General Music Chat

My on line computer is so slow that it takes too long to load a virus. Never had one. I guess they figure that I've been punished enough already.

I haven't had my PC up and running for almost two years. Viruses shut dow my PC, so I do all my computer work on my phone or go to the library. I'm thinking about having my PC cleaned/fixed. In the last few years have you had less or more trouble with viruses/hackers? Just curious. Also, is the latest Windows 8 system worth buying?

Just get a netbook. Small, lightweight, and 10 times as powerful as a 5 yr old PC. I got one 2 years ago for $299 and use it mostly for work doing estimates, running orders and internet searches. No antivirus software and no problems at all so far. I do have a firewall and tend to stay off the porn and gamer sites. I also run a scan monthly to look for problems but so far, so good. I will never load a Norton product ever again.

Now you can get a Netbook for the price of a nice steak dinner for 4:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... &A=details

At home I use a Macbook Pro that is 4 years old. No virus issues EVER. This laptop does most of the heavy lifting with ProTools music and video editing software. When it dies I will certainly get another Mac.

Both computers in our little makeshift studio are daily used for online gaming and web surfing.

It's not PLAYING games online that's the problem, it's downloading free games from dubious sources. That and NOT reading the EULA when installing.

Lots of shareware games and such can be found from reputable sites, and with shareware it's always best to check the EULA thoroughly. Quite often they will also install other software you never know about unless you read it closely.

File sharing programs are a HUGE problem...At one time every music downloading program you can think of installed spyware. Kazaa, Limewire, Bearshare, and so forth. Every one of them...and even if you manage to clean all that out, every time you go look for music, games or whatever you're connecting through a network to someone else's computer. If their computer has a virus or trojan they don't know about, guess what...YOU now have it too. And these days the first thing most malicious software does is shut down the anti virus.

That's the thing people don't understand about that type of software. When you look through the files someone else is sharing, you're actually connecting, through a network, directly to their hard drive. All it takes is opening the wrong folder...or in many cases just connecting to the computer itself, since many of these malicious programs actively look for network connections and that's all it takes. Connect and you're pegged.

Mac - Good option, from what I've heard also more expensive and software support is not as comprehensive. Same for Linux, and I like Linux really well, I just wish it were more user friendly and had better software support. Then again I haven't tried any of the newer versions of Linux in several years. You can also get Live CD versions, pop in the CD, reboot and it boots into Linux without installing anything. Shut down, remove the CD and you're back into Windows, untouched. Great way to try out Linux and see if you like it without actually installing it.

Transferring to another computer - USB drives are great, but subject to the same issues as a stand alone computer. If the source computer is infected, the malware is transferred. If you have a decent anti virus don't worry about it. Anything you transfer is checked at the time it is copied, and you can use your anti virus to scan the USB drive or SD card as well. I use them constantly, even to transfer data to and from customers' machines, but I scan my USB drive before and after doing so.

1) Never download anything from an Untrusted site.
2) Never down load anything your friends send you UNLESS they tell you to expect it. I tell everybody...dont send me sheet without prior notification that you are sending it. ELSE It gets BOUNCED (non negotiable)
3) Reading EULAS is a waste of time. ALL legitimate ones use standard disclaimer against equipment damage liability, Plus Standard description of mechanical rights, non exclusive licenses, etc... As a rule of thumb, if you download free software, 'Assume" you are fkd. They own your data and in some cases certain operational capacity of your PC (with respect to their application/SW products (even if they say they wont use it) Case in Point. Adobe PDF, and JAVA Updates . Ever notice how dependent some of your files are on these products? Its minor, but the implications are huge!
4) Game Sites, Debatable. I guess it depends which sites you visit. STEAM is a viable / safe site and often a good source of trial games without punishing the PC. In fact they are a Cloud system. The founder of That company was an ex Microsoft executive.
5) VERY IMPORTANT: THIRD PARTY: If you need to download a utility or upgrade to a viable SW app product, make sure to obtain the files form the authentic source and NOT a Third Party. Example: ORACLE...Some folks cant let go of version 8i. If you wanted that version, you most likely wont find it on Oracle site, but you find it all over the net with third-party sites. Many of those are Bullsht sites and you have to beware.

never buy the software as a download from said vendor's website..no need to spend an average of $69.00 when you can go to the river and get the same thing for 16 to 20 bucks..

Wow, thanks for the input. I've been thinking about getting a Mac, we never had one. I'm such a computer illiterate. So many creative things I'd like to do. My partner in crime on Levitynews.com uses a Mac, I'm thinking we should be consistent when we edit the website.

Bob, I think you should go for a mac, there's definitely a simplicity to using them, and if you've got an apple store nearby, their srvice can't be beat. They offer a service called "One-toOne" when you buy a mac that lets you make appointments to come in and work with a rainer who specialized in teaching even the most tech-illiterate people how to use the computers. It's a really fantastic program, from firsthand experience.


That being said, levitynews is basic HTML. Don't factor that into your decision, you could update that site from a goddamn potato without having any problem.

. Agreed. We"ll be switching Levitynews to a different hosting company January 1. We pretty much accomplished what we wanted in year one. Slight upgrades in year two being planned.

Here's my two cents-

I'm a network administrator. I've runbled with the best viruses out there, and have lost a few bouts.

I theorize that the makers of the viruses are agents of the companies that make the software to fix them.

But viruses by definition are actually losing ground.. relatively few per capita are released as were in previous years. The problem is that Malware, scareware, bloatware, and about 10 other 'wares' are NOT classified as viruses, which IMO is wrong. It's another political farce designed to confuse consumers and blend the drawn lines.

Most people don't know that most "infections" don't come from emails, or games, but from websites. Even known, and popular websites can unknowingly be hacked, and in the very same ads like the one atop this page- that run flash, active x, or whatever browser add-ons.. can have malicious code inserted into them without interrupting the ad itself.

I had a major spasm at BMix a couple of years ago because one of their flash ads was in fact hacked and every time a specific ad popped up, my browser would go goofy and malware would take over my system. That they denied it caused me even more frustration, as the problem wasn't being addressed. Most likely it never was, and cycled out once the ad owner moved on or changed to a new one.

Anyways, I don't know about Windows 8, but windows 7 is far more secure than win xp, although still not perfect- I've had ONE virus break thru our security here and infect a windows 7 PC, whereas about 7-8 XP machines last year were infected. I've since retired and resold all the company XP machines and bought all new win 7 PC's. Microsoft also offers free anti-virus (google: security essentials) which is actually quite good, and FREE- no preferred plans or upgrades.. nothing to buy.. just free.

Getting back to Malware.. to me this is the biggest threat in the industry, and yet since not classified as a virus (because of how they are coded and how they go about 'infecting'), they are not nearly as regarded by the FCC as real threats, and largely ignored, causing consumers a great amount of grief and $$, and also allows companies to infect your PC with malware that closes your internet up and slows your PC down, fakes windows alerts and bullies you into buying their product to clean up a mess that they actually created. It's among the greatest scams out there. Totally illegal in every way, but completely unenforced, so they get away with murder.

And why is that? Lobbyists.

Here's my two cents-

I'm a network administrator. I've runbled with the best viruses out there, and have lost a few bouts.

I theorize that the makers of the viruses are agents of the companies that make the software to fix them.

But viruses by definition are actually losing ground.. relatively few per capita are released as were in previous years. The problem is that Malware, scareware, bloatware, and about 10 other 'wares' are NOT classified as viruses, which IMO is wrong. It's another political farce designed to confuse consumers and blend the drawn lines.
And why is that? Lobbyists.

I always thought malware was not classified as a virus, because it doesn't exactly 'infect' a PC the same way a virus does. For example, I dont think Malware self replicates as much as it has to be introduced through some human engineering scheme.
But I could be wrong...

Bob

I'm doubtful that Win 8 would bring you anything but a lot of wasted time learning a completely new and I think, silly, interface.

The virus guys are mostly hammering corp land these days with the goal of stealing. I work with some security specialists and they have some tales that curled my hair.

Note: Mr. McAffee is currently on the run for sucking down some bath salts and shooting his neighbor. (At least he didn't eat him) I imagine the software is still ok but I won't bet my machine on it.

Try AVG or Kapersky.

Talbot

Bob

I'm doubtful that Win 8 would bring you anything but a lot of wasted time learning a completely new and I think, silly, interface.

The virus guys are mostly hammering corp land these days with the goal of stealing. I work with some security specialists and they have some tales that curled my hair.

Note: Mr. McAffee is currently on the run for sucking down some bath salts and shooting his neighbor. (At least he didn't eat him) I imagine the software is still ok but I won't bet my machine on it.

Try AVG or Kapersky.

Talbot

It usually starts with a suspicious Email. Whats funny is how un professional they write those things.

Years ago I heard that MicroSuck was planning on shutting some of the holes in its OS but that the Virus software companies took them to court over that since it would put the anti virus industry out of business.

I do not know if that was legit or not.

Slacker

Wierd business truly. McCaffee is said to have hired hackers to write viruses he would then be the first to protect against. (back in early nineties IIRC)

Not a surpirse given the culture. The very day I arrived in LA back in the mid seventies, the LAPD Burglury Squad was busted for, you guessed it, burglury.

Talbot

Spend more money up front and save yourself the headache. Buy a Mac.