slymongoose

[hide=pyromancer & Nadril wrote...] The Wii is novel, but it lacks good games. Like, a serious lack. [/hide] Oh, ok fair enough. It makes sense though. Being a (Nintendo) Wii owner myself, I know that it has nowhere near the game potential as the xbox360 or PS3. But as I said, for casual, fun-loving "gamers" like myself, its alright. :mrgreen: But as for fubol, he doesn't want a PS3 or a Wii, so I guess by process of elimination...that leaves...? You figure it out :mrgreen:

Please do forgive me for not following the flow of the in-thread discussion, but... With reference to Nadril's original post and the thread overall... Why get so excited about Windows 7...isn't it just an upgraded version of Vista? and I could write a book about all the complaints people seems to have about Vista. I mean, its like saying IE8 will be fantastic compared to IE7 just because its an upgraded version, but at the end of the day, it still is...and will always be Internext Explorer... and it still is...and will always be Microsoft... I accept Microsoft...and all its "baggage". They make great OS's, in my humble opinion of course, but they obviously fall down in other areas. If you have a problem with Vista, which is a great OS, in my humble opinion once more, whats to say you (and I'm speaking generally) won't have a dislike for Windows 7?

With the risk of being laughed at... I couldn't help but notice how no one has mentioned the (Nintendo) Wii thus far, or is that not considered a console? :mrgreen: I mean I have a (Nintendo) Wii, and its fairly alright...although I'm not a "gamer"...really...I keep things relatively simple, like "Mario" type games. Or...just maybe...lol you guys consider the Wii a console, just as much as Internext Explorer is a browser? :lol: Please do enlighten. :D

-Thanks for your input rwinner16, but I think we already established that McAfee isn't good :mrgreen: -Your bad experience from using McAfee though, serves as another reason not to use it, and I thank you for sharing. =D> I sincerely hope that other users of this forum who read this will now see that we in the tech forum, know what we're talking about when we say that McAfee is not a good anti-virus. -However, I am very alarmed that you're using AVG, because frankly, in my humble opinion, AVG is just as bad as McAfee is. Also, as you rightly said, there are alot of better anti-virus programs out there, both free and paid versions. If by chance you haven't seen the other threads in the forum about this, then you should know that, in my humble opinion of course, I highly recommend Avast! HOME as a free anti-virus and NOD32 as a paid anti-virus. Avast! found here: http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html NOD32: found here: http://www.eset.com/ -Also, you say that you don't have Windows Defender or Spybot S&D. I sincerely hope you still have some sort of spyware-removal program. Ad-Aware 2008 is a good (FREE) option to try, found here: http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

-I can't help with with solving the problem you're having. -What I can do is recommend a better anti-virus program. I'd recommend Avast! anti-virus, found here : http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html It's free and in my humble opinion, it's easily the best FREE anti-virus out there, at the moment.

[hide=Previous posts from Clare and urbestfreind] Speak for yourself...I'm spending my weekend cleaning out 2 malware-infested computers (XP Antispyware 2009 anybody?), and setting up one as a test server so I can learn PHP and whatnot easier. Which is also why I'm glad this topic is around, because it will help me with cleaning up these computers. Although, I will thank you for hopefully straightening out some of the feuding going on in these forums (it's getting pretty tiresome to read). [/hide] Also, @D V Devnull & sbridea2000: First-off, let me say upfront, that I don't consider this spam, I think its just a case of the discussion going in a different direction...all under the same broad topic of good security software, yes? But, its all good though, guys (and gal? I think). Just a case of misunderstanding I suppose? But we can all learn from this and move on, yes? After all we're all working towards the same goal, yes? i.e. Helping others and sharing useful information, and learning at the same time :thumbsup: ---------------------------------------------------------------- As an aside though, When Clare mentioned that bit about mods for this forum...it got me to thinking: -I remember back when I first ever knew about tip.it forums...around like early 2005, and I came to the tech forum for the first time, I remember certain users use to have some sort of um..."tech wiz banner" under their usernames, which indicated they were persons designated to help with problems. Obviously though, that system is no longer in use...anyone was around back then, or anyone knows why tip.it stopped using it? The reason I say this is because, when you look through most of the threads, you find many users offering to help, which is a good thing, don't get me wrong...but when it comes to serious issues like say a Trojan or something like that...I think it may be more re-assuring to the person who is asking for help to see some sort of accreditation from the persons who may be helping them...so that they would at least have an idea that the information/help they are receiving is coming for a credible source and not just some random person, who despite their good intentions, could actually do more harm than helping...due to inaccuracy. Just some food for thought :mrgreen:

[hide=Previous posts from D V Devnull and sbrideau2000, which, if I may add, were quite unnecessary...] Isn't it like that for All Windows OSes? :P Too true, sbrideau... LOL! :lol:[/hide] Umm, you two gentleman (I'm assuming you're both male) do know that logic and common sense are your best friends right? :shame: If you didn't know that...then I suggest you befriend them quickly... :lol: Now obviously, for those of us who browse the Tech forums often, or who are experienced as it relates to Information Technology...information such as this is basic and is a given. However, I did not post this for your benefit...but rather for the benefit of those who are not regular users of this forum, or who may not be very adept at dealing with problems on their PC. It's called being CRYSTAL CLEAR...So therefore, your comments are completely out of place, yes? Now I'm willing to bet, that say 2 weeks or maybe even a couple months down the road, someone else is going to come here, asking questions about this same very thing...even though it has already been resolved in another thread, like say this one. Need I say more? :lol: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Moving on brilliantly... :) On the topic of what urbestfreind and ClareJonsson were discussing: I am willing to go out on a limb and say that Avast! HOME is probably the best free anti-virus software out there right now...I've never even heard of that Avira thing...so as Clare said, go with Avast! :thumbup:

...sigh, is the green really that bad? If I was helpful...thats all that counts really... However...the last thing I would want to do is post illegible content, so I guess this will have to do.

@ D.V. : -Well, I've heard (ok...so I'm reading but you get the point lol) what you said and taken it into consideration. -However, I have re-installed Spybot and turned off real-time protection as you recommended, and surprisingly, it works just fine. I also still have Windows Defender on, and its still working great. I guess Comodo is just better for me then ZA...which is something you probably don't wanna hear lol...but hey...it is what it is, yeh? -If anything stirs up...I'll be sure to let ya know. -->But alas, the lessons learnt are: -If you're running Vista...don't make any changes to Spybot without clicking "Run as Administrator". -Don't have too many real-time protection software running at the same time. -Only use Spybot, if you know what you're doing...or after getting some serious advice/consultation from advanced users. I deemed this case SOLVED! =D>

[hide=D_V_Devnull's previous post] slymongoose, Joey said it. BTW, the only program whose resident protection system that you should be using is that of the AntiVirus. (In this case, NOD32.) Well, that and the one of a firewall. :geek: As for Windows Defender and Spybot S&D, do have them installed and waiting, but DO NOT use their realtime protection systems, as those WILL interfere with the AV/FireWall... Further, try to toss back in ZoneAlarm WITHOUT having those realtime protections running. (Do, however, install that as an Admin.) I have this feeling it may start working if it only has to worry about the AV alongside, and not anything else. :thumbup: ~D. V. "Late to the ball game..." Devnull [/hide] -Ah!, just the guy (I'm assuming) I was looking to hear from. -I had actually resolved the issue. I uninstalled both Spybot and ZA. I then re-installed Ad-Aware and installed Comodo Firewall Pro. Now I'm problem free and Firefox is happy again...which makes me happy :mrgreen: -Only thing is, I actually liked Spybot, and really would like to have it, I think I will try your suggestion of turning off real-time. Is it really necessary to turn off Windows Defender real-time as well though? As for as I can tell it isn't causing any problems and its actually useful to me. Comodo has its real-time going as well with its "DEFNESE+" feature, so right now my real-time consists of NOD32, Comodo and Windows Defender, and as I said, everything's working great. For now though, I'm gonna retry Spybot, without real-time and see if it works ok.

[hide=From previous posts.] I'm not concerned about security or anything, I haven't had a security problem in years. I just want to know how and why some anti-virus software are better than others. Most of the things I hear are things that never happened to me ("My systme crashed after I installed {Software}!!) or resource usage. Better Virus Definitions (means that it can spot more viruses, and the trickier ones) and being less of a system resource hog are usually the two main reasons. [/hide] -As Nadril rightly said, your "internet intelligence", is just as important as having good software. -The reason I said Norton, AVG and McAfee are not good software, was because their reputation is very, very bad: Norton: 1. Norton, from what I've been told (and from very reliable sources, mind you) is a real "resource hog". In other words, it burdens your system...I compare it to the average man trying to hold two bags of cement for say...three (3) hours straight....without putting them down. 2. As Nadril said again, Norton is lacking in virus definition quality...which is the core of any anti-virus software, as compared to say good software like NOD32, Avast! or Kaspersky. AVG: 1. AVG, while it must be commended for giving us the option of "decent" free software, is infamous for its false-positives, and for its sub-par detection rates (poor quality virus definitions) McAfee: 1. This one seems to a popular choice to include with software packages or new systems. Infact, my Dell Inspiron came with a subcription of McAfee but I got rid of it faster than you would drop a hot frying pan. I installed KIS from day 1 and I loved it. I would say its virus definitions are also sub-par and this is a reason why it should be avoided. -Now let me also say, right, that you could have great software like NOD32, Kaspersky, Avast!, Comdo...etc, BUT if your "internet intelligence" is lacking...then you're no better off. You could have a look at this (safe) website, it has alot of useful information : http://windowssecrets.com/

off topic: jesus christ dude....of course its gonna work on ur pc....look at the hardware >_> thats godly....and about 3k+ worth of stuff on topic: kk i suppose ill get a lappy (<-- dont ask) and 2 gigs of ram...thx guys =P $1050, actually. My 1100$ lappy runs vista like a dream. I threw the SSD in it once just for fun, and it beat the pants off almost any computer I've ever used, except for my 'work' desktop with an SSD. ->As it relates to the topic of the thread: Vista works fine, provided you have the appropriate hardware and specs, as has been said so far. I'm typing this right now on my Vista Home Edition. I have 2 gigs RAM, and it works just fine, so the others were spot on where that is concerned. Compatibility is hardly an issue now, because any company/program manufacturer who is worth something, would have made their programs/products Vista compatible by now, yes? ->Off-topic though: I'm intrigued by your system specs, compfreak847. Just curious though, what exactly does "SSD" mean? and also what part of the system is "Corsair TX750"? [/hide] Yahoo or Google is your friend. SSD=Solid State Drive. For more information - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_drive Corsair 750=A 750W power supply unit from Corsair. More info - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Supp ... _(Computer) (add the ) after the r... weird link) Green text... Why? First-off, don't tell me Google is my friend...this forum is for asking computer related questions, which I am doing, yes? You easily replied and told me what I wanted to know...I'm sure it didn't disadvantage you in anyway... Second, I like my text in green...and it will stay in green. It's unfortunate that the grey background of this forum...doesn't exactly blend well with green...but I've been trying to find a lighter shade...that is more legible... Thanks though, for the quick reply, much appreciated.

--*Let me state up front that I'm not in anyway a "recognized" tech, around these forums, my views only represent my opinion as someone who has a fond passion/interest in computers.--* Continuing... You're in the right place. For starters, if you refer to the "How-to Guide" in the Announcements section of this forum, you would see that computer security has four main software aspects: 1. firewall, 2.anti-virus, 3. spyware-remover, 4.browser However, that thread could use some updating/adjustments. However, this is an area I'm really passionate about...and may even choose as a career one day :mrgreen: . In my humble opinion, 1. Firewall: One of the best out there is easily Comodo Firewall Pro (and it's free). I personally use it and I have absolutely no complaints thus far...although, mind you I've been using it for approximately a week now. If you want to spend some money, there's Comodo Firewall Pro PLUS which you could buy. ->Another option out there is Zone Alarm...and up to literally a few days ago...before I installed Comodo...I had Zone Alarm, which I thought was amazing...until I was informed otherwise. I then tried Comodo...and...the rest as they say is history. So basically try Comodo, yes? 2. Anti virus: ==>First off, let me make this clear. AVG, Norton and McAfee ARE NOT antivirus programs...they are just garbage, that take up precious hard drive space, yes? I mean...sure, they call themselves "anti virus software", but there are those of us out there who know better. Saying AVG, Norton and McAfee are good "anti virus software" is like saying IE7 is the best browser ever, or Windows Firewall is the best firewall ever...need I say more? :lol: --If you want good free anti virus software, you could try Avast Home Edition. Again, if you want to spend money, you could try Kaspersky Anti virus. The best bet though, for paid software, is NOD32...which I currently use, and which is simply amazing. Scanning speed alone...is just...wow. 3. Spyware Remover: A good free product worth trying is Ad-Aware 2008. It's simple to use and effective. I wouldn't recommend Spybot S&D, because I had it and it caused Firefox serious problems...for some reason...and I couldn't have that, now could I? If you're gonna try Spybot, then use with extreme caution. 4. Browser: As for the browser...well, you're already using Firefox - nuff said. Just make sure you get some good add-ons like CS Lite, NoScript, Adblock Plus, WOT and Flashblock, keep them up-to-date, and you should be fine. Oh, and also keep Firefox itself, up-to-date as well. --> One more thing though, it's good to get the individual products, but you do have the option of getting the all-in-one packages, (meaning a firewall and a spyware/virus/malware scanner and remover, in one product) as well. Kaspersky Internet Security (KIS) and ESET Smart Security, are good examples of such software. (I have only used KIS though, and it was very nice). These would be paid products however. One important caution about all-in-one packages though is that you run the risk of lacking in one area and excelling in the other. For example, Kaspersky is widely recognized for having very good antivirus software, however the firewall in their KIS may be lacking as compared to a specialized firewall program like Comodo Firewall Pro. Oh and one last important thing, regardless of what program/software you use, you MUST keep it up-to-date as much as is humanly possible. The same goes for you're operating system, particularly if you're using Windows, make sure you keep Windows up-to-date, with Windows Update. ~~This website, gives some information about this same topic area. It was recommended to me by another person in this forum, who helped me out when I had a problem, and you should probably have a look as well: http://windowssecrets.com/

[hide=From previous posts...] off topic: jesus christ dude....of course its gonna work on ur pc....look at the hardware >_> thats godly....and about 3k+ worth of stuff on topic: kk i suppose ill get a lappy (<-- dont ask) and 2 gigs of ram...thx guys =P $1050, actually. My 1100$ lappy runs vista like a dream. I threw the SSD in it once just for fun, and it beat the pants off almost any computer I've ever used, except for my 'work' desktop with an SSD. [/hide] ->As it relates to the topic of the thread: Vista works fine, provided you have the appropriate hardware and specs, as has been said so far. I'm typing this right now on my Vista Home Edition. I have 2 gigs RAM, and it works just fine, so the others were spot on where that is concerned. Compatibility is hardly an issue now, because any company/program manufacturer who is worth something, would have made their programs/products Vista compatible by now, yes? ->Off-topic though: I'm intrigued by your system specs, compfreak847. Just curious though, what exactly does "SSD" mean? and also what part of the system is "Corsair TX750"?

-->Ok, I appreciate the help :thumbup: I think I have been convinced though...I'm gonna get Comodo, I want the best of everything...and if ZA isn't that...well then so be it, yes? -->About the Firefox problem though....its getting really annoying, and now I know for sure that it is a firefox problem, because I had to use *GASP* IE7 to download the ad-aware installer...I feel tormented even to say that :ohnoes: I hope some sorta fix/update is coming soon :wall: