Computer Tips to Share

[Mycroft]

The interface was designed for 3 year olds.
That's cool if that is what you prefer.

LOL!!!

Some people would say it's too hard to learn/use...for anyone.

 

[The Giant Noodle]

Mycroft how many shares of Microsoft do you own!??! :lol:

 

[Mycroft]

Mycroft how many shares of Microsoft do you own!??! :lol:

So, all you have left is to insinuate that I have a financial dog in the fight? Rest assured...I don't.

No, I'm just a computer user who happens to like the new OS and who, after a week of using it, is quite comfortable with it.

 

[The Giant Noodle]

So, all you have left is to insinuate that I have a financial dog in the fight? Rest assured...I don't.

No, I'm just a computer user who happens to like the new OS and who, after a week of using it, is quite comfortable with it.

Naw I have LOTS of stuff left! :lol:
Im just joking around Mycroft.

 

[Excon]

Mycroft how many shares of Microsoft do you own!??! :lol:

Exactly what I had been thinking.

Mycroft
Microsoft

Things that make you go hmmmm?

 

[MadLib]

Ridiculous.
It is as ridiculous as saying that everybody who labels another is a douche. It just isn't true.

In this case, it is true. I'm an amateur programmer (finished lessons in Python recently ), and downloading pirated software would basically steal revenue. I think being too miserly to pay twenty bucks to buy a program and instead ripping the programmer off is douchey. That's just my opinion, however.

Depends on how you define often.
My experience tells me that it is 'few and far between". Meaning, you are more likely to get infected from poor surfing habits.

Using torrents is relatively dangerous in terms of piracy. In general any site that offers bootlegged software is suspicious in my book.

All good advice folks. The bottom line is, "get protected".
And it really doesn't mater which one as long as you have something for both a firewall and anti-virus/malware. Something is always better than nothing. And it usually boils down to preference amongst seasoned users.

Certain programs do work better than others. Something is better than nothing, but some things are better than others. Like I said, having an antivirus and antispyware is basic, but there are some that are good and others that are bad. SpywareDoctor I especially do not like because there are scores of affiliated blogs who push it despite it not being very good. They use dishonest tactics (lying in the download link; making up statistics about SPDoc being better than MBAM) and are generally shady.

For free Firewalls, Comodo has been rated as "Spectacular" by CNET's editor.
Firewall ? Download Free Firewall Software From Comodo
They have both free versions for a Firewall and an Anti-virus.

I've heard Comodo's decent.

Me, I Like Zone Alarm and use it's advanced settings.
PC Mag, for the 2012 versions, rated Zone Alarm Free Firewall as Excellent, and Comodo's as Good.
ZoneAlarm Free Firewall 2012 | Review & Rating | PCMag.com
Comodo Firewall 5 | Review & Rating | PCMag.com

Online Armor is good as well. It's kind of annoying, though.

Just make sure you have one besides Microsoft's.
Find one you are comfortable with and then learn how to use it and configure it. Just don't rely on it's "out of the box" settings.

Fair enough. Microsoft's firewall is pretty lame.

And do not forget about the security settings in your router.
Learn about them and set them.

I haven't really looked into that.

There are also online anti-virus scanners that you can use . Because no scanner actually catches everything, look in to them.

Meh, I don't like 'em. They're often to push a paid antivirus. They're how a lot of rogues frighten people into downloading them. ESET offers a good one-time free one, often used by HJT experts in the cleaning process.

And as recommended above - Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a must.
Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware download

The paid version is optional but I highly recommend it. The free version is to remove existing threats and is not a preventative measure.

Clean out your temporary files. OldTimer has a tool specifically for this.

OldTimer does good work. OTL is a good diagnostic, similar to HijackThis. On UNITE it appears it has replaced HJT as the standard diagnostic tool, although DDS is used too.

The download link is across from the heading in a green box that says "Download".

TFC - Temp File Cleaner by OldTimer - Geeks to Go Forums

GTG is one of the UNITE removal forums, if you are infected and you cannot remove it on your own go to GeeksToGo or other websites to seek help. BleepingComputer and MBAM forums offer that service.

Use your systems "Disk Cleanup".
From the screen listing your drives.
Right-click on the drive (usually "C" drive), select properties.
On the General tab to the lower right of the Pie-graph, will be a button to select disk clean up. Choose it and do it from time to time.

That's a good way to perform maintenance on your computer, helps if it runs slow.

I forgot to mention in the previous post that you should create restore points frequently. If a malware attack destroys your computer you can reboot it from your last restore point with the malware gone.

 

[Oozlefinch]

In this case, it is true. I'm an amateur programmer (finished lessons in Python recently ), and downloading pirated software would basically steal revenue. I think being too miserly to pay twenty bucks to buy a program and instead ripping the programmer off is douchey. That's just my opinion, however.

In this you have my full agreement. And one of the biggest whines I hear to justify it is that the companies "charge to much".

Well, consider this. Back in 1992, Windows 3.1 (upgrade) cost $80. The full-blown version cost $150.

Windows 95 was $205 for the full version, $95 for the upgrade (if you wanted Internet capability, you needed the "Plus" upgrade, another $50).

Amazingly, the prices for an OS has remained pretty much the same. So taking into account inflation, it is actually much cheaper then ever before. And in case you were wondering, DOS was no different, around $120 for a full copy, around $80 for an upgrade.

I remember when such every-day programs as WordPerfect ($200-500), Lotus 1-2-3 ($500), and dBase ($600) made it so expensive that a great many people "shared" their copy. Today, you can get a modern variation of all of those combined for under $100.

To me, software piracy is just theft, plain and simple. You might as well walk into a store and shoplift the copy.

And yea, torrents (and before places like LimeWire and eMule) were absolutely lousy with virus and trojans. If not the torrents themselves, it is the sites you go to to get the torrents (which often have drive-by spyware and other exploits right on their webpages).

And yea, I am no saint, I admit to having pirated software on occasion. Generally something that is to high of a price to justify a one-time use (I needed to recover some data from a failing drive of mine, but could not justify the $200 they wanted for the program), or if I want to test out a piece of software and they do not provide a trial. But in the last 2 reloads I have done of my main system (6 years), I can't think of a single pirate program I have loaded on any of them.

And if you are really-really cheap and can't do with Open Office, I have often seen Office 2003 for less then $50 ($60 for Small Business, $80 for Professional).

And for me, this covers everything from programs to music and movies. If you are to freaking cheap to buy it, just wait a year. By then a lot of movies are available at the $5 bin anyways. Just the other day, I got the entire miniseries The Pacific for $26. Makes me glad I did not pay the $75 I saw it for last year.

 

[Excon]

In this case, it is true. I'm an amateur programmer (finished lessons in Python recently ), and downloading pirated software would basically steal revenue. I think being too miserly to pay twenty bucks to buy a program and instead ripping the programmer off is douchey. That's just my opinion, however.

Yes. Your opinion. That is all. On par with saying everyone who labels another is a douche also.

Using torrents is relatively dangerous in terms of piracy. In general any site that offers bootlegged software is suspicious in my book.

Torrents?
Who was speaking about torrents? Or iMesh, or eMule or any other file sharing program?
I do not use any of them. But still, the likelihood of an infection is greater from poor surfing habits.
Using a sharing program makes you more vulnerable to exploit and to legal culpability for distributing if you do not turn of it's sharing features.

Certain programs do work better than others. Something is better than nothing, but some things are better than others.

And will be damned trying to compare them. Amongst the mainstream programs it usually boils down to preference.

Online Armor is good as well.

Remunerated spokes person?
I really wouldn't know. Nor have I heard anything really good about it.

I like the shield they use for their packaging though. lol

Reminds me of a Military Security Group to which I once belonged.

I haven't really looked into that.

For example.
An Ubee wireless router has the following settings, besides others. (Those are not my settings.)

Go to the GRC and test "All Service Ports".
Your computer may be totally stealthed, but if your router responds to being pinged, you are not completely stealthed.
Their scan results will show if your system is responding to pings, which may not be your computer, but the router, besides showing if you have any common ports open, closed but seen, or stealthed.

"Shields Up" by Gibson Research.
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

Like I said. Test your system and learn and use your router settings.

Meh, I don't like 'em. They're often to push a paid antivirus. They're how a lot of rogues frighten people into downloading them. ESET offers a good one-time free one, often used by HJT experts in the cleaning process.

The point was that not every scanner catches everything.

If you use the free online scanner you may find you are infected even if it doesn't remove the infection. The person can then look into the specifics of how to remove it their self.