Gabburflasted All Over Again

[D76]

I was looking at a post on a site that shall remain nameless, where some guy is worried because his Windows box is giving him trouble. A reply to his post suggests he dump Norton Anti-Virus because, it says, Norton causes crashes.

The poster who replied says he runs:

AVG Free AntiVirus
ZoneAlarm Firewall
AdAware
Spybot Search & Destroy
Ewido AntiMalware (Win2K and XP only)
WinPatrol
SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard

and hasn't had an infection — in a long time! What's a long time in Windows years? A week?

Stuff like that makes me wonder whether they think the world is flat. It's like someone repeatedly shooting himself through the head but asking where he can get more and better bullets.

Amazing.

[jcarter]

Oh, so many of my friends and neighbours are always asking me why their new PCs run so slowly.  They BEG me to come over and fix the things.
I refer them to another friend who's specialty is de-virusing and cleaning out PCs.
I also diagnose their cats when they need worming, seems that is quite a similar problem?

I just tell them I am a Mac user and do not understand anything at all with the PC world.  If they beg too hard and I can reach them on my bike(no gasoline spent on this problem), I go over and diagnose and explain their problem, give them Holly's phone number and they can go from there.  (And our local vet's phone number too for the cats.)

Ive persuaded several to purchase Macs,,,,,,,,,thats another story.
They come over here and bring their sad little PC laptops, and see my Macs, and its onward and upward from then on.
Jane

[gunug]

There are statistics that indicate that most PC viruses are written to try to work around or be ignored by Norton Antivirus and McAfee Antivirus because they are what are out there in the PC world the most.  So AVG Antivirus might be a good idea.  The other software mentioned is a firewall program (already built into both Windows XP and MAC OS X) so it's quite possible this person you're talking about is using Windows 98!  The other stuff is all antispyware and antispam stuff some of which will work together and some of which won't. Antispyware programs are often useful if run one after another because none of them "seem" to be able to catch everything.  There are thousands of rodents and reptiles out there sniffing around XP for flaws.  

It probably isn't wise to get complacent about this stuff because OS X is probably the next target and it probably isn't free of flaws that can be taken advantage of; or why are there so many Security Updates for OS X?

[D76]

QUOTE(gunug @ Sep 1 2006, 09:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It probably isn't wise to get complacent about this stuff because OS X is probably the next target and it probably isn't free of flaws that can be taken advantage of; or why are there so many Security Updates for OS X?

That viruses are being written to circumvent Norton et al is a new one on me. Why am I not surprised?

I'm wise enough not to be complacent, but with the millions of machines running OS X and more millions still running OS 9, the safety-through-obscurity argument has long been shot down. Security updates don't change the basic nature of the Mac OS. It won't passively accept every virus, key logger and piece of spyware floating around out there.

I started on Macs with System 6 and have had my own machines since System 7.0 or 7.1, and have never come across a virus or any other piece of malware. That's 16 years, and I stopped running Mac anti-virus apps with System 8, about two months after I loaded it.

Going to a Windows board is like walking down an orchard with every tree dripping free $1,000 bills, but with the eyes of Windows users  — those who have a choice — glued firmly on the ground as they engage in deep discussions on how to thwart the malware. These aren't people who must use Windows for some obscure reason or another. Some, if not most, are Joe Sixpacks who can't figure out IE and are lost in the reams and reams of instructions on cleaning up their registries and removing rogue dlls and all the rest.

I know none of this is new. It just struck me again how insane it is.

[swhitset]

The bottom line on Windows... is not to get the malware in the first place.  Once it is on the computer it is often impossible to completely eradicate it.  Safe computer user behavior is most important. So.... don't open email attachments (in fact don't even use the preview pane at all.  Turn off HTML email.  Don't surf to sites that are considered high risk.... Such as porn or illegal software "warez" sites.  Don't use peer to peer file sharing to get "free" music or software, AND DON"T USE INTERNET EXPLORER.  The ACTIVE X software in Explorer allows websites to install software on your PC without notification or permission.   And probably most important be sure to install all critical updates.

Mac users should be aware of most of this. Eventually some of these problems will occur on the Mac as well.. probably not to the extent it has become on Windows, but it is inevitable that we will see some of it.

Steve

[LR827]

QUOTE(jcarter @ Sep 1 2006, 08:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also diagnose their cats when they need worming, seems that is quite a similar problem?

Well, that depends on whether they have a worm or a virus!

[jcarter]

Hi Steve,  When I get my MacTell, I plan to unplug the cable to the router when I am using the Windows side.
For my use of it, there will be no need to be on the net, as all I need to do is use some Photoshop plug ins and some Fractal programs that are Windows only.  Then save the pictures and images(for class too), then open them using Photoshop on the Mac side.

And in an earlier topic here, Ive been told that I can download these programs that I want onto my present Mac, dont open them of course, just save them until I get the MacTell.
Thus not needing to connect at all when using the PC side.
Hoping that this new CrossOverMac is good, meaning that I wouldnt even have to purchase Windows.  Thats another question, could I run XenoDream, UltraFractal, and others without Windows?
It will be at least November before I get into this, and I think a lot more will happen with these programs by then.
Sure is going to be fun anyway.  One big learning experiance for me, as I know nothing about PC life.

Does this sound sensible?
Jane

[kbeartx]

QUOTE(D76 @ Sep 1 2006, 09:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It just struck me again how insane it is.

One person's insanity is another's SOP...

[jcarter]

Once in a while we have to use IE, but just the Mac version.  Example, that National Geographic Genome project requires IE.
Here is one of many links,
http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/channe...lorer_adam.html
This is an older link, but it explaines it briefly. Google it if you want more.
Its really fascinating.  Costs about $100 but well worth it.
I tried it with Safari and Firefox, didn't work.
Jane

[swhitset]

I.E. on the mac is ok because it doesn't have active X support.  However, this is often the reason you need it.  Remember though It hasn't been updated for mac in years and therefore will be broken on many websites.  

Steve

[FLASH1296]

As an occasional Mac consultant, when I have a new client who has system problems, one of the very first thing that I do is delete/purge ALL Norton files, especially the nasty invisible KEXT filres that it litters your Mac with.  One client said to me: "What are you doing. I paid good money for that."  I began my reply by saying: "I limit my consulting practice to Macs that have not been contaminated by Norton products."

[gunug]

There are things Norton is good for on PC's: I run WinDoctor before and after installing big software packages and I like their Cleanup products and Ghost.  I don't think they have made very much for MAC's in quite awhile and I don't think I miss them in OS X; back in earlier MAC OS days I liked their Disk Doctor.