The Vent and Rant Thread

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Thank you Avira for making my Christmas Eve stressful by suddenly telling me my license is expired and that you no longer support Vista. Couldn't you wait till after the first of the year?!?

Now I'm scrambling to find a free antivirus I trust so my husband doesn't wreck havoc on my desktop while playing his games *sigh*

Sent from my XT1528

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Norton has 30 day free trials if I remember right.

Never. The one program we won't allow on any PCs in our domain.

Blossom -- there are perfectly good, even free, AV programs out there. Though probably the best thing you could do is upgrade from Vista to Win7 or even Win10.

Free:

• Windows Defender -- It's actually all I ever use on my own PCs for traditional AV and it's actually quite good.
• AVG -- been around forever, and had a free version forever.
• Avast -- been around forever, and had a free version forever. And now owned by my preferred PDF reader company, Nitro.
• MalwareBytes -- Not A-V, but a good addition to any conventional A-V. There is a paid version which you might want, but I work with the free only.

(this list is by not meant to be complete, but does include free programs I'm both aware of and would allow on PCs in my domain.)

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by CRussel

(Re Norton A/V)
Never. The one program we won't allow on any PCs in our domain.

I concur. Back when, I ran Symantec Corporate, Norton's enterprise oriented sibling. It installed with no problems, and consumed few resources. Norton A/V did not play well with others, and would not go away without dynamite if you decided you didn't want it.

The version of Symantec I was running reached end-of-life and would not get updates. I no longer worked for the employer whose site license covered the version I had, so a new version would be on my dime. And the only things it had ever "caught" had been false positives. I dropped it and haven't missed it.

On the old netbook running XP Home, I don't run A/V. On the desktop and laptops running Win10, I use Windows Defender, but that's mostly to shut Windows up about my protection status.

Blossom -- there are perfectly good, even free, AV programs out there. Though probably the best thing you could do is upgrade from Vista to Win7 or even Win10.

Free: [LIST][*]Windows Defender -- It's actually all I ever use on my own PCs for traditional AV and it's actually quite good.

It's what I use here, has been trouble free, and quite adequate.

[*]AVG -- been around forever, and had a free version forever. [*]Avast -- been around forever, and had a free version forever. And now owned by my preferred PDF reader company, Nitro.

Hmmm. What I use is the open source Sumatra PDF, which also handles ePub and Mobi eBook files. What pleases you about Nitro?

[*]MalwareBytes -- Not A-V, but a good addition to any conventional A-V. There is a paid version which you might want, but I work with the free only.

I have that here and run it occasionally. It never finds anything. The payware version provides "real time" scanning and protection. I can't be bothered.
______
Dennis

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by CRussel

My very first job (at age 14, the minimum age allowed in my state) was as a library page. Shelving books, repairing spines and being generally useful. I got to know the Dewey Decimal System quite well.

I was a library page once upon a time. I still have vivid memories of being told to destroy a copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica. It had been ill used by patrons and was being thrown out and replaced, but they wanted it rendered unsuitable for trash picking. I understood and complied, but it still felt like sacrilege.
______
Dennis

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Never. The one program we won't allow on any PCs in our domain.

Blossom -- there are perfectly good, even free, AV programs out there. Though probably the best thing you could do is upgrade from Vista to Win7 or even Win10.

Free:

• Windows Defender -- It's actually all I ever use on my own PCs for traditional AV and it's actually quite good.
• AVG -- been around forever, and had a free version forever.
• Avast -- been around forever, and had a free version forever. And now owned by my preferred PDF reader company, Nitro.
• MalwareBytes -- Not A-V, but a good addition to any conventional A-V. There is a paid version which you might want, but I work with the free only.

(this list is by not meant to be complete, but does include free programs I'm both aware of and would allow on PCs in my domain.)

Thanks. I agreed Norton is resource hog and targeted by baddies so I stay away from it. There is no way to upgrade the operating system on this computer. It's ancient.

Vista version of Defender isn't an AV. It's more of a process watcher.

AVG and Avast I've had issues with in the past so I don't trust them. Luckily I was able to find an old version of Avira that does work with Vista. Installed it, updated and all is protected now.

Malwarebytes does not play nice with my chipset. It mange to destroy my new hard drive a few years back due to Intel Storage program went corrupt. The thing became a paperweight.

I'll have to start looking for an antivirus program later but for now crisis averted. *phew*

Sent from my XT1528

[CRussel]

If it will run Vista, it will run Win7, IME.

As far as I'm aware, there is NO A-V that hasn't had problems. But both AVG and Avast are reasonably well thought of. And you are incorrect about defender. But do what you will. However, only an up-to-date A/V is of any value at all.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by CRussel

If it will run Vista, it will run Win7, IME.

As far as I'm aware, there is NO A-V that hasn't had problems. But both AVG and Avast are reasonably well thought of. And you are incorrect about defender. But do what you will. However, only an up-to-date A/V is of any value at all.

There is no driver support for Windows 7 for the hardware it has. It's a strange setup. Budget PC from 2007.

I only have Vista Home so Defender is very limited. No UI, No way to update it either. It just runs in the background and not very useful.

Avira is up-to-date date it's just an old version of the program but the definitions are current.



Sent from my XT1528

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I only have Vista Home so Defender is very limited. No UI, No way to update it either. It just runs in the background and not very useful.

IIRC, under XP/Vista, the MS A/V solution is Microsoft Security Essentials. It transitioned to Windows Defender in Win7.

I passed on MSE under XP, as it was a bit of a resource hog (and I stopped running A/V there entirely in any case.) It ought to behave better under Vista.

Avira is up-to-date date it's just an old version of the program but the definitions are current.

An older version of Avira with current definitions may be adequate.

I have simple notions for computer security.

1. Keep Windows fully patched.

2. Don't run IE as your browser.

3. Run as a limited user, not Administrator. Most exploits require admin rights to do dirty work, and bounce if you aren't running as Administrator.

Under XP, you run as Administrator by default, but can create an account that is a Power User (XP Pro) or Limited User (XP Home) and use it for daily stuff.

Vista changed things so you run as an ordinary user by default, and must specifically acquire admin rights to do things that require it, like install software. Win7 polished that to make it less annoying.

4. Be careful about what you download and open. The main vector for viruses is email, with payloads delivered as malicious attachments. I use Gmail as my primary email address, and read and reply in my browser. My mail resides on Google's servers, and Google has viewers for common attachment types, so most stuff never actually reaches my machine. I have no need for local copies, and it can live on Google's servers, thank you.

The main vector for malware is the browser. I run Firefox, with the NoScript extension that blocks scripting unless the site I'm visiting is in a white list.

I have the free Malware Bytes malware scanner here, and run it occasionally. It never finds anything.

Downloads are all from known-good sources that scan on their end.

And I'm aware the Internet has bad neighborhoods and stay aware of where I am and what I'm doing while I'm there.

As a result, the only reason I run Windows Defender is to keep Windows happy that I'm protected. If it went away I wouldn't miss it. I haven't gotten an actual virus infestation of any consequence since the MSDOS days, and following variants of the above

You didn't specify what games your hubby plays, but the major ones I'm aware of aren't sources of viruses. If you have documented cases of viruses getting installed because he was playing a game, the solution is "Don't play that game!".
______
Dennis

[Blossom]

He plays Klondike on Facebook which means he is social with hundreds of people. So it's more than a risk I'd like to take but he is obessed with the game now for over a year. It's his escape from life. It's not a card game. It's build your own empire game and it's always evolving.

I do have his account as limited. He has in the past caught things in his own laptop so I know not to trust his instincts. I got Avira, Comodo Firewall and Ad Block installed.

He knows about phishing and I tell him not to click on links sent in Messenger.

The rest is knock on wood.

Sent from my XT1528

[Katsunami]

Bah, Windows.

I've used it since Windows NT4, transitioning from OS/2 Warp 3, because it could run Windows 95/NT programs, and OS/2 Warp 3 and 4 couldn't. I haven't had much problems with Windows, not even Windows Vista, moving from Windows NT4 to 2000, XP, Vista, and 7.

(So, I basically never used Windows 95, 98 and ME, and I never had the 'Windows is unstable' problems; I've been on a full 32-bit system since 1994, starting with OS/2 Warp 3. The only 16-bit I've used was Windows 3.1, running *inside* OS/2, to be able to run Windows 3.1 games.)

In Windows 8, MS started changing things for the sake of changing things, and I skipped it. Then I moved to Windows 10, from 7, during the free upgrade period.

To be honest, I didn't like it then (mainly because all the 'We want this information' stuff), and I don't like it now. Titles are too huge. Fonts are too small. Customization as known in Windows 7 and before is down the drain. Can't even change font type (officially). Now I'm hitting a snag that the Start Menu can't find half of my installed programs. Classic Shell can, though.

I can't move back to Windows 7 because Microsoft has officially scrapped Windows 7 support on Skylake and newer systems; they basically say: "If you can get it installed and it works, fine. If it doesn't work, bad luck."

So because of that, Windows 10 is the only operating system I can use, even though I dislike it.

Apple/OSX? Not an option. Laptop prices are through the roof. Half of my software is not available on MacOSX, not even mentioning games. iMacs are underpowered, and I like a better monitor than what they've got (and non-glossy, even). I'm not even talking about the Mac Mini. That system has less power than computers I've put out with the trash or given away for free 5 years ago. To get a Mac Pro with the power my current desktop has, I need to win the lottery (and that system hasn't been updated for three years already). Apple seems to be transforming itself from a computer company to a 'we have a single phone... and oh, some computers as well, sometimes'-company. Not an option.

Linux? OK, it basically runs most of my software, except for the Eizo monitor calibration suite... and it doesn't run most games. To get it to work on my laptop requires endless tinkering. It will run on the desktop, but then I can only reset my monitor to not use Eizo ColorNavigator, and the display basically gets reduced to a €150 generic monitor, which I don't want. Even though I don't do a lot of photography anymore, I kept the monitor because I liked it. Games will require endless jacking around with WINE to get working, or I'll need to setup a dual boot and reboot each time.

R.I.P. useful home computer, 1981 - 2011.

I wonder if someone will be able to ever fix this crap.

Bah. Maybe I should just install Linux in Virtual Box, booting it automatically, use it for day to day work, and drop back to Windows when I want to play a game.

Seriously, I'm so tired of this crap. 40 years of computers, in which everything got better and better each year (although I only experienced this starting in 1990), and in 2009, the computing world starts to tear itself to pieces because they're afraid of the iPhone and want to go mobile at all costs; and now we're stuck with desktop software that is half desktop and half mobile, and doesn't work anymore.

[cromag]

In 2007 Norton let a virus through on my old XP computer. I had a remarkably lousy time tracking it down and setting things right. I've used Avast! (Free version) ever since. They have not been "perfect" but I am thoroughly satisfied with them.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by cromag

In 2007 Norton let a virus through on my old XP computer. I had a remarkably lousy time tracking it down and setting things right. I've used Avast! (Free version) ever since. They have not been "perfect" but I am thoroughly satisfied with them.

I haven't used Avast in years but back then it was super buggy. I had AVG fail me three times which is why I switched to Avira years ago. It's been pretty good at catching everything. I hate to lose it on my desktop. So hopefully I can keep it at least for another year. I had Trend Micro before all that. I've haven't used Norton since 2004.

Sent from my XT1528

[Rumpelteazer]

Looking for a good stand alone thriller to read after my current book and the ones I really like aren't released until June or July next year.

[Katsunami]

Grrr. Yesterday I finally reinstalled Windows 10, because since a week or two ago, inexplicably, newly installed programs wouldn't be found in the start menu search. None of the remedies I found online (mainly, recreate the file index) worked.

After reinstalling, the computer regularly hung, froze, or Explorer was unpredictable. It took me half an hour until I remembered the Anniversary Update 1607 has a huge bug: if you have an NVME/PCI SSD + a SATA HDD, the Windows driver can, in some systems, treat the HDD as an SSD, and the drive will hang. (And thus, Eplorer/Windows will hang.)

I resolved it back then by installing Intel Rapid Storage Technology, without actually setting up a virtual raid afterward; it basically comes down to replacing the MS driver with an Intel one.

Also, Windows update installed the Intel HD Graphics driver, but I was missing some options in the configuration panel; I didn't have some of the color settings, and on this laptop screen, I need those because it's too dark otherwise. It's a very good screen, but it needs a boost in the brightness of the mid-tones.

So, I had to remove that driver, and install the (older) one from the DELL site to regain those features. I just HOPE Windows installed the wrong (but a compatible) driver, and Intel didn't go and remove the Gamma feature from newer drivers. As the Autobot Ratchet would say: "I need(ed) that!"

I've looked into the next update, to be released in March 2017, and the biggest news is that it will contain a 3D version of Paint. WOW! (And some gaming-related stuff such as streaming and broadcasting, using a Microsoft service.... something which has been possible for YEARS already, using third-party programs and services. I don't *NEED* stuff like that to be in an operating system.)

FRACKAZOIDING CRAPHOLA, MICROSOFT! You've got people here who's computers have been crashing since July this year, something which requires a non-trivial fix (at least, for Intel). You're replacing drivers left and right through Windows update, and resetting settings whenever you do so. Systems are having problems because you're jackassing with them. Just fix the bugs first, keep your paws OFF the drivers, and THEN look into upgrading paint with 3D capabilities.

I'll give you a hint: returning to how things worked from 1996 to 2015, would that be an idea? Release an OS, fix the large bugs in the first year, and then provide security and operational fixes through service packs and rollups for 9 years? PEOPLE LIKED IT THAT WAY, you know, because they could be sure an installed system wouldn't change for 10 years apart from bug fixes. People don't upgrade drivers to have a newer version. They upgrade drivers if something isn't working, and they leave them alone otherwise. Please do so as well.

There is a REASON why companies such as DELL, nVidia, and others provide *certified* drivers on workstation-class hardware. ***STOP MESSING WITH THEM !***

Damn. I needed that, after spending two days getting my laptop back in order. Get your priorities straight over there.

[Katsunami]

There, I finished Transformers: War for Cybertron, even though I had to set the difficulty to Easy for the last boss battle.

On medium, it was impossible for me. The last boss just keeps shooting without ever letting up, and if you're hit twice, you're dead. The only way of defeating him at level medium is to dodge rockets, laserbeams, and bombs for about 40 (!) minutes. I've seen one guy do that in a walkthrough on Youtube. (User TetraNinja.)

I'm not experienced enough in shooters to fight boss battles where one mistake in following some sort of pattern kills you. I'm all up for a challenge in a game, but there are limits. I don't have time to do and redo 40 minute fights.

Turning down the difficulty to easy makes the boss shoot less projectiles, so they're easier to dodge. On hard, each part in the fight just takes longer, which leaves more chance for you to make a mistake.

[Rumpelteazer]

On the one hand I really like the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve because few, if any, shipments come in that I have to deal with (mind you, in the weeks before and after a lot of shipments come in).

On the other hand it's also my least favourite week of the year because of the type of customer you get. A lot of people have that week off work and have time, too much sometimes. For instance: the window display is open to the store, despite having a whole bunch of signs with the text "please don't touch the items in the shop window" people still felt that that didn't apply to them and if you told them to leave the items be they occasionally got mad at you. It doesn't help that the window display has three large round plateaus which have a rod in the middle from which they hang, so balance is important.

A couple of weeks ago we were tired of having to keep in an eye on the shop window and got a garden net (one of those that are used to put over a pond to prevent birds from getting at the fish). Last week we put it up. It solved the problem until yesterday when a customer lifted to get a lamp socket from the display, whilst there were still about 20 of them on the shelf. He started screaming at me when I asked him in a friendly way why he thought we put up the netting. Sigh.

Then there are the hyperactive, tired and/or bored kids whose parents haven't taught them how to behave in a store. If you dare ask the kids to please look with their eyes and not with their hands (we have a lot of breakable items) the parents will get angry with you.

Next week won't be back to normal, it's the last week of the school vacation, but in general it won't be as bad, hopefully.