Posted on 11/26/2004 11:49:59 AM PST by goldstategop
The site has multiple forums for various computing problems, but the overwhelming number of inquiries in the last year has dealt with spyware, which on the site has a variety of less neutral names, "scumware" being one of the more polite. Scumware had been an epidemic; in the last year it grew into a pandemic, said Steve Wechsler, one of those drawn to Eshelman's site.
Wechsler was tending bar at a public golf course in South San Francisco when he bought his first computer less than a decade ago.
"I brought it home and turned it on, clicked on Netscape and expected something to happen. I still think about how dumb I was," he said. That ignorance makes him empathize with other casual users, people who expect their computers to be tools, not obligations.
The muting of the usefulness of those tools is what motivates him most. "I hate bullies. I've hated bullies my whole life. They prey on people. I'm not going to sit by and do nothing," he said. "It's your computer. They have no right to assault it."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Publish the same data for his parents and the parents of his/her significant "other"....
If you have a system that you have tweeked so that it is stable, why would you even consider messing it up with an "update" from Microsoft. I'll let someone else be the alpha tester on their latest releases.
Yeah, my computer could stand a little work too! :-)
You are welcome sir. Thanks for all you do.
That SWI forum I mentioned really is as good as they come, but they are overloaded- went from 5,000 members in June to 34,000+ now. It helps to use a cute girl's name if you register there-- the women-folk seem to get faster attention.
HAHAHAHA. I'll look for ya over there... just ping Bambi :o)
Like a darn fool, I just used my handle from here, and got ignored-- finally read enough posts of problems like mine to figure out what to do.
If I had been aware of that when I registered, I'd-a used "junebug" or "littletart" or something feminine... I have no shame, hussy that I am...
Bump to bookmark.
In IE Options, it's in the securty for Internet. Disable all non-safe activeX controls.
bump
Bump
thank you. right now I still have IW on computer but am using mozilla foxfire (for about a month, as I was told it was a little safer re: virus/spyware)
with my total lack of expertise, I will tell you what several people have told me. Back up everything & reformat/clean sweep. if xp, add sp2; firewall; virus checker; several apywear programs, go to MS for update patches. Use Mozilla rather than IE.
Pray a lot, cross your fingers & if that doesn't work throw the thing out of the window & move to a remote island & go fishing
:)
Bump for later reading
ping
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.