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Don Rob · 06-02-2012, 04:32 PM

First a little history. First viruses were spread by floppy disks, then they were spread in e-mail and in programs that were downloaded. The e-mail
providers do a good job of stopping them. Yahoo, Hotmail are the 2 biggest. They have to keep up or people will not use their web sites and see the
ads they sell. That's how they make money. So, as long as you are very careful about what you download.

If there is any question in your mind, don't download it. There is also a program called Sandbox, where you can quarantine new programs. Make
sure they play nice with the other programs.

Reality is, any time you add something to your machine, you take a chance. You never know how it will work for sure. If something goes wrong, you
can always start all over again, with a recovery disk. Anti-virus doesn't change this reality. It 's yet another program that could have conflicts,
all its own. So, if I'm very careful about what I download. And my e-mail is scanned as well. Then it's up to my browser to stop problems coming from
going to a web site. This is where browser security comes in.

I don't know if there is a virus, that can run and not show up as a process? What I have done in the past is document the proper
process going on. Look at that everyday, to make sure something I don't know about is going on.

That could be malware, or something else. This does take time. But, it
worked for me. For a long time.

Anti-virus was free from my ISP. But, it slowed down my machine.
So, I went without it, for over 5 yrs. This new Windows 7 is more
complex than XP. It's harder w/Windows 7. But, the concept is still
valid, in my view.

Are they goona sneak one in on me if I follow this same path?

I suppose that's possible, these crooks are good some of em anyway.

retmotor · 06-02-2012, 05:17 PM

I dumped Windows as an operating system and now use Unix, specifically Ubuntu. It's been over four years -- no firewall, no virus protection -- no problems. It does have it's disadvantages but that was my solution to viruses and expensive anti-virus software.

meterguru · 06-03-2012, 05:03 AM

Microsoft makes Security Essential, its free and works great. Not a resource hog like Nortons and Macafee. Ubuntu is good but for the inexperienced could be a little tough to play with without a little help. Security essential is a free download from Microsoft.

retmotor · 06-03-2012, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meterguru

...Ubuntu is good but for the inexperienced could be a little tough to play with without a little help...

Agreed.

MartySQ · 06-03-2012, 03:29 PM

We never really had troubles with that unless the boys, we had 4, would go to porn sites. Those always bring home an STD to the computer. Momma always knew ...sometimes, your sins do find you out!
I'm not saying that is the only place people get virus now, but back in the early 90's that was how our computer got them.

pagosajoe · 06-03-2012, 03:31 PM

Avast Antivirus free is an excellent choice - I use it with Win 7 64 and it doesn't slow down the machine.

avast! Free Antivirus | Download Antivirus Protection Software

Mr Nifty · 06-03-2012, 05:33 PM

Love avast.

87Rockwood · 06-03-2012, 05:51 PM

Loved avast and lava soft. But now I have a Apple.

chaunclm · 06-03-2012, 06:07 PM

I do a lot of work on line and run Norton 360. The most recent version has a safe search feature which catalogs whether a site is safe of not. It recently flagged a web site that had a worm on it. The software cautioned me not to visit the site. I knew the fellow who runs the site and I sent the info to him. I haven't heard back yet. I like the safe search feature.

I think the greatest danger to me is visiting an infected site.

I was hacked using the Microsoft stuff. I have never had a problem when using Norton. It used to bog down one's computer. But these new processors don't care how much you pile on them.

MickBrennan · 06-03-2012, 06:19 PM

Get a Mac.
They are much cleaner machines.

Don Rob · 06-03-2012, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartySQ

We never really had troubles with that unless the boys, we had 4, would go to porn sites. Those always bring home an STD to the computer.

I think the real reason, porn sites have "STD" as you call them. Is nobody wants
to admit they went to a porn site, so the problem does not get reported, like
it should get reported. Therefore the virus or malware stays on porn sites for
longer periods of time. People may also put bad stuff there, thinking if they
do get caught, the consequences will be less sever.

Or maybe it's some kind of divine retribution. But, I've been to porn sites and
not gotten an STD, not that way at least.