?? Newsdgroup Cookie Dropper ??

"lowflyer" wrote in message
...
For those who don't subscribe, what package was most effective?

The most effective was Sunbelt Software CounterSpy 1.0 with 85%
effectiveness, but it costs 20 bucks.

Did the article happen to mention that the MOST effective anti-spyware
strategy is to not run your computer in a configuration that allows software
to be installed in the first place?

It's great protection against viruses too.

If not, I wouldn't be surprised to find that the PC World article was
designed simply to generate interest in the market for anti-spyware
software. After all, what other reason would they have for failing to point
out that the most effective anti-spyware tool is simply configuring your
operating system correctly? No need to install ANY additional software.

Pete

The article does not discuss configuring one's computer to avoid spyware.
They do imply it's not always possible to avoid it. I don't know what their
motives are. How does one configure his computer to avoid spyware?

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"lowflyer" wrote in message
...
For those who don't subscribe, what package was most effective?

The most effective was Sunbelt Software CounterSpy 1.0 with 85%
effectiveness, but it costs 20 bucks.

Did the article happen to mention that the MOST effective anti-spyware
strategy is to not run your computer in a configuration that allows
software
to be installed in the first place?

It's great protection against viruses too.

If not, I wouldn't be surprised to find that the PC World article was
designed simply to generate interest in the market for anti-spyware
software. After all, what other reason would they have for failing to
point
out that the most effective anti-spyware tool is simply configuring your
operating system correctly? No need to install ANY additional software.

Pete

Best way to stop getting spywa Stop using Internet Explorer.

Here's the last thing you should ever do with IE: go to www.opera.com and
download a much better browser.

Then don't ever start IE again, expect perhaps for Windows Update. It's a
garbage browser anyway...

Brian
www.warbard.ca/avgas/

"Brian Burger" wrote in message
a.tc.ca...
Best way to stop getting spywa Stop using Internet Explorer.

Anyone who blames IE for spyware is an idiot.

The VERY best way to stop getting spyware is to turn off your computer and
never turn it back on. That doesn't mean it's your computer's fault that
you get spyware.

Pete

On Thu, 10 Mar 2005, Peter Duniho wrote:

"Brian Burger" wrote in message
a.tc.ca...
Best way to stop getting spywa Stop using Internet Explorer.

Anyone who blames IE for spyware is an idiot.

Anyone who still runs IE is an idiot.

Would "Best way to lessen your chances of getting spyware" get a more
polite response from you?

Seriously, running Opera I've (deliberately, at times) visited sites that
IE-users claim flood their computer with spyware, and gotten no infections
at all. None.

I've got SpyBot & AdAware, run them every month or so (or after
experimenting with 'sypware infested' websites) and I think I've had
them kill ONE 'bot in the last year. That one likely arrived on some
shareware I installed, and I don't think it was able to communicate
outward - ZoneAlarm never noticed it, anyway.

Opera, ZoneAlarm, SpyBot, AdAware - I run a fairly secure PC, but Opera is
the first line of defence, and it seems to work very well.

IE is a waste of HD space.

Brian
www.warbard.ca/avgas/

"Brian Burger" wrote in message
ia.tc.ca...
[...]
Seriously, running Opera I've (deliberately, at times) visited sites that
IE-users claim flood their computer with spyware, and gotten no infections
at all. None.

Maybe only users who are idiots need to run Opera.

I use IE exclusively, and have never had any spyware, virus, etc.

I guess Opera is probably the right browser for you.

Peter Duniho wrote:

Anyone who blames IE for spyware is an idiot.

Ever run an install of Spybot Search & Destroy or Adaware on a new install?

The VERY best way to stop getting spyware is to turn off your computer and
never turn it back on. That doesn't mean it's your computer's fault that
you get spyware.

Not if its in there to begin with, its already too late...

Brian Burger wrote:
Best way to stop getting spywa Stop using Internet Explorer.

Here's the last thing you should ever do with IE: go to www.opera.com and
download a much better browser.


or Firefox http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ or just about
anything except IE.

After going through the usual cycle of updating all the virus, adware,
spyware and malware protection and eradication programs and databases
about two years ago, I switched to Mac OS X for laptop and FreeBSD for
servers. Also, all open source applications (Firefox, Thunderbird,
etc.) and I disable HTML in email & newsgroup message display and run
ipfw (firewall) on all the machines.

For the two years since the switch the result has been 100% uptime and
zero virus and spyware problems. I keep a packet sniffer monitoring all
inbound and outbound TCP and UDP flows; nothing in or out that is not
supposed to be, period.

I feel for those in corporate environments that require MS. It sure
creates a lot of extra work and frustration.