Guest Gary S. Terhune Posted August 6, 2008 Posted August 6, 2008 Re: Anti Virus Software Symantec security apps are known far and wide as being the most problem-causing, computer-slowing behemoth in the Windows world. Norton was a good name and arguably the best ever -- until Symantec bought it a decade ago. You also run it in tandem with SpySweeper with Antivirus(Webroot.com), which means you have two real-time anti-virus applications running at the same time and that's a BIG no-no. As for the rest of your list, I've *heard* of Spyware Doctor (can't remember if it was positive or negative feedback), and only recently of Webroot and it's products, but I've never heard of ThreatFire. BTW, using more than one real-time spyware scanner is a bad idea, too. One AV, one realtime anti-spyware. In the case of your Webroot product, You can run ONLY that in the background, not that plus anything else. As matter of fact, I only very recently started using SuperAntiSpyware as real-time protection. Before I had AV and a handful of on-demand scanners that I run when I remember (every week or two.) Haven't found much besides the occasional tracking cookie on my system since my daughter quit using the system for places such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, five different IMs, etc. Even then, I only found a couple of lightweight nothings that didn't matter. Wanna guess what the most effective tool in my arsenal is? I read my email in Plain Text Only using OE (other email clients would do just as well, for the most part, but OE is always already installed and that's what I use. If it's only rendered in plain text, an HTML email stuffed with malware and scripts to install them can't run when you open it. In the VERY few cases when I actually need to read something in HTML (email from Microsoft is a good example, because it's an unintelligible mess otherwise), I check it all carefully to make sure it's legit email, then I open it, then press Alt-Shift-H (or View>Message in HTML.) I'm betting that if everybody only read their email in PT, the number of infections around the world would be much less than half what it is now. -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User http://grystmill.com "Gray Brown" <mllyod@rcn.com> wrote in message news:4316DD99-DDE2-4C86-B791-909D115BE92B@microsoft.com... > Ouch!! Well I did say I wasn't expert when it comes to security software. > I > guess it's easy to suck when a lot of virus makers are probably aiming for > you. Not that the other groups don't have people aiming for them either, > but > I figure the ones that are more commonly known and used get picked on most > and as a result, end up sucking. Of course I could be wrong. > > "Gary S. Terhune" wrote: > >> Good theory, but the products you choose to use pretty much suck all the >> way >> around. >> >> Better list: Avast! Antivirus, SpywareBlaster, Spybot Search & Destroy >> (WITHOUT Tea-Timer or SD Helper or Immunize -- just use it as an >> on-demand >> scanner,) SuperAntiSpywere (used the same way), and AdAware. >> >> All of the above are free to home users. >> >> -- >> Gary S. Terhune >> MS-MVP Shell/User >> http://grystmill.com >> >> "Gray Brown" <mllyod@rcn.com> wrote in message >> news:B878CC9C-5F40-4629-A2B3-345C58A63E5D@microsoft.com... >> > >> > >> > "JoeP" wrote: >> > >> >> Hi all, >> >> >> >> I am looking for a very effective anti virus software. The price of >> >> the >> >> software for me is not an issue. I would like the software to be >> >> pretty >> >> automated but I am an experienced user so if the interface is not the >> >> most >> >> friendly but it gets the job done the best then that is ok with me. >> >> Something that scans windows very deeply and thoroughly and that can >> >> actualy >> >> remove what ever it finds is what I'm looking for. I currently have >> >> McAfee >> >> Enterprise edition and I just want to make sure that it did not miss >> >> anything. >> >> >> >> Any response is greatly appreciated. >> >> >> >> Regards, >> >> Joe >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > I know the feeling, however I'm not all that expert in the computer >> > security >> > thing either, but I've noticed that whatever software you choose to get >> > you're going to have to scan with it regularly and watch the sites you >> > visit. >> > Otherwise, all kinds of stuff slip in anyway (Recently, after not >> > scanning >> > for over a month, my computer picked up so many viruses, worms, and >> > whatnot >> > that when I finally used Spyware Doctor on it, my computer wouldn't >> > work >> > right and I ended up doing a full system restore which led to a problem >> > I'll >> > be asking about shortly!). So much for "real-time protection!" >> > It's a good thing that money's no object with you. There are many >> > sites that will allow you to download antispyware for free, but usually >> > the >> > catch is that only by purchasing the full version or upgrade will the >> > program >> > actually get rid of the stuff it finds which means you'll have to do >> > your >> > own >> > debugging after the program finds out what's infected your computer and >> > where. >> > That being said, I'm using a combination of Norton >> > AntiVirus(Symantec.com) & SpySweeper with Antivirus(Webroot.com) on one >> > computer, Spyware Doctor & Threatfire(both pctools.com) on another, and >> > on >> > another Norton AntiVirus Corporate, Spyware Doctor, & Threatfire. The >> > general >> > idea being that no one program does everything perfectly, so have more >> > than >> > one and hope the strong points of one cover the weaknesses of the >> > other. >> > Also, I've noticed that the Yahoo toolbar and the MSN toolbar carry >> > free >> > anti-spyware buttons if you choose them. >> > >> >> >>
Guest Twayne Posted August 6, 2008 Posted August 6, 2008 Re: Anti Virus Software > Symantec security apps are known far and wide as being the most > problem-causing, computer-slowing behemoth in the Windows world. > Norton was a good name and arguably the best ever -- until Symantec > bought it a decade ago. You also run it in tandem with SpySweeper > with Antivirus(Webroot.com), which means you have two real-time > anti-virus applications running at the same time and that's a BIG > no-no. Wow, are you seriously misinformed (or ignorant and making it up as you go)! Looks like you're parroting here; it's ruined your credibility. You don't even have any idea when Symantec purchased Norton, as one example. Based on that there is nothing in your post worth reading
Guest Gary S. Terhune Posted August 6, 2008 Posted August 6, 2008 Re: Anti Virus Software FYI, 14 years rounds out to a decade, and at my age, 4 years one way or the other doesn't mean spit. That makes ME right. Go to the back of the class, Troll/Dunce/Idiot/SOS. Better yet, go on out back to the outhouse and, er, read your, er, comic books, while the rest of us actually do something for society. -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User http://grystmill.com "Twayne" <nobody@devnull.spamcop.net> wrote in message news:ec8OKq$9IHA.4536@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... >> Symantec security apps are known far and wide as being the most >> problem-causing, computer-slowing behemoth in the Windows world. >> Norton was a good name and arguably the best ever -- until Symantec >> bought it a decade ago. You also run it in tandem with SpySweeper >> with Antivirus(Webroot.com), which means you have two real-time >> anti-virus applications running at the same time and that's a BIG >> no-no. > > Wow, are you seriously misinformed (or ignorant and making it up as you > go)! Looks like you're parroting here; it's ruined your credibility. You > don't even have any idea when Symantec purchased Norton, as one example. > > Based on that there is nothing in your post worth reading >
Guest Gray Brown Posted August 9, 2008 Posted August 9, 2008 Re: Anti Virus Software "Gary S. Terhune" wrote: > Symantec security apps are known far and wide as being the most > problem-causing, computer-slowing behemoth in the Windows world. Norton was > a good name and arguably the best ever -- until Symantec bought it a decade > ago. You also run it in tandem with SpySweeper with Antivirus(Webroot.com), > which means you have two real-time anti-virus applications running at the > same time and that's a BIG no-no. > > As for the rest of your list, I've *heard* of Spyware Doctor (can't remember > if it was positive or negative feedback), and only recently of Webroot and > it's products, but I've never heard of ThreatFire. > > BTW, using more than one real-time spyware scanner is a bad idea, too. One > AV, one realtime anti-spyware. In the case of your Webroot product, You can > run ONLY that in the background, not that plus anything else. As matter of > fact, I only very recently started using SuperAntiSpyware as real-time > protection. Before I had AV and a handful of on-demand scanners that I run > when I remember (every week or two.) Haven't found much besides the > occasional tracking cookie on my system since my daughter quit using the > system for places such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, five different IMs, > etc. Even then, I only found a couple of lightweight nothings that didn't > matter. > > Wanna guess what the most effective tool in my arsenal is? I read my email > in Plain Text Only using OE (other email clients would do just as well, for > the most part, but OE is always already installed and that's what I use. If > it's only rendered in plain text, an HTML email stuffed with malware and > scripts to install them can't run when you open it. In the VERY few cases > when I actually need to read something in HTML (email from Microsoft is a > good example, because it's an unintelligible mess otherwise), I check it all > carefully to make sure it's legit email, then I open it, then press > Alt-Shift-H (or View>Message in HTML.) I'm betting that if everybody only > read their email in PT, the number of infections around the world would be > much less than half what it is now. > > -- > Gary S. Terhune > MS-MVP Shell/User > http://grystmill.com > Thanks for the advice about the scanners, but I thought that was what I was already doing: My Norton scanner doesn't do spyware, just viruses and my Spysweeper has its virus scanner off and just checks for spyware and rootkits. The two programs don't seem to interfere with each other (Back when I had McAffe, it and Norton did interfere with each other a lot!). Threatfire is made by the same people who made Spyware Doctor and judging from their claims on the PC Tools website, it's made to be used in tandem with Norton, McAffe, and others as it seems to focus on rootkit detection and supposedly "zero-hour" threats (That's their words, not mine) or real-time protection. I don't use an email program anymore as I don't look at my email that much: At one point, it was so long since I looked at my email that OE told me I had to setup all over again. So I just go directly to my email server's site when I want to check my email. > "Gray Brown" <mllyod@rcn.com> wrote in message > news:4316DD99-DDE2-4C86-B791-909D115BE92B@microsoft.com... > > Ouch!! Well I did say I wasn't expert when it comes to security software. > > I > > guess it's easy to suck when a lot of virus makers are probably aiming for > > you. Not that the other groups don't have people aiming for them either, > > but > > I figure the ones that are more commonly known and used get picked on most > > and as a result, end up sucking. Of course I could be wrong. > > > > "Gary S. Terhune" wrote: > > > >> Good theory, but the products you choose to use pretty much suck all the > >> way > >> around. > >> > >> Better list: Avast! Antivirus, SpywareBlaster, Spybot Search & Destroy > >> (WITHOUT Tea-Timer or SD Helper or Immunize -- just use it as an > >> on-demand > >> scanner,) SuperAntiSpywere (used the same way), and AdAware. > >> > >> All of the above are free to home users. > >> > >> -- > >> Gary S. Terhune > >> MS-MVP Shell/User > >> http://grystmill.com > >> > >> "Gray Brown" <mllyod@rcn.com> wrote in message > >> news:B878CC9C-5F40-4629-A2B3-345C58A63E5D@microsoft.com... > >> > > >> > > >> > "JoeP" wrote: > >> > > >> >> Hi all, > >> >> > >> >> I am looking for a very effective anti virus software. The price of > >> >> the > >> >> software for me is not an issue. I would like the software to be > >> >> pretty > >> >> automated but I am an experienced user so if the interface is not the > >> >> most > >> >> friendly but it gets the job done the best then that is ok with me. > >> >> Something that scans windows very deeply and thoroughly and that can > >> >> actualy > >> >> remove what ever it finds is what I'm looking for. I currently have > >> >> McAfee > >> >> Enterprise edition and I just want to make sure that it did not miss > >> >> anything. > >> >> > >> >> Any response is greatly appreciated. > >> >> > >> >> Regards, > >> >> Joe > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> > I know the feeling, however I'm not all that expert in the computer > >> > security > >> > thing either, but I've noticed that whatever software you choose to get > >> > you're going to have to scan with it regularly and watch the sites you > >> > visit. > >> > Otherwise, all kinds of stuff slip in anyway (Recently, after not > >> > scanning > >> > for over a month, my computer picked up so many viruses, worms, and > >> > whatnot > >> > that when I finally used Spyware Doctor on it, my computer wouldn't > >> > work > >> > right and I ended up doing a full system restore which led to a problem > >> > I'll > >> > be asking about shortly!). So much for "real-time protection!" > >> > It's a good thing that money's no object with you. There are many > >> > sites that will allow you to download antispyware for free, but usually > >> > the > >> > catch is that only by purchasing the full version or upgrade will the > >> > program > >> > actually get rid of the stuff it finds which means you'll have to do > >> > your > >> > own > >> > debugging after the program finds out what's infected your computer and > >> > where. > >> > That being said, I'm using a combination of Norton > >> > AntiVirus(Symantec.com) & SpySweeper with Antivirus(Webroot.com) on one > >> > computer, Spyware Doctor & Threatfire(both pctools.com) on another, and > >> > on > >> > another Norton AntiVirus Corporate, Spyware Doctor, & Threatfire. The > >> > general > >> > idea being that no one program does everything perfectly, so have more > >> > than > >> > one and hope the strong points of one cover the weaknesses of the > >> > other. > >> > Also, I've noticed that the Yahoo toolbar and the MSN toolbar carry > >> > free > >> > anti-spyware buttons if you choose them. > >> > > >> > >> > >> > > >
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