kwbot f

That, m'lady, was the Sobig-F virus that spread through the Internet in record time. I got six "hits" from it myself, but in each case the attachment had been stripped off and quarantined by my Norton antivirus software. They caught one of the prime movers who distributed it -- a 6'4", 305-pound, 18-year-old punk. I hope he gets what he deserves, but I think that drawing and quartering would be unconstitutional nowadays.

Steve, I agree with you. The person that is responsible not only affected others as an inconvenience, but affected international economy as well.
Someone with the intelligence to create such a virus is certaianly smart enough to know it was wrong and what the possible implications would be.

I say throw the book at him!

Well, yes, I agree with the punishment, but it was not that virus because when I tried to get rid of it, it said I did not have it! I had to type in just what I printed.

rsmiller40

rsmiller40,
In either case, I'm glad you were able to rid yourself of the virus. I know whenever I get pop-up ads, It feels like I am playing a video game - trying to "shoot down" all those pop-up ads as they come up! Very distracting.

I have a program on my computer that is called "Ad-Aware". It seeks out and clears any ads that have accumulated on my computer every time I boot up.
It has really helped decrease the amount of unwanted ads I receive.

Have a good week, rsmiller40 - sounds like you are due!
-bjt

I didn't mean to imply that you caught the virus, rsmiller40. If you have an updated version of Norton (and you obviously do) it would have been pretty hard to do that. That's why you were told that you didn't have it. And bjt, the geek who loosed that thing on the Internet will have ample time to reflect upon his crime from behind bars strong enough to contain even his corpulent self. He cost world businesses tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars in downtime and lost productivity. That's grand theft, and grand theft is a serious felony.

Ad-aware is pretty good imho. click here for more info.

I also have the new Google toolbar (version 2) that stops pop-ups - seems to work OK but still testing it!

I'm a fan of mailwasher - it cuts down on spam big time - click here for more info - I use it to view, screen and even bounce unwanted spam before it arrives at my PC

Basrah,
Thanks for the info on such good programs!
I will check them out!
I haven't tried the Google Toolbar yet. As much as I use that search engine though, I should!
-bjt

There is one problem with the Google Toolbar - it stops the Snipe It Now popup - there I was, thinking that Snipe It now was following AS Searches into my bad books when I realised what was going on - doh!

All sorts of google goodies can be found by clicking here!

OIC, Steve. Well, anyway that is gone. I just put on adware last night. Hope it helps with popups. The latest thing I just got was an ebay thing saying my account would be suspended if I didn't furnish them with x amount of info. Gezzz, seems like I have been really hit with these things lately. I wonder, I just changed from Comcast to Roadrunner. Has anyone had trouble through roadrunner?

rsmiller40

I hope it helps, too. BTW, not only do I clear out my cookie file every evening, I also clear out the recycle bin to which they are sent. One of the more computer-knowledgeable people in the Forum please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that until they've been deleted from the recycle bin as well the spybots can still track your computer activities.

What really stinks is one of today's headlines in the nearest daily paper (Flagstaff, AZ Daily Sun) which says that the majority of scum that send out these viruses never get caught and punished. Not only does that stink, but it lets all the trashbags out there who are thinking of doing something like that know that they'll probably get away with it. UGH!!!!

I do believe you are right. If this is not deleted , it can be called back..thus, it is still available, Steve.

rsmiller40

As to the press, well, isn't this par for the course for them?

rsmiller40

So all you folks out there who clear the spybots out of your cookie folder but don't delete them from your Recycle Bin take heed. As Yogi Berra would say, "It ain't over 'til it's over."

I'm afraid the press and other media don't really care what impression they leave with potential hackers and virus spreaders. They print whatever will sell not only their papers but their advertisers' products.

PS -- rsmiller40, you've done 101 posts in just over one month. You'll be up with Rick and me in no time flat at that rate.

<--talks a lot! All kidding aside, you are right on the money about the press. In every aspect of the news today, they really don't care who they hurt or what they say as long as it sells and can legally be said.

rsmiller40

quote:

---

Originally posted by rsmiller40:
they really don't care who they hurt or what they say as long as it sells and can legally be said.

---

I respectfully suggest that it "sells" because buyers "buy" it. When the buyers stop buying it, most likely the sellers will stop selling it. Either the media determines the public's purchasing habits (which makes a less then favorable statement about the public), or the media is responding to buyer's demand (which makes a less then favorable statement about the public).

Food for thought.
No argument is sought.
Not intended to insult.
Hope for a positive result.

I read the newspaper on line. Save a tree....

http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=72257

[This message was edited by fordfalcons on August 31, 2003 at 05:15 PM.]

Don't read the news. Save ourselves ...

All, respectable advise...well, unless a hurricane is heading my way.

rsmiller40

Nobody ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the general public. Just look at those sensationalistic tabloids that adorn the checkout lanes in supermarkets. People BUY those things. Lots of people, so many that the tabloids can afford to drop a few million bucks in slander lawsuits brought against them. "Elvis Kidnapped My Baby in a UFO!" Yeesh.

People buy those things, not only because of the sensationalism, but because of the location in the store where they are placed...right next to the candy for the bawling kids while you wait in the intended slow checkout line.

rsmiller40

I've been known to buy one for laughs once in a while. Last winter they had an article on Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer's nose being responsible for exposing millions of children to radiation. Beats cartoons.

You don't mean it...there goes my faith in the sweet little guy.

rsmiller40

quote:

---

Originally posted by Steve:
Just look at those sensationalistic tabloids that adorn the checkout lanes in supermarkets.

---

In full agreement. But yesterday's tabloids are today's respected media. Why do people continue to complain about the content of the news, yet they continue to read/watch it? Bad news sells.

MAN!! IS THIS PLACE HOT OR WHAT! I CAN DECIDE WHICH FORUM TO STAY ON!

Ya, I know. It is a real brain teaser to say the least.

rsmiller40

I don't think that the people who complain about the tabloids are necessarily those who read them. As for the press, I don't even subscribe to a newspaper. Fishwrap, that's all it is.

Don't know about your paper, but my paper is 90% ads. That, sir, is not even good fishwrap.

rsmiller40

It's not good birdcage liner, either...the cheap print rubs off onto the bird's tail feathers and can discolor them.

Ok, guys, here goes my 125th comment. Just goes to show, it is quality, quanity that counts!

rsmiller40

quote:

---

Originally posted by Steve:
As for the press, I don't even subscribe to a newspaper.

---

All this time I thought I was the only person.

Probably at least 75% of the newspapers today are owned by two or three.

rsmiller40

If you are pressing the shift key when deleting things, you can avoid the recycle bin. Bear in mind that, once deleted this way there's no getting it back!

There's another product - spybot - aimed at the more technically minded, apparently it finds stuff that adaware misses...

Adaware just found 60 dodgy things on my PC - no idea what I was doing to get them!

Yep, I had the same experience. Someone told me that Roadrunner cable was responsible for a lot of stuff. This might be. I just went from comcast to roadrunner and all of a sudden I have had a multitude of crap on here.

rsmiller40

I downloaded the spybot software -- it's free but they ask for a donation in any amount through PayPal -- and tried it for a couple of weeks. I suppose its speed varies according to what kind of processor you have, but it took about 5 minutes on my 650 Mhz processor to scan files for spy cookies. The first time through it found quite a few, but there were no new cookies found for the remainder of the time I kept it on my PC although the scan time remained the same. It has an update feature which the designers recommend be used every day, but the time it took to do the update was a complete waste because it wasn't updated once in two weeks. I deleted it.

I don't recall what I downloaded last year that was that way, Steve. I also deleted it. I have had adware on before too and taken it off, but as age is a factor, I cannot recall why...soooo I reinstalled it a couple of nights ago. <--ticked at popups!!

rsmiller40

Good morning everyone. Looks like the day is off to a good start.

Good Morning Rick and Steve!

rsmiller40

Top o'the marnin' to ye both, an' the rest o'the day to me!