Computer Security For Dummies (WAS NetNanny and Firewall)

[Cindy C.]

Przemys³aw saved my bacon and wrote a fabulous post!  Unfortunately, 
I'm kinda tech illiterate and didn't follow everything.  A few 
follow-up questions . . . 

 
> 1. Smut-blocking software just isn't working.  It is blocking not 
>all porn, and wrongly blocks many legit sites -- usually related to 
>breast cancer, Sussex (SusSex)... Forget it. If you want to protect 
>children from bad material only REAL solution is to observe what 
>they do -- by putting PC into day-room.


Oh, I do!  The computers are in public rooms and the kids aren't 
allowed to close the door.  The problem seems to be that they will 
search for something (or wind up with smutty pics installed on their 
desktops) and get a porn reply.  So I just want to reduce the 
chances that they'll stumble across something I'd rather they 
didn't.  If it blocks breast cancer sites, I can live with that 
restriction.

Are any of the smut blockers better than others?

> 3. Don't use Internet Explorer. Use Mozilla: 
>http://www.mozilla.org or Opera http://www.opera.com (both are 
>free). Both supports tabbed browsing, and popup blocking -- and 
>don't have IE flaws. Opera is easier to install and use while 
>Mozilla is more advanced-user oriented.

Um . . . You mean I don't have to use IE?  Cool!

What's the reason to use one of the alternatives?  And, erm, what 
is "tabbed browsing?"  And what are IE's flaws?


> 7. Never, never, never install something from Internet if you are 
>not sure what it does -- typical bad programs are: magic cursors, 
>download accelerators, download managers, peer2peer: kazaa, 
>bearshare and the like. If don't know, ask. If nobody knows, don't 
>install. 


*Now* you tell me!  :-D

Seriously, if you installed something (oh, I dunno, maybe a free 30-
trial version of McAfee's spam blocker) and the 30 days elapsed and 
you opted not to purchase it because it seemed worthless, how do 
you, erm, get the "limited time offer" from popping up on your 
screen every time you boot up?


> 8. Open Source is your friend. Almost all useful programs are 
>free: pics and movie viewers, editors etc.  These are often better 
>than it's commercial counterparts.

But . . . but . . . 

if I'm not supposed to download anything from the Internet, how am I 
to take advantage of Open Source stuff (which I assume 
is "shareware")?  And how do I know if something is "Open Source?"

Thank you *so* much!

Cindy -- who is on the verge of abandoning her business e-mail 
account because of a problem with spoofing that is only getting worse