When setting up a new computer, you are prompted in Windows to give it a name.

What is the purpose of this?

Does it make any difference what name you use? Is the Window's suggestion of a name like "Joe's computer" better or worse that a number? How about something really unusual like one I saw once, something like 6X7vk159uMq-73lkV?

Is this a security or privacy issue?

Computer naming mainly relates to Windows file sharing, when sharing your files in a workgroup or domain all the computers must have unique names.

The names are there for your convenience, so you can recognize which computer you want to connect with to grab a file or print a document.

The names are visible to others on the same network, so if you name your computer "Spanky's Laptop" and go to a Starbucks you may get an odd look from a few geeks looking at which computers are on the network.

Yeah ... what will5404 said.

I've been in the IT biz for 20+ years. Old school IT types like Trekkie or astronomy names ... I would be a rich man if I get a penny for every system named "Jupiter" or "Saturn". I like seafaring names, especially ones from tugs and seaway vessels (i.e. no "slippery when wet" .

Bottom line, be original, use any name you want, as long as it is original and doesn't embarrass you

I've been in the IT biz (or a developer working with the same) nearly that long, and Trekkie is only one theme among many - Star Wars is at least equally popular (back before the dot com bust, in a merger, who got to keep the server name "deathstar" for one of the large servers was a point of amused fighting between our in house guys and their east-coast counterparts.)

My present employer runs to less interesting coded names (eg "SFO-OWA-01" or "jdoe-t3500" for two close but not quite actual examples) but we used to use codes for workstations even (mountains on one model, then rivers on the next) and we've still got a half-rack of ancient servers around named after comic book villains.

As for my own systems, I've almost always used names starting with C (for "computer") but have occasionally had exceptions. My most recent run, from 2001 through a few months ago, ran through historical heads of state and generals, and having run out of interesting ones of those, my last two machines deployed have been scientists (at present: my wife's laptop: "COPERNICUS" and mine: "LAVOISIER".)

My most recent laptop, and the one it replaced were both named 'Atlantis'. My current netbook that replaced the last laptop after its sudden demise is named, rather unimaginatively, 'Atlantis-MINI'.

This may sound like a dumb question, but I got to Starbucks often and I don't see any other computers online. How do they see me? Is it when I am connected to the AT&T wifi?

My network name is Matrix. My pc is Neo

1. Is your computer name transmitted in emails you send?

2. Is your computer name sent to websites you use, e.g. FlyerTalk?

In that case, maybe a unique name is not the best. Maybe I should call my machine "Lenovo" or "Verizon."

mine is called Bob Saget...

No,.

No.

Nothing wrong with that. I have 6 or 7 computers on my home LAN, and I give them descriptive names, e.g. "VIDEOEDITOR," "MEDIACOMPUTER," etc.

1. Sometimes, but not often. If you're using Outlook or a mail program like it that runs on your computer, one of the email headers might have your computer name in it, something to the effect of "Received from PC-NAME by smtp.gmail.com..." but not if you send via the web. I just tried it.

2. No, the Windows networking name (aka the SMB or NetBIOS name) has no bearing on web traffic.

Name it "Homeland Security E-Mail Monitor." If anyone detects it at Starbucks, they'll be very, very careful.

It's just a way to recognize your computer on a network. If you don't have a network, don't share files, it really doesn't matter, as you will never use the computer name. But if I want a file off the computer upstairs, I need to know it's name to find it.

You are not locked into it, you can change it any time you want.

Over the years I've seen many schemes, one place did all animal names, another did all street names and the servers were neighborhoods, etc. At my first job the person who set it up was a huge Three Stooges fan, the servers were all Moe, Larry, etc.

Unless you're on Spanky's Network

I'm using Outlook, 2003, 2007 and 2010 depending on the machine. Should I be concerned? (The default is, I am concerned.)

Bravo!

I'm still wondering how another customer at SBUX can see my computer. Could someone explain this to me?

I know AT&T can see your computer name because I have called their wifi support from SBUX. Then again, they are running the network.