Poll regarding Steam users

[Feuerfalke]

Been asking folks I know personally that are involved in I.T. gaming, computer repair, and related businesses.

That's the cross-section of our forum

1. Never install Steam on a computer that is used for financial information work/storage that is not encrypted. QuickBooks came up a lot in this area.

2. Do not install Steam on any computer that you use to store any important personal information of any kind. Financial records, business transaction records, credit card transaction records, etc... or anything that is of deep personal value to you.

You should never put any of these things on a PC connected to the internet. At least not without a decent firewall.

3. As a gaming resource it isn't a bad thing in and of itself. But, like any open port to the greater net, it can be used in a nefarious manner.

Any open port can. Closed ports as well, if they are not protected.

It is not a huge resouce hog, but it does "phone home" and there is additional network traffic because of it.

From a reasonable friend in the IT-branche I'd expected a number instead of an opinion. Let me give you one: In "standby" that 4 Bit/s down, intermittently > 1 Bit/s up. Assuming you a running a 16k-Modem via phone-line, that's what? >0,1% of your bandwidth?

5. Never make direct credit card purchases for games on Steam. Buy Steam points at a brick and mortar store and use those online.

Why not? Just keep changing your password and don't fall for phishing-mails. Problem solved. Or you want 100% safety? Good luck.

6. Be careful and it is not going to bite you.

Yeah. The same is true for my toaster.