January 4, 2009
Be Careful What You Search For
The computer doctor says my laptop will be ready for redeployment tomorrow. He said my computer was loaded with spyware, adware, etc. and that Norton is to blame. Apparently my anti-virus software isn't very anti anything except doing what it's supposed to do, keep my computer safe. The computer man says he's putting some fabulous anti-virus software program on my computer and that should do the trick. Here's hoping.
I am usually really careful about where I go on the internet, but while shopping for Mr. BBM for Christmas, I made a terrible blunder and I wonder if that's why my computer decided it needed a visit to the sick bay.
I was researching medicine balls and trying to find the best deals. We have a Dick's Sporting Goods store locally and so instead of running out to the store, I wanted to look up what they had first. I don't know about you, but I don't call the store "Dick's Sporting Goods." I call it by its first name like I do with anything or anyone familiar. And that's just what I typed in: insertfirstnamehere dot com. You get it? Good, because I'm not saying it.
Anyway, Dick's is not only the name of a sporting goods store. It's also a nickname for a certain male body part and let's just say that my eyes began to burn when the resulting website popped up. I'm sort of prudish like that. I don't recommend you do this because your computer may suffer the same unfortunate fate.
When Mr. BBM was getting ready to take my computer, I started rubbing my forehead. "Oh man, I hope he doesn't look at the websites where I've been."
"Why?" Mr. BBM asked and then I told him about my unfortunate encounter with the naughty site. He felt it necessary to tell the computer doctor and the guy laughed and said, "You wouldn't believe how many people do that!"
Here is one girl who won't be doing that again.
1) Use firefox, IE6 is even now deprecated by Google. Blocks popups and a large majority of the insecurities of IE.
2) Use Ubuntu, if all you do is surf the web. Ubuntu will be just as good.
3) Get a Mac.
Oh yeah, I’ve done that as well, but at work! I was mortified and immediately told our tech guy so he wouldn’t think I was some freak. How embarrassing!!! I’ll email you the rest of the story, because there’s more…
Definitely use Firefox – that will make a big difference.
And it’s a good thing you weren’t shopping at Tranny Anal Dildo’s Sporting Goods.
Could have been worse. You could have Googled “balls at Dicks.”
And yes, FFox would help and a Mac would help more.
I’ve done that also. Even worse, right before that I had been searching for a Leatherman (knife) for my husband and thought it was “men” not “man” and got more than an eyeful. Luckily Chris did the same thing when I sent him on the search so I could tease him more than he could me.
My much-better-half and my 13 year old have had similar incidents (the latter, wanting to visit the website of the Boy Scouts magazine “Boys Life,” learned the hard way the difference between a .com and a .org)
Better than IE, Opera or Firefox, I’ve been very pleased with OpenDNS.com, an open-source DNS that offers free web filtering. Nothing to download or install, simply change your DNS setting on your desktop network connection or at the router control panel. Free.
….and don’t use that craptacular piece of software known as Norton…
That said – annoying little bits of malware have crept on to one of my machines before and time (lots of it(, patience and a few good sites (like Major Geeks) have helped getting rid of the little blighters.
That’s happened to me too and it is embarrassing!
Thank you everyone for all the advice. I used to be a MAC girl. I may need to go back. My hard drive is a goner. 🙁
BBM
I had a similar problem looking up “Barbies” for my daughter. I may be in for some trouble with one of my karate blog names…
http://oldmansboobishi.blogspot.com/
It’s Boob as in foolish or bufoon not…well er …you know.
I had a similar problem looking up “Barbies” for my daughter. I may be in for some trouble with one of my karate blog names…
http://oldmansboobishi.blogspot.com/
It’s Boob as in foolish or bufoon not…well er …you know.
I had a similar problem looking up “Barbies” for my daughter. I may be in for some trouble with one of my karate blog names…
http://oldmansboobishi.blogspot.com/
It’s Boob as in foolish or bufoon not…well er …you know.
I had a similar problem looking up “Barbies” for my daughter. I may be in for some trouble with one of my karate blog names…
http://oldmansboobishi.blogspot.com/
It’s Boob as in foolish or bufoon not…well er …you know.
I had a similar problem looking up “Barbies” for my daughter. I may be in for some trouble with one of my karate blog names…
http://oldmansboobishi.blogspot.com/
It’s Boob as in foolish or bufoon not…well er …you know.