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January 4, 2009 at 5:18 am
Dear Tara,
About Ascentive: So far I have found very little data about whether their software
actually works. There are obviously a number of customers / former customers
who have had problems.
Then there are people like my dad. I think he’s over 80 now. He started using a
computer in his home many years ago. He even used a computer once in the old days – he took me to the UC Berkeley computer lab once when I was a kid, 45 years ago, and showed it to me! He knew you could use these machines to do useful things. But he never learned hardly anything about them.
My dad saw the Ascentive pop-ups, or whatever they were, and he bought
their whole protection package.
Then I, his son, come to visit him for Christmas. And I see this whole bunch of
“protection” software run automatically every time he turns his computer on (he
likes to turn it off at night). He finds this slightly annoying, but totally assumes
that it is doing what it says it is supposed to do. But is it?
I told him, “Dad, you have so much personal data on this computer. You should
really keep that off the computer you use for the internet.” And he doesn’t
understand why I’m telling him that. He thinks he’s totally safe.
I regularly read both Computer Shopper and PC World. I have never seen any
software from this company ever reviewed in these publications.
And recently we had a program called “System Security” just “pop up” on his
computer. This is a sophisticated program. It is VERY realistic! “But I already
have protection programs – I don’t need another one,” he complained to me.
I researched this and it was on Computer Associates’ list of spyware, described as “rogue software”. I figured out how to disable it (I hope). BUT
his “protection software” failed to detect it and eliminate it or alert him to it!
My attitude is: minimize your internet exposure. Computers are so cheap these
days, almost anyone could afford to have at least two – one for the web, and one for all their other personal work and records. At least, that’s my plan.
I like your blog because it’s educational. I don’t know why my dad thinks he can
use a piece of equipment as sophisticated as a computer without learning something about it. But that’s probably the biggest problem we face to creating
a more sane scene on the web. So keep up your good work!
Yours, Larry in Seattle.
January 6, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Thank you Larry for your comments. I understand your situation more than you know. My parents are older and are learning as I teach them. They live in NY and I in Charlotte…there is the issue. It is easy to fall for the traps of these commercials that seem to want to help. I only want people to know the truth and if I can help…I am a happy person. Thanks for reading and look forward to more of your comments!