Corrupted PC's Find New Home In the Dumpster

The NY Times - Business Section ^ | July 17, 2005 | MATT RICHTEL and JOHN MARKOFF

[summer]

SAN FRANCISCO, July 15 - Add personal computers to the list of throwaways in the disposable society. On a recent Sunday morning when Lew Tucker's Dell desktop computer was overrun by spyware and adware - stealth software that delivers intrusive advertising messages and even gathers data from the user's machine - he did not simply get rid of the offending programs. He discarded the whole computer. Mr. Tucker, an Internet industry executive who holds a Ph.D. in computer science, decided that rather than take the time to remove the offending software, he would spend $400 on a new machine. He is not alone in his surrender in the face of growing legions of digital pests, not only adware and spyware but computer viruses and other Internet-borne infections as well. Many PC owners are simply replacing embattled machines rather than fixing them. ...

[summer]

I, too, have tossed a badly infected PC. I then bought a MAC -- and have not had ANY problems YET! :)

[summer]

More from article:

While no figures are available on the ranks of those jettisoning their PC's, the scourge of unwanted software is widely felt. This month the Pew group published a study in which 43 percent of the 2,001 adult Internet users polled said they had been confronted with spyware or adware, collectively known as malware. Forty-eight percent said they had stopped visiting Web sites that might deposit unwanted programs on their PC's.

Moreover, 68 percent said they had had computer trouble in the last year consistent with the problems caused by spyware or adware, though 60 percent of those were unsure of the problems' origins. Twenty percent of those who tried to fix the problem said it had not been solved; among those who spent money seeking a remedy, the average outlay was $129.

By comparison, it is possible to buy a new computer, including a monitor, for less than $500, though more powerful systems can cost considerably more.

[LouAvul]

If the problem is that bad, why not just replace the hard drive?

[bobo1]

shucks, just reformat the hard drive and put linux on it.

Blessings, Bobo

[Libertarian4Bush]

what a friggin' IDIOT. go buy a new PC, you dope, and get THAT infected the same way your old one did!

spyware removal is not ALL that difficult - and if you think it is, chances are you have a friend (or friend of a friend) who will gladly do it for a case of beer.

[ASA Vet]

This Vic-20 I'm using seems to immune to all that bad stuff.

[COEXERJ145]

If the problem is that bad, why not just replace the hard drive?

Or just format the hard drive and start over.

[summer]

I did remove the hard drive, but I was just fed up and did not want to keep going through all that hassle. I am glad I did what I did.

[MediaMole]

Funny, my Sinclair was overrun with spyware...

[summer]

what a friggin' IDIOT

You have more patience than me!

[JRios1968]

He discarded the whole computer. Mr. Tucker, an Internet industry executive who holds a Ph.D. in computer science, decided that rather than take the time to remove the offending software, he would spend $400 on a new machine.

For someone who's supposed to be very computer-smart, that was a pretty stupid move.

[Bommer]

All this guy did was ask to throw another one out. No firewall? No spyware detector? No virus scan? Man what an idiot!

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Huh. I wonder if that PhD. in Computer Science had any sensitive data on that hard drive he tossed in the dumpster.

[cloud8]

> chances are you have a friend (or friend of a friend) who will gladly do it for a case of beer.

Or even a sixpack :) Or who would be glad to take that worthless old computer off your hands...

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Mr. Tucker, an Internet industry executive who holds a Ph.D. in computer science...

Yeah, sure he does.

[Arkie2]

I tried to toss an old PC, monitor and a printer the other day. The recycling center wanted 10 bucks each to take them!

[TomServo]

Mr. Tucker, an Internet industry executive who holds a Ph.D. in computer science

..and apparently not bright enough to protect his machine or clean it up...

[summer]

LOL...

[Rodney Dangerfield]

What an idiot - spyware isn't that difficult to remove.

And replacing the HD is a last resort, although much less expensive than replacing the whole box.