First Steps

[Dinner]

Re: First Steps

Originally posted by Lord Nuclear
I just got my new Dell PC. It was quite exciting, since I've never owned a PC before, I've only used Apple computers. I should be setting up internet shortly. What should I do now? What should I download?

Downlaod emule and never pay for music, movies, or computer programs ever again.

[Asher]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Why this, rather than Spybot or Adaware? Also, as MSN always tries to download a spyware on my PC when I'm using IE, I'm not sure MS's the most objective vendor.

It has far better real-time protection, and catches things Spybot and Adware both miss.

It's actually a product called Giant -- MS bought the company and rebranded it. Prior to this, Giant was a paid service, not free.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
You need a Firewall before you connect to the Internet, or your computer will be owned before you know it.

Just run Microsoft update and a nice firewall will be installed for you by Microsoft.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Why this, rather than Spybot or Adaware? Also, as MSN always tries to download a spyware on my PC when I'm using IE, I'm not sure MS's the most objective vendor.

I have all three but MS's Antispyware really does work best. They bought the best antispyware program and just renamed it MS Spyware. It finds all sorts of stuff the other two had missed.

[Hot Mustard]

With regards to anti-spyware software, more is better. In my experience, no one program covers you as well as 2 or 3.

Minor Hijack:
Asher - I am curious what archiver you use. I have a new machine to setup and was going to use my trusty old version of PowerArchiver 6.11 (before they corrupted it), but I am sure there's some new kids out there - what's the best, free, simple archiver these days?

[Asher]

I actually use PowerArchiver 2004, but it's supposedly not free.

[Locutus]

Re: First Steps

As far as spyware goes, what dejon said: MS Spyware, Adaware, Spywareblaster, Spybot S&D -- you can't have too many of those...

Originally posted by Lord Nuclear
What should I do now?

Buy a few games and revel in the knowledge that you can actually play games now

[Tassadar500]

I have also bought Mcafee Anti-Virus and Anti-Spam, which I read was better than Nortan Anti-Virus.

[Hot Mustard]

Originally posted by Asher
I actually use PowerArchiver 2004, but it's supposedly not free.

Why am I not surprised?

A little hunting revealed the opensource 7-Zip project - any experience with it? The rest of the competition seems to have adopted their compression algorithm - that says something.

[Asher]

7-zip is an awesome algorithm.

I don't care much for the interface and program.

PowerArchiver 2004 supports 7-zip as well.

[alva]

Originally posted by Asher

It has far better real-time protection, and catches things Spybot and Adware both miss.

It's actually a product called Giant -- MS bought the company and rebranded it. Prior to this, Giant was a paid service, not free.

And from what I've read, neither will be MS's. Once they get out of the Beta stage, it will be a paid service too.

[Tassadar500]

Since this is legal in Canada, I can talk about it. What program should I use to download music?

[Dinner]

Emule is my favorate though WinMX isn't bad for the common stuff.

[alva]

Emule for large files
WinMX for smaller ones or popular big ones. (the advantage being you can preview them as opposed to Emule)

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Just run Microsoft update and a nice firewall will be installed for you by Microsoft.

You get owned before you finish doing that.