I have tried to go to the Straight Dope homepage. Instead of the usual page, I get a dialog box from my computer telling me it is downloading a file. Has someone hacked the SD and inserted some kind of file?
No. Your computer has picked up a cookie that got triggered by the Chicago Reader ad that runs on the front page; it’s administered by DoubleClick.
It has nothing to do with us. The Straight Dope didn’t put it on your computer. Yo got it somewhere in your travels on the Net. It was just coincidence that you happened to come to the Dope and that was the trigger.
We can, however, tell you how to remove this from your computer.
Please go to Download.com. For starters, read over their “spyware/adware” section here:
There’s all sorts of programs here, some of them free, some of them shareware. I’ve been happy with two freeware programs: Try “Ad-Aware” and “SpyBot Search and Destroy.” You need them both.
I suspect once you install and use these two programs, your problem will vanish.
your humble TubaDiva
Administrator
Thanks for the help. I will run those programs ASAP. I am curious, though, how an ad can trigger a file download. What was the file that was trying to get in?
Perhaps this will be useful:
The Straight Dope: What’s with popup ads?
You will also find CNet’s articles on download.com that explain the situation to be enlightening as well.
your humble TubaDiva
Administrator
And while you’re at it, Drum God, it wouldn’t hurt to read the first sticky on the General Questions Forum, Have a computer question? Read this first. It contains a wealth of information on related baddies, not all of which are taken care of by AdAware or Spybot.