TSGL: Bloatware (was RE: Opinions on Freeware Product)

[Geoff Glave]

Lee Bunyard wrote:

-------------------------------
I also use Ad Aware, Spybot S&D, SpywareGuard, SpywareBlaster, Windows 
Defender, AVG anti spyware, Spyware Terminator
-------------------------------

Not to harp on Lee, but I see a lot of posts like this on here - People seem 
to have overloaded their PCs with ParanoidWare.  I use Windows Defender, 
Norton AV, a router with NAT and that's it.  I don't download FREE BLINKING 
ICONS or FREE DELUXE SCREENSAVERS, I let windows apply every patch it wants 
to, I don't run kazaa and limewire, and I don't have teenagers using my 
machine.  Do you guys really find it valuable to have all that junk 
installed?

I'd be concerned that all that bloatware would eat up more processor cycles 
than the spyware would/does - It seems counter-productive.

Anyone care to share a countering opinion?

Cheers,
Geoff Glave
Vancouver, Canada



>From: Lee Bunyard <leebunyard at comcast.net>
>Reply-To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List <list at tsgserver.com>
>To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List <list at tsgserver.com>
>Subject: TSGL: Opinions on Freeware Product--Advanced Windows Care V2 
>Personal--One Step to Protect Repair and Optimize Your PC??
>Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 13:07:01 -0800
>
>Chris Pirillo's daily Lockergnome website had some info yesterday on a
>freeware product called Advanced Windows Care V2 Personal, which claims
>to be a one click product to protect, repair and optimize your pc.  I've
>been a subscriber to the Lockergnome tech information mail list for
>nearly 10 years and have generally found their product advisories to be
>pretty sound.
>
>The product website is http://www.iobit.com/
>
>I read the specs on the product and decided to give it a try.  I
>downloaded and installed it to both my desktop and laptop and have run
>the complete scan on each pc.  I first did disk backups and created
>system restore checkpoints and then--with some trepidation--let the
>product make the repairs recommended.  I was surprised at all that it
>found.  One of the features I liked was that it analyzed my Start Up
>files and made recommendations on whether each startup item was
>trustworthy and essential.  Where it couldn't identify the software
>startup item, it allows the user to accept it.  The only problem I noted
>on my desktop pc after the repairs were made was that when my Firefox
>browser (v. 7.0) went to my designated Home Page at comcast.com, no
>graphics came up, text only.  My first thought was "Oh sh*t, what I do,
>screw up my pc??"  But I used the IE Tab Add On for Firefox to make an
>exception for the Comcast site and the page came up properly and has
>been fine since.  Everything else I have accessed on the desktop pc
>since then has been fine.  And I've had no negatives at all on the laptop.
>
>_Just curious if anyone else has tried this freeware product and what
>your opinion/experience has been??_  I don't believe that any one single
>product--whether freeware or paidware--is going to protect your pc from
>everything so I DON'T intend to make this product my only product for
>protecting, repairing and optimizing my pc's (I also use AVG Free a/v,
>ZoneAlarm free firewall, Ad Aware, Spybot S&D, SpywareGuard,
>SpywareBlaster, Windows Defender, AVG anti-spyware, Spyware Terminator,
>WinPatrol, EasyCleaner, RegCleaner, RegScrubXP, etc. etc.) but consider
>this product just one more "gun in the arsenal".  My son and daughter
>use the same combination of freeware products to protect their pc's and
>thus far, knock on wood, none of us has had any pc problems in over 5
>years.
>Lee in the Mountains of Northern California
>
>
>
>
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