Jump to content

  • These forums are for "after booking" trip communications, socializing, and/or trip questions ONLY.
  • You will NOT be able to book a trip, buy add-ons, or manage your trip by logging in here. Please login HERE to do any of those things.

Photo

Free Web Sites And Software...


  • Please log in to reply
22 replies to this topic

#1 shadragon

shadragon

    Tech Admin

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,055 posts
  • Location:On De Island...
  • Gender:Male
  • Cert Level:MSD / DM / Solo
  • Logged Dives:534' ish

Posted 31 July 2007 - 08:28 AM

I picked up on another thread where people were talking about "Free" web sites and software. I thought my opening "Tech Tip" forum post should be to address this as few people realize the price they pay for "Free" things on the Internet.

Now don't get me wrong, there are many good, reputable websites out there that offer services for nothing and have no ill intent toward you. However, there are some folks out there who want to subject you to all sorts of pop-up ads, Spam email and worse. So knowing how to protect yourself on-line is a huge advantage.

Some web sites support themselves through advertising. You will see pop-up ads or banner ads on the top or side of the web site. These are pretty innocuous in and of themselves. Annoying, yes... However, not harmful. There are some sites and programs that will attempt to upload programs onto your PC to track your on-line usage or even collect personal data and information. Some (but not all) will tell you this in their EULA. A EULA is the little box full of small print that pops-up on your screen when you install new software. It will look something like this:

Posted Image

This specific program collects your name, email address and other personal info and by agreeing to this you let them monitor your Internet browsing habits and they can send that info onto anyone they want. So if you go on-line banking they can see your account info. If you shop on-line they can see what you are buying. If writing emails, they know what you said, when and to who... In this case they are up front with what they will do with your info. Many programs do NOT tell you this. The majority of people don't even read EULA's.

These programs can also be uploaded without your knowledge by going to certain websites. Some collect information like where you go on-line. Some use pop-up ads for various products. Others collect passwords, email addresses in your contact list, or upload more programs. Over time your computer gets slower and slower and becomes prone to crashes and problems.

By this point you are asking yourself if you have spyware on your PC right now... There is a 99% chance that you do. In fact I would bet serious money the majority of you will have at least a half dozen programs running on your PC that you are completely unaware of.

Ok now I am painting a fairly bleak picture here, but you can combat this VERY easily.

1) Have Anti-virus software on your PC. While not technically viruses a lot of the more malicious programs are removed by modern anti-virus scans. There are many commercial AV packages out there to choose from. A good (and free) program to use if you don't have one is from AVG. Link here:

AVG Free Anti-virus

This will also scan incoming and outgoing emails as well.

2) Use a dedicated spyware removal tool. These programs specifically target malicious spyware programs and give you the option to remove them. I use SpyBot which is free to download and use as an individual. Link here:

SpyBot Search and Destroy

3) Install a firewall program to restrict who has access to your PC. Internet traffic in normally free to flow to and from your PC. A firewall program will stop this. Windows XP does have a built in firewall, but even Microsoft recommends you get a third party one to do the job right... I use Comodo which is also free to use at home. Link here:

Comodo Personal Firewall

You should keep these programs updated with the latest definitions and run them to scan your PC at least once a month.

Now if you are not technically minded and don't want all this stuff on your PC then there are still options. There are a couple of free on-line scanners that will check your PC for you. It will scan your entire hard drive and remove anything that is slowing your PC down or making it unstable. Two of the ones I use are BitDefender and Housecall. Links here:

Bitdefender web site - Look for "Scan Now" button on left of page

Housecall On-line Scanner

Again, a monthly scan should be adequate.

If you want to learn more detail about what Spyware is then visit this page. It does a great job of describing it. Link here:

What is Spyware?

If you have any questions/concerns then please post them in the thread and I will try to address them.

The SingleDivers.com web site contains no malicious code or software and is perfectly safe to use.

~ Your Friendly Neighborhood Shadragon...
Remember, email is an inefficient communications forum. You may not read things the way it was intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt before firing back... Especially if it is ME...! ;)

Tech Support - The hard we do right away; the impossible takes us a little longer...

"I like ponies on no-stop diving. They convert "ARGH!! I'M GOING TO DIE" into a mere annoyance." ~Nigel Hewitt

#2 Moose

Moose

    Everyone knows me

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 765 posts
  • Location:High Bridge, NJ (Hunterdon County)
  • Gender:Male
  • Cert Level:Numerous
  • Logged Dives:Fg = (m x D) m10^-2

Posted 31 July 2007 - 08:44 AM

Simon,
thanks for this list. I deal with this crap every day and if you ask me. Companies like this are WAY more a terrorist threat to the US then some guy in a cave in the middle east.
Moose
Everything I know about knots, I learned from Alexander the Great.

#3 Fordan

Fordan

    Tech Admin

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 419 posts
  • Location:Southern NJ
  • Gender:Male
  • Cert Level:Rescue/Nitrox
  • Logged Dives:70

Posted 31 July 2007 - 01:45 PM

1) Have Anti-virus software on your PC. While not technically viruses a lot of the more malicious programs are removed by modern anti-virus scans. There are many commercial AV packages out there to choose from. A good (and free) program to use if you don't have one is from AVG. Link here:

AVG Free Anti-virus

This will also scan incoming and outgoing emails as well.


At least here in the States, a number of the Broadband providers are offering free commercial antivirus and/or spyware software as part of the service. There's a lot of self-interest in doing that; dealing with the abuse that comes from compromised machines is not cheap, nor is the outgoing bandwidth they tend to eat up.

I know at least Comcast, Time Warner, Charter, & AT&T do this, didn't bother to check the others...

#4 Cajun Diver

Cajun Diver

    I spend too much time on line

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,228 posts
  • Location:Lumberton, TX
  • Gender:Male
  • Board Status:Local diving
  • Cert Level:Open water, nitrox, AOW
  • Logged Dives:900+

Posted 31 July 2007 - 07:54 PM

Great list and good tips - is the Comodo firewall Vista compatible? It doesn't appear to be from what the info says - XP SP2 is what it goes up to.

I've been testing different versions of the free software with Vista (need to learn it's quirks before we move to it at work or my friends get it :P ) and ZoneAlarm free version says it will work - ZoneAlarm Free home use version but I haven't tested it yet (been looking at the MS built in).

So far I've been able to get everything I use to work OK with it - including my Aeris dive computer software (it's quirky enough on it's own! :P )

Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed. Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin on the moon, Michael Collins in the command module orbiting -  July 20, 1969

 

It looks like it’s going to be another fine day - John Wayne


#5 Racer184

Racer184

    Everyone knows me

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 946 posts
  • Location:Clearwater, Florida
  • Gender:Male
  • Cert Level:Former Open Water Instructor S.D.I.
  • Logged Dives:>500

Posted 31 July 2007 - 09:35 PM

Everyone should ALWAYS read the user agreement. I am shocked how many people do not know that when they upload something on youtube and many other 'free' sites that you are GIVING them the rights to that content.

#6 shadragon

shadragon

    Tech Admin

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,055 posts
  • Location:On De Island...
  • Gender:Male
  • Cert Level:MSD / DM / Solo
  • Logged Dives:534' ish

Posted 01 August 2007 - 04:49 AM

Great list and good tips - is the Comodo firewall Vista compatible? It doesn't appear to be from what the info says - XP SP2 is what it goes up to.

If you go to the Comodo link in the first post and scroll down a bit you will see:

Pre-Register for the upcoming Free Vista Firewall

Please enter your email address so that we can inform you when the Vista compatible version of Comodo Firewall Pro is available for download:


So as of now, no there is not. For me it is not an issue as I have no intention of loading Vista for quite sometime, if ever. Of the 7 PC's I run only two have XP. The rest run Linux variants.
Remember, email is an inefficient communications forum. You may not read things the way it was intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt before firing back... Especially if it is ME...! ;)

Tech Support - The hard we do right away; the impossible takes us a little longer...

"I like ponies on no-stop diving. They convert "ARGH!! I'M GOING TO DIE" into a mere annoyance." ~Nigel Hewitt

#7 Scubatooth

Scubatooth

    I spend too much time on line

  • SD Partners
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,682 posts
  • Location:Plano, Texas
  • Gender:Male
  • Board Status:Omnes Qui Errant Non Pereunt!
  • Cert Level:Rec: DM -- Tec: Ext Range
  • Logged Dives:500+

Posted 01 August 2007 - 07:24 AM

Sha

what is you opinon on Lavasofts ad-ware antispyware program.

Then do you run a hardware/software/combo firewall for your personal computers?

I will agree with you on vista, I had my bad experince and wont want to repeat it any time soon. XP will be my last microsoft product before i switch to the mac platform(hopefully by then the new generation of nvida quadro FX cards will be available for mac) for my photography.

Tooth

A Novus Dies Has Adveho.... Occupo Dies

Where in the World is Tooth? ... Catch Me It You Can!

Traveling the World, Diving, and Photography, on my days off from saving lives as a Paramedic


#8 shadragon

shadragon

    Tech Admin

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,055 posts
  • Location:On De Island...
  • Gender:Male
  • Cert Level:MSD / DM / Solo
  • Logged Dives:534' ish

Posted 01 August 2007 - 08:06 AM

what is you opinon on Lavasofts ad-ware antispyware program.

Then do you run a hardware/software/combo firewall for your personal computers?

I will agree with you on vista, I had my bad experince and wont want to repeat it any time soon. XP will be my last microsoft product before i switch to the mac platform(hopefully by then the new generation of nvida quadro FX cards will be available for mac) for my photography.

I used to use AdAware, but found it started to either miss things or mis-identify in later versions. Plus, it became prone to crashes and updates didn't seem to be as often as they used too be. On my home systems I use SpyBot and a monthly scan through BitDefender, just in case something on my system has been compromised by a malicious install or rootkit. Guy I knew bought a PC for his kids. He did a SpyBot check after four days (It was slower than molasses) and he found 430 malicious installs on that machine... It does not take long.

I have an external router Firewall with DMZ for my external server. That then goes into a second wireless hardware router with firewall for my 802.11G laptop. Each computer is hard wired into the inner router and then each PC / Server has a software firewall. Internal traffic communicates on the inner router (Gigabit, of course) and Internet traffic goes through two H/W and one S/W firewall per machine.

I have an auto-data backup cron job that goes off nightly and I use Ghost on a monthly basis to make copies of my system partitions automatically. I have a 1.2 TB network device that stores it all nice and snuggly. I can go from a blank HD to operational system in about 10 minutes. :teeth:

Many folks don't realize that OS X is UNIX based. So it has more in common with Linux than Windows.

Oh and if you don't want to install Vista, but want your XP / 2003 install to LOOK like Vista go here...
Remember, email is an inefficient communications forum. You may not read things the way it was intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt before firing back... Especially if it is ME...! ;)

Tech Support - The hard we do right away; the impossible takes us a little longer...

"I like ponies on no-stop diving. They convert "ARGH!! I'M GOING TO DIE" into a mere annoyance." ~Nigel Hewitt

#9 Scubatooth

Scubatooth

    I spend too much time on line

  • SD Partners
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,682 posts
  • Location:Plano, Texas
  • Gender:Male
  • Board Status:Omnes Qui Errant Non Pereunt!
  • Cert Level:Rec: DM -- Tec: Ext Range
  • Logged Dives:500+

Posted 01 August 2007 - 09:26 AM

simon

good to know on adware. ITs not the only piece i use as i use trend micros PCcillin as well as the free version of zone alarm

well I may be moving soon and i will have to set up my own network in the new location and I may be giving you a call/pm/email for some hardware advice as right now at my parents house my computers as sitting behind a cisco FW/Router(sorry dont have model numbers, but was like 4k brand new a couple of years ago, and can be remotely admined) but for the outer ring where the encryted wireless is, and then there is another router where my storage servers are.


<drool> oh when i set up my next data array for storing images i will have contact you to set up something similar as thats the same as my requirements for my next generation storage array. As right now its only a two stage back up (raid plus weekly back up), but i would like to make it more secure in the future.

Tooth

A Novus Dies Has Adveho.... Occupo Dies

Where in the World is Tooth? ... Catch Me It You Can!

Traveling the World, Diving, and Photography, on my days off from saving lives as a Paramedic


#10 shadragon

shadragon

    Tech Admin

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,055 posts
  • Location:On De Island...
  • Gender:Male
  • Cert Level:MSD / DM / Solo
  • Logged Dives:534' ish

Posted 01 August 2007 - 10:14 AM

well I may be moving soon and i will have to set up my own network in the new location and I may be giving you a call/pm/email for some hardware advice

Anytime. Just PM me. I have reasonable rates and work for air fills... :P

Shall I start doing research on OC-3 fiber connections for you? I mean, if you are going to install a new system, install a GOOD one... :teeth:
Remember, email is an inefficient communications forum. You may not read things the way it was intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt before firing back... Especially if it is ME...! ;)

Tech Support - The hard we do right away; the impossible takes us a little longer...

"I like ponies on no-stop diving. They convert "ARGH!! I'M GOING TO DIE" into a mere annoyance." ~Nigel Hewitt

#11 Scubatooth

Scubatooth

    I spend too much time on line

  • SD Partners
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,682 posts
  • Location:Plano, Texas
  • Gender:Male
  • Board Status:Omnes Qui Errant Non Pereunt!
  • Cert Level:Rec: DM -- Tec: Ext Range
  • Logged Dives:500+

Posted 01 August 2007 - 10:34 AM

Well i know how to do cable runs and all that because I did the initial Cat 5 bable runs in our house back in 1994 for DSL when it was getting ready to come into our area (my dad is a earlier adopter). Then over last christmas pulled 1000' of 6e cable to update and replace some cable. What no divemaster to divemaster discount?

it might be a long haul for you to come down and work on my set up, plus initially its going to be a apartment at start so it cant be permanent yet.


here let me pull out my check book
Posted Image


:teeth:

A Novus Dies Has Adveho.... Occupo Dies

Where in the World is Tooth? ... Catch Me It You Can!

Traveling the World, Diving, and Photography, on my days off from saving lives as a Paramedic


#12 shadragon

shadragon

    Tech Admin

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,055 posts
  • Location:On De Island...
  • Gender:Male
  • Cert Level:MSD / DM / Solo
  • Logged Dives:534' ish

Posted 01 August 2007 - 11:02 AM

What no divemaster to divemaster discount?

Sorry, I take the DM exam on the 25th and as such I don't have a Secret Decoder Ring yet... :teeth:

Oh and a little known fact. There is no physical difference between CAT 5 and CAT 6 wiring... It is how it is wired in...!
Remember, email is an inefficient communications forum. You may not read things the way it was intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt before firing back... Especially if it is ME...! ;)

Tech Support - The hard we do right away; the impossible takes us a little longer...

"I like ponies on no-stop diving. They convert "ARGH!! I'M GOING TO DIE" into a mere annoyance." ~Nigel Hewitt

#13 Fordan

Fordan

    Tech Admin

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 419 posts
  • Location:Southern NJ
  • Gender:Male
  • Cert Level:Rescue/Nitrox
  • Logged Dives:70

Posted 01 August 2007 - 12:03 PM

Shall I start doing research on OC-3 fiber connections for you? I mean, if you are going to install a new system, install a GOOD one... :evilgrin:


pfft. I'm on a conference call right now planning our OC-768 links. Get some real bandwidth. :evilgrin:

#14 Scubatooth

Scubatooth

    I spend too much time on line

  • SD Partners
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,682 posts
  • Location:Plano, Texas
  • Gender:Male
  • Board Status:Omnes Qui Errant Non Pereunt!
  • Cert Level:Rec: DM -- Tec: Ext Range
  • Logged Dives:500+

Posted 01 August 2007 - 06:43 PM

Sha

good things come to those that wait.

well the old cable was the stiff stuff (ie cheap) and was starting to breakdown, the new cable is more flexible and a better quality, and with the way my dad set up the network its very fast inside the house, the biggest bottle neck is out ISP who thinks that 384/512 is a fast connection when i worked for the school we had dual redundent oc3 because of the servers the school used, plus the school is a cisco teaching facility so you know all the latest toys and tools where inplace. I remember the speed i had, i could do bulk transfers of images from one campus to another in less then 5 minutes (I was doing 2GB card dumps from the photo studio)

they where also thinking of doing a Sonnet 2.5G network in the future to accomodate the new technolgy center they are building.

A Novus Dies Has Adveho.... Occupo Dies

Where in the World is Tooth? ... Catch Me It You Can!

Traveling the World, Diving, and Photography, on my days off from saving lives as a Paramedic


#15 Cajun Diver

Cajun Diver

    I spend too much time on line

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,228 posts
  • Location:Lumberton, TX
  • Gender:Male
  • Board Status:Local diving
  • Cert Level:Open water, nitrox, AOW
  • Logged Dives:900+

Posted 02 August 2007 - 08:22 PM

If you go to the Comodo link in the first post and scroll down a bit you will see:

Pre-Register for the upcoming Free Vista Firewall

Please enter your email address so that we can inform you when the Vista compatible version of Comodo Firewall Pro is available for download:


So as of now, no there is not. For me it is not an issue as I have no intention of loading Vista for quite sometime, if ever. Of the 7 PC's I run only two have XP. The rest run Linux variants.


Thanks - unfortunately most of the new computers being sold have vista on them :welcome: and I figure quite a few SDer's have it too. Just as long as my dive computer isn't based on any version of Windows I'll be happy :lmao:

What's your favorite Linux variant?

Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed. Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin on the moon, Michael Collins in the command module orbiting -  July 20, 1969

 

It looks like it’s going to be another fine day - John Wayne





0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users