spider8

after using WF bfore the site went down my computer crashed and I had to get a new hard drive. Now I wonder if this is the site. I still have no anti-virus or firewall, but I hadn't for two years and seemed to be okay up until just before christmas. I'll try AVG as suggested earlier.

rcallaci

spider8

Having no firewall or anti-virus software is just asking for a crash to happen. One needs to be protected when entering any site (which hackers love to fuck with) no matter how safe that site tries to make it. The ultimate responsibility is yours -The Internet is loaded with virus's ,spyware, and malware waiting to enter into your homespace and fuck up your day... be careful and proactive...

my warmest
bob

Grits

Stupid question:
I have Norton Anti-virus software (outdated, I think) and that's all I know of. Should I be worried? I don't know if I have firefox, and..... how would I find that out? DX I don't mean to sound like an idiot, but that's what I am when it comes to computers

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The Backward OX

Don't worry 'bout those nerds talking of Firefox. It's just another Web browser like Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. For your purposes, whatever you presently have will be good enough.

Not so with an anti-virus program however. You need protection. Can you update Norton? Probably only by paying out money would be my guess. AVG is available for free download and does the job. Get it here: AVG Free Advisor - AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition

Cheers

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Mermaid on the breakwater

My baby is locked and loaded, she's just waiting for a virus to break in so that the hunt can begin! Plus, if my firewall, avg, lavasoft, etc - I have about another three anti's, can't remove the problem, I just delete the file the virus is contained in and pull the plug out of the wall, it's like cutting the head off before it can regenerate. You've got to be prepared to destory, by any means necessary!

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QuothTheRaven

OK, no. Netscape Navigator is probably the worst web browser released since World War II, and Internet Explorer has a lot of security issues and generally sucks. Good software is important for protecting your computer, especially a web browser. Remember that every time you visit a website, you are downloading the HTML page, along with various scripts and other crap. Firefox is probably the best browser out now, and if you get the right add-ons, you're pretty safe. Saying that any browser is good enough is really foolish, the browser is pretty important.

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The Backward OX

Oh, hahaha. Even I, who knows little about such things, wouldn't swallow this. Are you entering it for the Booker? It makes good fiction. Where do you think that "deleted" file goes? Into the waste-paper basket, perhaps?

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ieuan

The best anti virus software around today is 'Sophos', it's too expensive for most individuals but is cost effective for businesses and rich people like Ferdi. The free down-loadable versions are rather like mam's platitudes, they don't so much good but can make you feel betetr.

The Backward OX

I am sincerely grateful to ieuan for providing this information; it led on to other things which truly amazed me.

I had never heard of Sophos. I googled it. (note to self – capitalise both “google” and “googled” and insert in custom dictionary – done) I learnt that in addition to providing the business sector with the best anti-everything software available they, Sophos, also provide an information service on such matters as “The latest and most prevalent internet hoaxes”.

I learnt that the “Bill Gates fortune” is a mainstay hoax.

Sophos provide a copy of this rubbish; here it is, with warning appended:


Bill Gates fortune
Type
Chain letter
Description
This chain letter has been spread across the internet. Of course, it is not true and Microsoft and AOL are not participating.
The text of the chain letter is as follows:
Dear Friends,

Please do not take this for a junk letter. Bill Gates is sharing his fortune. If you ignore this you will repent later. Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet companies and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an e-mail beta test.

When you forward this e-mail to friends, Microsoft can and will track it (if you are a Microsoft Windows user) for a two week time period. For every person that you forward this e-mail to, Microsoft will pay you $245.00, for every person that you sent it to that forwards it on, Microsoft will pay you $243.00 and for every third person that receives it, you will be paid $241.00.

Within two weeks, Microsoft will contact you for your address and then send you a cheque.
Important
If you receive this or a similar message, please do not forward it to your friends and colleagues. Forwarding unsolicited chain letters wastes time and bandwidth.


As I said, I was amazed. And what amazed me is that Sophos find it necessary to warn our business leaders that this is a scam. In fact it more than amazed me. It horrified me. What is it with normal human intelligence these days that we need to have our noses wiped for us like snotty-nosed children? If our business leaders are so stupid they need to be told this is a scam, it is no wonder the world is going down the gurgler.

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Mermaid on the breakwater

Yes, without the ability to regenerate! You've got to get straight in there, ox.

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ieuan

I supose if the Sophos didn't 'out' a prevelant hoax some people would complain they are not doing their job properly. Don't forget it's not only low intelligence people who are conned out of their money, we get conned regularly don't we? think of stocks and shares and see the shinanigens that they get up to. Look at Norther Rock (A British Building Society) supposed to be solid as a rock yet the British givernement has had to bale it out to the tune of billions of pounds of loans. And this building society was run by experts, it's directors were chartered members of the Institute of Accounants, and Fellows of the Institute of Directors, Banking and Management. yet they cocked it up big time. Millions of ordinary people who trusted these gorks almost lost every penny, and it's we the ordinary taxpayer who pays in the end.

Being at the top of the pile doesn't mean we don't need sound financial advcie. rememeber pharoah? He was at the top yet would not take good advice and look at the mess he got into.

bish

If a virus gets past all that it's not simple matter of deleting the files. You may think that deleting it will be "like cutting the head off before it can regenerate", but its more like cutting the foot of that's been kicking you in the janglies. The viruses 'regenerate' through the registry, not the actual files. If a virus gets past all your defenses it's a lot more advance than any free virus suite can handle, you'd need to take your hard drive into a professional and have them wipe the virus.

ieuan

Bish, Sopos works in an extra way as well as identifying the virus it also looks for unusual activity and this it identifies many of the difficult virus'.

regards

ieuan

mi is happy

I belive my computer uses protection. I hope....

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Mermaid on the breakwater

Just keep cutting the foot off until it bleeds to death! You've just got to wear it down continually and keep your computer on a drip whilst you wear a tin foil helmet with magnets on your fingertips. It works for those guys over at NASA.

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