If you read the papers this weekend then you probably saw the full-page advert from Microsoft telling you to look after your computer.

The message was very simple.

They want anyone whose computer runs the Windows operating system - about nine out of ten of us - to keep it up-to-date with their regular security updates.

They also want every net user to get a firewall and start using it.

Strangely enough, this doesn’t mean that you should put a brick wall around your desktop PC so that if it catches fire it won’t spread to the rest of your house.

But you’d hardly know this from the advert, which seemed to be aimed only at people who already know about keeping their computers safe and secure.

In fact, a firewall is just a program that runs on your computer.

It’s there to protect you from intruders, by monitoring every piece of information that goes between your PC and the net, in either direction.

It looks out for strange programs that are trying to read your files, and stops them.

It looks for programs that are trying to hijack your computer in some way, and stops them too.

And it can also stop nasty adware programs - the sort that take over your web browser and keep sending you adverts - from getting on to your computer.

Firewalls are really important if you have a broadband connection to the net.

This is because your computer is online all the time it’s turned on, and you might get an attempted break-in when you’re not even using the web or e-mail.

But they also keep dial-up users safe.

In larger organisations, like government departments, or companies, or libraries, the firewall will be on its own computer, but at home you don’t need to go this far.

You can run it just like your anti-virus software or any other utility program.

But a firewall can’t help you if you don’t actually have one to start with.

Get a firewall

If you have the latest version of Windows, XP, then you’ve already got a firewall, but it isn’t turned on.

You have to go to network properties, change the settings, and tick the box to say you ‘want to protect my computer and network’ - instructions are online at Microsoft.

If you have another version of Windows then you’ll need to get one from somewhere else. You can buy firewall software in your local PC dealer, or download it from the internet.

Some internet service providers, like BT Yahoo!, provide their broadband users with a firewall as part of their subscription.

But whatever it takes, you should take Microsoft’s advice and get yourself one.

There are simply too many nasty people out there who’d like to break into your computer, send you nasty programs, or just read your private stuff.

More at Microsoft.

Have you taken precautions to protect your PC?
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One of the problems with picture messaging, or MMS, is that nobody seems to be using it.

I take lots of photos with my phone, but I don’t ever send them to other people’s phones.

Sometimes I’ll send them directly to a friend by e-mail, but generally I just transfer them to my computer using the cable that came with it.

It’s a lot cheaper and faster. And once they are on my PC I can e-mail them to anyone else at no extra cost.

Nokia has realised this, but instead of just complaining about it they’ve decided to try to give all a reason to send pictures.

Next year you’ll be able to buy a photo frame that can actually receive digital images and display them. It will store up to fifty pictures and show them as a slideshow.

The idea is that you’ll buy one for your mum and then send her photos of the kids in their school concerts, or when they do something unutterably cute.

They won’t be cheap, but it could actually work - I know my mum would love one!

Do you MMS?
Click here to have your say!