Spyware on Xaphod's computer .... pity it's in a library.

[xaphod]

I hope whoever loaded spyware onto this computer really enjoys reading all the trivial garbage that pulls joe public's chain. ..... cos the computer is in a public library. Xa

[Bubba136]

Perhaps it was loaded onto that computer before you turned it on?

[sendra45]

Great Huh! Spyware and Viruses. I would urge everybody to download a linux OS or buy a Mac. You dont need to worry about these viruses then. We are here at the HHplace because we are different. Be different on your PC, load Linux. Running 7 months here without a crash, trojan or Virus. I spent £50 on a genuine copy of Suse 9.2 but you could download Mandrake or Ubuntu and stick it on your PC for free and realise just how good your PC really is! PM me or reply to this thread if you want to know more. Nigel.

[Stormie]

Or just get decent anti-spyware and anti-vrius software and firewalls. I must have been running my (Windows XP) PC for about that length of time or longer now with no problems - the only couple of times I've been stupid enough to download files containing viruses my firewall has told me they're there and terminated the download. I've got Norton Antivirus 2005 and Norton Personal Firewall 2003. Which I've heard people scoff at, but as you can see form the above I've had no problems.

[Firefox]

You could disable active X or use Mozilla Firefox to stop spyware. Linux, Macs, or firewalls are not needed in my opinion. It's a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

[sendra45]

Yep, Firefox will help greatly. because I liked the firefox browser on windows I still use it now on my linux box. I think my main gripe was that once you had bought windows, you then needed to spend more money to keep it running. none of this applies with linux. Take our mate Heelfan, I popped XP on to his machine some months ago and because he is not a computer wizz kid his PC is useless now. he would either have to spend money on spyware and antivirus or teach himself about PC's. A bit unfair really for somebody who wants to create the odd spreadsheet, word document, download pics from his digicam and surf the web! That is why I have made the move from XP. Nigel.

[heelsRus]

Yep,

Firefox will help greatly. because I liked the firefox browser on windows I still use it now on my linux box.

I think my main gripe was that once you had bought windows, you then needed to spend more money to keep it running. none of this applies with linux.

Take our mate Heelfan, I popped XP on to his machine some months ago and because he is not a computer wizz kid his PC is useless now. he would either have to spend money on spyware and antivirus or teach himself about PC's. A bit unfair really for somebody who wants to create the odd spreadsheet, word document, download pics from his digicam and surf the web!

That is why I have made the move from XP.

Nigel.

I run linux on several machines, also run XP, and have a (very old) Mac at home. Loading Linux means definitely learning about what's going on in your computer. You need to know more, not less, and while Linux comes with some tools that Windows can only dream of having, it's still a committment to load it. That and many applications aren't available, data formats aren't as compatible as they should be, etc., etc. Still, it's a great OS for many reasons, just not the basic/average user unless that person has dedicated tech support.

You wouldn't think of getting in a car without knowing how to drive, why would you turn on a computer without knowing the basics of what you're doing? And the basics are getting a lot more advanced these days so the learning curve is longer and steeper than it used to be.

[Shafted]

I've been running Microsoft Antispyware beta on my machine and it's been working wonders. For now Microsoft is giving it away free.

[Firefox]

I wouldn't agree that computing is getting more difficult. There was a time when you had to know how to programme to use a computer. Now you just switch on and click the mouse. It's become accessible to the masses... and the aol users. (One good way to tell someone who knows next to nothing about computers is is their email ends in aol.com!) Also I'd agree that XP sucks majorly. It's too agressive and doesn't fit in with the pirate sotware culture. I'm moving away from M$ for the next gen of OS.

[Skirted-UK]

I have found SpyBot good at stopping spywear. Its free, find it on Google.

[sendra45]

Hi, Yep, I have downloaded spybot a few times now when freinds have complained about their computer, It really helps on windows. Firefox, I have got several different Linux OS and one that will run on a Mac if you manage to find one. Let me know when you are thinking about a different OS I would love to help or just chat about it. Just bear in mind that you cant get Microsoft word, exel, powerpoint and the other office products. I would suggest you (or anybody) download openoffice.org and install that on to your PC ( it runs on windows too ) and start getting used to it, It will be one less thing to learn when you swap OS. Nigel.

[BobHH]

No need to spend money on anti-spyware. Spybot and Ad-Aware are two of the best and they are both free. Use them both, as they find slightly different things. Zone Alarm firewall also has a free version. I do pay for anti-virus software, though. The only reason other systems don't have as many problems, yet, is that they aren't popular enough to provide an attractive target for the bad guys.

[sendra45]

No need to spend money on anti-spyware. Spybot and Ad-Aware are two of the best and they are both free. Use them both, as they find slightly different things. Zone Alarm firewall also has a free version. I do pay for anti-virus software, though. The only reason other systems don't have as many problems, yet, is that they aren't popular enough to provide an attractive target for the bad guys.

Hi BOBHH,

That is one of the reasons for sure, but more and more folk are using these other OS.

Other reasons are that programmes can not automatically run or set up without the user agreeing to install the programme. Windows can allow the setting up of a programme just by one mouse click!

The Bad guys that write viruses for Windows are likely to get a job with Microsoft and get applause from their peers, writing one for an open source OS like Linux is likely to get them stoned by their peers. As Linux is open source, there is no real buzz from hacking in to the system, it is available to everybody.

For me the attraction is the way that Linux works 'off the shelf' Windows needs all these other things installed so that it runs.

I would hate to imagine how much MS Office, Windows XP, Front Page and Photoshop would cost me to run on 3 PCs here at home.

I was going to appologise for going on here about alternative OS, but I am in the Rant section.

Nigel

[azraelle]

No need to spend money on anti-spyware. Spybot and Ad-Aware are two of the best and they are both free. Use them both, as they find slightly different things. Zone Alarm firewall also has a free version. I do pay for anti-virus software, though. The only reason other systems don't have as many problems, yet, is that they aren't popular enough to provide an attractive target for the bad guys.

This, and using Firefox for everything except ftp to xfer html pages onto a webserver (the only thing explorer is good for in my opinion).

I also use Kaspersky and Panda antivirus software. They catch virtually everything, because they look for virus-like behavior, not just specific virus lists.