Fed up with software

Splog

Splog

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Steve
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Hi all :wave:
Anyone else fed up with software that won't go away? or software that is installed when you don't want it :puke: BT installed browsers, Yahoo chat and other stuff when I took their broadband, Sony installed password manager etc, PC world installed loads of stuff, Adobe keeps trying to update its stuff.... :nono:

Oh well, time for bed :bonk:
 
Splog said:
Hi all :wave:
Anyone else fed up with software that won't go away? or software that is installed when you don't want it :puke: BT installed browsers, Yahoo chat and other stuff when I took their broadband, Sony installed password manager etc, PC world installed loads of stuff, Adobe keeps trying to update its stuff.... :nono:

Oh well, time for bed :bonk:
Click to expand...

The golden rule with any Internet package is never, ever, ever use the supplied CD as it will always install carp, such as Google/Yahoo toolbars, branded versions of IE etc. etc.

Contrary to what the instructions may say there is nothing special about any ISP's 'net connection[*] in the context of the actual connection. They all use bog standard TCP/IP to connect to the modem/router (or PPP in the case of dial-up).

yes, it may take a bit longer to set-up manually (especially if you're not technically inclined) but there are numerous step-by-step guides on the web, in fact you may well find one on your ISP's site (look for guides for Linux users would be a good place to look).

[*] One possible exception here is AOL
 
Being slightly off topic here but since this is a good place as any to vent off steam regarding the inteweb.
What ticks me off about the internet is all these flickering seizure-inducing flash-based adverts that plagues most web sites these days, and adverts that becomes a larger pop up when you accidently brush your mouse arrow over it. Arrrrrrrrrgh!!! :bang: :bang: :bang: And don't get me started on ones that makes sounds when you do the same thing with the arrow.
I know it's a good way for companies to gain extra revenue but for goodness's sake, tone down those distracting all singing-all dancing adverts. Photobucket's absolutely covered with them, makes me want to . . . I dunno, swear a lot.
 
Golden rule should really be.. Read the messages when installing stuff. Don't be a blind clicker. You should always know what you just said yes to. Also if you get the chance to do an advanced/custom install do that. More often than not that is where you get to choose what is installed and what isn't ;)

The amount of times I've watched people click yes then asked.. what did that say? The answer is usually... "umm".
 
Ian D J said:
Being slightly off topic here but since this is a good place as any to vent off steam regarding the inteweb.
What ticks me off about the internet is all these flickering seizure-inducing flash-based adverts that plagues most web sites these days, and adverts that becomes a larger pop up when you accidently brush your mouse arrow over it. Arrrrrrrrrgh!!! :bang: :bang: :bang: And don't get me started on ones that makes sounds when you do the same thing with the arrow.
I know it's a good way for companies to gain extra revenue but for goodness's sake, tone down those distracting all singing-all dancing adverts. Photobucket's absolutely covered with them, makes me want to . . . I dunno, swear a lot.
Click to expand...

One way to get rid of them is to put an entry in your hosts file pointing to the loopback adaptor on your own machine, that way you will just get an empty box instead of the ad.

On Windows the hosts file (might be hosts.txt on Windows) is somewhere like /Windows/system32/etc. Open it in an editor and, if you know the URL of the offending ad - you only need the domain name part - then add a line of the form:

Code: 
127.0.0.1   ad-site.com

There will already be a line in the file

Code: 
127.0.0.1 localhost

or similar - don't delete that.

There are websites - those specializing in anti-spam - where you can get a hosts file with hundreds of known advert domains already setup.

leon1p said:
Golden rule should really be.. Read the messages when installing stuff. Don't be a blind clicker. You should always know what you just said yes to. Also if you get the chance to do an advanced/custom install do that. More often than not that is where you get to choose what is installed and what isn't ;)

The amount of times I've watched people click yes then asked.. what did that say? The answer is usually... "umm".
Click to expand...

NathanJT said:
The golden rule should be: ALWAYS click "custom install".
Click to expand...

Ah, sounds like they've improved since the last time I used one - probably due to all the complaints about messing with peoples' browsers.
 
parish said:
On Windows the hosts file (might be hosts.txt on Windows) is somewhere like /Windows/system32/etc. Open it in an editor and, if you know the URL of the offending ad - you only need the domain name part - then add a line of the form:
Click to expand...

c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts (no file extension)

Take it your a Mac user :D
 
Last edited:
leon1p said:
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts (no file extension)

Take it your a Mac user :D
Click to expand...

Nah, Linux (y) - still have to use windows at work though.
 
Being on Linux at work isn't freedom, as you end up with clueless fsckwits installing ancient versions of PHP forums which are promptly exploited to host phishing sites trying to funnel online banking details to some dodgy outfit in Timbukfcskingtoo. </rant>
 
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