Just another COMPUTER gripe thread.

[Jimaz]

Pam, at the end of that snopes article it mentions something about removal tools.

Thanks for the link. I was looking for some test to verify that I was not infected and that Eye Chart test mentioned in the article indicates that I am not.

The AV industry seems particularly concerned about this Conficker worm but they seem reluctant to reveal the whole story. Maybe that's just my misconception.

[ccbatson]

Whoever writes the material for the Apple commercials is brilliant.

[Johnlodge]

While he does not write the commercials, John Hodgman, who plays PC, is a funny guy in his own right. He wrote the book entitled:

For Your Consideration, The Firms of Dutton & Riverhead Books Present in the English Language: A Further Compendium of Complete World Knowledge in "The Areas Of My Expertise," Assembled and Illumined by Me, John Hodgman, A Famous Minor Television Personality, Offering More Information Than You Require On Subjects as Diverse as: The Past [[as There Is Always More of It), The Future [[as There Is Still Some Left), All of the Presidents of the United States, The Secrets of Hollywood, Gambling, The Sport of the Asthmatic Man [[Including: Hermit-Crab Racing), Strange Encounters with Aliens, How to Buy a Computer, How to Cook an Owl, and Most Other Subjects

Or "More Information Than You Require" for short. This is the sequel to the book:

An Almanac of Complete World Knowledge Compiled with Instructive Annotation and Arranged in Useful Order by myself, John Hodgman, a Professional Writer, in The Areas of My Expertise, which Include: Matters Historical, Matters Literary, Matters Cryptozoological, Hobo Matters, Food, Drink & Cheese [[a Kind of Food), Squirrels & Lobsters & Eels, Haircuts, Utopia, What Will Happen in the Future, and Most Other Subjects

Or "The Areas of My Expertise" for short.

He has also been a Mac user since 1984, so says Wiki.

[ccbatson]

Did he write the material for the commercials?

[Pam]

I am on a borrowed computer right now. I took mine into the shop. I was getting Google redirects so I think it still has something the malware remover missed.

[Bigb23]

I'm still having major problems like Pam. I can't get to the malware sites, so if anybody can email small working patches to [[navy harbor dog at yahoo dot com), I would appreciate it. You might have to change the file name - and tell me what to change it back to.
I'm laid off, and can't afford one red cent towards anything computer related. What a drag. My OS info is on the first page of this thread.

Thanks. Bigb23

[Pam]

BigB- you might have to find a pro willing to help you somewhere. Maybe you can barter with them or something on the cost.

I can't get to the malware sites

This could be the worm/virus blocking you. I couldn't even look up the McAfee threat level yesterday. It sounds like this thing is tough to beat without extreme measures, so that's why I caved and took mine in.

[Stosh]

From a website I found:

Open a “Command Prompt� window and type “net stop dnscache� [[without the quotes) and hit Enter. If the command works correctly, you should see “The DNS Client service was stopped successfully�. If it fails, try opening the command prompt as an Administrator [[generally needed in Vista) by right-mouse-clicking the “Command Prompt� link, and selecting “Run as Administrator�. Once you successfully stop the dnscache service, you should be able to download and run Symantec’s Conficker removal tool.

[ccbatson]

Log the time and costs spent over time [[months)....the Apple will pay for itself several times over in short order.

[Sstashmoo]

Quote: "Log the time and costs spent over time [[months)..."

Then weigh that against the majority of us who rarely and never have any issues, plus the inconvenience of all the software that won't run, and will never run on a Mac or Linux and the PC wins every time.

I have very little trouble with my PC's. I have several, XP and Vista. Some aren't rebooted for weeks.

Pam, BigB try "Super anti-spyware". Dumb name, great free app for getting rid of bots etc.

http://www.superantispyware.com/

If you can't get there, let me know, I can upload the set up folder to wikiupload.

[cheddar bob]

In the words of Maddox, one thing that PC users can do that Mac users can't is shut the fuck up. I couldn't be a Mac user because I'm not a whiny and snobby [[[[[[[[[, which seems to be a requirement for using one.

I've listened to people whining, crying and bitching about Vista since it came out. I've been using for a year and a half and as long as you have a system that is powerful enough to run it and are not a complete moron, it's perfectly fine.

Lastly, I've had a home computer for ten year now and have one virus warning, which was caught by AVG before it got in. If you have a firewall, AVG Free, and Spybot, keep them all up to date, and are not an idiot, you should have minimal problems.

I apologize in advance to everyone who is offended by this post, which should be everyone, but keep in mind that my apology is only half-hearted.

[Sstashmoo]

All the mainstream Numerical control manufacturers are running Microsoft frontends on all their controls. Not Mac, not Linux. And they can use anything they want. Reason being, Windows blows both of them out of the water for performance and reliability in that environment. Mac users brag about reliability, the only reason, those systems aren't being attacked like MS products are. When they do come under attack, there isn't going to be mass user community involvement to combat it like there is and has been with Windows. And the more market share they attain, the more appealing they look to hackers.

You couldn't give me a Mac system. I tried to use one at Kinko's once, what a piece of shit.

[Pam]

Wow, Ched-Bob and Sstash finally agree on something.

[Sstashmoo]

I knew he'd eventually come over to the winning side

[Islandman]

In the words of Maddox, one thing that PC users can do that Mac users can't is shut the fuck up. I couldn't be a Mac user because I'm not a whiny and snobby [[[[[[[[[, which seems to be a requirement for using one.

I've listened to people whining, crying and bitching about Vista since it came out. I've been using for a year and a half and as long as you have a system that is powerful enough to run it and are not a complete moron, it's perfectly fine.

Lastly, I've had a home computer for ten year now and have one virus warning, which was caught by AVG before it got in. If you have a firewall, AVG Free, and Spybot, keep them all up to date, and are not an idiot, you should have minimal problems.

I apologize in advance to everyone who is offended by this post, which should be everyone, but keep in mind that my apology is only half-hearted.

Thank you!

[ccbatson]

Sigh...damning [[PCs) with faint praise is the best that can be mustered I see. ONLY one virus warning? And Vista works well AS LONG AS what qualifications are in place?

[cheddar bob]

I've always been a Windows user, so I haven't had to come over to the winning side from somewhere else. I've always been here.

If Macs are so great and work flawlessly, why is there a site called macfixitforums.com ?
Here's a great read on Macs and their users. It's been posted before, but it's always worth a second look...

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse....gi?u=macs_cant

[ccbatson]

That site is for those that can't solve interface issues intuitively [[as this is how Mac's are designed). I have never used support of any kind for an absence of need to do so.

[Stosh]

That site is for those that can't solve interface issues intuitively [[as this is how Mac's are designed). I have never used support of any kind for an absence of need to do so.

Does your Mac have an antivirus program on it? Do you use a firewall? Do you have a router?

[jcole]

I've always been a Windows user, so I haven't had to come over to the winning side from somewhere else. I've always been here.

If Macs are so great and work flawlessly, why is there a site called macfixitforums.com ?
Here's a great read on Macs and their users. It's been posted before, but it's always worth a second look...

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse....gi?u=macs_cant

Thank you for posting that link. I too have always been a PC person, and am sick of hearing how great Mac is. If it's so great, why are there so many more PCs in use worldwide?

[ccbatson]

Yes for router, yes for a simple, free, and unintrusive firewall, no for antivirus software.

Why are there more PCs? They are much cheaper [[in every sense of the word).

[Stosh]

Yes for router, yes for a simple, free, and unintrusive firewall, no for antivirus software.

Why are there more PCs? They are much cheaper [[in every sense of the word).

How can you tell if you don't have a virus? Read this article to see your vunerabilities.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12537279/

[ccbatson]

If a tree falls in the forrest...as the saying goes.

[Jimaz]

Oh no! I've contracted the EICAR virus! I'm doomed!

[Stosh]

If a tree falls in the forrest...as the saying goes.

I'll bet he's got antivirus on his computer...