QB64 Phoenix Edition v3.11.0 Released!

[JRace]

   


In my early InterWeb days I tried various firewalls and active antivirus scanners.
Then I decided that those things are more trouble than they are worth, and my PCs have been running blissfully naked ever since.


Friendly, opinionated tips for safer computing:

• Note that I wrote safer, above.  On the Wild West Web absolute safety is a goal that can be approached but never reached.
  

• QB64PE downloaded from its GitHub repository is safe.  ("But but but... my antivirus said...."  Well Sparky, your antivirus is a big, dumb blowhard; give it a dope-slap.)
  
• Malware scanners make mistakes, including false positives.  Some virus/malware scanners will complain about software which uses certain Windows APIs, such as the ones for keyboard or mouse interception.  While malware scanners work most of the time, common-sense is required from the user for best effectiveness.
  
• Avoid middlemen, who often get paid to bundle unasked-for software into their downloads via custom installers or downloaders.  Download ALL software from its official source whenever possible.  Installers added by middlemen may or may not be safe, so err on the side of caution; don't trust them.
  
• Beware of program installers.  These often install unwanted software, even malware, along with your desired software.  Personally, I REFUSE to use installers except in very rare, special circumstances.  Ask yourself: If I can't extract and use the contents without running an installer, then do I really need this product?   (Protip: An installer is really just a special type of archive file.  7Zip can open the executables created by many installers.)
  
• If you absolutely must run an installer package then proceed carefully, looking for options to install (or not install) other software.  Opt out of the other stuff unless you know for a fact that you must have it.  Note: installers don't always give you an opt-out, or even tell you what they are doing.  As a rule, after using any installer, I always do a quick check of my desktop icons, Start menu, and Windows' list of Installed Software to see if I've been given any "bonuses", which I remove immediately.  I would torture them first if I could.
  
• Do some research (at the very least a quick Google search) before clicking on any website or downloading any product you do not know.  In your search results, ignore any links directly related to the product or its creator.  Check out what people are saying about the product in relevant forums.  If your search turns up a page of "How do I remove <product x>" or "<product x> destroyed my computer" links then forget about product x.  If <product x> is a commercial product and your search turns up a page of ads or links related to the sale or distribution of product x, then avoid it like the plague.
  
• NEVER install toolbars, search helpers, or downloaders.  The price for using them is the unwanted crap they add to your online experience.  You don't need them.
  
• Don't visit shady websites.  Instead of jumping around, use only one or two trusted websites for all of your pr0n needs.
  
• Avoid sites advertising free wallpaper images of popular performers.  Pop wallpaper & media sites are a dependable source of drive-by infections.
  

• If a window pops up saying "YOUR PC IS INFECTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  CLICK HERE TO CLEAN YOUR PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  then DO NOT click that link or download that product!  Although your PC may be infected with something at this point, this is an aggressive scam to take your money.
  
• Also, if a window pops up claiming to be a notice from the FBI or the IRS... it aint.  The Feds don't communicate that way.  Why would they, when kicking your door down in the middle of the night is so much more amusing?
  
• If you get any unexpected popup message, make a note of the message and Google it.  Other people have already seen it and posted something about it.
  
• If you think your machine may be infected, don't panic.  The situation won't get any worse if you take a minute to use your brain.  Do not install the first antivirus that shows up in a web search.  There are many "rogue" antivirus and PC cleaner programs out there which do more harm than good.  Some are simply poorly written money-grabs, while many others actually install malware on your computer.  Research first.
  
• I won't recommend security software.  Check the online forums and trusted review sites for lists of what's good.  Note that I wrote trusted review sites.  Many commercial sites will do paid product placement, and many "reviewers" on those sites are just hacks submitting generic articles for a paycheck.  Be skeptical; give preference to real, knowledgeable posters on serious forums.
  
• www.bleepingcomputer.com has long been one of my go-to sites for malware info and "PC cleaning supplies."
  
• Caveat emptor: Be careful when choosing malware cleaners.  While much of the software on BleepingComputer is safe for anyone, a lot of it is intended for people who know what they are doing, and can cause even more damage in the hands of noobs.
  
• I WILL warn you that Symantec, Norton & McAfee are slow, bloated monsters with mediocre performance, geared for corporate use.  Treat them as such and avoid them.  Corporate types like them because they can lock down company computers, preventing users from doing anything "dangerous" (IOW, doing anything other than checking company email, doing company time sheets, or running company-installed software).  They also severely degrade the performance of any computer they are inflicted upon.