Public computers are available for general use in libraries, schools, rest areas, and internet cafes. They offer access to the internet and email, but usage restrictions may apply. Some are free, while others require payment. Users should be cautious about leaving personal information on public computers.
Also known as a public access computer, a public computer is any computer that is made widely available for use by the general public. Computers of this type are usually desktop models or some sort of custom designed computer that is made available in specific public settings. It is not uncommon to find public information facilities in libraries, schools and colleges, and also in rest areas and drop-off centers run along major roads. Access to a public computer is also common in public Internet cafes and telecenters designed to allow anyone to quickly search the web, check e-mail, and perform other basic functions.
One of the benefits of accessing a public computer is that you can use the many resources on the Internet. People who do not own personal computers or are away from home and cannot readily access their systems can use these computers to handle simple tasks such as browsing the Internet or sending and receiving emails from a mail based client. on the Internet. Generally, owners of facilities that offer public access to computers place some restrictions on how computers can be used. Failure to comply with these restrictions may be grounds for expulsion from the facility and prohibition from using the computers in the future.
In many contexts, the use of the public computer does not require any type of access code or the payment of any type of fee. This is true for public access computers at welcome centers or similar telecentres that use the devices as a courtesy for travellers. A number of paid options are also found in many countries, including Internet cafés which may charge an hourly rate to use the systems. A similar approach is used in a business center set up in a hotel, with guests paying fees to use the computers and related equipment in the center.
While using a public computer is relatively easy and convenient, care should be taken when using this type of service. Just as with personal computers and corporate networks, every web browser and other activity is logged. This makes it unwise to log into proprietary Web sites or otherwise leave a trail of personal information that might be collected by others who use the public computer at a later date. While some centers that provide this type of public Internet access configure browsers to purge history when the browser window is closed, this isn’t universally true. For this reason, care should be taken when visiting sites, including logging into email accounts online, and ensure that data is not captured and cached for easy retrieval later.
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