another computer question

[Computer dullard]

I have another computer question. Lately, various words will be underlined in a yellowish line. If I move the cursor over that word a link appears. As an example, camera. When I read this post the word camera will be a link to somewhere. I am sure this is some ad type software cr*p. I recently downloaded aol instant messenger. Is this another aol piece of shhhhhhhh......?

[Eyez]

What is the link to? That'll give you a good idea as to what it's caused by. I'll tell you right now, that instant messaging programs and their users are constant targets for viruses, adbots, and other malicious and semi-malicious programs. Depending on where you downloaded it from, it could have installed something, or some other file that you received from someone through AIM could have installed something. AOL themselves would probably not do something like that, it would be the work of some other shady party

Start with a virus scan, and go from there.

Eyez

[Daren]

Sounds like it just changed a setting under 'Tools', 'Internet Options', 'Advanced' tab, 'Browsing', 'Underline Links'. All this does is highlight links that exist on the page. It's quite likely when you installed AOL IM that it changed some of your default settings in IE.

[gilly8000]

Go to the control panel and look in Add/Remove programs. Chances are you'll see something new in there. Like Eyez said, it probably loaded something else on your computer when you downloaded the software.

[JasonMN]

If there is any question of adware/spyware or the like on your system download ad-aware. It will detect and remove that crap. I think many people will be suprised to find this stuff running on their system. For example if you ever downloaded and played that "Your Mama Osama" game that was making the email cycle after 9/11 you have spyware running on your system.

It is free and you can get it from download.com here:
ftp://ftpx.download.com/pub/win95/utilities/system/aaw.exe