Re: Norton

On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:15:11 -0500, Van Chocstraw wrote:

> Why does Norton always come with Windows laptops?

A very useful application for any *new* pc is the PC Decrapifier, it
attempts to remove all of the crap on your PC that you never asked for
http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/
http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/removes

> I wipe that off and put on PCTools firewall plus, Antivirus and
> Threatfire -all free.

Consider this:
You are not going to find anything better than the Vista FW and Vista in
itself due to the advanced features the FW and Vista are using.
Managing the Windows Vista Firewall
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/m.../cc510323.aspx
(Read in its entirety, twice!)

Avira AntiVir® Personal - FREE Antivirus
http://www.free-av.com/
(The free version won't scan your emails.)
Why You Don't Need Your Anti-Virus Program to Scan Your E-Mail
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tuto...ning/index.htm
Ensure your e-mail program is configured to display e-mail messages in
'Plain Text' only.
You may wish to consider removing the 'AntiVir Nagscreen'
http://www.elitekiller.com/files/dis...ntivir_nag.htm

Windows Defender (build-in in Vista)
WD monitors the start-registry and hooks registers/files to prevent spyware
and worms to install to the OS.
Interesting reading:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136195/article.html
"...Windows Defender did excel in behavior-based protection, which detects
changes to key areas of the system without having to know anything about
the actual threat."

On-demand applications:

Malwarebytes© Corporation - Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam/program/mbam-setup.exe
--and--
SuperAntispyware - Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/down...NTISPYWAREFREE

Routinely practice Safe-Hex.
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html
Hundreds Click on 'Click Here to Get Infected' Ad
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2132447,00.asp

Good luck