the cookie monster has wacked my iMac HELP !

[jdots]

i get so much spam that i went to edit and started wiping out cookies instead of certificates or what ever you are suppsed to do. Earthlink has me maxxed out with the 500 spammers i can block when i emailed them they replyed with something i sure didn't understand.....crap I need someone in L.A. to clean this computer up and I am stone broke...... cookies ,spam this is Gate's fault or mine but it's more fun to blame him

[Poiuyt]

1. Which email program are you using?

Apple's Mail has a pretty good spam filter. It "learns" which are good emails and which are spam. It sends the spam messages to a folder where they can be kept or deleted.

It doesn't pay to block individual spammers because they continually change their addresses.

[jdots]

2. I am using earthlink at medium settings for email

The high setting only will receive emails that are in in my adress book,this won't work for me beasue I am on art sites trying to flog paintings and need total strangers to be able to contact me. I still use O.S. 9 even though could switch to 10 mostly because i have been too lazy to change and a complete dummy.I have a mac because I hate anything micro soft plus a better tool should cost more than some piece of crap based on bells & whistles and cheap price point.
I have shyed away from going computer crazy but i am in desperate help of just some basic ways to use the little i Mac correctly just for storing some jpegs and going to this site or that site. the iMac sits in a pile of dust in the studio and it's always a game between computer knowledge or painting 20 hours a day.
I don't need a mac guru,just a person to show me out of some bad habits thanks

[Poiuyt]

3. You are correct in wanting to use a Mac

Microsoft Windows software and PC computers can be very troublesome.

I would advise you to upgrade to OS X. OS9 is good, but nothing is being developed for it anymore. There are some nice, easy to use programs in OS10.

Have you called Earthlink's technical support department? I'm sure they have an 800 number. If you can talk with someone over the phone, it is a lot easier to solve these kinds of problems. They usually stay on the phone with you and talk you through the procedures.

Here are some articles on getting rid of spam:

http://www.spamprimer.com/
http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Internet/2002/GettingRidofSpam.asp

[mrbassman03]

4. Would you like a Gmail account???

1 gig of storage and automatic spam filtering... not sure if OS 9 can handle it though. Take the step up to OS X when Tiger comes out, it will be well worth it.