rec.autos.simulators

GTL reboots my machine?

PlowBo

GTL reboots my machine?

by PlowBo » Wed, 19 Oct 2005 02:31:28

Alan,

you and I have lots in comon, I mean time online (since around '89)... Games
we like (racing), and experience with virus's I think I got a virus from a
"LAB" PC at the college once, it wiped the floppy...  lost homework all
that...  that is it.  I have had some really *** experiences with Spyware
though...  Since I do fix many other peoples machines as a hobby & spare $
job.  Like you I find if I dont go looking for trouble.  But I know that the
kids dont get it.  ***'s machine, I have rebuilt it 3 times in 3years.
finally about gave up.  needs rebuilt again (rebuilt in my terms is save
pics they have, some mp3s, format and reinstall...  HP machine, LOL.

Alan Bernardo enlightened us with:



>> Alan,

>> It is worse than you think...

> I realize that virus are a pretty serious problem, but it is not as
> bad as those who sell protection software lead you to believe.  Like
> a lot of things people sell, they hype the problem to make it seem
> like you'd be nuts to go without the product they want to sell.

> I've always felt that virus software in particular does more harm
> than good. In all my years (since 1985) of computing, I've ran into
> one virus.  That's it.  I'll take my chances, rather than having
> continuous problems and intrusive virus software harrassing me daily.

> If one does the smart thing, like not opening files that are unknown,
> then the problem isn't that big of a deal.  Granted, I don't have any
> sensitive information, I don't own a business or company, that makes
> it imperative to have virus protection.  I'm just me with my own
> stuff, which I can live without.  :)

> And yes, I do check for spyware on a weekly basis.  But spyware
> software doesn't run in the background and is not intrusive, like
> virus software.
> Alanb

Sidney H Bridg

GTL reboots my machine?

by Sidney H Bridg » Wed, 19 Oct 2005 02:47:28






>>>Alan,

>>>It is worse than you think...

>>And yes, I do check for spyware on a weekly basis.  But spyware software
>>doesn't run in the background and is not intrusive, like virus software.

> You sure about that?  I've sorted out spyware infested computers that
> are running like syrup.  AV software finds nothing.  Spyware software
> finds a ton of stuff.  Once cleared out, computer runs sweet.

He's talking about the anti-spyware stuff he runs and not the spyware
itself, i think.

I agree with him on the over-reaction to viruses to. I remember setting
a mate up to go on-line and play C&C Red Alert a few years ago, only for
his father-in-law to install a load of anti-virus rubbish for fear of
him catching something *** of the Westwoold servers! I could not get
him to comprehend the true nature of the risk no matter how much reason
I put forward. He just could not/would not believe that you can go
on-line without anti-virus software running and be safe. And the guy was
a senior project manager at the MOD too!

Alan Bernard

GTL reboots my machine?

by Alan Bernard » Wed, 19 Oct 2005 03:13:53






>> > Alan,

>> > It is worse than you think...

>> And yes, I do check for spyware on a weekly basis.  But spyware software
>> doesn't run in the background and is not intrusive, like virus software.

> You sure about that?  I've sorted out spyware infested computers that
> are running like syrup.  AV software finds nothing.  Spyware software
> finds a ton of stuff.  Once cleared out, computer runs sweet.

> --

Spyware will slow a computer down considerably.  But viruses tend to shut
computers down and make them inoperable.

Like I said, my experience with virus programs is that they do more harm
than good.  With 20 years of computer use, I've gotten one virus that
completely totaled my system.  As such, I'll take my chances.

Alanb

Alan Bernard

GTL reboots my machine?

by Alan Bernard » Wed, 19 Oct 2005 03:21:01


Quite true about the spyware: it will bring a machine to a crawl.  I've
helped others clean out their machines, many, many a time.  ***agers are
particularly susceptible to spyware.  For all their believed sophistication,
many allow spyware to completely take over their machines, without
themselves really understanding what is happening.

I think if you are careful never to open foreign email attachments and try
and update Windows regularly, viruses will stay away.  As for spyware,
however, it's hard to avoid that stuff completely.  So a nice clean every
week or so should do the trick.

Norton's and Symantec want people to believe otherwise, so that they can
sell their software and make a bundle of cash.  I'm not buying their pitch,
however.

Alanb


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