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My computer was infected with a spyware/adware app a few months ago. Determined not to let another hacker “beat me” I set out to remove it on my own. After a couple hours discovering all the tricks adware use to stay on your computer, I finally got the damn thing off my computer. This thing used just about every thing available in Windows to launch a program at startup, and everytime I discovered one it unlocked another. It had a circular process where one installation method kicked off the next just in case something had failed. I ended up breaking the cycle by locking the files it was writing too.

Since then I’ve removed spyware from two other computers, and every time it was another battle learning the tricks they were using to keep the program the installed.

Well today one of my relatives calls me up with an adware problem, and I’m not there in person to fix things, so I did some research on what tools are available to try against malware. I suggested she try these programs:

1) Try Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal tool (Requires Internet Explorer). It doesn’t sound like the adware she’s got is listed on their site, but it’s free so it’s worth a shot.

2) PC World Magazine has positive things to say about Ad-Aware SE Personal and Spybot Search and Destroy, both free spyware removal tools. They claim these tools stop 65% and 54% of spyware, respectively. They’re both free so you might as well try them.

3) Try McAfee’s Free Online Virus Scanner (Requires Internet Explorer). It doesn’t remove infected files, but it tells you where they are so you can delete them yourself. I’ve only seen a few spyware programs, but so far none of them infect files that are used by Windows. They usually name the files they infect with something that sounds like a critical Windows file but isn’t. If you’re lucky, this might point you to where the malware is operating from. You might not get the malware removed, but at least you won’t have to worry about viruses.

4) The last option is to start paying money. The problem here is you could spend money on a tool that doesn’t work. It’s very difficult (if you don’t know what you’re doing) to determine what malware you have installed on your computer, so then there’s no way to know if the tool you’re thinking about buying will uninstall it. If you’re gonna spend money on a spyware removal tool I would recommend reading PC World’s Spyware Stoppers article for reviews.

If you don’t want to pay money, then the next option for you is to reformat/reinstall Windows. OH BOY is that a fun use of your afternoon!

Actually, there is another option, and this is what I tell all of my relatives that call me with PC computer problems……… GET A MAC. If all you’re doing is word processing and web surfing…. GET A MAC. If you don’t want to deal with malware or viruses….. GET A MAC. Get a mac, get a mac, get a mac…

Thanks Steve for responding to my No more NTSC broadcasts in 2009 post from July. I’ve been on the mission for an ATSC tuner for some time.

Yeah every couple of weeks I scout froogle and ebay for cheap ATSC tuners. I haven’t given up on this! 🙂 It looks like now you can get the original first-generation tuners new for about $180-200, used for $110-130 if you work for it on ebay. There’s also ebay deals for ATSC PCI capture cards from $80-100, but then you have to dedicate a fairly high-end PC to recording the broadcasts.

I’ve been looking at TVs every now and then, and I think what I want is one of these new LCD systems. Have you seen the 34″ Bravia? OMG that thing looks amazing. But those are triple what my current tube cost me.. It’s hard to justify.

I think you’re right.. I think the thing to do at the moment is to wait for HDTV prices to drop, and get an ATSC tuner if I’m desperate.

But… I’m stickin to what I wrote back in July: $50 is my price point for an ATSC tuner. When the tuners get down to $50 I’ll buy one.

Every couple of weeks I come to the same conclusion.. it’s just not worth going HD right now.

Wow, the press has some amazingly positive things to say about Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror.

GameSpot:

“Dark Mirror is shaping up to be one of the better-looking PSP games we’ve seen”

GameSpy:

“Visually, it’s fairly evident that the Bend team has been putting their all into making the game one of the prettiest PSP titles out there. From glances around various gaming message boards, there seems to be occasional moments of disbelief that this is a PSP game. Yeah, it looks that good.”

IGN:

“…the game looks downright impressive. Dark mirror’s visual presentation rivals anything on the system. Here’s a perfect example of a portable game that blurs the line between console and handheld in terms of graphics.”

“In short, things are looking pretty damn good.”

Kotaku:

“I can’t say enough about the interactive environments and amazing graphics, they really pushed the graphics to the limit on this game.”

PSP411:

“When it comes to graphics, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror easily surpasses all games on the system so far.”

One word: Monkeys!

Clearly, the hallmark of any respectable virtual fighting game worth it’s salt is whether or not it has cute lovable primates. Do the monkeys clap? Do they jump up and down? Do they freak out when you kick them? Do they harass you for food? Can you “tag” one of the monkeys into the battle? Do the monkeys learn to imitate you? Can you train a monkey and then send it off into battle? Is there a special monkey vs. monkey battle mode? Can you upload your monkey onto Xbox Live and share it with friends, seeing who has the best trained monkey fighter?

This is gonna be the best DOA ever!!!!!!

There’s covert action headed your way… Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror was featured on psp.ign.com last week. Woot!

From OCRemix.org. Oldie but goodie!

Slashdot is reporting that Roger Ebert recently said he doesn’t believe video games are art.

Video games are art! It’s as simple as that. 🙂 I’m sorry! Anything you create to inspire others or yourself is art. Video games influence people’s lives, and they serve as a creative outlet for the people that make them.

No, they’re probably not at the “level” yet of movies, but that will come in due time. It took the film industry in America 70 years to become a respected art form, it will probably take the game industry just as long.

The EFF has a page up explaining how to “spot” a CD that has the Sony rootkit on it.

EFF, it’s much easier than that. If the disc doesn’t have the official “Compact Disc” logo on it then it’s not a standard Compact Disc and likely has some kind of copy protection sch3me on it.

According to Sony, PSP sales have hit the 10 million mark. 4.47 million units in the US and Canada, 3 million in Asia and 2.53 million have been shipped in Europe. 19.6 million games and 15 million UMD videos have been shipped to date.

I think this is an especially important milestone for the PSP if you consider PDA shipments in with this… According to Gartner, worldwide PDA shipments for 2005 are supposed to hit 12.9 million units. If the PSP keeps the pace it’s been at, Sony will sell more PSPs in 2005 than Palms and PocketPCs combined.

McDonald’s has posted online here the odds of winning for their latest Monopoly game. I can’t believe this is legal. They advertise that you could win a Dodge Viper, but the odds of winning that prize are… you ready? ** 1 in 17.8 billion ** So basically, no one is going to be winning that prize. I can’t believe that. I’ve never heard of a contest where the odds of winning were so unbelievably against you.