Genealogy Chat

Hi I have Adaware and Norton - virus and firewall. we are also trying to download Spyblaster but java seems to be down at the moment (according to husbband). someone has suggested mailwasher (+paying the extra £20 to upgrade it) is really good. do you have any thoughts on this? Your advice would be appreciated. Ann Glos

Hi ann I use the free version of Mailwasher at work and it's really good. I would recommend it to anyone and don't think it's necessary to pay for the full version (unless you have lots of money to waste!! LOL!) Lynne

Ann: Personally, I wouldn't put Mailwasher on my computer....at least not the free version. That particular program my son downloaded onto his computer and although it worked, it added spyware to his computer. It was promptly removed. Our techs also remove this particular program when a computer is brought into the shop. Many of the free versions of programs load your computer with spyware. Their subscription versions of the same program usually do not. If there is a version you can outright buy, then I would think that version would be OK to use. Downloading the free version and then upgrading, if that is the only option for the program, I wouldn't do it.....the free version would add the spyware.....upgrading would not remove it. As for Adaware removing it.....Adaware removes spyware cookies.....which is what sites add to your computer. With these free programs that you download, you are often also downloading an adware program (an .exe program).....that generates those pop ups. The installed programs also generate cookies. Adaware does not remove .exe files....it removes the cookies and temp files....not programs. (Bonzi, BargainBuddy to name but a few are programs and generate popups and were installed on your computer, if you should come across one or the other on your computer, from something else you downloaded from the internet.) Adaware will pick up the fact, usually, that there is a program generating pop ups on your computer, but does not remove the program itself....it removes the generated cookies. Next time Adaware is run, check your results and look for anything that ends with an .exe file extension.....those files should be uninstalled using the uninstall feature of your computer opposed to having Adaware remove it...... If you'd like, I can attempt to e-mail you the SpywareBlaster....I say attempt because sometimes a file is too large and doesn't always reach it's destination for that reason. I have had, with success, e-mailing the Adaware program. Hope that helps! Judy :)