To Active-X or Not to Active-X

By terry Leave a Comment

I received a question from subscriber and friend Ralph Campbell, who asked:

A number of times I have seen you refer disparagingly of “Active-x controls”.
I have seen downloads that require Active X to run properly. I have read the definition of the program, but, I guess I am just dense. What is this thing, and why do you consider it so insidious?
Admittedly, I’m technical-challenged, but can this program be explained?
What does one do as an alternative, if the program you want to download, requires Active-X to run?
Ralph Campbell

Active-X controls are downloadable programs that have full capabilities to do anything on your computer.

I’m not sure why Microsoft chose such the innocuous word “control” for a program that had no security constraints imposed upon it.

Read the rest of the article in ActiveX or No ActiveX

Filed Under: Anti-Spyware, Internet Explorer, Internet Privacy, Security, Stability, System Control, Windows Updates, Windows XP

CounterSpy 2 Released

By terry Leave a Comment

Sunbelt released CounterSpy 2 last week. The new version features a new antispyware / antiadware engine aimed at providing much enhanced capabilities.

In addition, CounterSpy 2 has much improved memory usage and runs on XP, 2000, and Vista (32-bit only). I’ve updated my computers to CounterSpy 2.

Sunbelt has continued the 15-day free full-function trial version. At the end of 15 days, if you haven’t licensed your copy, it becomes disabled.

CounterSpy 2 is only $19.95 for one computer, with significant discounts for multiple computer licenses.

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware, Free Trials, Software

Windows Security Updates Fix Vista Issue, too

By terry 1 Comment

AP has a good article about yesterday’s “Patch Tuesday” updates from Microsoft. Microsoft releases almost all updates on one day each month — the 2nd Tuesday of the month.

This time, there were 6 crifical updates, including one for the “malicious software engine” that powers Windows Defender, including on Vista.

What kind of problem? The usual — a flaw that could let the attacker take over the whole computer! In the anti-malware program, no less…

If you haven’t done your Microsoft Updates, do them now. IF you’re still using Windows Updates, start Windows Updates manually, then click on the option on the right-hand side of the screen to upgrade to Microsoft Updates.

Microsoft Updates will update Windows, Word, Excel, Powerpoint and other Microsoft programs — all in one step. Windows Updates only handled Windows — you had to go to other places at microsoft.com to get the other updates.

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-phishing, Anti-spam, Anti-Spyware, Microsoft Updates, Other, Windows Repair, Windows Updates

CounterSpy, iHateSpam and Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall coupons

By terry Leave a Comment

I wrote back on December 10th that Sunbelt Software had some unadvertised coupons for ComputerSpy, iHateSpam and Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall.

These were supposed to expire, but for some reason, the discount codes still seem to be active. I have no idea how long these discount codes will continue to be good.

Here’s the original article:

Sunbelt has an unadvertised coupon sale that runs until 12 midnight, Eastern Standard Time, December 31, 2006:

* Get $5 off a CounterSpy license with coupon code CSC5TY.

* Get $5 off a Sunbelt Kerio Personal firewall license with coupon code SPF5TY.

* Get $5 off a license for Sunbelt’s award-winning anti-spam program iHateSpam with coupon code IHS5TY. iHateSpam is for Outlook and Outlook Express only.

Sunbelt also has great discounts on multiple license purchases (of the same program). For example, 2 CounterSpy licenses are $29.92 instead of 2 times $19.95. Plus, you can use the discount code to get another $5 off your purchase.

Be sure to purchase by December 31, 2006 to get the coupon discount. Coupons have no cash value and are good only at the time of purchase. You can only use the coupon on one license per transaction and only one coupon per transaction.

CounterSpy iHateSpam Sunbelt Personal Firewall
Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware

CounterSpy, iHateSpam and Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall coupons

By terry 1 Comment

Update 2010 – This blog entry was originally posted in 2006 – folks, blogs are posts at specific dates. There was a 2008 – that’s “8″ — post – and, of course, that code has expired now, too.]

– original post –
Sunbelt has an unadvertised coupon sale that runs until 12 midnight, Eastern Standard Time, December 31, 2006:

* Get $5 off a CounterSpy license with coupon code code has expired.

* Get $5 off a Sunbelt Kerio Personal firewall license with coupon code code has expired.

* Get $5 off a license for Sunbelt’s award-winning anti-spam program iHateSpam with coupon code code has expired. iHateSpam is for Outlook and Outlook Express only.

Sunbelt also has great discounts on multiple license purchases (of the same program). For example, 2 CounterSpy licenses are $29.92 instead of 2 times $19.95. Plus, you can use the discount code to get another $5 off your purchase.

Be sure to purchase by December 31, 2006 to get the coupon discount. Coupons have no cash value and are good only at the time of purchase. You can only use the coupon on one license per transaction and only one coupon per transaction.

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-spam, Anti-Spyware, Firewalls, Intrusion Detection, Windows XP

IE7: Now on Automatic Downloads

By terry 4 Comments

I read a couple days ago that IE7 was showing up on Windows Updates automatic downloads. At first, I believed it. Then, when I checked manually (I have automatic turned off), Microsoft Updates did not show it available for my computer.

This morning, though, my desktop (my only computer that still has IE6) had the “updates available” icon in the status bar.

Sure enough, IE6 was there and waiting…

On that particular machine, I will _not_ install IE7 — but only because I need IE6 to be able to view sites in the browser that the Win98, WinMe, Win2000 and much of the WinXP world will be using.

Since I design web sites, I want to make sure that they look good in Firefox (my normal browser), Opera, IE6 and IE7.

Whenever you install IE7, make sure you have 20-30 minutes for the upgrade process. You’ll think that Windows is installing all over again .

The instructions say to turn off your antivirus and antispyware, since both of those types of programs try to protect Internet Explorer from changes — in this case, the protection would mess up the upgrade. So, I turned off NOD32, CounterSpy and WinPatrol. Since I was safely behind a router, I also turned off my firewall during the installation.
Of course, a reboot is required at the end. Actually, it took 2 reboots on my computers, the changes during startup interfered with my other startup programs.

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware, Firewalls, Updates, Web Browsers, Windows XP

CounterSpy Sale ends October 31st

By terry Leave a Comment

The CounterSpy Monster of a Sale is ending tomorrow, Tuesday, October 31st at midnight Eastern Standard Time.

Until then, if you use Coupon Code HALLOWEEN at the time of purchase, you can get one license for CounterSpy for only $13.13 — that’s a huge discount from the regular $19.95 price.

Get CounterSpy Now

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware, Coupon Codes, Sales, Uncategorized

CounterSpy Monster of a Deal!

By terry Leave a Comment

Read my CounterSpy Review

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware, Coupon Codes, Sales

“Publisher could not be verified” warnings

By terry Leave a Comment

A subscriber wrote me to ask about a warning that she received when she was installing a version of OpenOffice.org. Windows popped up a warning that the "Publisher could not be verified" and asked for confirmation on whether to allow the installation or not.

This is a new Microsoft validation scheme that many publishers of free software don’t want to pay for or in which they don’t want to participate. I believe this showed up with Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Read more in “Publisher could not be verified” warnings

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware, Internet Privacy, Intrusion Detection, System Control

Computer Security Software Recommendations

By terry Leave a Comment

My Philosophy: Many people want to pick their most economical solution and prefer an all-in-one anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall solution. In concept, that’s a great idea. In actual practice, this type of package is not likely to be the best in all the protection categories you need.

Other people want to pick the best of each type program. I’m one of the these folks. Read about my security software choices.

So, I’ve got two types of recommendations: the all-in-one solutions and my picks of the individual products for people who want to pick a program of each type.

Read more in my article Computer Security Software Recommendations at www.TerrysComputerTips.com

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-spam, Anti-Spyware, Firewalls, Free Trials, System Control, Updates
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »