Anyone know if Google Toolbar offers any real protection?

[HandsOff]

They claim it has a popup blocker, and some spyware detection capability. In general, I do not like toolbars because once you start using BHO's you are bound to get malwared.

but i hate popups, and I hate malware. I actually do not have much of a popup problem, but i am curious because i think i remember that the google toolbar was going to incorporate a spyware detection program by Pest Patrol. I stopped using pest patrol a while back, but I do sort of miss all the false positives, and it really did detect quite a bit that other stuff missed.

anyway, thumbs up, or thumbs down?


-HandsOff

[veryclueless]

-{ Quote: "They claim it has a popup blocker, and some spyware detection capability. " }-

This is news to me. Googletoolbar detects spyware? Source? I know Yahoo toolbar has licensed pest patrol. Never heard of googletoolbar.

-{ Quote: "
In general, I do not like toolbars because once you start using BHO's you are bound to get malwared.
" }-


?? I dont see why deciding to use one toolbar means you automatically must accept every other crapware that comes along.

[greyfox]

I use Google Tool Bar and it works very well to block popups. I haven't seen aything about it detecting spyware though.

[HandsOff]

I suppose you guys think it is funny that someone, self-admittedly clueless, is pointing out that i can't even keep yahoo toolbar, and google toolbar straight. Its one of those things like my constantly calling my nieces by the other ones names. It's not that i don't remember the names, it's that I don't realize what i am saying.

As to the one bad toolbar don't spoil the whole bunch notion. Technically, you may have a point. The fact that the computer user is hard pressed to know which is legitimate, combined with the rather high privelages that Internet Explorer grants to BHO's in general gives me what I would call a healthy dose of skepticism when it comes to installing them.

I guess maybe my question is a sign that I am beginning to doubt my abilities to force Internet Explorer to behave. The SP2 enhancements are a joke. They spend years to make IE safer, but continue to mislable the tools settings for java and activex? Anyway, am I the only one that feels like I am playing Russian Roulette when I use a search engine in IE? I am sort of embarrassed by my original question....I just can't seem to ask the right one.



- HandsOff

[~*Nat*~]

HandsOff,

Here may be something nice for you to try. Yes, it is a toolbar, but it has a high rating on download.com.

http://www.download.com/GoGoData-AdBuster/3000-7786_4-10341419.html?tag=lst-2-20

Check it out. But unfortunately the companies' website is down at the moment.
Should be back soon. :)

Also, they have a forum. Very cool.

[HandsOff]

Maybe it's time I "took a walk on the wild side"

-HandsOff

Oh, Hey! Does GoGo have a whole browser? I may have to investigate further!

(http://www.gold-software.com/download8727.html)

Nooooooooooooo! I fell for the oldest trick in the book. (i think this is an unrelated product that my just be shear coincidence have a product whose name is remarkably similar to the highly rated (#1 out of 116) GogoData toolbar.

still confused I when to ggdtb's homepage:

http://toolbar.gogodata.com/download.php

it said that version 3 was now available...but when i downloaded it, it said version 2.41. still, happy to get it!

HandsOff

[~*Nat*~]

-{ Quote: "Maybe it's time I "took a walk on the wild side"

-HandsOff

Oh, Hey! Does GoGo have a whole browser? I may have to investigate further!

(http://www.gold-software.com/download8727.html)

Nooooooooooooo! I fell for the oldest trick in the book. (i think this is an unrelated product that my just be shear coincidence have a product whose name is remarkably similar to the highly rated (#1 out of 116) GogoData toolbar.

still confused I when to ggdtb's homepage:

http://toolbar.gogodata.com/download.php

it said that version 3 was now available...but when i downloaded it, it said version 2.41. still, happy to get it!

HandsOff" }-

So HandsOff...I understand you did download it ?

I mean..in my opinion it looks like a good toolbar, with plenty of features.
And the most important one is pretty obvious, yes ? :)

Another thing I like is their site has a Forum. Which in my eyes makes certain
programs a bit more trustworthy.

[HandsOff]

I did download it. I will have to keep my eyes open and figure out if my 612 kb download called version 2.41 is not the latest, or if that is just some new kind of programmer logic. Yes version 3 is out, it is called version 2.41...

The thing that really fries my bacon is animations. I have serious attention span difficulties as it is, but if something is moving, i can't seem to look away. If I am not carefull these guys will hypnotise me: ::) , :o

It can be sort of a nuisance, but, on the other hand, i am very easily amused, so maybe i should not complain!

Thanks for the recommendation. You may have "discovered" something big!


- HandsOff

=====================
late addition...it was still bugging me so i looked at the properties for the download. It says: "2004.10.3.1007" for version. while the download is named "GoGoDataInstal v2.4l.exe", and i just notice it is a small "L" not a one. Back to the old drawing board!

[~*Nat*~]

HandsOff,

If you want to, and help your 'attention span' to focus on more important things.....maybe you could download SpywareBlaster ?
You can optional disable flash and moving, distracting images in websites.
Hmm...good idea?

Unless you want to keep getting hypnotised....:o ;D ;)

[HandsOff]

Nat -

Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt! It really does help tremendously -I don't think a nobel peace prize for Javacool should be dismissed without some serious consideration. In fact, I'm going to bring it up with Angelina Jolie the next time we get together. Still, after years of television, radio, and web browsing I fear it is too late for me to start directing my mind towards important things. My hopes are for the next generation!

- HandsOff

p.s. -

obviously i turned off the popping sound that the ggdtb plays when it blocks ads. It makes me start thinking about......