Pop-up blocker software

[donaldsgal]

What program do you use for blocking internet pop-ups and attacking email spam? I have Adaware that cleans out the files that attach themselves to your hard drive, but I have TONS of pop-ups and the Google toolbar doesn't help. Also get TONS of email spam and I had McAfee but it went haywire on me and I had to uninstall it.

T.I.A.

 

[BunsenH]

The Google toolbar works quite well for me. Right now it says "1042 blocked". Does your list any blocked pop-ups? Is it enabled?

Spam is a different mess. Does you ISP provide any blocking? I have Comcast, but am not sure how much they do. I only get 4-6 spams a day. Can you e-mail program (Outlook Express, etc.) be configured to filter out some of it? Can you change your e-mail address and direct mail from the old address to a junk box?

Sorry for all the questions, but it's a complex problem with several levels of solutions.

 

[Ted and Holly]

I use the Firefox browser with Adblock and "Popups must die!" extensions installed.

The only email I use is for work. We have a state of the art, cutting edge spam blocking solution. Since it is terrible, I just use Outlook to mark senders as "blocked" and keep at it.

Ted

 

[Dan Murphy]

I use Panda antivirus, has anti-spyware built in, Google's toolbar, along with the pay-for version of Ad-aware Plus, Spysweeper and Microsoft's anti-spyware. I get almost no popups. I also run Spybot's S&D every week or so, but it never finds a thing as the others prevent (rather than clean) all the junk.

ETA...I also use Mailwasher Pro to scrub my emails, over time, it learns, works wonderfully.

All that stuff costs about a hundred bucks a year, but well worth it.

 

[donaldsgal]

See, that's what I don't understand. Google toolbar appears to be enabled - but it's only blocked 53 pop-ups since I've had it! That's been weeks! And I get at least 15-20 pop-ups a day. It's ridiculous. I have used the Outlook message rules, but I hate adding a new rule everytime the spammers add a new format for the email (like VIAAGGRRA instead of Viagra). It's soooo frustrating! Like I said, McAfee TOTALLY messed up my system. It started confiscating ALL my email - not just spam - and I spent two or three hours on internet chat support trying to straighten it out, only to have to then uninstall it. So I'm leary of spending money on more software, but something has to be done. I'm considering changing email addresses.

 

[Dan Murphy]

See, that's what I don't understand. Google toolbar appears to be enabled - but it's only blocked 53 pop-ups since I've had it! .............

Do you have version 3??

 

[donaldsgal]

How do I find that out? I can't find the about button on the toolbar.

 

[donaldsgal]

Okay, I found it. Yes, I have version 3.

Also, it looks like Internet Explorer had its own pop-up bockers, so I turned that off to see if that allows google to do its thing.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I do keep IE blocker off.

 

[dcentity2000]

Switch from Internet Explorer to Firefox - you can stop pop-up windows dead in their tracks, erase banner adverts off the screen and so on.

It's free, too



Rich::

 

[LoveWDW]

I've heard that Firefox is very good.

I still use IE. I have the free versions of spybot S&D, adaware, and the microsoft antispyware. Last weekend, spybot picked up something on my registry for the first time. I told it to fix the problem, But it kept detecting it. So I downloaded spysweeper that found nothing. I also use Norton, since Macaffee wasn't compatible with my computer. My ISP has a very good spam block system, and I can block any spam that slips through with a feature of the ISP.

 

[eclectics]

I use Norton Firewall, Anti Virus, and Pop Up Blocker. Had to pay, but worth every penny! Haven't had a peep of trouble since I installed it. Norton even tells me who was trying to invade my system after they blow them out of the water! Also, beware switching away from Internet Explorer. A lot of programs don't work as well with Netscape, Firefox, etc. and some don't work at all! Check before you switch!

 

[SueM in MN]

I use Safari on Mac OS X and don't get any pop-ups at all.
My DH prefers the "blue E" (Microsoft Explorer) and gets quite a few.