np w2as And true, you don't necessarily have to surf porn to get malware.

One of my favorite shows! I own seasons 1 & 2 and I'm patiently waiting for season 3 to be released on DVD. :)

hello whispertoascream,

Since you use FF you might, if you haven't already, install and use the AdBlock plug-in:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/10

Some info about the plug-in itself:

http://adblock.mozdev.org/

Like others have mentioned it sounds like somewhere along the line you have gotten infected with some malware. I highly recommend Ad-Aware, AVG Anti-Spy, Spybot S&D, and possibly HiJack This! For rooting it out.

A common method for getting infected with malware is to visit porn and warez sites, but they also can be bundled with many types of freeware programs. A good rule of thumb is to *always* scan a freeware executable or set of files with your AV software prior to extracting and installing.

Best of luck to you! :)

sure, love anime! ^_^

I tend towards tech noir, mecha, or horror genre's. However, I also like historical drama's (Grave of The Fireflies for example), and anime that deals with supernatural/paranormal themes.

however I do take a break sometime, and indulge in stuff like Love Hina and the like.

Fav of all-time? That is a tough one, I have so many that I enjoy.

Well, I'll list the ones I know I can watch over and over, and never grow tired of seeing them:

Original Star Wars Trilogy
The Matrix
Hamlet (w/Mel Gibson)
Army of Darkness
The Princess Bride
Monty Python and The Holy Grail
Spider-Man 1
Underworld 1&2
Raiders of The Lost Ark
Dark Crystal
Lord of The Rings Trilogy
Dracula 2000
Serenity
The Incredibles


too many to list...

this is going to be an interesting thread.

hey classyjeff,

Unfortunately, much like a lot of other things, with computers you get what you pay for. You buy cheap, you get cheap. That's not to say the computer won't do what you want it to, but it's something to keep in mind.

That being said, and not knowing exactly how much you want to spend, buying a budget system from a brand name OEM isn't a bad option (like Dell and Gateway for example.)

Just keep in mind that sub-$1000 boxes are typically bare minimum on specs to push the operating system, and have the standard 90 day or maybe 1 year limited warranty. If you are concerned about that, upping the warranty to 2 or even 3 years usually costs anywhere from an extra $200 - $300 depending on the OEM or store policy.

As others have mentioned don't bother with anything from Wal-mart, etc. eMachines are junk heaps, HP's are mildly better, and Sony VIAO's are real hot and cold in terms of build quality. If I had to actually buy a mainstream PC, I would buy a Dell and that's about it.

And speaking of, here are some options you might want to consider: http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/inspndt_bundles?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

The Inspiron line is one of the cheapest they produce, but have decent specs. As usual, bump the memory up by at least 1GB for a total of 2GB, Vista will be the happiest with 2.

Best of luck, and feel free to ask more questions if you find something.

that's cool, I have to agree that I would play Darth Vader as well. :)

I just couldn't see myself buying a PS3 anytime soon, once the platform has matured I would probably seriously consider it.

I'll say this as well, Sony's consoles typically score the best RPG's and I really enjoy that genre. Odds are the PS3 will have it's share of great RPG titles and that alone would be incentive for me to get one.

Lots of folks here have great suggestions so I'll also toss in a few:

Ad-Aware 2007 (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/) a great free ad/mal/spyware remover.

AVG Anti-Spy (http://free.grisoft.com/doc/download-free-anti-spyware/us/frt/0). They make a great free AV program, and their malware remover is also top-notch.

and last but not least, HiJack This! (http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php) A truly helpful malware remover, is you know what you are doing. I do not recommend this program for newbies as you could break something instead of fixing it.

Keep in mind when dealing with malware, one program or procedure is typically not enough. You cannot expect one piece of freeware to wave a magic wand over your box and have it be malware free. That's why it's useful to have a few freeware programs handy and use them, and hopefully you don't have to end up mucking around in the Windows Registry or booting to Safe Mode with a command prompt only to root out the offending files.

best of luck!

"All the flame wars in the Internet won't change the fact however that you should really purchase what you like and the games that YOU want to play."

All the PS3 fanbois need to chill. Sure, the 360 isn't a perfect platform, but in comparison to Sony's latest console effort, it's a dream machine at the moment.

Up until Jan. the slim PS2 was still outselling the PS3, and there is good reason for that. Affordability, reliability, and a game library.

PS3's online service compared to Xbox Live? No comparison. Don't take my word for it, check it out, I would be tempted to say it is the industry standard for online service with a console in comparison to PS3's Home.

The current PS3 game library is weak, yet with promises that more exciting titles are on the way. Until then all we have is promise-ware, and that doesn't do the gamers any good. Right now, the newest PS3 titles I've seen are ones that have been on the 360 and PC for almost a year. Case in point, Oblivion and F.E.A.R.

Better graphics? Debatable. Here is one example where all the processing power of the PS3 apparently doesn't mean squat (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/28006.html). In time, as game developers learn more about to code for the PS3, the games will undoubtedly look better, but that's the future, not now.

Which brings us to an other point. Say what you want about MS, but they know their **** when it comes to developers. They have an edge in terms of using the DirectX API to allow for companies to code games for the 360. Any developer worth a damn, knows, or already has, used DX for game development. Sony's dev package is powerful, but complex and costly to license.

Then you have the company itself. The Sony BMG CD copy protection scandal should still be fresh in people's minds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Sony_BMG_CD_copy_protection_scandal). Sure, Microsoft is not an angel company, they do business like any other business, but Sony fanboi's tend to regard their company like it was Apple and free from all error and wrong-doing. Not to mention, Sony has just won the nex-gen DVD format war, much to the decrement of consumers. It is of my humble opinion that the PS3 was only used to provide a foothold in th marketplace for Blu-Ray and then leverage that dominance once HD-DVD had died off. Sony has a history of making formats hostile to consumers, and Blu-Ray will be no exception. Because of this, the games aspect, one of the biggest reasons consumers buy a game console to begin with, has suffered.

All the flame wars in the Internet won't change the fact however that you should really purchase what you like and the games that YOU want to play. The 360 is a solid gaming platform, the Wii is fun, and the PS3 will probably have it's day once Sony actually tells their games division to get with the program.

Th margin between what's better isn't really wither you use a Mac or a PC. It's the apps and the OS.

If you prefer Mac OS, use a Mac, and get the appropriate applications for that platform to do what you want to do (Final Cut Studio, BIAS Peak, etc).

If you like Windows, configure a PC that fits your needs and buy the appropriate software (Vegas Studio, Sound Forge, etc).

What it boils down to is what platform you feel most comfortable working in, and what apps you know, or want to know, and as others have mentioned, what you can afford.

Macs traditionally have been the multimedia kings, but that gap is all but nonexistent. Hardware performance isn't an issue because they all use Intel based hardware for both platforms. It really comes down to the OS and the apps. Since the apps more of less do the same tasks, you are faced with wither you want to learn or use the Mac OS or Windows.

It is really tough to say what platform these days is "THE BEST" when it comes to video/audio creation and editing. They both have their flaws and their weak/strong points.

I believe the video was about the (then) newly released OS X

What a funny saying.