Spyware and Adware out of control
<rant>
I just ran CA Pest Patrol and cleared out some junk on my girlfriends Gateway running XP Home. Didn't work ...still had plenty of pop-ups one I restarted. It's obvious that even the "pay" software isn't working. I then used the beta MS Anti-Spyware and that found 6 items that Pest Patrol didn't.
This is disheartening because consumer want to know that if they spend $50 on a program they are protected. That is not the case. Microsoft needs to be thankful that a vast majority of their consumers aren't savvy enough to know just how poor IE6 is and the anti whatever programs they spend their hard earned money on.
Apple better NOT let this ever happen on Mac OS. </rant>
I just ran CA Pest Patrol and cleared out some junk on my girlfriends Gateway running XP Home. Didn't work ...still had plenty of pop-ups one I restarted. It's obvious that even the "pay" software isn't working. I then used the beta MS Anti-Spyware and that found 6 items that Pest Patrol didn't.
This is disheartening because consumer want to know that if they spend $50 on a program they are protected. That is not the case. Microsoft needs to be thankful that a vast majority of their consumers aren't savvy enough to know just how poor IE6 is and the anti whatever programs they spend their hard earned money on.
Apple better NOT let this ever happen on Mac OS. </rant>
Comments
FWIW, I have always used Spybot Search & Destroy and Adaware (both free) to remove spyware. They've always done the job when working on clients' machines without having to spend money on the commercial alternatives.
of course, i'd rather use mac but no can do.
If I were Apple I would hammer Microsoft for needing to include an anti-spyware product in their computer. Most people are getting adware popups that they think are coming from the website they are on. They don't blame Microsoft for their poor security track record.
like me discovering a lot of wireless routers out there are really just crap and have to be reset almost every week, reminds me when i was doing multimedia and windows98 would hang about 3 times a day.
even using decent internet security whatever-ma-jig is a pain-in-the-a55, because of the memory and CPU overhead, and the constant boxes coming up, do you want to authorize this, are you sure of that, etc, etc. the anti-malware and anti-spyware has become malware and spyware in a way...
maybe people that like windows can put up with it, but my time has come, its apple for me ... right now i'm using windows2000 dial-up because broadband is down (see above rant on wireless routers are crap) and so i'm letting my iBook rest.
this win2000 machine i'm running just totally unprotected, i've got my trigger finger on a fresh reinstall and format of the hard disk should anything blow up/get infected. thanks to .Mac for me and GMail for my parents, i sleep well at night knowing that our data and email are safe. also much of CDRWs lying around.
after 10 years, i'm finally 'getting' this IT thing and perhaps learning to deal with the changing landscape out there, but like a childhood hero of mine used to say, i pity the fools that don't know better
peace. OS X is our 'last best hope' and it is thriving!! it's not perfect, but it's miles ahead of Longhorn or whatever other Microsucks rubbish comes out
Originally posted by hmurchison
<rant>
I just ran CA Pest Patrol and cleared out some junk on my girlfriends Gateway running XP Home. Didn't work ...still had plenty of pop-ups one I restarted. It's obvious that even the "pay" software isn't working. I then used the beta MS Anti-Spyware and that found 6 items that Pest Patrol didn't.
This is disheartening because consumer want to know that if they spend $50 on a program they are protected. That is not the case. Microsoft needs to be thankful that a vast majority of their consumers aren't savvy enough to know just how poor IE6 is and the anti whatever programs they spend their hard earned money on.
Apple better NOT let this ever happen on Mac OS. </rant>
PS... somebody needs to get their girlfriend a new Apple
Best solution is to just install multiple spyware removers, and Spy Blaster to prevent most in the first place.
Originally posted by sunilraman
PS... somebody needs to get their girlfriend a new Apple
No doubt Sunil!! I got her an ipod to start...she likes the Mac mini...so who knows.
Originally posted by corvette
I find that MS Anti-Spyware beta works really well to get most if not all crucial spyware.
of course, i'd rather use mac but no can do.
Did you ever think that might be because MS knows flaws with Windows/Explorer that it isn't telling the public? I have always considered MS to be a major proponent of spam and the like because it is their software that is responsible for most of it and because until recently they haven't done anything about it.
Honestly, I use Windows at work (and keep my wife's PC virus free) by doing three things. 1) Be very careful about what software I install. 2) Do not use Internet Explorer. 3) Do not open any e-mail attachments with Outlook/Outlook Express. I've never had a virus. I unfortunately do have occasional spyware installed with Mozilla/Netscape, but I know that if I/she used IE that the problem would be 100-fold worse.
Originally posted by rogue master
[B]Did you ever think that might be because MS knows flaws with Windows/Explorer that it isn't telling the public?
Microsoft bought their Anti-Spyware application from a company called GIANT.
You know how I know that, because it's the exact same program and is even still registered as "GIANT Anti-Spyware" in a lot of the system files.
And I own a copy of the original GIANT Anti-Spyware.
Beyond that, it is likely (MS exec in the family (wife's side)) that Anti-Spyware is going to be rolled into Security Center.
They bought it so they could make their OS more secure. There's no other reason.
Originally posted by groverat
They bought it so they could make their OS more secure. There's no other reason.
This is only because Windows users were starting to get fed up... all it takes is one large customer to be affected by spyware for MS to get a call to clean up their act.
I just don't understand why it's taken people so long to realize that Windows ain't what it's cracked up to be.
Originally posted by mikef
This is only because Windows users were starting to get fed up... all it takes is one large customer to be affected by spyware for MS to get a call to clean up their act.
Is this a bad thing?
I just don't understand why it's taken people so long to realize that Windows ain't what it's cracked up to be.
A damned good operating system?
Originally posted by groverat
Is this a bad thing?
No, certainly not, but what I was getting at is MS should've been proactive not reactive.
I think MS is on the way if IE7 blocks a lot of these nasty things.
I look forward to the relative calm of Tiger by years end. Thank God.
Of course, I've seen users click straight through " Are you sure you wish to install the Crippling Spyware DataLoss package?"
And, of course, the built-in firewall.
I would quantify both 10.3 and XP-SP2 as "damned good". For the love of God, look what you can do with them. They are nothing short of amazing. Odd bits of silicon & copper coursing with electricity are transformed, before your eyes, to the most beautiful women in the most depraved sexual positio... uhh... wait. I mean...
Hmm... what were we talking about?
I'll have to download SP2 and see how that works.