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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
I see you two have been having fun while I've been away! :-P
"For spyware I use a number of programs since they don't conflict. I have no experience with the Yahoo one, I use Ad-aware and Spybot, plus two others. " - just one comment on that... Spybot keeps a backup of any spyware it's found, and ad-aware will actually recognise there back-ups as spyware. It's in the Spybot docs. Just thought it was worth mentioning.
CaptainTechBot
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Dec 05 '04
6:17 am PST
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by dizzybint
Gary... anytime, I'm happy to help. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Caroline
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Dec 03 '04
12:19 pm PST
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by garym
Hi Caroline,
I went to MS udates first thing today. Just finished adding an update that had to be entered by itself. I had to reboot after installing.
There are others to add, I will after I take a run through my main stuff, like Eps comments. lol.
You were a good tech. I had downloaded some updates before, I remember seeing it before. My tech not only cleared all the updates, he didn t replace or upgrade. I am sure this is going to make a clear difference.
I now have a cookie blocker, with an icon telling me when it works.
Again, thanks so much to you and Dave.
I read your other advice and will be careful.
Thanks again,
Gary
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Dec 03 '04
12:16 pm PST
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by dizzybint
Gary,
You are more than welcome. I'm far from an expert but I read a lot about computer security and have tested numerous programs. We're all learning together here.
Definitely get those critical updates from Windows Update, they are vital. If you're on dial-up, this may take some time unfortunately.
I use the free version of AVG for antivirus and have been very happy with it. However, if you have NOD, that is excellent, I've heard really good things about that program, just make sure you check for updates at least once a week (the program probably has a way to do that automatically.) If you have NOD running you do not need another antivirus, so don't use that free one you think you downloaded. Two antivirus programs running on your computer will likely cause you problems. The number one way to protect yourself is through safe computing. Never open e-mail if you don't know the sender and be very careful about downloading attachments sent with e-mail, even if you do know the sender.
For spyware I use a number of programs since they don't conflict. I have no experience with the Yahoo one, I use Ad-aware and Spybot, plus two others.
For a free firewall, I can absolutely recommend Zonealarm. Since it's free, it's a little less user friendly than some others but I've never had any trouble with it and found it easy to understand. It's just frustrating at first while it keeps asking you for permission for other programs to access the internet.
Now get those critical updates from Microsoft. When I did tech support I wasn't even allowed to help someone until that step had been done first.
Let us know how things go.
Caroline
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Dec 02 '04
10:50 pm PST
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by garym
Hi Caroline,
Thanks for the welcome advice.
I did discover the Windows update during the melt down. I looked in but didn´t explore at the time. I have heard about but never used a patch, and I am glad to know that there are updates specifically for ME. This I can do myself because it is in english.
I may have downloaded one free virus blocker. Not sure if it took. I started using the Yahoo popup blocker a few weeks ago and thanks to Dave, I discovered and installed the Yahoo spyware on my toolbar just yesterday. "Scrip trap" is something I just noticed at the end of my program list. It is probably a security that I downloaded. We now have NOD scanner as our main security. Firewall will be the next thing to research.
My wife, the comptroller, agrees that we need to buy more memory. My friend down here should be able to direct me on that.
Thanks so much to both you and Dave for taking the time to school me on this. Beyond the practical help, it is a spiritual lift to know there are good people around. I am absorbing this advice and plan to continue putting it to good use.
Later,
Gary
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Dec 02 '04
12:19 pm PST
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by dizzybint
Hey guys, forgive me for butting in here but I can't resist.
Gary, Dave is giving you some great advice. First thing to do is check the Windows Update site for any CRITICAL updates for ME.
Next, if you can afford it, buy more memory (make sure what you get is compatible with what you have.)
Third, make sure you have a GOOD anti-virus, firewall and spyware scanner. You can get really good ones for free, I use them.
When you can afford it, get a new OS. If your computer is very old, it may be cheaper to buy a completely new system. The cost of upgrading old ones is usually more or equal to buying new.
Umm, that's it off the top of my head. Hope it helps a bit.
Caroline
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Dec 01 '04
10:54 am PST
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by garym
Hi Dave,
First important fact: I am a knucklehead. It s like my mother with her VCR. Aminor miricle when she figures out how to turn it on. 7 years later and she still cannot record. lol. She is 82.
Not to make your head too big, but I had already bookmarked your earlier review and attempted to follow it. I just ran through it again and I am just as hopeless.
The first part has to do with configuration. I was going to have my wife do it, because of the Spanish problem, but I forgot. I just talked to her. She will handle that one when she gets a chance. We are both much more alert to the problem now after the visit from the tech.
I tried the first download and options came up that I tried to follow, but it did not work for me. Again, my wife can probably handle that.
The last two were just too confusing. I´m not sure what to choose from their page. There was an addendum to #3 that they were discontinuing free updates.
My wife is much more computor literate, isn t saying a whole lot, and I think she ll be able to work through it.
Don t take my comments as a knock on what is a very good and valuable review. The fault is mine.
I will follow your advice on putting in a new system. I am pretty sure my system could not handle it. The tech says we are very low on memory. He was surprised the system came with such a small amount. Life in the 3rd world.
Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.
Gary
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Dec 01 '04
10:02 am PST
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hi again Gary! Looks like we have our own little column here... :-D
Two potential problems with getting a new OS installed...
1/ It will be illegal (unless you've gone and bought it first)
2/ I've seen people have better operating systems installed on their system... and then it almost completely fails to work. The problem sometimes is, just because it's a mode modern OS doesn't necessarily make it a better OS, particularly for your computer. I know someone who installed Windows 2000 on a computer that had barely enough power to run Win 95... guess what happened?!?!?
I'm not saying that upgrading your OS (LEGALLY) is necessarily a bad thing, but be careful. Check the system specs required - if your computer is only just up to the job it's very doubtful you'll experience a real increase in performance. I take it you've tried all the programs in my article about spyware programs etc? (I know you've read it!) http://www.epinions.com/content_3998457988
Well, that just about exhausts such knowledge as I have on the subject (your opinion of my meagre knowledge is waaaaaaay too kind!!), but if there is anything else I can help with please let me know. BTW one final thought - have you checked on Microsoft's website for any ME patches that you don't have? They might possibly help your system to run a bit smoother.
I hope you find something that works, anyway!!
CaptainAbby
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Dec 01 '04
7:34 am PST
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Re: Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by garym
Hi Dave,
I ve got ME and I have heard mostly bad about it. The working are in Spanish, which makes it not only confusing but dangerous to monkey with.
I have a budding new friend in the Chilean navy who just finished his masters degree and will likely be in the states working as a civilian for NASA.
He is a whiz on computers. I passed it off at the time, but I beleive he offered to install a copy of a better system for free. Do you know if that will be a potential minefield for me?
Sorry about yet another question, I don´t mean to turn you into a Dear Abby here. I respect your knowledge and appreciate your willingness to share it.
Gary
Gary
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Nov 30 '04
12:15 pm PST
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Re: Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hi Gary!
Just a guess - are you using Win 98?!?!? (I realy HATE that particular OS - it virtually never shuts down properly!!
CaptainIKnowHowYouFeelMyStupidComputerAtWorkIsJustAsBad
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Nov 30 '04
3:06 am PST
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Re: Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by garym
Hi Dave,
I greatly appreciate your note and response. I did not get an alert to your response and never would have gotten it. It was a class act to follow up for me.
Since I posted, we had a tech come in and clean the computer. It was filled with viruses and it got to the point that the machine would get confused and shut down by itself several times a day. Plus, when I tried to disconnect, it would not do it. I had to push the button to turn it off. A lot of damage has been done to the hard drive. No shock, there.
Since then à have always shut down at the end of a session. Your response only makes me feel better about my decision.
Thanks again for your thoughtfulness. The kind of thing that helps make this a great place to devote time to.
Gary
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Nov 29 '04
3:43 pm PST
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Re: yup (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hi Gary!
Sorry not to have replied before but I've only just chanced upon it - my alerts (like many people's!) were down for weeks.
I've heard that point of view put across, but never seen any actual evidence to support or deny it. I do turn mine off each night because what I have seen (can't remember exactly where though) is that even leaving equipment on standby mode is using some electricity, and the cumulative effect of all the items left on standby uses up millions of KW per year in the USA alone. I know it's meant to be hard on the hard drive if you keep switching it off and on again, but personally (no proof) I wouldn't have thought that leaving any appliance running 24/7 is good for it, even in standby. Then again my knowledge of hard drives is mostly from ye olde days when autoparking was nowhere near as good.
So unfortunately I haven't got a definitive answer, other than that my personal opinion would be not to leave anything on standby overnight when it could be turned off.
I hope that helps!!!
CaptainDubiousQualityAdvice
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Nov 29 '04
3:59 am PST
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yup (Reply to this comment)
by garym
Hi Dave,
Well thought out.
I have a question, wondering if you have an opinion: I just read a review that stated the regular shutting down of a computer is hard on the hardware, and the cost to keep it running overnite is minimal. The writer did say that he hadn´t seen a study to show that this was true.
My question is whether I shut down each night, or whether stand-by is a waste in my case.
If you have an opinion, I´d appreciate hearing it.
Anyway, good show and all that.
Gary
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Oct 13 '04
1:37 pm PDT
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Re: Re: :P (Reply to this comment)
by anderclayton
Shrug. That is the first time I've tried it before. It actually wasn't too bad. I did stop at a rest area for a couple hours but :P I have been on other long road trips though (went to Denver this summer). I didn't drive myself on most of them though. Hitched a ride with my folks on this last one (cousin's wedding).
:) It takes more than a couple of hours to get to the other side of the state! That is where my folks live too so it isn't unheard of for me to drive over there. It probably takes me four to five hours to get over there but I drive slower than some.
Ander
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Aug 20 '04
3:56 am PDT
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Re: :P (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Okay okay, so some American cars have heard of fuel efficiency - you must admit thought that on a whole they're not exactly noted for it!!! :-D
"Driving a day straight is kinda rough" - I thought Americans thought nothing of it? In Britain of course, being such a small place, we balk at the thought of anywhere more than a couple of hours away! (i.e. five miles away on the M25...)
CaptainBeepBeepHonkDammitStillAcresOfTrafficInFrontOfMe
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Aug 20 '04
2:43 am PDT
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:P (Reply to this comment)
by anderclayton
"Amercian cars are of course the most horrendously fuel inefficient monsters on this planet (sorry guys but it has to be said), though they would improve - if there was an increased demand for fuel efficient vehicles and a comparative drop in the demand of fuel guzzlers. Sad to say, this is unlikely to happen until it is far too late for it to be effective."
Hey!
I drive a GEO Metro! It gets fairly decent mpg.
Granted there aren't tooooo many of them in certain parts of the country but there are a fair amount of them around here (or at least I notice them more because I own one:P). In California though there weren't any other ones. It was kinda a hoot being stuck driving a bit under the speed limit and getting honked at by everyone because they were going about fifteen mph over it. So hey. I blame California:)
Er... I live in Washington state btw. Same coast as California but a day or so's drive north from there--through Oregon. A long drive. Especially if you are going to the other side of California (still a day's drive but only in the literal sense of the word--sorta kinda sorta... Driving a day straight is kinda rough).
Ander
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Aug 19 '04
11:07 pm PDT
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Re: Thanks for your contribution ... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Thanks Thomas!
It really was an interesting WO - hope you get a lot more entries before it closes. (Some members do like a challenge - just not all of them! :-P)
CaptainEnergyConservationist
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Aug 18 '04
4:08 pm PDT
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Re: I conserve energy by hardly ever moving from this chair (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
"plus the energy producers have a lot of political clout and would never allow real alternatives that would mean them losing money." - absolutely... maybe we should all start riding bikes?
CaptainYou'dBetterKeepThatTVSwitchedOff...
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Aug 18 '04
4:07 pm PDT
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Thanks for your contribution ... (Reply to this comment)
by theuerkorn
and the view from outside the box ... er, I mean outside America. Being European myself (though in American 'exile') I understand your arguments very well. Excellent points and I agree with you.
- Thomas
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Aug 18 '04
12:32 pm PDT
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I conserve energy by hardly ever moving from this chair (Reply to this comment)
by dizzybint
It’s not a problem without a solution, but it’s a solution that’s going to cost too much for the powers that be to want to take action.
You hit the nail on the head there.. plus the energy producers have a lot of political clout and would never allow real alternatives that would mean them losing money.
Oh... sorry about the tv, I'll try to keep the volume down.
Caroline xxx
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Aug 18 '04
10:19 am PDT
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