Okay, riddle me this, DU.

My Dad is blaming the computer problems on me. The only times that the computer acts up is when the mailing list time comes around.

He was GOING to take me up to the store to get some stuff for my hair. I was checking my email while my dad was watching T.V. When he came out, I signed off and closed all the windows. I always do that for some reason.

Here's where the funny stuff comes in. I got 'two' popups that I think he was confusing with some Appleworks programs. He says he saw something with a "yellow triangle"

Here's where I'm confused.

He says that he NEVER, EVER, EVER gets popups. He says that popups only happen when you get 'Conflicting OSS servers when you're trying to switch to another server'

???

I love my dad, but I think he needs to learn Earth Logic.

I get popups all the time and I didn't even see one that I can remember. He thinks I'm trying to hide something from him.

Thoughts, comments?

I get pop-ups all the time, especially when I pull up a newspaper article online. I just close the window and that's that. I see nothing unusual or suspect about the pop-ups on the computer.

Maybe he'll understand now. He thinks I'm trying to hide something.

Hide what?

On edit: Any with yellow triangles?

I usually don't look at them, just close them. So, does your dad think you are getting on "bad" sites or something?

I think that stuff is for losers. But, like I said before, I am a teen. I guess he just is looking out for me.

it "warns" you that your computer "may be infected by a virus" but it's only a come-on for some anti-virus produce or other. It usually has an exclamation point in the middle. It mimics a legit Windows message and looks like this (this one is legit):

I get those error things all the time, warnings my computer may be infected with spyware. I always close those right away, and never open them because my suspician is that the popup itself is infected with spyware. The IT guys at my company also tell us not to open those things.

and are embedded in websites you visit.

He says he's sorry. Thanks!

www.mozilla.org

no popups for me

:hi:

Or do they happen even when you don't have a webbrowser open?

In the latter case, spyware/adware would be the culprit. Might want to consider running some anti-spyware programs. (Ad-aware and Spybot Search & Destroy are the two I use.)

If it's only when you're browsing the internet, it's usually (or maybe always, not 100% sure) a javascript command on a page that does it. Might want to switch over to Firefox (http://www.getfirefox.com). Has a great built-in pop-up blocker.

And most importantly, be careful of what you download and install on your computer. Some screen savers, peer 2 peer software, etc. will have spyware or adware bundled with them to be installed.

www.PCWorld.com and download Ad-Aware and Spybot. Update the definitions and run both of them.

On Edit: Those Popups you're getting most likely installs viruses or the like.