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Technology can be pretty impenetrable but that doesn't mean you should listen to rumours. We take a look at five common misconceptions in the world of tech.

Myth 1: Deleting files means they can't be recovered by someone else

If your business handles sensitive information, be careful when deleting files. It might sound obvious, but just pressing delete isn't enough to remove data from a USB stick or SD card. It's incredibly trivial to recover data that has been deleted in this way. If you're disposing of a hard drive, run a program that writes random data over it before you throw it away, or sell it. Research suggests you don't need to go overboard here, but grab a program from the internet that offers secure wiping of disks. If a drive has failed, before you throw it out you should physically destroy it or give it to a company that can do that for you.

Myth 2: Complicated passwords are better

There is a myth that passwords are best changed regularly, and those which contain special characters like %,& or * are more secure. This isn't really true, but the more complicated you make a password, the more difficult it is to remember. This generally means that people are likely to produce passwords that are easy to crack, like "*pa55word*" when the reality is that a simple phrase is more secure, and harder to crack. So think of "IHaveTheKeysToTheCastle" as a more secure, and easy to remember option than a shorter and more special character-laden option. Forcing users to change passwords often doesn't help, and encourages bad password practices, so encourage long passwords but don't ask people to change them monthly.

Myth 3: Microsoft is the only option for business

Computing is all about picking the best device for your needs. People who work with Word documents and Excel spreadsheets don't need to spend thousands on computers and perhaps, more crucially, not spend extra on software. Platforms like Google Chrome OS on devices such as HP's Chromebook give you access to more services than you'd think. There are decent image editing tools now, along with Google's online office suite, all on hardware that starts at £200, and has few ongoing costs. Crucially, Google's Chrome OS offers many of the advantages of Linux, like being largely immune to computer viruses and providing regular updates to add features. Chromebooks are also going to be able to run Android apps in the future.

Myth 4: The desktop PC is dead

The PC that sits under your desk is certainly a less popular option in these days of high-powered desktop computers, but don't dismiss it out of hand. For one thing, it's simpler and cheaper to fix a desktop computer than it is a laptop, which is hard or a tablet, which is impossible. Desktop PCs are usually a bit cheaper too, and components can be swapped or upgraded when needed. All of that means that for users who don't need a portable computer, a desktop is a powerful and cheaper alternative to a laptop that will probably have a longer lifespan than any portable option.

Myth 5: IT is expensive

It can be costly to give access to email and computers to all your staff, especially for a small or newly-formed company. But in fact there are some very good free, or cheap email services that can be adequate for most users. Open Office can do most of what Microsoft Office can, and it's free. There are also online services like Google Drive and Microsoft Office Online that are free to use and will give much of the functionality staff need. The only problem with cloud solutions is that they often need good internet access to work effectively. They can often be used offline to some extent though.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/business/sme-home/tech-myths/11092434/technology-myths.html