JunkWare 101

[IronBits]

http://www.overclockinghq.com/articles/junkware1.php


It used to be that you could just update and run Ad-aware or Spybot and all your spy ware problems would disappear, but lately spy ware, ad-ware, Trojans and hijackers have been getting very sneaky. This new breed will drop files all over your computer and as you are working diligently to remove them, they will be reinstalling in the background. It’s absolutely frustrating, but it is fixable in most cases if you carefully follow the steps on the next few pages. Now before you begin make sure you have about 1 or 2 hours to kill and maybe a full pot of coffee to help you through. Keep in mind there are some cases where things have gotten so far out of hand that the only fix is to backup your data and reinstall windows.

[Paratima]

This is for real and it's happening more & more. I just spent ~2-3 hours the other day cleaning out a buddy's computer. After many warnings, he still surfs in some *bad* places. Got to the point where he had so much spyware crap running, nothing productive would even execute! Hadn't read the site IB quotes here, but had learned on my own how to do essentially the same routine. What a bunch of junk on that guy's hdd! Double Yuck!!

[Moogie]

That's pretty much the routine I follow here - run Ad-aware I mean. I've just had a couple of instances where I've had problems so I have been lucky so far.

[QIbHom]

Even easier, just run Mozilla or Opera. Better yet, run Moz or Opera under Linux.

You use IE under Windows, this kind of thing is just going to happen. Not worth it.

[Paratima]

Uh, 'scuse me, but is this the same QIbHom that I just saw posting advice about deleting .msf files so that Mozilla Mail will work properly? :p

The problem with recommending Mozilla or Opera is that doing so only removes the most egregious weaknesses in IE itself. (I should point out that my browser of choice is Mozilla Firefox.) However, this is only a partial solution because of the IE support code in the kernal itself. You can't remove IE completely from Windoze or the OS wouldn't run. It's too deeply imbedded. Using another browser is still half the battle, though. That's why I do it.

Recommending that someone convert from Windoze to Linux seems somehow disingenuous. People use the M$OS because of ease of use, period, end of story. Joe Average isn't going to take the time to learn the Linux command line and it's damn hard to have a working Linux install using just the GUI(s). Part of the problem being the GUI(s). A choice of GUI's? Gimme a break!

I love my Linux boxen for certain usages, where the payoff justifies the effort. I love my M$OS boxen because of the things I don't have to worry about and the wider choice of applications.

When my Joe Average friends have OS questions, I direct them to Windows 2000. I'll recommend XP when it gets out of beta. Same for Linux.

[QIbHom]

Uh, 'scuse me, but is this the same QIbHom that I just saw posting advice about deleting .msf files so that Mozilla Mail will work properly?

Yes. But, we are discussing browsers here. Browser /= mail app.


The problem with recommending Mozilla or Opera is that doing so only removes the most egregious weaknesses in IE itself. (I should point out that my browser of choice is Mozilla Firefox.) However, this is only a partial solution because of the IE support code in the kernal itself. You can't remove IE completely from Windoze or the OS wouldn't run. It's too deeply imbedded. Using another browser is still half the battle, though. That's why I do it.

The last Moz "bug" was actually a Windows bug. I'll agree that using a browser that isn't IE is only a partial solution (although it is a partial solution that solves a lot more than 70% of the problems). Free, works better and eliminates most browser hijack crap. That's a winner, in my book.


Recommending that someone convert from Windoze to Linux seems somehow disingenuous. People use the M$OS because of ease of use, period, end of story. Joe Average isn't going to take the time to learn the Linux command line and it's damn hard to have a working Linux install using just the GUI(s). Part of the problem being the GUI(s). A choice of GUI's? Gimme a break!

No, it isn't disingenuous. Linux has come pretty far. It is not difficult to get a working GUI without the command line anymore. I direct your attention to distrowatch.com, where there are lots of reviews and stuff that show just how out of date that assumption is. Or get a copy of Knoppix, and reboot with it in the CD drive. How hard is that?

I find that people who claim Windows is easy to install have not done it. They just buy a new computer with Windows on it.

I use the GUI and the CLI under Linux. At work, I use the GUI and the CLI. I use different GUIs in Linux for different things, and really like that I can actually get a fully functioning GUI on my ancient P233 MMX laptop. Why is choice a bad thing?

I actually install Libranet and support it for my friends. I spend a lot less time over at their houses fixing stuff than I did when they used Windows (including Win 2K). They even like the pretty eye candy I give them, and comment that their friends who use Windows want the eye candy.

Linux isn't as hard as it used to be.

[Chinasaur]

Libranet is teh win! ;)

:Pokes:

[magnav0x]

Recommending that someone convert from Windoze to Linux seems somehow disingenuous. People use the M$OS because of ease of use, period, end of story. Joe Average isn't going to take the time to learn the Linux command line and it's damn hard to have a working Linux install using just the GUI(s). Part of the problem being the GUI(s). A choice of GUI's? Gimme a break!

Paratima is right there. Don't get me wrong, I've been using microsoft products since before Windows was around and LInux about 7 years. You may say "Linux isn't that hard to use", but you forget just how many people can't figure out how to check their damn e-mail in Windows. Linux is a GREAT solution to all the Microsoft bugs and flaws, but it is NOT the solution for the "average joe". I love linux to death, but I'd still rather spend my time playing games on my Windows box. Linux just doesn't have the application support that many people want. Paratima is also right, about the power of the Linux command line. Without the command line knowledge in Linux, a user is pretty much SOL when it comes to doing anything useful for the machine. When I use Linux I still use the command line about 50% of the time. I mean what else am I going to do? Surf the internet or play one of the 3000 crappy games they preinstall just to make it look "user friendly". Realistically, Linux is a power users OS and it will be that way until the needs of command line usage can be compeltely taken out of it.

Besides....if you know how to use a computer correctly, you would never have a problem spyware, virii, or any other 'exploit'. I have used Opera, I have used Firefox, but I mostly use *gasp* IE *gasp*. Funny thing too.....I never have a problem with any of that crap, because I know how to use it. People just need to be educated on what to and what not to do. Not to mention a vast majority of people are gulible when it comes to their computer systems. "If the computer says it's ok, then it must be ok!".

I find it hard to believe people suggest using different browsers and even go as far as saying "Drop windows! It sucks!" In fact none of the browsers or OS's suck, it's always the person behind the keyboard. Go back to rule number one guys:

"A computer only does what it is told to do"

Stop telling your computer to do stupid crap and it won't. I get so irritated that people blame everything on Microsoft, when they can't even figure out how to turn on their own common sense.

[Chinasaur]

I kinda agree..but honestly..the average joe is not called "average joe" for nothing. Not to be elitist..but the average joe don't know POP from SMTP from a Proxy to a command lie to a GUI..in short..AJ turns on his/her puter and can barely start up a browser and an email client (hence the rise of webmail).

They don't know a parallel port (sp) from a glass of port. They don't know, nor do they care to know, what RAM is, what the difference between RAM and HD space is. To them, Intel is best "cuz it's the fastest..ain't it?"

Sit AJ down at a modern *nix GUI (Gnome or KDE or IceWin) and AJ might not be able to tell the difference.

If it weren't for games, AJ would have no reason to care whether he/she was surfing on a Win or a *nix box.

WE are the anomoly. WE are the people who know better. I know about 20 people who use computers. 17 of them can barely boot (if they know the meaning of the term) a browser let alone know/care what the Run command is for.

In short...AJ don't know shi#. This doesn't make AJ stupid or a Luddite. It just means AJ don't know shi# and more to the point...AJ don't WANT to know.

AJ reminds me of the Pakleds from ST:TNG - "It's broke. Make it go" "We look for things to make us go".

:cheers:

[magnav0x]

Sit AJ down at a modern *nix GUI (Gnome or KDE or IceWin) and AJ might not be able to tell the difference.

Until they realize their pressious little "blue 'E'" is gone :rotfl: I always love it when someone refers to internet explorer as "the little blue e on my screen"