Go Ahead and Hit Delete
Here are a few questions about computers I've received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability. This week my mailbox contained questions about whether Apple's switch to Intel processors will make Macs vulnerable to viruses, deleting temporary Internet files and overriding photo software.
If you have a question, send it to me at
mossberg@wsj.com, and I may select it to be answered here in Mossberg's Mailbox.
Q: Now that Apple plans to use Intel processors in future Macintosh models, will the Mac be exposed to all the viruses and spyware that affect Windows computers running on the same Intel processors?
A: That's highly unlikely, at least for most users. The thousands of viruses and spyware and adware programs that attack Windows computers every day are primarily exploiting flaws in Microsoft's Windows operating system, not in Intel's processors and in other chips. And Apple has no plans to use Windows on the new Intel-based Macs. It will still be using its own OS X operating system, which has some important security features Windows lacks.
Windows viruses and spyware are just programs. Like legitimate software, they are written to run on a particular operating system -- Windows. Even if you were to copy them to a Mac powered by Intel chips, they couldn't function, because these viruses and spyware programs can't operate on the Mac's operating system.
There are already Intel-powered computers that use operating systems other than Windows, such as Unix or Linux, and they aren't affected by Windows viruses and spyware. Plus, the Mac has such a small market share that it has never been an attractive target for digital criminals.
Having said that, I would offer a few caveats.
Through the legitimate efforts of third-party companies, it will be much easier to run Windows on the new Intel-based Macs, alongside the Mac operating system. People who do this will indeed be exposing themselves to all the Windows viruses and spyware.
Also, hackers are ingenious, and they are far more familiar with Intel processors than with the current IBM processors Apple uses. So it is possible that digital criminals will find a way to infect Macs by exploiting the processor.
Finally, one of the reasons there are so few viruses for the Mac is that most virus writers aren't familiar with the Mac operating system. This is because it doesn't run on cheap, Intel-based PCs. Apple plans to lock the Intel version of OS X so it won't work on other makers' PCs. But it is possible a bootleg, unlocked version of OS X for Intel will start circulating on the Internet, allowing them to run the Mac system on their current Intel hardware, and thus to figure out how to attack it.
Q: Can I safely delete the many "Temporary Internet Files" folders I have on my Windows XP computer? There are thousands of files in these folders.
A: Yes, you can. These files are cached copies of Web pages, or parts of Web pages, which the Internet Explorer browser uses to speed up the loading of Web sites you have previously visited. By deleting the files, you might risk slowing your Web surfing a bit. If you have broadband, it probably doesn't matter.
The best way to delete the temporary Internet files is to quit Internet Explorer, open the Internet Options control panel, find the General tab, and click "Delete Files" under the heading "Temporary Internet Files." Check the box reading "Delete all offline content," then click OK as many times as needed.
Q: Ever since I got a new digital camera and installed its photo software, I can no longer use the built-in Windows Scanner & Camera Wizard for importing my pictures from the camera. How do I get it back?
A: I suspect that your camera's companion software is intercepting the notification that the camera is connected to the PC and is taking over the picture importing itself, blocking the Windows wizard. If the camera software has an option to reverse this behavior, select that option. Otherwise, you can just uninstall the camera software, which usually isn't needed to use the camera successfully with your PC. There are lots of third-party programs, like Picasa from Google or various Adobe software offerings, that can organize and edit your photos.
* * *
Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, I can't routinely answer individual questions by e-mail, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.
放心大胆地删除吧
在我们大多数人拥有的大件电器中，再没有什么比个人电脑更令人费解、更变幻莫测的了。每个人或许都有些关于电脑的问题，而《莫博士信箱》将为您提供帮助。
本周我将回答读者有关苹果电脑决定使用英特尔(Intel)的芯片是否会导致Macs容易感染病毒、安全删除临时文件夹以及找不到Windows照片导入安装程序的问题。
问：同样使用英特尔芯片的Windows电脑正面临著各种病毒和间谍软件的困扰，既然苹果电脑决定在将来的Macintosh电脑上采用英特尔的芯片，这是否意味著Macintosh电脑也会面临同样的困扰呢？
答：这种可能性微乎其微，至少对大多数用户而言他们无需有这样的忧虑。每天攻击Windows电脑的上千种病毒、间谍软件和广告软件主要利用了Windows操作系统中的漏洞，而和英特尔的处理器或者其他晶片无关。况且，苹果电脑也不准备在将来的Mac电脑上采用Windows操作系统，而是继续使用其自主开发的OS X操作系统，该系统的一些重要安全防护功能是Windows所不具备的。
攻击Windows的病毒和间谍软件实际上都是程序。与合法软件一样，它们都要依托Windows操作系统这个平台才能执行。即使你不小心把它们带到了配备英特尔芯片的Mac电脑中，它们也不会兴风作浪，因为它们根本无法在Mac电脑的操作系统中运行。
有一些使用英特尔晶片的电脑用的是Unix或Linux操作系统，它们就不会受到Windows病毒和间谍软件的侵扰。此外，Mac电脑并非主流产品，电脑黑客对攻击它们感到不屑一顾。
尽管如此，我还是要提出一些忠告。
通过第三方企业的共同努力，采用英特尔晶片的Macs电脑很有可能能够同时运行Windows和Mac两种操作系统。到时候，人们确实需要小心警惕了，因为这时候他们就很容易成为Windows病毒和间谍软件的攻击对象。
此外，黑客们大多才华横溢，他们对英特尔处理器的熟悉程度要远远超过对IBM处理器的熟悉度。因此，也不排除黑客们通过钻研IBM处理器掌握入侵Mac电脑的可能性。
最后要说的是，攻击Mac电脑的病毒少之又少的一个原因是大多数病毒程序研制者对Mac操作系统都不大熟悉。这是因为廉价的个人电脑一般不会采用Mac操作系统。苹果电脑准备推出与英特尔晶片配套使用的OS X操作系统，这套系统不会应用在其他厂商生产的个人电脑上。但有可能会出现与英特尔晶片配套使用的盗版OS X操作系统，并通过网络四处传播。这样一来，病毒程序研制者就可以把Mac操作系统运行在目前采用英特尔晶片的电脑上，然后想出如何攻击这些电脑的办法。
问：我能不能在运行Windows XP操作系统中的电脑里面安全删除众多的互联网临时文件夹呢？每个文件夹里面都有成千上万的临时文件。
答：当然可以了。这些文件是网页的缓存页面，为的是提高用户连接先前就已经浏览过的网站的速度。删掉这些文件，你的上网速度可能会略有下降。但如果你是宽带用户，这点速度的下降可以忽略不计。
删除临时文件夹最好是先关闭IE浏览器，然后在控制面板里打开“互联网选项”，找到“一般”标签，然后点击临时文件夹下面的“删除文件”选项。之后，在“删除所有脱机内容”这个选项前面划钩，然后就一路“确定”下去。
问：自从我用了一台新的数码照相机并安装了照相机自带的图像软件之后，我再也不能使用把照片从照相机导入电脑的Windows自带安装设置程序──Scanner & Camera Wizard了。我如何能够重新使用这个程序？
答：我怀疑你照相机带的软件把照相机与电脑相连接这个提示给拦截了，取得了导入图片的控制权，使得Scanner & Camera Wizard根本无法启动。如果照相机软件有解除拦截功能这个选项，那么就用这个选项。否则，你可能要卸载照相机软件了。其实，在通常情况下把照片导入电脑并不一定非得需要照相机自带的软件，有很多第三方程序，例如Google开发的Picasa和奥多比(Adobe)开发的各种产品，它们都能满足你管理和编辑图片的需求。
