Jason's Profile

Member since September 7, 2002

  • Name

    Jason Pohlman

  • Location:

    United States of America

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Recent Posts

  1. Review - MailWasher Pro

    6.3 (Dec 13, 2008)

    I've been using this for years and haven't had an issue since 5.0 or so. It's the perfect solution not only for dealing with spam but also filtering and clearing other unwanted or unnecessary email without having to download it from the server. Over time, you'll find lots of other neat little personal uses for it. I can't live without it now.

  2. Review - Anti-Malware Toolkit

    1.06.157 (Dec 11, 2008)

    I'm not sure I see the point... somehow I thought it would compare the versions you already have with what's available to download but it's not automated at all. It downloaded everything I asked for, but they were the same versions I already had - and in several cases older ones. Maybe worthwhile for a new Windows install, but for further use I would suggest FileHippo.com or Secunia's update checkers. 3 for doing what it says it will do.

  3. Review - VLC (VideoLAN) for Windows

    0.9.6 (Nov 29, 2008)

    VLD has always been reliable for me, though plain and clunky, but this version (0.9.6) stumbles over half of what I've thrown at it. Since I only keep it around for playing things the others (primarily Zoom Player) have trouble with, this is a definite move in the wrong direction. I trust the next version will correct this, though.

  4. Review - RemoveIT Pro

    v4 - SE (5.8.2008) (Aug 6, 2008)

    Nothing but false positives.

  5. Review - a-squared Free

    3.5.0.25 (Jun 13, 2008)

    The absolute worst I've encountered yet. It found about a dozen false positives before I mercy-killed it. This took about half an hour and it wasn't halfway through scanning as it dragged my system to a virtual halt. Positively worthless in every respect. Does it catch real problems? Who knows.

  6. Comment - Trend Micro Tests PC-cillin 2005

    3.5.0.25 (Aug 28, 2004 - 7:00 PM)

    Okay, after three days of using this thing it began randomly crashing with unhelpful generic error reports. This has been happening without any apparent pattern related to what programs or services are running, and since this thing runs five or six services at a time, looking at the Task Manager isn't that helpful in figuring out if all necessary services are running when I restart it. Looks like this thing isn't ready for customers to be test driving it yet and I'm bailing out of the beta test since I only have one machine to test it on and don't want to end up with potential annoyances simply to help test an antivirus program. I think everyone else may be right and TM has perhaps jumped the gun on letting the public take a look at this. It looks promising but calling this a beta may be a bit premature.

  7. Comment - Trend Micro Tests PC-cillin 2005

    3.5.0.25 (Aug 27, 2004 - 11:59 AM)

    Interesting. It went perfectly smoothly for me. I was previously running Trend Micro Internet Security 2004 and uninstalled and rebooted before trying this, if that helps any. It didn't say you had to do this though so it shouldn't be the explanation. I will add that I tried the spyware function even though my computer is always insanely clean and it claimed to have found three nonexistent spyware components including Xupiter and two other common pests that I wish I'd written down because I don't remember which ones they were and there doesn't seem to be a log for them (!). I don't know where that came from because the registry entries it claimed to have found did not exist and I know those things aren't there. It reminds me of AdAware's habit of telling you your browser is hijacked because you choose about:blank as your home page. Also, the links to the explanations of the "found" spyware were a dead end. So I would say the spyware component is a total wash at this point but otherwise all seems fine. Sorry it's not working out for others yet. If they get the bugs worked out and it's as stable and reliable as the stable and reliable but still-hateful 2004 version this will be the product they should have been producing all along. (Edit) - I guess I should add here that this new version has an annoying warning that the internet security status is "potentially unsafe" because I don't have URL filter enabled (I use Opera, am the machine's sole user and just plain don't need it), don't have private data protection enabled (I use safe practices and don't feel like I need the extra overhead) and don't use the Spam Filter (Use another one that isn't needed because I never get spam anyway so ditto with the overhead). This needs something like XP SP2's option to click "don't bug me, I'm using another company's stuff whether you like it or not." I guess it's an okay feature for someone who needs the extra help but someone who knows what they're doing should be able to turn off the nagging.

  8. Comment - Trend Micro Tests PC-cillin 2005

    3.5.0.25 (Aug 26, 2004 - 9:46 PM)

    Well, 2004's firewall is a major pain but once you figure out how to get rid of it, the antivirus is my pick for the best of the best. I'm happy to report that the new version gives you the opportunity to opt out of the firewall (and it didn't ask me to uninstall Sygate's firewall in order to continue installing as the previous version did) and it is much more configurable and user-friendly. The controls and settings follow a logical progression and overall this seems to be a vast improvement over the previous version. I've seen no bugs and have had no issues whatsoever. I was ready to give up on PC-Cillin just because the 2004 version seemed to actively hate the customer but this is a welcome comeback.

  9. Comment - Norton Secures the Perimeter

    3.5.0.25 (Jul 12, 2004 - 11:25 PM)

    I always liked Norton and never got infected with anything, but the resource issues talked about here (plus the install/uninstall problems also discussed here) finally turned me to PC-Cillin for antivirus and Sygate Pro for firewall. Both are much lighter on resources than Norton, PC-Cillin seems more reliable on updates and comprehensiveness and Sygate is infinitely more customizeable and trustworthy. I still have a soft spot for Norton after all these years but I hope they reverse their trend in recent years of releasing more bloated and less reliable products.

  10. Comment - Microsoft Patches IE Flaw

    3.5.0.25 (Jul 5, 2004 - 12:14 PM)

    Anyone who knows and/or understands IE's problems in general and this one in particular has long ago switched to Mozilla or Opera. Everyone else keeps blindly using IE and walking into traps. Virtually everyone I know gets their news from the television and have little knowledge or interest in this stuff - when's the last time Channel 3 news pointed this stuff out? They're not even aware that IE is a browser rather than "the Internet" or that there are alternatives... until their computer gets fried to the point where they can't help but realize something's wrong and someone takes the time to show them. I just hope the people who don't know any better have automatic updates turned on...