Posted by PAW Notary Services on 8/6/04 1:13pm
Msg #5623

Victoria Ring's "guard dog is to protect your computer"

I hate to keep coming down on Victoria Ring and her business, but she again is passing out bad information and I don't want anyone to get "burned" by this latest fiasco she is touting.

In her latest yellow journalistic newsletter, she announces a new free product called "50 State Notary Guard Dog." Rather than re-describe what I told her, I'll just post my email to her, here:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>T H E N O T A R Y N E W S
>ISSUE 47 ­ August 7, 2004
>NEW PRODUCT: 50 State Notary Guard Dog

>A friend of mine (who is also an excellent graphic designer) was playing
>around one day at his computer and came up with a great idea. He
>developed a desktop utility that does not install anything in your
>Windows file and only resides on your desktop.

You do realize that even desktop APPLICATIONS install files on your Windows system. This "utility" installs a 1.2Mb executable file on your disk. Just because you install it to your desktop, doesn't mean nothing is installed. The desktop is nothing more that a subdirectory in the Windows filing system.


>The purpose of the guard dog is to protect your computer
>from "praying eyes" when you walk away.

It DOES NOT DO THAT!!

>50 State Notary Guard Dog is NOT a software program that installs
>on your computer.

Yes it most certainly is.

>It is a self-running utility that runs only from your Windows desktop.

No it is not. You must "launch" this so-called utility which is nothing more than another Windows application that robs resources to display your picture on the screen. There is ABSOLUTELY NO SECURITY involved with this program. One simply needs to press ALT+TAB to switch to another window. Or press CTRL+ALT+DEL, launch the Task manger and terminate the application.

It has become very apparent that you know absolutely nothing about computers and as such I wish you would stop providing false and misleading information on the unsuspecting reader of your "newsletter".

I think the time and effort to develop this good-for-nothing product (except to put you face on the unsuspecting users screen) would have been better served developing a screen saver that affords the protection and results you claim it to have.

This time, Victoria, you have really overstepped your bounds. Please cease and desist in peddling information that is downright wrong, misleading or otherwise detrimental to the readers of your publication.

Of course I do not expect to see this in your newsletter, but I certainly will let it be known what this "product" is and what it isn't.


Regards,
Paul Williamson
Notary Public, State of Florida
Registered and Certified Notary Signing Agent
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to protect you PC from "praying eyes" or even prying eyes, setup and use a screen saver. Don't waste your time on downloading this resource stealing application that offers absolutely no protection to your PC whatsoever.

Reply by HisHughness on 8/6/04 1:27pm
Msg #5626

PAW quoted Victoria Ring touting:

***The purpose of the guard dog is to protect your computer from "praying eyes" when you walk away.***

So, I assume that some day soon we can expect to see a little statue of "Praying Eyes" joining the statue of "Praying Hands" on the mantlepiece? This has all sorts of implications. How about a set of "Praying Thighs" for the weight-challenged? "Praying Lips" for the osculotorily inept? "Praying Thumbs (Green)" as a subset of "Praying Hands" for the incompetent gardener? Maybe even, for plastic surgeons, a set of "Praying.....never mind. I'm off to say a prayer for Victoria, who has lots of energy unfettered by the mechanics of the language.

Reply by Steve/Fl on 8/6/04 2:53pm
Msg #5638

Re: Victoria Ring's "guard dog..SAVE YOUR COMPUTER! READ ON!

About a week ago I bought a new computer. A few days ago my sister, who is a software designer, emailed me info on a site that provides free spyware & other protection from people hacking in your computer & intruding in various ways. Even though I spent the money to have all the latest patches & other preventative measures installed on my computer when I ran the various SPYBOT SEARCH & DESTROY products it came up with things that could/are affecting my computer.
This is a great company, providing a free service & if you want to donate at the website , great, but that is not what this is about. I highly recommend going to this site & seeing for yourself after reading the article there what installing the various things will safeguard against. VERY IMPORTANT! this is free!!!!! go to http://ralphcaddell.com/pchelp/spyware.htm see about spyware blaster, spyware guard, ad-aware, spybot search & destroy.
My sister & I don't work for them, & you will see after reading thru all there is to see that this is truly a great service this company is providing!
I spent a large amount of time reading all there was on the site to make sure this was not a paid service & it would not affect my new computer!!!!!! LOL! Steve/Fl
PS When I read about people trying to help others & they don't know what they are talking about it ticks me off! This is something that can truly make a difference!

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 8/6/04 3:51pm
Msg #5644

Re: Victoria Ring's "guard dog..SAVE YOUR COMPUTER! READ ON!

Steve/Fl enthused:

***go to http://ralphcaddell.com/pchelp/spyware.htm see about spyware blaster, spyware guard, ad-aware, spybot search & destroy.***

I've got Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware, and clean up with them frequently. They're easy to use, and I'd recommend them.

Reply by sue on 8/6/04 4:02pm
Msg #5645

Re: Victoria Ring's "guard dog..SAVE YOUR COMPUTER! READ ON!

I'm also not an employee of SpyBot and I know absolutely zero about this kind of stuff, but I do know I've got it installed on my computer - installed by the guy who works on my computer - I also have AVG virus detection that's free and he swears by it (never had a virus so I guess it works)

Reply by Notary/CA on 8/6/04 6:35pm
Msg #5658

Re: Victoria Ring's "guard dog..SAVE YOUR COMPUTER! READ ON!

Anything good or bad on "Adaware"? Downloadable for free from "www.download.com"

Reply by steve/Fl on 8/6/04 6:42pm
Msg #5660

Re: Victoria Ring's "guard dog..SAVE YOUR COMPUTER! READ ON!

I've used it for only the last few days but, it seems to work well. I have actually run it daily for the last 3 days (I think the site says to run at least weekly) & I have picked up a number of bad apples. Steve/Fl

Reply by PAW Notary Services on 8/6/04 8:18pm
Msg #5667

Re: Victoria Ring's "guard dog..SAVE YOUR COMPUTER! READ ON!

I've been using Ad-aware for over a year now. I run it almost every day, along with Norton Anti-virus and PanicWare's pop-up stopper. Every now and then I also run HijackThis, also a freeware product.

Reply by Reenie on 8/7/04 8:46pm
Msg #5714

Re: Victoria Ring's "guard dog..SAVE YOUR COMPUTER! READ ON!

Paul, is Ad-Aware free? Where can I get it? I was under the impression it was free if used as a scan for spyware, but when it came to deleting the spyware found, it would cost additional to download the entire program? Correct?

Reply by PAW Notary Services on 8/7/04 9:17pm
Msg #5716

Re: Victoria Ring's "guard dog..SAVE YOUR COMPUTER! READ ON!

Ad-Aware is free for personal use. Download it at http://www.snapfiles.com/get/adaware.html or http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/

It will delete spyware without needing to purchase the "professional" software package.

Another good one, is HiJackThis. Do a goggle search for it.

Reply by NSA in WA on 8/6/04 7:48pm
Msg #5663

Thank you, Paul

Thanks lots, Paul, for your post. I read your posts on many boards so I know your information is sound.

I was leary of installing her program because she is so often wrong about so many things. Thanks for confirming my hunch.

Do you like AdAware? If not, is there a different free program you can recommend?

You're the best! (Sylvia is too!)

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 8/6/04 11:34pm
Msg #5684

Re: Thank you, Paul

Like my favourite Pops (Hi Paul), I use Adaware - been using it for about 3 years now, no problems

Thanks NSA in WA for your kind words.

Reply by PAW Notary Services on 8/7/04 8:06am
Msg #5694

Re: Thank you, Paul

As expected (actually many issues ago), I received the following email from Victoria, I'm sure, in response to my email to her:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Notary:

Your unsubscribe request has been received for The Notary News. We are sorry to see you go, but wish you the best of success in the future.

Sincerely,

Victoria Ring
Certified Notary and Paralegal
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of course I did not request to be "unsubscribed". I figure this is her way of trying to stifle criticism. I submit that I am probably her biggest public critic, especially with technical matters and notary law.