[Gimp-user] OT: Protecting Windows from malware

[Steve Kinney <admin pilobilus net>]

On 01/06/2012 12:20 PM, Marci Davis wrote:
> My 11-year old daughter installed Gimp on our laptop.  Shortly
> after, we started having trouble with speed and resolution.  Gimp
> will not open, nor can we uninstall it.  In fact, when I try, it
> crashes the computer.  Any suggestions?

Greetings,

I concur with those who think that the underlying problem probably
has nothing at all to do with the GIMP.  I sent Marci some info
off-list re troubleshooting & repairing these kinds of problems. 
But since the list does encourage users to download and install
software, and provides some support for that, maybe this note
on-list is appropriate.

The problem described could not have happened if the computer in
question had correct user account permissions set - or at least, not
if malware from teh dreaded interwebs was involved.  The "default"
settings for user accounts on Microsoft operating systems are so
wrong that they amount to willful sabotage.  Brief and pointed
instructions on how to fix that:

http://pilobilus.net/windows_pc_security.html#permissions

As just a bit of a security geek, I will assert that every computer
running a Microsoft operating system needs this tweak done to it.

:o/

Steve