Patent ID: 8375055

Claim:
An operating method for a computer, comprising: having a storage area which is accessible by the computer; storing files in the storage area, the files including application-related data stored therein; storing protected and unprotected files in the storage area; reading out the protected files and the unprotected files, from the storage area by the computer, as a function of commands specified to the computer by a user within the scope of running an application; and manipulating the unprotected files by the computer as a function of commands specified to the computer by the user within the scope of running the application, the manipulating including at least one of: changing the unprotected files stored in the storage area, deleting the unprotected files stored in the storage area, converting the unprotected files, stored in the storage area, into protected files, and determining new files on the basis of files stored in the storage area and storing the determined new files as unprotected files in the storage area, wherein the protected files stored in the storage area are not changed, deleted or converted into unprotected files by the computer irrespective of the command which the user specifies to the computer within the scope of running the application.