X-rated question for techies.

[jdj]

What makes porn pop-ups come up on your screen? (Ads from nude women to buy pictures or whatever). My Dad is having this problem. I've never experienced this, but it's on some websites where he plays games like checkers and chess, and people all over the world play on there as well. He has played with people from the Ukraine and Africa, etc, which he really enjoys, but he's pretty religious so this is offensive to him.

Does anyone know what is going on, is it something allowed by the owners of the website, because he has spy sweeper and pop-up blockers...any input anyone has will be appreciated.

[madison2000]

1. i thought you were going to ask about "hot fixing"

[trof]

2. Non-techie, but Firefox has stopped ALL my popups.

Free browser that's way better than Microsoft's Internet Express.

[jdj]

3. thanks,

my Dad is getting upset, he unplugged his computer today.

He said he almost threw it out in the yard.

[Misunderestimator]

5. I'll second the firefox suggestion... NOT ONE POPUP since I started

using it instead of IE and any number of blockers I'd tried.

Here's the site to download it... you can import your bookmarks and there's nothing to it.

http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

[Poll_Blind]

13. I've been online since 1983 and Firefox is the shiz!

I've used everything, from Lynx to Mosaic (Holy crap, you can have PICTURES on web pages?), Netscape, IE...everything... During every browsing session I am reminded at least once how pleasent it has become again- because I'm using Firefox. Dump IE now!

PB

[Redneck Socialist]

4. sounds like spyware

I'm not a techie but have him download ad-aware or spybot search and destroy. Those will clean out the spy ware. Then he can download a pop up blocker. There are a bunch of free ones out there.

[Maestro]

6. It's Window's messenger service

Google "Marfer's Notes" and go to the website. There you will find instructions on how to disable it.

Check this out: Disable Messenger

[brainshrub]

7. Go Firefox and watch the problems go bye-bye.

[bearfan454]

8. Your dad's computer needs

the FREE version of adaware at http://www.lavasoftusa.com

and a FREE firewall from http://www.zonelabs.com

and a FREE pop up blocker from http://www.panicware.com

You can go into options and make them run at startup automatically every time. I haven't had any problems since getting these. I just run adaware once a week and check for FREE updates once a week too.

Mrs bearfan still knows I look at porn, but at least she doesn't get porn popups when she is on the computer. I used to be in the living room and she would say what to hell is this XXX shit that just popped up ? I would say how in the hell do I know ? I'm in the living room, you're on the computer, not me.

[Spiffarino]

9. What??

I am shocked!! Shocked at such a thing!

;)

[Goldom]

10. Adware~~

Is the key word. Firefox may 1. Block popups better, 2. be about 100% safer than IE for visiting disreputable sites, 3. have a whole lot of people who will claim it can solve every problem in the world, but it sounds like ad-ware to me. Unless the sites he is visiting are giving him these popups (checkers? I doubt it) it's something already on the computer. Try Ad-Aware. I find it personally the best, though everyone has their own favorite, S&D is good too.

[DS1]

11. The reason those games are free is they bundle software that

makes porn popups, pop up - hoping your dad will pop up and buy in.

Their revenue stream comes from hits registered by the server from which the naughty bits are downloaded.

You didn't think people make free games just because it'd be a nice thing to do, did you? ;-)

In short, stop playing free shit from foreign countries.

[jdj]

14. I suspected as much.

I am trying to get him to plug it back up but he says he is through with it. I can't believe it. He has some really expensive air force fake flying games that he loves, but apparently he is disgusted right now.

[Midlodemocrat]

12. XP service pack 2 prevents popups, as well as Firefox

I run both, because I need to have a backup browser for work, and I know there were problems with XP service pack 2, but my IT guy at work seems to think they have been corrected. I haven't had any issues.

[jdj]

15. thanks for all the input.

Anyone else who want to chime in, please do.