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Protecting Our Parents' PCs?

Posted by Cliff on from the for-those-family-IT-managers-among-us dept.

Frustrated Son asks: "I assume that many Slashdot readers must serve as the IT staff for their parents. My folks get my old machines and just enough software to be productive. I try to protect my parents from the forces of evil by installing automatic OS updates, virus checkers, spyware blockers, pop-up blockers... But still I find that my parents end up with unwanted applications and dangerous software. What software or strategies do you use to protect your parents' PCs? Is it possible for inexperienced users to surf the net in safety?"

3 of 778 comments (clear)

  1. Obvius by gcore · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Well, Linux of course!
    Or some other OS that doesnt suck and require you to install shit.

  2. Re:Get mom an iMac by Chris+Tucker · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I've said it before and I'll say it once again:

    We need another moderation topic.

    Linux Bigot.

    Just for people like this clown.

    --
    Guaranteed! This comment 100% Anthrax free!
  3. BlackIce... the Only way? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Here's my strategy:

    use http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_cor p.asp for a free and up to date virus scan

    install http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/#free then update and repeatedly run it until all the 'bugs' are gone.

    buy and install http://blackice.iss.net/update_center/index.php silly gibson gave the thing a bad rap a while ago but there is a unique feature in this thing today which is _waaay under-rated.

    BlackIce has Application Protection.. meaning it will checksum any and all execuatables and related files on your system and validate the integrity of each process on startup.

    this is perhaps just 99% proof of a positive but since BlackIce application protection does not attempt to disprove a negative it is the very best thing i know for keeping a system clean. If you start with a clean system it insures that it'll stay that way.

    Next, get Opera. Set to 'no cookies' and 'open requested popups only' and voila.

    then turn off auto-updates. install them when you come back to that system a few months later and update the baseline for whatever the updates brought in and whatever your neighbor's cousin wound up putting on their system.

    Total elapsed time to set this up.. usually under 2 hours and you will have plenty of time to chit-chat and let yourself be fed while you're at it.

    BlackIce.. man.. anyone know anything better?