Go to google.. put in Mozilla.. click and download. Click on the installer, have a fabulous lunch (it takes some time, even over dsl/cable), come back to a great web browser! or I believe you can still order the CD-- it used to be about $5, money above the cost of the cd and shipping goes to support the mozilla foundation. You don't have to uninstall IE - in fact I'm not even sure you can, and you wouldn't want to because you still need it to get to the windows update page for patches.
.. sorry not trying to be snide, but it just gets exasperating sometimes.. I know it's not intuitive for everyone, and not everybody grew up with computers. I am sure it is exasperating and difficult when you get infected/hijacked. But the large majority of people who have posted to this thread, have already taken some of the right steps, they have been able to find things like adaware, good antivirus programs, pop up blockers and even firewalls. You are a step ahead by simply knowing the problem is out there. So googling Mozilla shouldn't be a stretch. Installing mozilla is as easy as installing any of the software you've mentioned.. it's mostly just the waiting becuase it is huge.
If you go to the Mozilla.org in the upper right corner, click on products. You will see 5 choices.. for most users you will want to choose from:
Mozilla - all in one browser, mail, and web development
Firefox - just the browser - no email
Thunderbird - browser + email
If you are using something like MSOutlook or you read your mail in IE - choose Thunderbird. If you read your mail from a webpage (usually called webmail) choose Firefox (you won't need the extra mail part) And if you use outlook- stop! There are several hundred viruses and exploits for it - many of which only require that you run it, you never have to click on anything.
Mozilla is the open source (free, community created) root of Netscape. It is very easy to use and has a lot of wonderful features. Once you get it find the options menu (under tools?) and check out the different features-- it even has it's own pop up blocker, built in.
.. and I hope no one takes this the wrong way... but ignorance isn't an excuse, it's a crutch; and it wouldn't fly at work, at school or in a court room. If you can get online and find forums like the dis, pay your bills, shop on ebay, you can find the info and make your computer secure. Ask questions, ask for help (as many of you are) tell your friends and family. It's not something you do just once and can forget about.. it's on going and requires vigilence.
<ok, stepping off my soap box>
If anyone ever needs help, feel free to pm me or instant message me (aim - heathrow55) I used to do user tech support and can be pretty good breaking things down (and I'm not always such a meanie..
)
Heather