged for several more hours, perhaps even overnight, then plug it back in and charge to full capacity.

Iain Thomson: In olden days we used to joke that no matter what a manufacturer said a laptop's battery would last 1.5 hours, no more and no more.

The situation has improved somewhat but lithium-ion batteries are still touchy little buggers and need to be treated right in order to survive. Shaun's advice is good; drain monthly and you'll get a lot more out of your laptop battery than if you constantly fill it up with little sips of power.

This isn't only necessary to extend the usable life of your computer; the planet will also owe you a favour. Batteries are really hard to recycle economically and you should do everything in your power to keep them going for as long as possible.

3. Application security

Iain Thomson: Using an insecure application is opening yourself up to a whole heap of problems.

Application vulnerabilities are the number one attack vector used by malw are, particularly in the browser sphere. Do neglect this leaves you wise open to attack, from malicious code embedded in web sites or by rogue attachments.

You must always have your applications patched, and do it from the corporate web site not a pop-up window when you try to view a video; a favourite attack of late.

But also use applications smartly. Malware writers primarily go for the biggest target they can, in this case the most popular applications. Personally I use Internet Explorer when I have to, Firefox when I want to and Chrome when I need to. IE is the most risky, Firefox the most enjoyable and Chrome so obscure no-one is really writing malware for it.

Shaun Nichols: Another recommendation I would make is to be very wary about e-mail attachments.

While browsers and operating systems are the most popular targets, malware writers also take aim at commonly-used applications such as Word and Excel. It's always good to be very wary of attachments that look suspicious or come from an unknown source, particularly attachments that claim to be bills or receipts.

Installers are also something to be careful with. We covered this when discussing P2P, but bundling malware with an installer is a common trick. If you find an installer that you don't remember downloading or perhaps one that came from a strange source, toss it in the trash. If you really want the software, try getting it directly from the developer or from a trusted download site.

2. Patching

Shaun Nichols: This is one of those things that is so simple and quick to perform, yet so incredibly important, that it is a wonder so many people still don't do it.

Vendors regularly put out patches for applications and operating systems, and with good reason. The patches fix everything from performance issues to stability problems to security vulnerabilities, and they're almost always very small and free of charge.

The security angle makes patching particularly important. Malware writers love to target memory errors and buffer overflows when exploiting systems, and unpatched systems are the 'low hanging fruit' for attackers.

If everyone were to keep their systems updated and patched, untold amounts of time and money could be saved in both the consumer and business space, and the web as a whole would become a much safer place.

Iain Thomson: Shaun has it right, but the problem isn't just users not patching, but companies refusing to introduce the patches in the first place.

The length of time some companies take to release patches is inexcusable. In some cases patches take years to be released. It all depends about how important the manufacturer thinks it is.

Part of the problem comes in how vulnerabilities are discovered in the first place. Obviously software vendors check but there's also a thriving industry in freelance security consultants who are doing the same. In the vast majority of cases these researchers work with the manufacturer to fix the problem before publishing details on the fault.

But malware writers have they're own crackers on the case, and they don't tell anyone but their bosses about software vulnerabilities. Just thank you lucky stars that talented hackers like Dan Kaminsky, the NSA black crewe, Len Sassaman and DVD Jon are on our side.

1. Security software

Iain Thomson: Using a computer on the internet without security software is like mixing with the tax office. You stand a vanishingly slim chance of getting away with it but chances are you’ll lose money and gain sleepless nights.

Researchers using unsecured ‘honeypot’ machines, put online to collect information about malware distribution, measure the time before a virgin machine is infected in seconds not minutes.

Any time you put a new computer online the first job is to install operating system and application patches. Next comes the security software, if you can’t do it concurrently, and make sure you update the virus signature file immediately and then run a full scan in safe mode.

Identity theft is now a big problem around the world and it is the duty of every computer user to keep their systems safe. Infected PCs are used as virus and data depositories and take part in distributed denial of service attacks. Perfectly nice, if clueless, people have infected PCs in their living rooms that are the digital equivalent of a gang of Hell’s Angels.

Shaun Nichols: Going on the web without security software these days is like hiking through Norway in December without a coat on. In fact, it's so senseless that if you're reading this site you likely would never do it.

As such, I'll discuss something more specific - trusted security tools. Because protecting your computer is such a big deal, a lucrative industry has emerged for both legitimate security tools and the digital equivalent of snake oil.

There are countless applications that profess to remove malware and unwanted files from your system, but which do little more than take your money and, in some cases, further infect your PC. Security experts refer to them as " rogue" security tools and they use things such as fake scans and misleading alerts to convince you to download and pay for the product.

So not only should users make sure they're running security applications, they should also make sure that the security tools they're using are from trusted and reputable vendors.