Re: COMP: VIRUSES

Char,

You said that so well (and gently) that I hesitate to answer! But in a like vein, this would present problems beyond the primary issue. Specifically, one very difficult issue is presented by the very openess of this list - which I think would be a good thing to preserve. That is, who can post VIR (virus) posts to the list(s)?

With the exception of the ADMIN heading which is reserved for the list owner, anyone could post (and has done so) virus warnings, when, in fact, they are completely false! And I don't think you can reserve this heading to just a few people. Computer knowledgeable people are everywhere and don't necessarily work in computers. Others may think they know the subject well and do more harm than good by passing along old or incorrect information. And I think our list owner does far too much work as it is to ask him to be the one to post VIR alerts.

Another problem- one that I am obviously very guilty of - is the exteneded threads that it can generate, like this one. Useful only in that it deals with the content of this very list.

And more complications - this is hard to believe, but there are a few of us geeks here who use GOOD operating systems and computers - like Linux, MAC, and Unix (as in my case Sun Solaris). While no operating system is free from threat, the vast, overwhelming majority of threats are to the windows platform. Hence, you are perforce, ignoring a segment of the audience here.

But the primary issue that your well spoken argument hasn't addressed, is, it's really isn't relevant to irises. Not in the way the occassional topic that is directly related to irises in the electronic world is, such as online iris references and commercial web pages and the like.

I would be happy to provide you or anyone with links to low-volume, announcement only (in other words, just alerts, no long-winded tech discussion like I am prone to) lists about major new threats. Though heavens knows, I have those chatty type of lists too...

Cathy


Char Randall wrote:

Cathy, I appreciate your point of view and over the past few years have
learned to value your opinion. But...I would ask you to consider that a
lot of us do not have your up-to-the minute virus alert warnings and
information on a daily basis. We probably all have virus checkers of some
sort and may or may not have them updated daily, weekly etc. Just in
"chatting" in the past tho, a lot of these update routines are out of
date or not configured for newer software, OS, ISP, or email addresses.
What would you think about a subject tag like Patrick suggested and
similar in function to the ADMIN, that is for the list owner's use only,
could be used? Or maybe he could designate one person who is up-to-the
minute on bona fide current virus threats (not hoax) to issue a reminder
to update virus info? That would be one message, periodically only when a
real threat looms? Or at least if messages on an iris talk or iris photo
forum contain a virus warning.

One of the reasons I ask is that I went over to the iris photo list
trying to see if I could understand why Mr. Peters was leaving this list
so abruptly. I thought maybe I could read some past messages there and
get a better understanding. Anyway, shortly into reading some messages,
the ones about viruses started coming up. At that point, I thought, you
know maybe I should just manually update now. So I stopped what I was
doing, updated my virus info and ran a full system scan. All clean. I
would not have done that tho if not for the reminder that there are virus
among us! 

This one is a tough one, I value your and Patricks opinion very much and
can see both ways on this. Personally, I'd like a brief message if a real
threat exists.

Regards,
Char Randall
Melba, Idaho


On Wed, 08 Sep 2004 13:46:21 -0400 Catherine Button







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Catherine Button    Network Administrator
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"When I drop in my tracks, I want the body to skid for a week."
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