[Future Useless Eater]

from another thread...

We need a list from the Tech types, which browser will I be able to keep the longest, before the next mass infection, and while we are at it... email (simple please) I am changing both tomorrow, to what I don't know.

Well its hard to beat Firefox for features or security. I believe Microsoft refused to cooperate with the standards committee that developed javascript, so MS came out instead, with its own lousy javascript version that had lots of extra hooks and bugs and vulnerabilaties.

For all of us home users who are stuck with the Redmond operating system, I'd recommend trying to get ALL other software from SOMEWHERE ELSE for safety, NOT from microsoft.

I like the site nonags.com for very good open sourced software. These people for the most part ONLY recommend, test, and rank free software that does NOT NAG you for money to upgrade to a 'better version'.

If you need anything more commercial than that, I'd say the non-MS versions of software will be as good or better, and less virus-prone, than MS versions.

martin_fierro also had a good list of software for PC protection (except for the part about Opera).

Whichever email system you use.. BE SURE to turn OFF the reading of mail in HTML MODE. Read all messages in 'TEXT ONLY' mode or else you can be infecting your system JUST by reading a message (even without opening attachments).

Another reason to not allow HTML mode in your email reader, is that built-in images in the message (sometimes they're even invisible) will confirm to spammers that your email address is valid.

[TexasTransplant]

Firefox and Thunderbird are now installed, everything went smooth except for maintaining my website (with Homestead), which wanted me to Install Netscape Plugins, I sent off a message to tech support and will maintain the website w/ IE until I hear back.

Painless, easy

Thank you

[ktw]

What I use to read email is Mailwasher. It reads emails only by TEXT method. I purge about 95% of my emails, before Outlook gets ahold of them.
And mailwasher has a FREE version of it!
Here is the link.
http://www.mailwasher.net/

[TexasTransplant]

I said

Firefox and Thunderbird are now installed, everything went smooth except for maintaining my website (with Homestead), which wanted me to Install Netscape Plugins, I sent off a message to tech support and will maintain the website w/ IE until I hear back.

Painless, easy

Thank you

What a difference a day makes,  I am back to IE, (everything was working fine until my Firewall decided Firefox was an issue, next thing I know all of my settings are changed, my IP rejected any attempt to log on, down hill from there)

I uninstalled my Firewall, tried to re-install Firefox and had the same problems.

I am still using Thunderbird (I like it too, and I still like Firefox) but until the new Firefox comes out I will continue to use IE and patch and update for protection.  For a day it was good, I was a happy camper and I hope the new edition of Firefox can deal with the Firewall issue.

Thanks again

TT