OT<Computer Question

[Josette]

Connie, let me make sure I'm understanding you.  When I saw the list of items flashing by at the bottom of the screen while it scanned (up to 5835 of them or something like that), I assumed those were things on the computer that it was checking.  From what you're saying, apparently those are the items in the program's database that it is looking for.  Since it doesn't list them in the box afterwards, apparently I DON'T  have them!!

It still just finds the same 4 programs.  I HAVE heard a lot of bad things about both Microsoft and the media players, so I'm not sure if I should ignore those.  So far, I've just let them alone (the 4 programs I listed in my post above).

It's when I click on the name of one of those to get a description of it that a new menu item appears at the bottom - Program Description (or something like that).  When I click that - it has the description of the highlighted program, but it's in a little box with a drop down arrow and all the other programs are listed there.

I take it that you're saying that it is just searching for those and that's where I could exclude some if I wanted to, but only the 4 it found are actually on my computer.

As for those notices, Netscape always tells you when you're entering or leaving an encrypted page, or when you're sending unencrypted  info over the Internet. If you don't want these notifications to come up all the time, all you have to do is uncheck the box on the notification that says something like "always notify me when..." 

I always put up with those.  I'm quite tempted to uncheck the box, but I'm always afraid there could be an instance some day when I WOULD want to be notified, so I just tolerate them all the rest of the times.

[Connie]

Connie, let me make sure I'm understanding you.  When I saw the list of items flashing by at the bottom of the screen while it scanned (up to 5835 of them or something like that), I assumed those were things on the computer that it was checking.  From what you're saying, apparently those are the items in the program's database that it is looking for.  Since it doesn't list them in the box afterwards, apparently I DON'T  have them!!

Yes - you got it right.  (Except my screen shows nearly 12,000 things it's looking for, so maybe you should do the online update to make sure your copy of Spybot is up to date with the latest definitions).

It still just finds the same 4 programs.  I HAVE heard a lot of bad things about both Microsoft and the media players, so I'm not sure if I should ignore those.  So far, I've just let them alone (the 4 programs I listed in my post above).

Okay - I duplicated what you're clicking on (I couldn't quite follow from your description 'cause I've never clicked on the Product Description box at the bottom -- I just look at the little yellow box that gives the description when you click the item on the list of things it found).  I'm not familiar with MS Works so I scrolled down to it in the list of things.  Doesn't look like much of a threat to me.  It's just an auto-updater so that if there's a new update or fix to something in MS Works, your browser will go to Microsoft and give you the opportunity to update your software.  The thing with the Media Player and that Wild Tangent thing seem pretty harmless as well.  (I'm sure if I'm wrong, MB will let us know of any impending doom re Microsoft!)  LOL

I take it that you're saying that it is just searching for those and that's where I could exclude some if I wanted to, but only the 4 it found are actually on my computer.

Yes - only the 4 it found are on your computer.  BUT, you can't exclude them using that drop-down list.  You have to use the "Excludes" item over in the left menu.  THAT will give you the list of things - each with a check-box.  So, say you've decided you want to keep the MS Works thing and you don't want to bother having the program check for it each time, you just click the box and it now has a check mark in it, and the program won't bother with it anymore -- you won't have to keep seeing the same thing show up each time you run the program.

You're lucky -- only ever having those four items show up.  Everytime I run Spybot I've got a list of different adware files and registry entries to get rid of.

Anyway......have I cleared some questions up, or are you still confused??    LOL

[Connie]

Netscape 7.1 comes with pop-up blocking built in - though that feature won't put an end to the notices you've described because they come from the browser itself. It will, however, stop pop-up ads from coming up on the sites you visit.

Is it pop-ups that put all the adware on my computer?  'Cause I already have a pop-up blocker that runs in the Earthlink software.  It SEEMS to block just about all the pop-ups.

As for those notices, Netscape always tells you when you're entering or leaving an encrypted page, or when you're sending unencrypted  info over the Internet. If you don't want these notifications to come up all the time, all you have to do is uncheck the box on the notification that says something like "always notify me when..." 

Umm.....at the risk of revealing my ignorance......I don't really know what the difference is between an encrypted and an unencrypted page and what sending unencrypted info over the Internet implies.  All I assume is, I wouldn't want to type in name, address, and credit card info onto a page that isn't "secure", but that's ALL I know.
I mean, by surfing to an unencrypted page....is that dangerous or something??

God, I hate this stuff. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I don't really know what the difference is between an encrypted and an unencrypted page and what sending unencrypted info over the Internet implies.  All I assume is, I wouldn't want to type in name, address, and credit card info onto a page that isn't "secure", but that's ALL I know.
I mean, by surfing to an unencrypted page....is that dangerous or something??

It's not dangerous to simply surf to an unencrypted page. But as you say, if you're going to be giving a site sensitive info like your credit card number/expiration date, you do want to make sure that the site is secure and will be encrypting it during the transfer so that no unscrupulous person can intercept it along the way. (That's why one of the nice things about Netscape is that it will warn you if/when you're sending unencrypted info over the Internet.) Though the good thing is that today there's much less chance of anyone intercepting info than there once was because almost all sites that deal with credit card info are secure/encrypted.

[Josette]

Connie, thank you, yes - you answered all the questions!!  When I saw the descriptions of some of those items - that they can track every keystroke, etc., I was horrified!!  What a relief to see that I DON'T have them!!

Especially with your comment about how many you get, I couldn't believe that I didn't have something besides those 4.  I'll try the update - maybe that's why it's not finding anything!!!!

[Josette]

Further "update"

I did update!  This time it searched for 11930 items!!  Aside from an additional Wild Tangent, though, it didn't find any more problems.  How can I be so lucky?!!!