[JA] Re: Groaning under AVG
- From: James E Henderson <jim.henderson@xxxxxxxx>
- To: juno_accmail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2005 12:05:51 -0500
> I think the problem is a "mere" 64 Mb of RAM. That's why I can't run
AOL 9.0.
> No, don't have a read/write CD.
Perhaps. I'm running 128 Megs here on this Dell P2-350 which is far
mightier than my software needs. How much RAM my relative's Compaq has,
I forget. They are both 168 pin DIMM so I could swap or supplement
easily if necessary. Or give her this whole computer to use with her DSL
connection. Connecting only by modem, and being cautious about
attachments, I have no need for AVG or other heavy virus scanner, while
her high speed connection would be unsafe without it.
Really, this is not a job for software on user computers. The ISPs
shouldn't be giving free antivermin programs for users to install and
run. Instead the companies should be running it themselves, and removing
viruses rather sending them to users who did not specifically request a
raw, vermin-infested feed. The only time a user should have to think
about viruses is when a warning window pops up saying something like,
"This attachment is encrypted, so we cannot determine whether it has a
virus. Do you want to download it anyway Y/N?" followed by, "WARNING!
Computer viruses are BAD! We don't know whether there's a virus in this
file. Do you really want it Y/N?"
A bigger hard drive or a CD writer is a more difficult upgrade than more
RAM is, at least in late 1990s and later motherboards where RAM is easy.
Some people in error buy a CD writer in hopes of alleviating a shortage
of HD space. Unfortunately, modern CD writing software may fill a
hundred Megabytes, and usually requires hundreds of Megs of working space
for a CD image. This means if you don't have a free Gigabyte, a CD
writer will usually make a disk space problem worse, not better.
> exactly my point - new users don't .know.
> these things, and I'm trying to find out before
> starting to use Firefox/Thunderbird.
Yes, that's why we have to be careful about the advice of amateur
experts. They sometimes understand the technology better than they
understand the users. They assume, for example, that everyone keeps one
computer working the old way, as I do, while experimenting with new
browsers, mailers and other interesting items on the experiment computer.
They assume everyone knows how to go back to old conditions if an
experiment has an unhappy result, and is prepared to wipe and start over
with a fresh installation of Windoze if going back doesn't work. That's
how people do it when they really want to learn, but most users are less
interested in learning why it works than in being told how to make it
work.
Incidentally, an earlier version of AOL may be better for you than 8.
The installation CD usually contains several past versions appropriate
for older hardware.
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