alfa01
Mudduck
KW2000E
Posts: 29
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Post by alfa01 on Jan 7, 2009 9:17:57 GMT -5
Yahoo is Tracking Group Members If you belong to ANY Yahoo Groups - be aware that Yahoo is now using "Web Beacons" to track every Yahoo Group use It's similar to cookies, but allows Yahoo to record every website and every group you visit, even when you're not connected to Yahoo. Look at their updated privacystatement at info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/details.htmlAbout half-way down the page, in the section on *cookies*, you will see a link that says *WEB BEACONS*. Click on the phrase "Web Beacons." On the page that opens, on the left find a box entitled "Opt-Out." In that section find "opt-out of interest-matched advertising" link that will let you "opt-out" of their snooping. Click it and then click the opt-out button on the next page. Note that Yahoo's invasion of your privacy - and your ability to opt-out of it - is not user-specific. It is MACHINE specific. That means you will have to opt-out on every computer (and browser) you use. Please forward this to your other groups. You might complain, too, but I'm not sure if anyone is listening. I remember when they signed all users up to get spam and we had to opt out of that a few years ago. Not a nice program, and it is something I believe will become an invasion of privacy on a major scale at some time in the future. Needless to say, in these days of intrusive snooping by corporations and governments, opting out may not actually achieve anything.......Disturbing.
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Post by Sniper..Unit 305 on Jan 7, 2009 10:33:48 GMT -5
Very Good post !! Sniper
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Post by husker on Jan 7, 2009 11:40:09 GMT -5
thanks, opted out!
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Post by Tombstone (R.I.P.) on Jan 7, 2009 15:31:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the heads up. I just opted out. I belong to a couple of DX groups that I think are through Yahoo and will stop my membership with them too. This internet is crap with this kind of stuff plus hackers and all and I think that soon it won't be safe to use, it's probably that way already.
Tombstone
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Post by Tombstone (R.I.P.) on Jan 14, 2009 7:36:27 GMT -5
I've noticed that since I opted out that I'm getting way less spam e-mails. I shouldn't be getting spam at all because I think that my paid version of AVG anti virus is supposed to block all of it. AVG also misses trojans too but I run Spybot Search and Destroy and it always finds a couple of trojans but it won't take them out, I have to do it manually. My subscription to AVG runs out in July and I'm going to try something else.
Tombstone
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Post by BionicChicken on Jan 14, 2009 8:01:09 GMT -5
I used AVG for several years with no problems and then came one update that messed my entire machine up. Wound up having to format the drive and reinstall everything to get back to normal. After that happened I switched to Avast Free Home Edition and have never looked back. It has done a great job finding and blocking viruses and spyware and did I mention it is free? It does slow some downloads including email down at times with it scanning but I figure that is a small price to pay if it works. Here is the link to it so check it out for yourself: www.download.com/avast-Home-Edition/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?tag=mncolI also run Zone Alarm for firewall protection. Between the two programs I have not had any trouble at all for over three years.....fingers and eyes are crossed since I said that. BC
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Post by Tombstone (R.I.P.) on Jan 14, 2009 10:28:13 GMT -5
Thanks, BC. I'll check those programs out. I did notice that a couple of updates for AVG were so big that now it takes a little over two hours to scan my system. I'm getting afraid that AVG is going to do to my computer what it did to yours and I'm not savvy enough to format the drive so I have a friend that does it for free but he's 13 miles away. Maybe I should download Avast today and delete AVG. I can always put it back in because I have the 8.0 disk. Trouble is I've been downloading the updates since last summer and who knows how long it'll take to download all of them again.
Tombstone
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Post by Tombstone (R.I.P.) on Jan 14, 2009 14:52:44 GMT -5
I clicked on the link and the download for Avast. I got a window saying that Internet Explorer prevented the download to avoid harming my computer. I read the reviews first and there are a few that say not to download it because it will slow my computer and e-mail to the point that it's not worth it. A few reviews claimed that Avast froze up their computer. I don't know what to do now. I do appreciate you trying to help me, BC! Maybe I'll go out and buy Norton but I've heard basically the same thing about that program too. I'm totally confused now but it's just a matter of time before I get an AVG download that locks up my machine and I already don't like AVG. I need to do something??
Tombstone
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Post by BionicChicken on Jan 14, 2009 15:32:57 GMT -5
Hmmmm. I've installed this and recommended it to dozens of folks who use it and never a problem. Not sure how fast your connection is....on a slower connection it might cause some trouble. The people I know who use this have anything from a steam driven dial up to DSL and cable connections. 19Kbs to 12+Mbs. without problems. Was this a Windows warning or something from AVG? Maybe it doesn't want to get the boot and is in self preservation mode. Like I stated it will slow things down on email and downloads because of the scan it gives them. This machine is pretty fast and the connection is also...........I might not be realizing it too much. I've used Avast for almost two years on this machine since it was new and have not had any problems. On my work computer we are tied to the main server with a state wide M/W system so the transmitter sites have high speed access. We are using a virus protection program called ESET NOD32 Antivirus which seems to work pretty well. The only way the system has been infected is by someone opening an attachment when they were told not to. Some people don't need computers much less access to one......but it's a state agency so what can you expect? BC
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Post by Junior on Jan 14, 2009 18:17:19 GMT -5
I downloaded Avast this afternoon and my computer has been painfully slow since, and I cant find it to remove it.
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Post by BionicChicken on Jan 14, 2009 20:26:13 GMT -5
I downloaded Avast this afternoon and my computer has been painfully slow since, and I cant find it to remove it. Can't find it? Check in the programs folder. It is there if you installed it. Just downloading it does not install it. You might need to do a disc cleanup and a defrag. If you installed it you have to do an update as soon as it is installed. If you did not get the prompt to do that you have not installed it. BC
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Post by Tombstone (R.I.P.) on Jan 15, 2009 7:59:28 GMT -5
Thanks, BC. The window said that Internet Explorer stopped the download but it might have been triggered by AVG. I have a dial up connection and only a 500 mhz processor. I'll figure something out.
Tombstone
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Post by Afterburner(OT-749) on Jan 15, 2009 8:13:46 GMT -5
I personally use Norton A/V complete Internet Suite (2009 version). I have never had any issues whatsoever. BC, you are correct in the fact of other A/V programs slowing things down especially if you are trying to run two programs at the same time unknowingly. RAM has everything to do with how a computer will perform running the A/V program of choice, plus most people do not know how many other programs are running in the background hogging up their RAM. I personally run 12 GB of RAM on a Core 2 Duo T6400 processor running at 4GB and have re-adjusted the startup and background running programs so not to use up my RAM. My server only offers a 6 Gig service as the fastest available on cable, but needless to say, I never have a problem with speed. Most people do not know how to make these type's of adjustments to their computers or adding RAM if the motherboard can handle it. It boils down to the fact that we all want faster and faster internet service, but the machines that people are running are not designed for that means. I feel bad for people using a dial-up. If anything, for those using a dial-up, if your phone company offers DSL get it and it might help you some if your computer has the capabilities to handle the faster speed. As much as all of us on this forum like to keep our radios as original as possible, computers dont work that way and you have to upgrade, upgrade, and upgrade for that to happen.
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Post by BionicChicken on Jan 15, 2009 14:02:00 GMT -5
I personally use Norton A/V complete Internet Suite (2009 version). I have never had any issues whatsoever. BC, you are correct in the fact of other A/V programs slowing things down especially if you are trying to run two programs at the same time unknowingly. RAM has everything to do with how a computer will perform running the A/V program of choice, plus most people do not know how many other programs are running in the background hogging up their RAM. I personally run 12 GB of RAM on a Core 2 Duo T6400 processor running at 4GB and have re-adjusted the startup and background running programs so not to use up my RAM. My server only offers a 6 Gig service as the fastest available on cable, but needless to say, I never have a problem with speed. Most people do not know how to make these type's of adjustments to their computers or adding RAM if the motherboard can handle it. It boils down to the fact that we all want faster and faster internet service, but the machines that people are running are not designed for that means. I feel bad for people using a dial-up. If anything, for those using a dial-up, if your phone company offers DSL get it and it might help you some if your computer has the capabilities to handle the faster speed. As much as all of us on this forum like to keep our radios as original as possible, computers dont work that way and you have to upgrade, upgrade, and upgrade for that to happen. Running programs and not knowing it. That's why I use StartupCop. You can shut down anything that is not needed. I only run what is needed to get online and do what I need to. Nothing else. Too many programs running at one time will bring even the best of machines to a crawl. BC
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Post by Junior on Jan 16, 2009 10:49:44 GMT -5
BC, How do you know what to let run and what to stop?
I see sooooo much stuff going on in the background, but I have no idea what does what???
JR
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Post by Tombstone (R.I.P.) on Jan 16, 2009 17:51:38 GMT -5
I have the same problem, Junior. When I run Spybot Search and Destroy it tells me that I have 16 running programs and I'm not savvy enough to even know how to find them.
Tombstone
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Post by BionicChicken on Jan 16, 2009 23:22:03 GMT -5
If you go to PCPitstop.com and run the full tests it will tell you what is running on your computer. It will tell you what has to run to keep things going and what is optional and is not needed. Just because a program is running does not mean it has to. Anything that runs and does not need to in order for you to do your work or access the internet is not needed. All they do is slow your computer down. When needed all you have to do is click on their icon to start them so you can use them.
BC
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Post by Tombstone (R.I.P.) on Jan 17, 2009 7:59:28 GMT -5
Thanks, I'll try that.
Tombstone
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