Does anyone still use Norton or McAfee? I currently have Norton, and it works, but they've put so much intrusive crap on it about everytime you turn on your computer they have pop ups asking if you're interested in buying something else by them to keep the computer in shape. I'm thinking of unsubscribing to them and just going with Windows Defender. Thoughts? I heard about this yesterday from the guy below.
And here's a follow-up on programs one should need--I have no idea if that's the truth or not. My knowledge of computers is about high school age or lower.
None of the current paid/subscription anti virus products are worth the trouble. Norton/Symantec, McAfee, Trend. Any benefit they may offer is offset by relentless upsells, pop ups, and the chance that phishing attempts targets one of those brands might work on you.
I just use windows defender, browser specific tools, and a highly developed risk avoidance attitude when it comes to the internet.
There are good programs out there that can help, but the most important thing is how you obtain them.
Many times a google search will land you on a site that might get you the program you want, with extra unwanted programs ( best case ), or malware ( worst case ).
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
-- Aristotle
Nostalgia, you know, ain't what it used to be. Furthermore, they tells me, it never was.
“A Man Who Does Not Read Has No Appreciable Advantage Over the Man Who Cannot Read” - Mark Twain
Interesting issue on battery life….. last week my Jeff Rowland preamp remote died. Went to open it….no battery door….removed 4 screws from the metal casing…..they are the Original Batteries from 1987! 37 YEARS of battery life. IMG_4486.jpg
The Ice Cream Lady Wet her drawers........To see you in the Passion Playyyy eeee - I. Anderson
"It's kind of like deciding not to date a beautiful blonde anymore because she farted." - Top Cat
I was expecting to be kinda meh, but it made my nips stiffen - Jerjo
(Zamran) "that fucking thing man . . . it sits there on my wall like a broken clock " - Helix
Social Media is the "Toilet" of the Internet - Lady Gaga
^ Avast keeps trying to get me to upgrade from the free version, telling me that I'm visible wherever I go on the Web. The stupid thing can't even tell that I'm using a VPN.
Bought a Moon Phase Clock last December….battery life for 2AA’s…..20 years!IMG_4358.jpg
Funny thing….went to the calendar on my iPhone and was able to set up a reminder for 20 years in the future! HA….ill be 83yo! Also to repeat reminder every 20 Years!
The Ice Cream Lady Wet her drawers........To see you in the Passion Playyyy eeee - I. Anderson
"It's kind of like deciding not to date a beautiful blonde anymore because she farted." - Top Cat
I was expecting to be kinda meh, but it made my nips stiffen - Jerjo
(Zamran) "that fucking thing man . . . it sits there on my wall like a broken clock " - Helix
Social Media is the "Toilet" of the Internet - Lady Gaga
Sometimes I get a message about CMOS and if I press enter the computer works like ever, exept for the clock, I have to synchronise again.
Succeded in opening my computer and located the battery, which is partly hidden behind a fan. Now how to remove it, without damaging anything.
Usually the battery has a little catch on one side that can be released with a small screwdriver or tweezers.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
-- Aristotle
Nostalgia, you know, ain't what it used to be. Furthermore, they tells me, it never was.
“A Man Who Does Not Read Has No Appreciable Advantage Over the Man Who Cannot Read” - Mark Twain
I'm not sure, but at times I get a CMOS message that it will return to the basic settings and in the end everything went fine. Perhaps I never had the need to change the basic settings.
I'm not a big fan of opening electronic equipment with the power turned on, or even connected to the powerline. Tried that once with my first synthesizer and it was a shocking experience and with a computer I would probably even more carefull.
Some things I don't do. And one is fix computers. I would never open my Macbook. Static alone could ruin it. That's what Apple service is for.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
More important than AV software is exercising proper computer hygiene. Not doing dangerous things on the internet, or opening any email attachment. No AV software ever was, or likely ever will be bullet proof. Happening upon the wrong server in the Tor network, aka Dark Web will result in a malware storm. Rendering even the most sophisticated AV software useless, and completely destroying one's computer.
McAfee has a long standing reputation in the tech community of being very virus like in its own behavior.
The settings will persist long enough to get the new battery in. When there are bad CMOS settings rendering the computer unbootable, the only fix it is to manually reset the CMOS. Which requires first removing the battery, then shorting a jumper to kill the settings dead.
As a former IT specialist, I not only know how to repair a computer, but take proper static precautions. Static is a major issue here in the Arizona desert.
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
Yes, it pays to be careful, that's for sure. I have worked with electronics for years, building my own computers from parts bought from places like Newegg and also at work when testing and troubleshooting plasma cutting equipment. So far I have not experienced any major electrocutions.
I once did have a small (faulty) component that was installed between two phases of 600 volts AC which vaporized when the power was turned on creating essentially a fireball which melted a hole in the sheet metal housing of a plasma power supply. Or what we called "creating plasma in the wrong place". That was scary. My coworkers said I ran when the fireball started (it made a terrifying sound), but I don't remember that, lol.
The irony was that component was a safety device intended to indicate when power was present - something put in place a couple years earlier when a previous technician stuck his head into the machine when the power was on. He bumped into the exposed terminals of a circuit breaker and ended up setting his hair on fire causing him to run to a nearby water tank to dunk his flaming head. They even nicknamed this light after him and eventually he was promoted to a management position.
<sig out of order>
Asked the store were I bought the computer. almost 5 years ago. They don't have the battery and stated I could bring it in for repair, but I had to pay € 60 just for looking what the problem was.
Perhaps I ask a friend of mine. Her husband tests repaired aeroplanes for a living and is also into computers. I gave him my old computer, that didn't function anymore.
Our desktop PCs are up to date, my laptop is a different story. It's a 17" Samsung and about thirteen years old. I would like to shut off Windows updates, because every one throws it into a tailspin. The question is, by shutting off those updates am I not get security updates as well?
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
I've a laptop, that is still running on Windows XP and I only use it to control my sampler (like loading sounds and making settings).
I also have a small laptop, or netbook, which is also running on XP. One problem with that one is, that if I switch it of, it starts up again, unless I remove the powerline.
My desktop can be opened very easy. It's just one screw, which can easily be removed and it has a kind of handle, to easy remove the side, as if it's made to change the battery.
The biggest problem is Windows 10 keeps growing in size, with each successive version. I have a laptop with a 32GB, non-upgradeable eMMC hard drive. The current version of Win10, 22H2 almost completely fills the drive by itself. With not much room for any actual apps. The first time it auto-installs updates, the drive fills completely. Rendering the machine inoperable. It needs some space for temporary files and such. It's not an ancient laptop by any means. It's new enough to qualify for the Windows 11 upgrade. To make it usable again, I had to install a SATA adapter. Plugging it into the slot normally used for the WIFI/Bluetooth card. Then installing a 128GB eMMC drive. And using a USB ethernet adapter for actual network connectivity. Most people don't even know what any of that means.....let alone how to do it.
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
^^ 32GB hard drive seems pretty old.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
^^ Budget model, not old. Based on the Celeron n4000. As I said, it's new enough to qualify for the free Windows 11 upgrade.
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
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