Winfix

[jes]

I have recently recieved an email on Winfix claiming that it can make windoze more like the windows that it should be. I am looking for comments about it. Is it any good?
Here is what i recived:
Dear Windows User,

Now you can boost the reliability of ordinary Windows 95, 98 and ME to nearly the level of Windows NT or 2000, Microsoft's professional and industrial version of Windows.

The new WinFix is a very effective way to improve the reliability of Windows, because it makes Windows fault-tolerant and self-repairing.

And WinFix is very safe, because it operates completely independent of Windows.

CLICK HERE to find out more about WinFix, the safest, most effective way to keep you working, by keeping your PC working non-stop.

Arlen Dixon, CEO
Pinewood Software Marketing

I have heard something of this program before. I know that c/net recomended it once, but they no longer do.


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"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer a Rolls Royce today would cost $100, get a million miles to the gallon and explode once a year, killing everyone inside." - Robert Cringely, InfoWorld Columnist

[YODA74]

Never used it But this gets me

Prevents or fixes over 90% of new Windows problems that begin after WinFix is installed, and up to 10% of pre-existing problems


Adds no complexity to Windows, and makes no changes to Windows system files:If it doesn't change files how does it fix problems?


but like I said never used it But ZDNet still recomends this But it is $50.00

Just becouse the government say's they can fix my problems I still don't subscribe to it http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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YODA74@windows-sucks.com

CCMR (http://www.dreamwater.net/tech/yoda74/index.html)

[jes]

You think it is good? Do you know anyone that has used it? Where can you get it?

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"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer a Rolls Royce today would cost $100, get a million miles to the gallon and explode once a year, killing everyone inside." - Robert Cringely, InfoWorld Columnist

[YODA74]

you have two choices http://www.winfix.com/

and
http://www.italysoft.com/software/windows-utilities/

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YODA74@windows-sucks.com

CCMR (http://www.dreamwater.net/tech/yoda74/index.html)

[jim_roberts1]

I doubt seriously that Winfix will change anything in the OS kernel (the main thing that is different between W9x and W2k and XP). If you delete a file in the system folder on W2k, it will automagically re-write the file back to where it was. This feature is the "self-repairing" feature. Winfix must have a way of doing that same thing with Windoze9x installations. It doesn't make it a better operating system, it just makes it more dummy proof. However, if your installation of W9x is already unstable, will Winfix reinstall the missing files and a clean registry? or will it just replace the files that were there when it (Winfix) was installed?

[Mitch Hatfield]

WINFIX IS A sCAM! I've had eight lots of Junkmail offering at $49.95. Steer well clear, I will!!

[jes]

Allright. I will stay away from it. Thanks Mitch.

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"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer a Rolls Royce today would cost $100, get a million miles to the gallon and explode once a year, killing everyone inside." - Robert Cringely, InfoWorld Columnist

[Paleo Pete]

Good old Arlen Dixon and Pinewood software...one of the most insidious spammers on the Internet, been at it for ages and refuses to stop. Been shut down by just about every Internet Provider out there and still manages to find another one every time...

I got the exact same spam email, about 20 copies of it, 2 years ago. Took me 2 months to get the mailing list out of my hair once they started. The number one thing NOT to do concerning spam emails is purchase the products advertised, that gives the spammers incentive to spam millions more people.

Spam Hell's Black List (http://www.m2g.com/index.php?ID=66) has a copy posted of the exact sameone I received long ago. Mailin' Me 2 Much Garbage (http://www.m2g.com/index.php) main page. Katsuey (http://www.katsuey.com/spam.htm) has a long list of spammers' addresses and other contact information. Unfortunately Pinewood does not have an 800 number, if you call and give them an earfull, YOU have to pay for it...Spamhaus (http://www.spamhaus.org/rokso/search.lasso?evidencefile=1290) has an interesting article about a professional spammer named Alan Ralsky, look through the links at the4 top of the page and you'll find that Arlen Dixon and Ralsky are apparently partners. Idiots Who Spam the Internet (http://www.his.com/~blev/spam-cyber.shtml) has a long list of known spammers, including this one, as far back as Oct 2001.

On a more serious note, one of the things I found while trying to locate the original source of the WinFix spam was that I could find almost nothing about Pinewood Software on the Internet. Run it through Google and you get a ton of links relating to horse racing, plus no small mnumber similar to the above, ranting about the spam coming from this outfit.

The Doc Searls Weblog (http://doc.weblogs.com/discuss/msgReader$1170?mode=day) turned up a very interesting letter, along with some alarming theory about why the WinFix webpage is a blank white page. Nothing there...but if you bother to use the View Source option you'll find it's loaded with Java script. Like the person who composed this letter I have Java disabled, so it did nothing but show me a blank page.

The headers of the spam email I got were from foreign countries, which led me also to wonder if it was even remotely legitimate, whay would someone named Arlen Dixon be sending me email from Brazil, China, Denmark or Korea? (I can't remember where it originated now, it's been a long time.)

I also make it a point to NEVER purchase anything from companies that send me spam, like Gevalia coffee, Ramada Hotels, Cingular Wireless, any and all online casinos...

According to a ZDnet (http://www.zdnet.com/filters/user_rating/rate_product_text_details_sw/0,,000XUS,00.html) review, WinFix actually did exist at one time, possibly still does, but was designed for Win3.11 and according to one of the responses does nothing more than basically create a bootdisk....

I could go on and rant about this for another hour but I'll stop. Pop on over to Google (http://www.google.com) and type in Pinewood Software Spam and you'll get all the reading you can handle.

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If your nose runs and your feet smell...
You're built upside down!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.dreamwater.com/paleopete/computer.htm) has been moved, please update your bookmarks.

[kayofcircles]

Sorry, shouldn't be posting, but this keys right into one of my pet peeves. We get TONS of junk mail..and inserts in bills wanting us to buy this or that. Who is buying this stuff??? We never do, and it's a waste of paper. Or in this case, a waste of "space" and time. Let's all save our trees and our sanity...don't buy anything from junk mail or spam. If we all do that, maybe they will stop. And maybe the sun will rise in the west tomorrow...sigh.

[jes]

It used to be that if i got an email message that was clearly spam (offering a product or a service) I would simply delete it. I would glance at the subject line and the sender line to decide what it was and if it was crap, I would just delete it. Now I use a Hotmail account for all my email and I have the filter set on exclusive so that all mail from anyone who is not allready in my address book gets immediately trashed. And i can still have my custom filters. For example, I have a custom filter with the word "question" so if I send a question for the seller on Ebay (I like to use it), the reply will not be filtered out. Of coarse, this leaves me open to spam that has the word question in the subject, but it cuts out the rest of it.
This brings me to another question, but I will post it separately so it has a title.

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"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer a Rolls Royce today would cost $100, get a million miles to the gallon and explode once a year, killing everyone inside." - Robert Cringely, InfoWorld Columnist