[AT] OT virus warning

[Steve W.]

Len Rugen wrote:
> OK, this is getting worse than detergent oil....
> 
> Windows XP has a firewall built in, adding another service probably isn't necessary and just slows you down.
Just make sure that the XP firewall is turned on for the network 
interface you use.
(Win 2000 and prior don't have the firewall)
If you add a broadband router to share your cable modem (or other high 
speed interface)
it probably has a firewall, turn it on to "offload" that work from your 
PC.
Your modem light will blink for valid reasons even if the inbound 
traffic is later blocked by a
firewall.  For example, my wild blue continually sends "who has" packets 
trying to reclaim IP
addresses whose DHCP lease has expired.

Watch for pop-ups that say "Click here to avoid infesting your pc". 
DON'T DO IT!
The only thing you should click on those is the OUTER-MOST X-box to 
close the popup.
Clicking inside the box can allow malicious code to run on your pc.
Firefox is an alternative browser to Internet Explorer.  It can be safer.
Mac's are probably infested less than PC's.
Most home PC's that have gotten too slow to be usable are just full of 
crap-ware.
I've resorted to a re-format and reinstall and people are amazed at 
their "new" PC.
The default settings for temp. internet files fills up a LOT of your disk.
Your anti-virus will scan these files and there may be 10,000's each 
time it does a scan.
Setting the disk cache SMALLER can make your PC faster.

My dial-up is so slow it actually protects me from viruses, they never 
finish downloading :-)

  Len

Len,
  Hate to disagree, DO NOT TRUST the XP firewall. It is a piece of crap. 
Been proven by a bunch of different outfits.

The rest is dead on.
I run Firefox and shut off most of the extra junk.

-- 
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York