C++ Instructors

[helios]

PDFs don't contain executable code, as far as I know.

And only stupids who click on anything in bright colors without thinking get viruses. That's a statement I'm willing to defend.

[DrChill]

Could the website itself contain an executable or some way to transport it to your computer?

[helios]

Yes, because it's magic. It can transfer data without the receiving computer being aware of it.

[Bazzy]

Google would give you the link directly to the PDF file...

[DrChill]

Sorry I dislike viruses (who doesn't?) my computer has gone through like 4 memory wipes :( however I will try this anyway thank you :)

Also congrats on your soon to be 5,000 posts :)

[Disch]

And only stupids who click on anything in bright colors without thinking get viruses. That's a statement I'm willing to defend.

Hear Hear.

I'm going on 8+ years without a virus scanner and have never had a problem with viruses.

In my experience, it's been the anti virus programs that cause the most of my computer troubles anyway.

[Umz]

In my experience, it's been the anti virus programs that cause the most of my computer troubles anyway.

Truth! When I bought this new computer I didn't install any anti virus software because I couldn't be bothered. Now I'm left wondering, how is it that the malicious software the scanner used to find so often has no effect.

If you don't click around and download just anything the computer is fine; in fact I find that even when I do download things I'm not sure of the computer is still fine.

[mcleano]

Really? What about viruses or other malware generally associated with anything free on the internet that is not open source?

Ok I thought that was a joke :|

Could the website itself contain an executable or some way to transport it to your computer?

@Helios... This is actually possible I believe, although not quite put like that ^^ Or was you joking?

If you don't click around and download just anything the computer is fine;

Spot on!

I have to say though, to all those who haven't got an AV and want to try one, or just want a new one, I can't promote http://www.eset.com/ enough!! Possibly the best piece of software i've ever used?

[chrisname]

@mcleano,

Really? What about viruses or other malware generally associated with anything free on the internet that is not open source?
--- [ can't embed quotes :( ]
Ok I thought that was a joke :|

I hope it is...

Could the website itself contain an executable or some way to transport it to your computer?
---
@Helios... This is actually possible I believe, although not quite put like that ^^ Or was you joking?

I think he was being sarcastic when he said that it was magic (I hope so anyway); but no, AFAIK it isn't possible. I think it's possible sometimes to download files without you knowing, by exploiting... exploits in web browsers; but it isn't possible for a computer to accept data without knowing. That wouldn't make sense. If no-one is listening to, for example, port 21 and you send data to port 21; nothing will happen AFAIK. It would be lost, or ignored by the OS.

As for having or not having AV programs; I personally never use them. In fact, in windows, where my parents did use them and they set themselves up to be loaded with the OS (that is, added themselves to the startup list without asking (which REALLY used to annoy me. You want access to my startup list? Ask for it!)). My parents didn't know enough to turn off those features that they didn't want or need (because you had to change things (:O) which is naughty); so we ended up with a 64-bit, 2 GHz cpu with 512 MiB of RAM taking five minutes to boot. No way should anything that oscillates at 2,000,000,000 hertz (that is, two billion oscillations per second) take 300 seconds to boot an operating system. It should take about ten seconds at the most. If you allow a further 50 seconds to load other programs (bearing in mind windows is multithread and multiprocess capable, and should be able to load n programs at once) that's about a minute. If you allow another hour, because it's windows (just kidding =]) twenty or so seconds for loading and priming drivers and generally getting everything ready; it should take less than 2 minutes to boot, plus a further 10 (or fewer) seconds for me to click my username and type my password, plus about 30 seconds for the POST routine, and everything else the BIOS does before the OS boots; it should take less than three minutes for me to be logged in.

But because of all the resource-hungry antivirus programs, it took five (on a good day); almost double what it should have done.

When I took all the "services" and startup programs off the boot list that I didn't need, it reduced the time to about 2 minutes, including logon.

In short; av programs should be avoided like testicular cancer IMO.

[helios]

I think the real problem with that computer is the RAM bottleneck. Mine is a 1.86 and has 2 GiB. It has 512 of VRAM alone. If it's not a Core 2, it has to at least be an Athlon64 or similar. Am I right? For a computer like that, the minimum is 1 GiB. Particularly if you're running Vista, which I'm assuming you are since you mentioned the 64-bit part.
For reference, mine takes 30 seconds to load XP-32, and that's counting the VM drivers which almost double the time.

[mcleano]

@Chrisname

1) Embeded quotes would be a great feature!
2) What about things that the computer is expecting, like cookies for example.
3) Do you actually password protect your area? I honestly don't see the point unless its a laptop or you know people are going to be twats and mess around on it...
4) One of the reasons I love using NOD32 is that its is the completel opposite or norton in that it is not resource hungry, you barely even know its there!

@helios ... Thats because XP RULED! :D

[helios]

3) Do you actually password protect your area? I honestly don't see the point unless its a laptop or you know people are going to be twats and mess around on it...

That's what most people think, and then they bitch when others find out about their flaming goat porn collection.

[mcleano]

Ha had to LOL at that. I just don't think it adds that much security for what its worth. Don't think i feel the same for passwords in general, because that would be retarded, just for your own area on a desktop...

EDIT: I should mention that when writing this I had windows xp OS in mind...

[helios]

Well, obviously, all truly sensitive data should be encrypted, preferably by TrueCrypt, but a password is enough to thwart most people.

[mcleano]

"Most people" being the keyword. Anyone who truly wanted to mess around with someone would not be affected by a user password.

[firedraco]

^Yeah, but the few people that could probably don't care about your flaming goat porn collection. XD

[Mythios]

Yeah, but the few people that could probably don't care about your flaming goat porn collection

lol

[chrisname]

helios wrote:

I think the real problem with that computer is the RAM bottleneck

I think the RAM may have been DDR (not ddr2); and it was an Athlon 64. It had XP on it, by the way.

Well, obviously, all truly sensitive data should be encrypted

OpenBSD encrypts everything automatically AFAIK.

@mcleano,
1. Alas...
2. Good point. I forgot about giving it cookies...
3. Yeah; because this was basically my routine when I logged in:
takeown /f C:\*
and a bunch of other stuff I forgot.
4. Never heard of it, but I don't use AV programs any more anyway.

helios wrote:

That's what most people think, and then they bitch when others find out about their flaming goat porn collection.

Dude. Have you been telnet'ing to my computer?

[jRaskell]

When I took all the "services" and startup programs off the boot list that I didn't need, it reduced the time to about 2 minutes, including logon.

In short; av programs should be avoided like testicular cancer IMO.

I don't use AV for myself either, but I have no problem properly regulating my own internet activity. However, my own personal experience has shown that the less computer literate and the computer illiterate just aren't knowledgable enough to properly regulate their internet activity.

I have also found, through numerous attempts at properly educating family and friends on safe internt browsing, that the majority of them simply don't want to learn this stuff. They just don't want to be bothered with it. So for these people, I do indeed resort to heavy handed internet security programs. Yes, they do bloat the PC, but that bloat is limited. I have, on too many occasions, been called upon to clean up a PC that had no security applications in place whatsoever, and wound up spending multiple hours once again making the PC usable, only to return months later to have to go through the routine all over again.

If people don't want to learn, then I slap the training wheels on the computer, and I don't have to go back again and again. Sure it slows things down, but it doesn't get progressively worse as time goes on, and I'm done being a digital janitor and cleaning up other people's messes. In many family member cases, I've even locked them out of admin access to their computer and they only have user level accounts.

[mcleano]

@chrisnam ... @ 4) ... Thats because they haven't got the marketting/advertising that Norton and Macafee have! :(

have also found, through numerous attempts at properly educating family and friends on safe internt browsing, that the majority of them simply don't want to learn this stuff.

I feel your pain! I also spend a lot of time going to others computers and sorting them out. Fortunately though I get paid for it and when I say "No no its ok I don't need it" they're just like "No its fine dont worry about it" because i'm "young" lol.