"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Dec 2005 10:48:21 -0500, "Reggie Smithers"

wrote:

ZoneAlarm Security Suite has done a great job for me, for over a year. I
have not had a problem with Spyware or a Virus even though I do download
freeware and trialware from many sites.

I picked this based upon the recommendations of CNET.
"ZoneAlarm Security Suite puts Norton and McAfee to shame with its
easy-to-use triple-layer firewall, antivirus, antispam, and now
antispyware
features."
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3667_7-6375268.html





"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

" JimH" wrote in message
...

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Dec 2005 01:02:32 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
news:a07pq11b9gab0f0764h9qlourn1jvm6trp@4ax. com...
On Sat, 24 Dec 2005 00:07:34 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news:791pq15flf2609seskcrgjfg9mmdfe0kd2@4a x.com...
On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 23:04:59 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Oh please...freeware is not automatically equal to spyware. If you
don't
trust Tucows, visit www.download.com (cNet) instead. It's somewhat
more
businesslike, and they really do check things carefully.

======================================

CNET has come in for their share of grief also. I was a
downloader
par excellence at one time but I've backed off after a few bad
experiences. If someone is charging decent money for the
software,
at
least there's an organization to go after if it messes up your
computer. I prefer to let others do the beta testing.


If you had a real firewall, you wouldn't give a damn about spyware,
John.
What firewall do you use?


I wasn't the one worried about the spyware. I'm the one who
suggested
the
program to
be downloaded. I use McAfee, spybot, and adaware. So far I've been
pretty
lucky.
--
John H

**** May your Christmas be Spectacular!****
*****...and your New Year even Better!*****

McAfee *what*? Does it include a firewall which controls *outbound*
nasties?
The one that's included with Windows XP only deals with inbound stuff.


McAfee Personal Firewall Plus. You specify, for each program, what it
can do. You can
allow or block inbound or outbound or both.
--
John H

**** May your Christmas be Spectacular!****
*****...and your New Year even Better!*****



A firewall alone will not stop spyware.

Recommended programs to install:

Spydefense
Microsoft Antispyware
SpywareBlaster
Adaware
Spybot

The first 3 run in the background using very little resources. You
manually scan your system with the last 2 after updating the
definitions.

I believe all are free.


It depends on what you mean by "stop". For years, ZoneAlarm has been
able
to stop *any* program trying to send data outbound without your
permission. It was up to you to determine a course of action when a
detection was made. Recently, the program added the ability to detect
the
actual identity of spyware, in the same way as Adaware and Spybot.



I used Zone Alarm when I first got the cable modem. Then I started having
problems.
Cox advised getting rid of Zone Alarm, which I did. Maybe (I'm sure)
they've gotten
some of the bugs worked out. I might give it another shot based on your
recommendation.
--
John H

It used to be that when you called tech support about a software problem
(like your machine freezing up), the most popular advice given was to hunt
down the latest video & audio drivers. Actually not bad advice, but it was
usually the last resort of a frustrated technician. Now, they blame
ZoneAlarm for every damned thing. About a month ago, messages I was posting
here weren't appearing for hours, if at all. Usually, it's a matter of
seconds. I called Frontier to report *their* problem. The guy told me to try
shutting down ZoneAlarm. When I asked how it could be that I'd be having
this problem just now, when I'd been running ZA for years, he was at a loss
to explain. Of course, it had nothing to do with ZA, but I gave up on the
guy, and the next day, "my problem" somehow was fixed.

The battery in my truck is getting a bit tired after 3 years, and my first
thought was that it's about time. However, it turns out that the problem
lies with ZoneAlarm.