Posted on 02/04/2005 7:54:13 AM PST by SmithL
So about a year ago, the SO finally upgraded her Net connection to DSL, carefully installed the Yahoo! DSL software into her creaky Sony Vaio PC laptop and ran through all the checks and install verifications and appropriate nasty disclaimers.
And all seemed to go smoothly and reasonably enough considering it was a Windows PC and therefore nothing was really all that smooth or reasonable or elegant, but whatever. She just wanted to get online. Should be easy as 1-2-3, claimed the Yahoo! guide. Painless as tying your shoe, said the phone company.
She got online all right. The DSL worked great. For about four minutes.
Then, something happened. Something attacked. Something swarmed her computer the instant she tried to move around online and the computer slowed and bogged and cluttered and crashed, and multiple restarts and debuggings and what-the-hells only brought up only a flood of nightmarish pop-up windows and terrifying error messages and massive system slowdowns and all manner of inexplicable claims of infestation of this worm and that Trojan horse and did we want to buy McAfee AntiVirus protection for $39.95?
Four minutes. And she was already DOA.
My SO, she is not alone. This exact same scenario, with only slight variation, is happening throughout the nation, right now. Are you using a PC? You probably have spyware. The McAfee site claims a whopping 91 percent of PCs are infected. As every Windows user knows, PCs are ever waging a losing battle with a stunningly vicious array of malware and worms and viruses, all aimed at exploiting one of about ten thousand security flaws and holes in Microsoft Windows.
Here, then, is my big obvious question: Why the hell do people put up with this? Why is there not some massive revolt, some huge insurrection against Microsoft?
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Too much of a headache to read now?
You konw... You strike a chord here. No need for Outlook Express and a lot of other software on the business scene.
A 'hacker' knows that 92% of Home PC users (non business and so probably easier to infiltrate) run a vanilla version of windows98/2k/me/xp)... so you have a higher chance of 'success' with a "target base" (windows machines) that is many millions more than its nearest competitor.
I have been a Software Engineer since 1972 and have worked with every operating system that has been invented.
Today, I am often requested to translate my software to LINUX, but I simply ask why? It is called market share, and I target my software toward the majority of users.
Why does MS Windows have the majority of attacks? Because it has the largest market share!
This whole OS war of words is (as I mock Robert Byrd) petty, petty, petty. IMHO, there are more productive things to do.
While it's very rare, you can still get adware and spyware on OSX.
My husband managed to do that to my last Mac.
Took me forever to eradicate it.
I could have slaapped him.
PING
You've got that right!
No doubt the linux crowd will wax rhapsodic about how, someday linux/unix will get more market share and blah, blah, blah...
...which won't happen as long as it, the linux desktop, is a clunky, weird and bizarre interface that only geeks are at home with!
This whole OS war of words is (as I mock Robert Byrd) petty, petty, petty. IMHO, there are more productive things to do.
Hehehehehe First thing that comes to my mind is "Theres toooo much Consuminnn goin on out there!" - I think that was a Fritz Hollings
Are you serious?
Thank you.
I'm looking hard at those new little Macs for 500 bucks.
I have a nice spare keyboard and mouse, and this way, I could be Freeping while the Kid or hubby are doing things on the new G5
I'd have to get a monitor, but that's what eBay is for...
Ooh wah
Ooh-ooh wah
Ooh wah
Ooh-ooh wah
Why do fools fall in love
Why do birds sing so gay
Love is awake at the break of day
Why do they fall in love
Why does the rain fall from up above
Why do fools fall in love
Why do they fall in love
Why does my heart skip with a crazy beat
'Fore I know it will fail to beat
Tell my why, why-yy
Why do they fall in love
Why do fools fall in love
Doom Bopa Doom Bopa Doom Bopa Doo Dut
Why do birds sing so gay
Love is awake at the break of day
Why do they fall in love
Why does the rain fall from up above
Why do fools fall in love
Why do they fall in love
Tell my why, why-yy
Why do they fall in love
Tell my why, why-yy ...
Tell my why, why-yy ...
Tell my why, why-yy ...
Uncle Sugar taught me a tactic in the service called defense in depth.......multiple antivirus and malware programs such as spybot w/ spy blaster, webroot spysweeper, ad-aware, zone alarm pro and AVG works well......
Sort of like a locked gate at the driveway, an alarm on the doors, 4 rottweillers and a 12 gauge shotgun in theory......
•GRIN• Fitz knows Consuminnn! He helped Consummm our tax dollars for a long time.
Oh, if you DO get a Mac, you'll be SO happy!
I used to work with old MS-Dos machines and in a fit of frustration, i took the advice of friends and went Mac.
I've had to work with Windows at one or two jobs and ther IS no comparison.
I've used a Mac of one sort or another for 14 years and have never loked back
If you get that Mac, let me know!
What kind of Mac do you have?
I have an iMac G5 ( BRAND new... cos my old iMac died, and we sold the old house so i have the moneey right now)
And a Tangerine iBook. ( Too slow, but I love the little thing and won't give it up...)
I can't remember.
You're a Mac girl, aren't you?
I just got an ibook. I love it. I saw the metal powerbooks in Microcenter but I don't need all that much. My dell laptop is a paperweight right now. I prefer macintosh now.
Smart person!
Good for you!
You'll have fewer problems and less heartburn.
Have you gotten your Ma on-line yet?
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