Now, while you're here using Firefox, go up to tools, (up there at the very top of your monitor beside the File, Edit, View bottons) click on Tools, then click on 'Options', then click on 'Web features', and
1. put a check on the box about blockingpop ups; and
2. make sure to uncheck the boxes that are to enable j(a)va and j(a)va script - [I had to put the (a) in brackets because apparently those words are considered profanity here] - you want these two things unchecked.
3. click on o.k. and click your reload/refresh button.

Poof - all those side adds, top banners, surveys scrolling across the screen, and ads in general - all gone.....you'll like it here even more when all that extra clutter disappears too!

PS - maybe you already know this, and I don't mean to insult your computer savy but I wanted to post these instructions incase someone else could use this info - I just figured it out myself afters some kind soul posted these 'how to's' in another forum.

Thanks! No insult taken, I did not realize I could do that. Woooh this just gets better and better!

Welcome to the family, Triple_B! :-D

I've been a Mozilla-fan for years, and they just keep making it better and better. Be sure to keep a lookout for the upgrades (not too often, but they DO sometimes present improved versions). And try Thunderbird for your eMail. WAAAAY safer than MickeySoft's program and easy to use.

Personally, I've been using Pegasus Mail for over a decade now. Freeware, and nicely designed freeware at that. You can get a copy at www.tucows.com (along with anything else you want to download - be prepared, the site's addictive).

Finally, now that you've discovered the joys of open-source software, you may also like to check out Opera (faster than Mozilla, even, but I still prefer good old Mo) and OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org). The latter is a full suite of office programs, exactly like Microsoft Office (and can be read by the M.O. programs, too) except that it's Open-Source (created and improved constantly by volunteer programmers) and completely free of charge.

Oh....if you have Spyware issues, get SpywareBlaster, Ad-Aware, and Spybot. All can be found at the tucows site. And yes: all are free (though donations are appreciated). I run all 3 on my system and I get almost no ads at all on my screen (certainly no pop-up ones).

For plain old pop-up ads that you may still have nagging you, grab Pop-up Stopper, free edition.

Feel free to drop me a line if you have questions.

*I know, I know....I get downright evangelical when it comes to promoting freeware and open-source software! ;-)*

Cheers,

- Merri

why pay when someone offers a good product for free? any good anti-virus stuff? norton keeps telling me to renew - for $19.99

triple_b: I was using/paying for renewals to norton too until someone told me to try/use this free one -AVG which I love...

Here is a link that might be useful: AVG Free Anti Virus

merricat - I'm still using Outlook Express for email, because, well, because I'm too chicken to change to something that manages my email as I'm afraid I might lose some already stored emails and my address book etc. If I move to a new e-mail system from my IE outlook express, is everything saved and moves with me or do I have to start again and set up all my folders and settings again......just wanting to iron out the wrinkles before I jump. And would jumping stop some of that garbage that gets dumped into my inbox now as my service provider doesn't seem to filter anything out.

triple_b: seconding here merricat's suggestion on putting in Ad-aware - I am just having a problem digging up a quick link online for you to check it out.

I am satisfied with my Outlook Express too. However I just put on AVG. Thanks! I believe I already had AD-aware. You know the only place I have ever had an issue with pop-ups has been right HERE! Thanks everyone for your input. BLessings on you all.

No worries, sydseeds: I keep the URLS on my Mozilla taskbar for quick look-up.

Ad Aware: http://www.lavasoft.com/ (go to the section for home users and download the free version only.)

Spywareblaster: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Spybot Search-and-Destroy:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Also, if you don't want to switch to Thunderbird for mail, give Pegasus a try. It'll join your Outlook seamlessly, and you can gradually leave OL behind as you grow to use (and like) Pegasus better.

I haven't used Peg to filter out SPAM yet because my ISP marks and deletes it at the source. I'll have a lookup, see if I can find any filter-settings.

RE: the AVG virus-filter, which I've heard both really good and REALLY bad things about. That's one you're going to have to judge on your own. I suggest you go to some of the better, trusted sites and enter "AVG" as a search term. Read what the experts have to say. My own favourites are www.cnet.com and http://www.pcworld.com/.

Personally, I use PC-Cillan, and I've absolutely no complaints. Well...maybe one: the blasted thing updated itself every five minutes, no matter what you were doing. It was like having a toddler yank at your arm, demanding "is it safe? huh? Is it safe yet? Huh? huh?" I finally disabled the auto-update and just do it once a day. That took care of it nicely. It's also a primo spyware-filter and firewall, and NOT one of those firewalls that isolate you forever and let NUTHIN' through. It's safe, not paranoid. But that's just my own personal preference (and I truly HATE Macaffee, btw, and think Norton's gotten far too pricey for what it offers.)

DH has been using Pegasus for years, but I never have - it doesn't support webmail (yet - they've been promising it for a couple of years now), and some other mailers don't import mail from Pegasus well (if at all), so if you want to switch later it can be a pain if you get a lot of mail. DH swears by it, but he doesn't use Hotmail, Yahoomail or Gmail (all webmail). Pegasus filters and sorts mail really well, so if you get a lot of mail that's a good thing. And it's almost impossible for a virus to get through it, so if you have problems with that then it's great! I use Thunderbird because I use webmail - My Gmail webmail is forwarded to it, so I only have to open my mailer to get all my mail (I'm lazy - I hate having to go to three different places to get my mail!). You can't forward Hotmail to Thunderbird though (you used to be able to, but not anymore).

Speaking of Firefox, there is a minor new update available as of yesterday - I usually wait a week to install updates, just in case they're too buggy :-)

Firefox has some really good extensions too. "Fasterfox" tweaks Firefox so it works even faster, and it includes a popup blocker. I never see any popups of flash ads because I use "Adblock" and "Adblock Filterset.G Updater" extensions.

I don't run a spyware filter, because I hate the interruptions (!!), but I've never had problems. There is a good site for testing your computer for viruses and spyware (PCpitstop) , and they have a lot of information about the various ways to protect yourself. They're associated with McAffee, but you don't have to buy anything, or even sign in - they can run your tests anonymously.

BP