computer questions: ethernet, spyware, viruses

[Commie Basher]

(1) What is ethernet? Does it have something to do with internet connections, DSL, etc? Do I need it? I'm looking for a new laptop. Should I care if it has 10/100 or Gigabit Ethernet?

(2) I have a virus/spyware, whatever. How do I get rid of it?

Norton Antivirus finds nothing. SpyCOp finds nothing. I have ZOne Alarm Pro. But I have something. I have to type every other letter two or three times. My computer is slow and doesn't recognize every keystroke. My CAPS lights is always on. My USB port works intermitently.

[Commie Basher]

Seriously, just erase your hard drive and install LINUX.

Seriously, I plan to buy a new laptop this year, with Win XP, then use Magic Partition to add & learn Linux. (Which do you recommend, Red Hat, Suse, or Lindows?)

[Commie Basher]

Or are you trying to run Windows XP on a 136 MHz Pentium II with 64MByte of RAM?

I'm running Win 98 on a 366 Pentium II with 200 M of RAM.

[Commie Basher]

I got an Olympus C-700 with 10x optical zoom two years ago. I think Olympus is unique in offering a basic, mid-priced camera (ca. $450) with a 10x optical zoom. 2.1 megapixels is more than enough for me, but the newer Olympus 10x optical zoom camera has 3.2 megapixels.

[Commie Basher]

Bought a Compaq X1010 laptop about 3 months ago.

I'm pretty much set on an IBM Thinkpad T40, although I was also considering the G40 since it has internal FDD and an more ergonomic keyboard.

[martin_fierro]

FREE PC PROTECTION (not an exhaustive list): Alternative browsers: Mozilla Opera AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition: Free anti-viral protection Bayden Systems Popup Popper: Blocks popup ads well in MSIE Spyware removers: Spybot S&D AdAware MailWasher: Good for pre-screening & bouncing SPAM Windows Update: At least install the critical ones ZoneAlarm: Excellent Firewall Test your firewall from without with ShieldsUP! Test your firewall from within with LeakTest

Ethernet defined:

A local-area network (LAN) architecture developed by Xerox Corporation in cooperation with DEC and Intel in 1976. Ethernet uses a bus or star topology and supports data transfer rates of 10 Mbps. The Ethernet specification served as the basis for the IEEE 802.3 standard, which specifies the physical and lower software layers. Ethernet uses the CSMA/CD access method to handle simultaneous demands. It is one of the most widely implemented LAN standards.

A newer version of Ethernet, called 100Base-T (or Fast Ethernet), supports data transfer rates of 100 Mbps. And the newest version, Gigabit Ethernet supports data rates of 1 gigabit (1,000 megabits) per second.

[Commie Basher]

I've heard of Spybot and AdAware, but I've yet to find a site from which I can download them. When I click download, I often get a black page with three colored dots (red, green, blue) in the upper right hand corner of my screen, like something image is supposed to be there, but isn't. I used to be able to download, but these past few months, not very easily.

[TommyDale]

CDilla is a well known spyware program. It was installed by TurboTax this past year on every single system that used the tax program. It is impossible to completely rid it from your system, other than by reformatting. It takes a
spot in a sector of the hard drive. Do some research on it. It is designed to prevent you from copying some disks.
It was such a PR nightmare for the TurboTax people that they have apologized and vowed to not use it again.

[Vinnie]

I think Olympus is unique in offering a basic, mid-priced camera (ca. $450) with a 10x optical zoom.

I looked at the Olympus. Can't remember why I didn't buy it, price maybe.

I wanted something for wildlife and closeups. The Nikon is supposed to be unsurpassed for closeups. I realized that any long shots I took of birds, etc I would likely have to digiscope anyway. And most digiscopers use the Nikon Coolpx 4500. The focus is internal, doesn't move the lens barrel ( common with all Coolpix?).

Actually, when I went to buy I planned on getting the Fuji 3800 ( 6x zoom). The salesman (I know and trust) pointed out the advantages of the Nikon, I researched some more and bought the Nikon.

My son takes stunning digiscope pics of birds w/ a Canon G3, but has it hooked up to a Swarovski scope, waaaaay out of my league. $$$$$$

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Bump for future info.........

[B.Bumbleberry]

Very similar machine and pretty good choice. A little more pricey and a smaller screen. I like the 15 in. screen, but some like a smaller footprint. Go to a store and have them fire up both side by side.

[Vinnie]

CDilla is a well known spyware program

Then I can safely attempt to uninstall it?

Reminds me of Gator. I got that one with Weatherbug several years ago.

Wrote them a nasty e-mail. They supposedly dumped Gator on newer downloads but now I don't trust Weatherbug, even tho I'd like to have it on my machine.

[Mears]

I love reading these threads. I never have a remote idea about what is being discussed,but I'm always impressed.

[SubMareener]

When did you last defrag your disk?

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

(But I have something. I have to type every other letter two or three times. My computer is slow and doesn't recognize every keystroke. My CAPS lights is always on. My USB port works intermitently.)

This happens to me when I have a sip of coffee and
I come across a funny joke or cartoon.
I just replace the key board.
I keep several new cheap keyboards on hand,

[Commie Basher]

The focus is internal, doesn't move the lens barrel ( common with all Coolpix?).

The lens barrel moves out when you turn the camera on, but I don't know what's happening inside the barrel. One downside of the Olympus with the 10X optical zoom is that the barrel protrudes (even when the camera is off) so you can't pocket it as easily as many "flatter" digital cameras. You really have to wear it on a strap, rather than pocket it.

[Commie Basher]

When did you last defrag your disk?

I defrag every few weeks, and never it's worse than 95% unfragmented when I defrag.

I got a new message. When I boot up, I now get the message: UNABLE TO INITIALIZE THE VIRUS SCANNING ENGINE DATABASE FILES.

Don't know how that happened, but I'm planning to reinstall Win 98 and Norton Utilities/Anti-Virus. It's been a few months since I last reinstalled Win 98.

[SubMareener]

Sounds as if it is time to save your data files, and completely reload from CD after full formatting your hard drive. Alternatively, you could spend $600 on a refurbished CPU with Windows XP, and join those of us who download security patches every week! ;-) I have had good luck with refurbished HPs from PC Mall.

[SubMareener]

Sounds as if it is time to save your data files, and completely reload from CD after full formatting your hard drive. Alternatively, you could spend $600 on a refurbished CPU with Windows XP, and join those of us who download security patches every week! ;-) I have had good luck with refurbished HPs from PC Mall.

[Happy Hamster]

Go to linux.org and read the tutorials. Check out linux planet. You'll have to get an external modem as linux doesn't like software modems that windows uses. Red Hat just released a new version. Do buy a book as that little bird will give you the bird on occasion.

[Happy Hamster]

Something else. Microcrafty stopped all support for win98 in Sept. Go to annoyances.org and check out the win98 page. Win98 has just too many security holes to even consider using on the web. If you want a good buy on a better computer go to computer surpluss outlet.com and chech out the deals. They have a good selection to fit any budget. Linux takes a lot of hard drive space so be sure i'ts big enough before you install it. If you go to tech tv.com you can sign up for newsletters that are very informative with links to tutorials. Pcworld.com does the same. PCPitstop.com has an online virus scanner. Privacy.net will point you in the right direction. As for microcrap, WINME was the last rehash of WIN95. XP as in "did you really eXPect us to get it right this time?" already has a long list of updates and "fixes". I suspect that a lot of virus writers are former employees of Mr. Bill.