[Firstservingman]

So I was thinking this morning about my experiences with technology (specifically computers and the internet), and I realised just how quickly these things are evolving, specifically in relation to how they're reported in the media and even how they're talked about in any kind of interpersonal discussions.

Many years ago, antivirus software was all the rage, and it wasn't a question of "should you get it", but more "which one should I get".
How many of you still use antivirus?
I am quite computer-savvy, and I haven't used antivirus (apart from the inbuilt Windows Defender or whatever it's called these days) in years.
I think that if you have an up-to-date computer, we are now in the post-virus era, as far as I'm concerned.

Here's another example - spam.
How many of you still get much of this?
I use Gmail, and the spam filter gets at least 99% of spam.
I also find that most "spam" I receive, even to the spam filter, is just newsletters/offers from stuff I explicitly signed up for in my younger and more innocent days.

So I don't get spam or viruses, like, ever, despite visiting dodgy websites, pirating everything under the sun including Windows, and signing up for god knows how many internet services/"accounts".

Is this just me, or has tech evolved to the point where this stuff is just a non-issue, even though the media still talks about this stuff?

And the other interesting thing is that folks still go around saying that viruses, spam etc are still serious issues.
Are folks all just using Windows 98 and Hotmail or something, or is there something I'm missing?

BTW: Current setup is Win7 Custom Desktop (rarely updated), Win7 Laptop (rarely used), MacBook Air w/ OSX 10.10.2, iPhone 6+ (Jailbroken) w/ iOS 8.1
So my stuff could be quite a bit more up-to-date than it is, and I'm not careful with updating etc, yet still no issues.

 

[MWW]

So I was thinking this morning about my experiences with technology (specifically computers and the internet), and I realised just how quickly these things are evolving, specifically in relation to how they're reported in the media and even how they're talked about in any kind of interpersonal discussions.

Many years ago, antivirus software was all the rage, and it wasn't a question of "should you get it", but more "which one should I get".
How many of you still use antivirus?
I am quite computer-savvy, and I haven't used antivirus (apart from the inbuilt Windows Defender or whatever it's called these days) in years.
I think that if you have an up-to-date computer, we are now in the post-virus era, as far as I'm concerned.

Here's another example - spam.
How many of you still get much of this?
I use Gmail, and the spam filter gets at least 99% of spam.
I also find that most "spam" I receive, even to the spam filter, is just newsletters/offers from stuff I explicitly signed up for in my younger and more innocent days.

So I don't get spam or viruses, like, ever, despite visiting dodgy websites, pirating everything under the sun including Windows, and signing up for god knows how many internet services/"accounts".

Is this just me, or has tech evolved to the point where this stuff is just a non-issue, even though the media still talks about this stuff?

And the other interesting thing is that folks still go around saying that viruses, spam etc are still serious issues.
Are folks all just using Windows 98 and Hotmail or something, or is there something I'm missing?

BTW: Current setup is Win7 Custom Desktop (rarely updated), Win7 Laptop (rarely used), MacBook Air w/ OSX 10.10.2, iPhone 6+ (Jailbroken) w/ iOS 8.1
So my stuff could be quite a bit more up-to-date than it is, and I'm not careful with updating etc, yet still no issues.

Spam is more easily handled these days by email servers and the ones I tend to get are as you say from old newsletter updates I signed up for, which you can easily opt out of as well. But I don't agree on the statement that viruses are not serious issues. Perhaps that you are not 'aware' of them as much. I basically use free Antivirus software which takes care of most concerns. However, there are other types of malicious software not easily picked up. I remember a few months ago still getting emails similar to the banking fraud/Nigerian emails saying the local bank owes you money and you need to give them your bank details so you can get the money, and that was on an institutional email system too!

One particular bad one over the phone said there's a problem affecting all internet users in a particular location, they'd show you what the issue was (remotely), and the only way to solve it was to subscribe to some protective software. To convince you, they'd bring up some'official' website about their 'credentials' and that it was not blacklisted. I almost fell for that one, but realised what they were up to and promptly switched everything off. So I say never accept calls of that nature when they try to sell any products over the phone, simply hang up.

But as you say tech is getting better in accordance with Moore's law but I wouldn't say there are no issues.

 

[Firstservingman]

Spam is more easily handled these days by email servers and the ones I tend to get are as you say from old newsletter updates I signed up for, which you can easily opt out of as well. But I don't agree on the statement that viruses are not serious issues. Perhaps that you are not 'aware' of them as much. I basically use free Antivirus software which takes care of most concerns. However, there are other types of malicious software not easily picked up. I remember a few months ago still getting emails similar to the banking fraud/Nigerian emails saying the local bank owes you money and you need to give them your bank details so you can get the money, and that was on an institutional email system too!

One particular bad one over the phone said there's a problem affecting all internet users in a particular location, they'd show you what the issue was (remotely), and the only way to solve it was to subscribe to some protective software. To convince you, they'd bring up some'official' website about their 'credentials' and that it was not blacklisted. I almost fell for that one, but realised what they were up to and promptly switched everything off. So I say never accept calls of that nature when they try to sell any products over the phone, simply hang up.

But as you say tech is getting better in accordance with Moore's law but I wouldn't say there are no issues.

Yeah, I still see fraudulent "Nigerian" style emails around, and I too have received the "There is a virus on your computer system, good sir" international phone call on multiple occasions.
But yeah, the spam filters deal with those emails so efficiently these days, and Windows' built-in free antivirus is more than enough in my view.
I think those who spend $120/yr on "Norton 360 Elite" or something are seriously wasting their money.

Also mobiles aren't really susceptible to viruses either, and because everyone's using them now, it makes viruses more a thing of the past IMO.

 

[Kowchi]

How about that kids now grow up using I-Pads?

 

[Roger the Dodger]

Also mobiles aren't really susceptible to viruses either, and because everyone's using them now, it makes viruses more a thing of the past IMO.

I am a bit curious as to how and why people are presuming that mobiles are not susceptible to viruses. If at all, I think mobile phones are all the more susceptible given the defense against virus and malicious software hasn't grown as much.

Enlighten if you will.

 

[Slasher1985]

IT is one thing.

But think what is coming in the next decade:

- Actually efficient Hydrogen fuel cell cars (Toyota's Mirai releases this September). Infrastructure will evolve to support hydrogen instead of gasoline.
- Fusion reactors (Skunk Works).
- Laser weapon technology.
- Next gen propellant-less space propulsion.

 

[Firstservingman]

How about that kids now grow up using I-Pads?

Yeah, I'm not convinced that's a good thing actually, toddlers are getting addicted to those.
I started using tech around age 5-6, and I am glad it wasn't earlier as the most fun I ever had as a very young child was with Lego, not with silly games on a screen.
Even now I prefer technology more as a means than an end.

I am a bit curious as to how and why people are presuming that mobiles are not susceptible to viruses. If at all, I think mobile phones are all the more susceptible given the defense against virus and malicious software hasn't grown as much.

Enlighten if you will.

Well, I could be wrong, but from what I gather, for a virus to be able to run on a device, it has to download its code and then execute it with some level of admin/root privileges.
On most non-jailbroken/rooted phones, the user does not have these privileges, and thus the virus can't do much.
If your phone is jailbroken, all you need to do is change the root password from the default, and then you enjoy the same level of protection as the user still does not operate as an admin during normal use as far as I am aware.
Also many phones, such as the iPhone, will only run code signed by the manufacturer (i.e. not viruses).
Add that to the fact that many phones don't have a true user-accessible file system, or even the ability to download files a-la PCs, and the fact that their software updates regularly, and I don't see how viruses or malware could really get a foothold on modern smartphones.

Identity theft/online data crimes are the new viruses.
Why hack computers when folks will just give you their data over the net?

IT is one thing.

But think what is coming in the next decade:

- Actually efficient Hydrogen fuel cell cars (Toyota's Mirai releases this September). Infrastructure will evolve to support hydrogen instead of gasoline.
- Fusion reactors (Skunk Works).
- Laser weapon technology.
- Next gen propellant-less space propulsion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stark_Industries

Really though, these developments are going to be awesome.
Tesla is going to rule the world one day.

 

[Kowchi]

I can watch RG SF, while riding a bike

 

[Joey Tribbiani]

Mmmm..not really that different from 2004 (when I started using PC+Internet). I can still get viruses and stuff like that.

The evolution is that now you can do anything a lot more easier.
Also, a lot of kid now use tablets and smartphones for many things, back in the days you'd need a real computer.