# will you people please LEARN (spyware) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 10, 2004, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799 "2004-01-10T06:36:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CheekyMonkey613](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@CheekyMonkey613](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheekyMonkey613)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/21 "2004-01-10T15:21:02Z")
I had my computer for almost a year before I heard about “spyware”. I had no clue what it was. I ran AdAware and had some crazy amount, close to 200. When you don’t know it exists, you don’t know that you’re supposed to prevent it. I was in Morpheus and downloading free desktop themes and wallpaper… I had no clue. When I found out about this, I posted it on another message board. Many people replied that they hadn’t heard of it until then, and they had scanned their computers. Most of them beat my piddly number hands down. Now they know. And now, hopefully, they’ll tell other friends. Also, **ParentalAdvisory** , that’s a great idea. Thanks. Since I’m not a computer-whiz, I NEVER installed anything using Customization. It’s an intimidating option to some. You’re scared of “messing up your machine”, so you do what seems the simplest and cross your fingers. Until your post, I would never have even entertained the thought. Keep in mind that there are alot of people who use their computers for very simple things. Email, Google, Word Docs, Sharing Pictures, Downloading Music, Message Boards and Chat… You can do all of these pretty simply, without knowing too much about computers. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/22 "2004-01-10T16:16:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NBIT33 \* > \*\* > How can there really still be people who don’t know about spyware? > > \*\* The same way there can still be people who don’t know whether or not a duck’s quack echoes, what the three words that end in -gry are, and whether or not they ought to allow some Nigerian widow access to their bank account. DUH. You don’t know until you ask. Don’t be such a snot, **NBIT33** - I know a BUNCH of shit you don’t know, I’m just way too polite to Pit you for not knowing. ---
**Author:** ![NBIT33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NBIT33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NBIT33)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/23 "2004-01-10T16:21:07Z")
Read the fucking OP It’s not about NOT KNOWING, it’s about NOT TRYING TO FIND OUT BEFORE ASKING. It’s about spending JUST A LITTLE time reading on your own before asking. Reading is Fundamental, dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/24 "2004-01-10T16:29:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NBIT33 \* > \*\* > > Condensed to: > I’m a meanie poopy head and you’re stupid! > > \*\* Poopy head. Also, check out the second line of this sig: ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/25 "2004-01-10T16:33:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NBIT33 \* > **It’s not about NOT KNOWING, it’s about NOT TRYING TO FIND OUT BEFORE ASKING. It’s about spending JUST A LITTLE time reading on your own before asking.** Bullshit. You didn’t once mention anything about anyone doing research. Mazzybe you _meant_ to say so, but you didn’t. Show me differently. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/26 "2004-01-10T16:34:50Z")
_Mazzybe_? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/27 "2004-01-10T16:39:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*_Mazzybe_? \*\* Fo shizzle! ;j ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/28 "2004-01-10T16:55:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NBIT33 \* > \*\*Read the fucking OP > > It’s not about NOT KNOWING, it’s about NOT TRYING TO FIND OUT BEFORE ASKING. It’s about spending JUST A LITTLE time reading on your own before asking. > > Reading is Fundamental, dumbass. \*\* Listen, potty-mouth: people asking questions here IS “trying to find out.” If you don’t want to answer someone’s question, you are free to not respond. Pitting someone for asking a question YOU do not wish to respond to is, quite simply, jerkish. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/29 "2004-01-10T16:56:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NBIT33 \* > **It’s about spending JUST A LITTLE time reading on your own before asking.** “Doctor, it hurts when I do this!” “You stupid twit, why didn’t you research diaplupus of the plux before you came to waste my valuable time?” “What’s diaplupus of the plux?” “It’s what you _have_, duh! If you had researched diaplupus of the plux you would have known you had it!” “Well, how was I supposed to research it before I knew what it was called?” “Quit asking stupid questions, okay?” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/30 "2004-01-10T17:10:52Z")
Good one **matt\_mcl**. It always amazes me when people are pitted for being ignorant, on a board devoted to helping people who are ignorant. I often use the analogy that it’s like a doctor being pissed that sick people keep bothering him. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/31 "2004-01-10T17:24:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fugazi \* > \*\*What is this “spyware” of which you speak? > > That’s one of many reasons I switched to Linux. \*\* I personally _hate_ this response. If everyone started using Linux (or Mac, or BeOS, or OS2, or… you get the idea), then we’d start seeing spyware for _those_ operating systems. Another OS is _not_ a silver bullet for spyware or virii or whatever- the people who write these will write 'em for whatever OS will make 'em money. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/32 "2004-01-10T17:27:47Z")
Something that really helps me is turn of the “install on demand” option in Internet Explorer. Go to “tools” in your browser, then “internet options”, then hit the “advanced” tab. Scroll down th the “enable install on demand” boxes and uncheck them. Then, when you go to a webpage that wants to install spyware on your computer, a box will pop up and ask you if you want to install. Click “no” and the spyware won’t install. Spybot and Adaware will get rid of spyware, but I think it’s better to not download it in the first place. This option won’t get rid of spyware you already have, and doesn’t prevent the cookies and data miner cookies, but it stops Comet Cursor, Gator, and those kinds of things. It’s all about prevention. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/33 "2004-01-10T17:37:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Boscibo \* > **Something that really helps me is turn of the “install on demand” option in Internet Explorer. Go to “tools” in your browser, then “internet options”, then hit the “advanced” tab. Scroll down th the “enable install on demand” boxes and uncheck them. Then, when you go to a webpage that wants to install spyware on your computer, a box will pop up and ask you if you want to install. Click “no” and the spyware won’t install.** This helps, but doesn’t prevent everything. My husband’s computer has gotten hit a couple of times in the past few months, and that option was disabled in his browser settings. Some spyware installs without ever popping up a dialog box. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/34 "2004-01-10T20:49:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Geobabe \* > Some spyware installs without ever popping up a dialog box. I doubt it, as long as your notification function is enabled. More likely Geohubby is a little careless or has difficulty distinguishing genuine advisory messages from scam ones (hey – I admit that’s not easy.) Can you supply a site URL that installs spyware without the op’s knowing about it or being able to prevent it? If so, give it to me; I’ll try it out, then run AdAware immediately after and report back. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/35 "2004-01-10T20:52:04Z")
Aren’t there ways to get around the notification function via ActiveX? That’s what people used to complain about anyway, maybe that’s been made more secure. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/36 "2004-01-10T20:59:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Musicat \* > **I doubt it, as long as your notification function is enabled. More likely Geohubby is a little careless or has difficulty distinguishing genuine advisory messages from scam ones (hey – I admit that’s not easy.)** Wrong. Some versions of IE have a vulnerability that allows a malicious website to download and execute any program on yoru computer. I was surprised to discover my own installation is so vulnerable. You can test yours [here](http://www.secunia.com/MS03-032/). I highly recommend everyone do so, and install the necessary patch if need be. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/37 "2004-01-10T21:25:46Z")
If that’s what **geobabe** is experiencing, then a patch is called for. But I want the real thing, not a test. You got a site that actually does this malicious stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/38 "2004-01-10T21:48:37Z")
I’ll see what I can find. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/39 "2004-01-10T21:57:22Z")
I’ve gotten a bit more cautious about what I download since I learned about spyware a few months ago. Doesn’t always work. I was looking for a mahjongg solitare game to download, found a likely link which, instead of redirecting me to a download page, simply hooked me up with a shortcut to an online game then started trying to dump all kinds of bullshit software on my computer. I kept clicking “no”, then found it had all installed anyway and I had a helluva time getting rid of it. I wonder how many people pick up spyware this way- a site represents a link as leading to a piece of desired software when it is actually a download link for a bunch of stuff you don’t want on your computer. BTW, I was totally ignorang of spyware until just recently, I thought all those popups were simply free-floating on the internet and invaded any computer that happened to be online at the time. I switched to Earthlink last month, which comes with a spyware scanner and a popup blocker. I’m in Heeeaaaavveeennnn. I really wouldn’t expect most average computer users to be aware of spyware. Hell, there are professing Christians living in countries west of the Bosphorus who don’t know who Martin Luther was… I actually started a thread several months ago titled “It frightens me that people don’t know these things”. It went out to nine pages before it collapsed under its own weight. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799/40 "2004-01-10T22:41:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NBIT33 \* > \*\*Read the fucking OP > > It’s not about NOT KNOWING, it’s about NOT TRYING TO FIND OUT BEFORE ASKING. It’s about spending JUST A LITTLE time reading on your own before asking. > > Reading is Fundamental, dumbass. \*\* Well, DOUBLE DUMBASS ON YOU! I have asked such questions on this board as well. In fact, I have even (gasp!) STARTED my research on this board. It provides a more personal touch. It is an excuse for social discourse that goes beyond the sole issue. Sort of like golf for some, there are social connections. There are in fact message boards specifically designed for these issues, likely used by a very knowledgeable members, not all of them dipshits. Anyway, I am feeling pretty thick-skinned, so help me with a problem I have. You’re one of those IP guys, right? Just like those that Jimmy Fallon makes fun of on those running sketches on SNL. You demean the folk, then fix the problem. I was going to give it its own post, but I see you are the one who knows better. I have ad-aware (the latest version, I think). I also have CWS-Shredder. Yet it does not get rid of the trojan horse. I still get strange pupups, from Web-counter. When I logoff, then logon without shutting down the PC, I get an “about.blank” window. I have to click on the “Mail” icon on the top bar to connect. When I turn off the computer, then turn it on, then go online, My home page has changed, and my pc speed greatly slows down. Thus, I must run Ad-aware AND CWS-shredder before logging on, which puts it back to the “about.blank” window. So it somehow has infiltrated my start-up program in a way that those anti-spyware programs are unable to detect. Please, Mr. insulting computer nerd, you are my only hope for a solution without long and embarrasing research process. The insults hurt, but better to endure them now than later, or spent hours of research that could be better spent looking at porn or dancing hampsters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-people-please-learn-spyware/223799.md?page=3)