Gee, I get very little spam. I get a lot of sales "fliers", but they are from companies I purchase stuff from. Most of the time I delete without reading, other times I read, and some times I even purchase something advertised in the email. Maybe I'm just lucky, spam hasn't been a problem for me on any of my email addresses, I look after three of them, plus my wife's. I can't remember a single time I got an email from myself or from one of my other addresses. I guess that's what has protected me from using such tools as were discussed in this thread. I hope the computer gurus on this forum keep giving free help, I've been the beneficiary many times, and I welcome even short and direct inputs pointing out the errors I am, or may be, making. NJ is finally getting winter today, snow, freezing rain. Newark air port is reporting 7 hour delays, or cancellations, no sun shine for us for a day or two.

I did change my password and have sent out a few emails and nothing so far. Computer seems to be running fine as of now. My computer dude recieved this too, he will be over to check things out. Hopefully it was just a fluke or one time thing. Honestly, I'm clueless when it comes to all of this stuff. I don't even text on my cell phone. LOL This has kind of freaked me out a little. I started paying bills online along with doing some banking. I just may go back to writing checks!! Nancy, sorry to hear about your challenges too. Hope your up and running smooth now. Denise, what is a bot? LOL I have no clue. : ) If someone got all of my email addresses from a friends computer does that mean they have them forever now? I sure hope not. I guess we will see....I'll ask my computer guy to explain it to me in simple terms. Again, sorry for all those that received this and I hope it didn't cause you any challenges. David

Thank you Owbist. On the occasion I have to work with a tech like I just did with an apple tech they confirm what you said. LOL By the way I had a real problem with an upgrade on Itunes. I called and companies usually blame the user but I had proof tthis time and the young tech called his supervisor then he walked me through a fix. It had made my cd/dvd drive icon disappear and unusable. I found a fix on the net that worked then my itunes didn't. So I went round and round for awhile. It all works now.

>>>> "All of the various computer sellers (Apple especially) would like you to think that the value of the system you are purchasing reflects not only the hardware but the pre-installed software as well. It is a fallacy to fall into this trap. You're much better off considering each "ifree and pre-installed" software title a liability in so much as you will have to take time and trouble to get the #&$^� off your system." Bought or started up an OEM/MSWin Pc lately? Boot up a new Dell sometimes and just take a quick look at what comes that you didn't ask for..... Otherwise, having run PC's (Win DOS-XP-SP2/Linux/the Open & Free BSD's) and Macs (MacOS5(?) thru the sons OSX.4) and being a committed (maybe commitable?) Linux user who likes to play with FreeBSD and has a nice new copy of Solaris X86 to play with.............. Well, were someone ask me should they get a MacOS machine or a WinPC or a Linux box...AND ESPECIALLY if the person asking is primarily interested in "consumer/personal" type IT ie: browsing, email, music, photo's, email, schoolwork I would have to say get the Mac....Nothing simpler easier or more "user friendly" As for total system quality and value..... We still have a IIe, a Performa 5200, an original IMac with OS9 and OSX, a red IMac, and a white IMac, all of which still work. All of them. And the son has that G4 PowerBook that I (and the S.o. too) lust over. Though my limited personal experience with APPL tech support is quite limited, I have none but positive exepiences with them, but know others who have a less than stellar opinion of the same....BUT the online help via forums, FAQs and tutorials and etc. that's available to/for MAC users is IMNSHO, second to none, it's at least as good and useful as for Linux. I have a 32 pound i386 Compaq "portable" too, It sill works, but is no longer useful for much more than anchoring a small canoe in a stiil body of water. The Performa5200 (only reason we bought it was because we were getting it almost for free) running OS7.5 is still my very favorite mchine, that 32mb of RAm and that ("newly installed" LOL) 56K modem just don't seem as fast and robust as they used too....... Damn, I must be getting old..... Next I want a Cell Processor based PS3 machine (Anybody wanna sell me one real cheap?) to turn into my own personal Linux based super-computer, unless/until C.P. motherboards and processors start becoming commercially available at a somewhat resonable cost. HAGD..........I headed out to check out the rose bushes and take the dogs off in the woods over an hour ago, but haven't left yet. I am going now though, gotta beat that rain you know.....