bikeamtn
Distinguished
mudpuppet :
I don't buy into those. I used to work at OfficeMax some time ago, and if you had an issue with your computer, we would hook it up and run our own software that's similar. It would tell you if there was a virus detected, or if there were files that could be deleted etc. Honestly, the whole thing was a crock, and still is. Most of the time when it says there are files to delete, it's talking about temp files, or files sitting in your download folder. Even your recycle bin, if it has stuff in it, will trigger the unnecessary files. If you take it in to them, or BestBuy, I can almost guarantee that it will say you need to do/remove something!
If you're worried about bloat from having surfed and downloaded too many things, I would instead suggest you save all your data to an external source, format your drive, and do a clean install of your OS and programs. Yes it can detect some bloatware, and maybe let you know if there's a virus on your system, but there are other more reliable means of checking for the really bad stuff.
If you're worried about bloat from having surfed and downloaded too many things, I would instead suggest you save all your data to an external source, format your drive, and do a clean install of your OS and programs. Yes it can detect some bloatware, and maybe let you know if there's a virus on your system, but there are other more reliable means of checking for the really bad stuff.
As a convergent technology consultant (and OEM certified by six major computer manufactures in addition to both AMD & Intel), I’ve been working in the tech-industry since the 8088. I could write a magazine on why things slow down (it's the bowser these days) but plan and simple, the advice by mudpuppet is correct.
Also; as an IT - Telecom - Security professional, we all to well are aware (as proven in a Symantec study/report and my own 12 month investigation) that 90% of all computer virus/malware and system/network attacks and breach are related to some form of active-content, (such as xss, 'cross site scripting' or Flash, Java, etc) exploit within web-browser/OS executable functionality and that functionality is also being exploited by marketing ‘data-brokers’ to capture personally identifiable information for their own commercial monetization (often without proper consent). Here's what has happened; over the last decade, web-technology was allowed to be led by much of the marketing industry for the purpose of this ‘active content exploit’, of which the cybercrime world now also exploits. [Here’s the story you must see: CBS 60 Minutes Report – ‘The Data Brokers: Selling your personal information’. In this 60 Minutes Report, Steve Kroft investigates the multibillion dollar industry of cyber snooping and collection of our private web activity]
As an Internet user (and the informed, common folk would agree) I prefer not to be snooped-on and to greatly reduce my risk of threat by employing a 'browser' (such as Avant, Comodo Dragon, etc) that protects these assets of mine by allowing the user quick/easy options to disable such ‘active-content’ and scripting features (like ‘sand-boxing’) for privacy and greatly reduced harm and cyber security issues while cruising the Internet.
So; that is why all using the Internet and web developers need to be ‘in-touch’ with reality when it comes to web-browser compatibility and security - from an end-user point of view, the future is all about web-security & privacy despite the hype for media rich content. This reality is not going away but will become even more acute in the very near future.
That’s my advice and a freebee from an old-schooled professional.