Re: Some Useful Advice...

[Moderator]

Continued from the following thread:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,38065.0.html


Great tips, "The Saviour"

WMA, WMV, and all documents, executables, and pictures are likely to cause you havoc using a P2P client.

MP3's are safe...

Great tips, "The Saviour"

WMA, WMV, and all documents, executables, and pictures are likely to cause you havoc using a P2P client.

MP3's are safe...

I know I can't talk as I download a lot through torrents, though we shouldn't be encouraging any form of illegal downloads - if thats indeed what you're getting at there? Not that I care, but it's the rules. 

[Moderator]

Great tips, "The Saviour"

WMA, WMV, and all documents, executables, and pictures are likely to cause you havoc using a P2P client.

MP3's are safe...

I know I can't talk as I download a lot through torrents, though we shouldn't be encouraging any form of illegal downloads - if thats indeed what you're getting at there? Not that I care, but it's the rules. 

Its not against the rules to tell what file types are less likely to contain viruses...

Besides, I am talking about... garage bands that release their music on the web through P2P for free... yeah, thats right, garage bands

Hi guys

Yeah if the downloads are for free not. We do this to optimise our computers and thats the reason why u have one.

Zylstra  Thanks man its not ahainst the rule!!!!!!!!

Oh, sorry for misinterpreting that, of course you meant garage bands, what was I thinking.

Nice advice Saviour.
I'd also like to add my own opinions for programs etc., though they do not in any way have to be used. (I know its all been repeated many time around the place).

• Use Mozilla Firefox as your browser to reduce chances of hijacking or infection.
  
  
• Update frequently using Microsoft Update. Oh wait, you can't use that in Firefox? Try: WindizUpdate. Same updates for XP - in browsers other than IE. Firefox Plugin Here.
  
  
• For protection I personally use AVG Internet Security, though I'm sure you'd prefer free programs. I recommend (as I believe everyone else on this forum does) the following, at least: AVG Anti-Virus Free for your antivirus needs. AVG Anti-Spyware Free to stop that spyware. There are many free firewalls though Comodo will keep those hackers out.
  
  
• For PC optimization I use Ashampoo Winoptimizer (again not free). I also use CCleaner. Don't forget to defragment fortnightly (at most monthly).
  
  
• Don't use Kazaa, Limewire, Bearshare, Shareaza, eDonkey, eMule etc... etc... as the things you can download are not only mostly illegal but many contain viruses. The installer can also contain spyware. If you must, use torrents, as in my experience they are a lot safer and people can review the download.

UPDATE, SCAN, OPTIMIZE, AVOID, USE COMMON SENSE and your PC will avoid catching a virus or being infected with spyware.

I scan everything I dl from the internet no matter what. if you are going to use P2P then scan the folder where the downloads are kept. and from my exp. when dling music avoid things that say track 1 or track 2, and also be weary abouot dling any kind of celb. prank calls too

Somebody put a tack on this thread and make it stick right up there at the top.   

Done.

[Moderator]

Was this topic supposed to be locked, or what?

(Firefox does not prevent viruses...)

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

(Firefox does not prevent viruses...)

This is true, but the risk is somewhat lower.

Was this topic supposed to be locked, or what?

(Firefox does not prevent viruses...)

No, I just stickied it (I think?)
And Firefox, with Noscript and manual cookie control, makes it extremely hard to get a virus without knowing.

[Moderator]

Was this topic supposed to be locked, or what?

(Firefox does not prevent viruses...)

No, I just stickied it (I think?)
And Firefox, with Noscript and manual cookie control, makes it extremely hard to get a virus without knowing.

Okay, I have unlocked the topic... it managed to get locked, and it seems that it was done by accident by someone (If this was a mistake, we can split all the replys out of this topic and lock it again to solve the problem)
(There were no moderators that replied that they locked the topic...)

I have only one and only one advice. But it's the best of all advices.

DITCH WINDOWS and all Microsoft's s%^&, use Mac or Linux instead. Never understand why people continue to use Microsoft's craps (from its OSs to IE, they are nothing but junks) and continue to complain about it.

Personally, I have used all Windows OSes and IEs, I couldn't bear the pains and griefs they had caused me. Now I use Mac OSX and Linux, my pains and griefs are gone.

There's no reason for not using Mac OSX or Linux. Especially Linux, it's free and it's good. Plenty of great open source softwares, Gimp, OpenOffice, Firefox... you name it, available a download away, all for free.

For those who continue to use Microsoft's trashes, you ask for it and you deserve no sympathy. 

B.

bayern...

Linux and Mac OS X are decent alternatives to Windows...unfortunately Microsft's share of the PC market dwarfs Apple and Linux.

Granted...Microsoft's operating systems do have their glitches, but user computer illiteracy is the main reason they have so many issues with their own computers.

Patches are always available...you just have to know what to do...

The software market is another reason people use Windows instead of Apple and Linux...go to any computer store and randomly pick out a software title and look at the system requirements...

'Nuff said...

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

computer illiteracy is the main reason they have so many issues with their own computers.

This is so true, it hurts.

[Moderator]

I have only one and only one advice. But it's the best of all advices.

DITCH WINDOWS and all Microsoft's s%^&, use Mac or Linux instead. Never understand why people continue to use Microsoft's craps (from its OSs to IE, they are nothing but junks) and continue to complain about it.

I personally have never had a problem with any of Microsoft's software. I may be a FireFox user, but I mainly use it for the purpose of Spell Check...

Personally, I have used all Windows OSes and IEs, I couldn't bear the pains and griefs they had caused me. Now I use Mac OSX and Linux, my pains and griefs are gone.

I have used Mac OS 7,8,9,OSX.
I was not impressed at all with any of them.
I dont like how they advertise (saying they dont crash or get viruses, since that is a complete and direct lie)
I dont think that their OS is any easier to use than Windows.
As for Linux, I do enjoy using Linux, I have less issues with it then the Mac OS.
If my computer crashed, or something happened to my operating system and the operating system disk, and my computer crashed, I would gladly switch to Linux. I use Linux on one of my computers. (But I have to say, there are some parts of Linux that just get me a bit peeved)

There's no reason for not using Mac OSX or Linux. Especially Linux, it's free and it's good. Plenty of great open source softwares, Gimp, OpenOffice, Firefox... you name it, available a download away, all for free.

If you are a office person, and you need a spreadsheet or a WSYIWYG text editor, then I would greatly follow this suggestion.
I found it depressing how limited a lot of the software is. There are some things that you will find for Windows that you just cant get for Mac or Linux.
Or, sometimes, you find an alternative, but its just not the same.

For those who continue to use Microsoft's trashes, you ask for it and you deserve no sympathy. 

B.

My Macintosh comes to more full and complete crashes than my Windows computer does, since, a lot of the time, when your Macintosh's front application crashes, all the background applications crash as well.

What is it, Apple/Cloverleave CMD INTERRUPT to restart?

[Moderator]

Sorry about my mistake in unlocking the topic...
I thought it was locked by accident

Anyways, all replies have been moved into this thread to reduce interference with the stickied topic

Once again, sorry for the confusion 

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

No worries, Zylstra.  I added a link to the original topic in your post.  I hope you don't mind.

To be honest, there was a time I hated all computers, whether it be Mac or Windows. I never liked Mac OS 7, 8 or 9 or even the early OS X either cuz they were as almost as bad a Windows. But once I started using Mac OS X 10.4, I found a big improvement. My Mac is my web design dev machine, I use it to do graphic design, php coding... It's also an Apache server for my client to see my work, , so it's on 24/7. It rarely crashes on me, even when a bad app crashes, I don't need to reboot. Never needs to deal with BSOD, NTLDR is missing, blah blah blah. And if you ask any web designer, they will tell you how pain in the *censored* IE is.

I am not saying Mac and Linux are perfect, but at least you don't have to worry so much about wasting time on fixing it instead of use the time to do serious work.

I have come to two realizations:
1) Windows is so very appropriate named because you really need to find windows in your office to throw your pc out.
2) It's a very little known secret, but Bill Gate is actually an entomologist cuz he really likes bugs.

B 

This thread is beginning to look like one of those Microsoft/Mac commercials.

To each his own...

This thread should be closed.  I only wanted to post some useful info...now it's turned into a computer war.

[Moderator]

This thread is beginning to look like one of those Microsoft/Mac commercials.

To each his own...

This thread should be closed.  I only wanted to post some useful info...now it's turned into a computer war.

Thus why the replys were split out of it into this thread

Since it was agreed that your thread would not be as useful if it had replys (like the ones above)
(If you still want the thread closed, tell us, you have a bit of control over this topic, discussion on PC's and the Macintosh can be ended at any time  )

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

Yes...because the replies are no longer tied to your original post, it can still be helpful to others.  However, like Zylstra said, if you want it locked, just let us know and we can oblige.

Thanks for the update, guys.

I think it would be best if it were closed cause you see this all the time when someone starts talking about Windows...there's always someone who has to knock it down.  It's their opinion, but should have been in a different post since this one was aimed at helping Windows users.

[Moderator]

Topic Closed by request of the Original Poster

If you need assistance in this area, start a new thread

(If it needs to be unlocked, or different moderational action, feel free to send a PM)

Topic Closed by request of the Original Poster

is it really?

It is now.

[Moderator]

heh,
Thanks for that Calum, and thanks for letting us know, Reaper_TBS

Wait, this is because this is the discussion thread that was split from the original sticky.
That's why it isn't a sticky and wasn't locked.
Ah well, I think it's been discussed enough, let's leave it locked.

[Moderator]

Wait, this is because this is the discussion thread that was split from the original sticky.
That's why it isn't a sticky and wasn't locked.
Ah well, I think it's been discussed enough, let's leave it locked.

The OP of the sticky wanted this topic locked as well. It was going into the argument about apple vs. PC