Re: ** READ THIS BEFORE POSTING - answers to frequently asked questions 2003.10.08

From: Phil Weldon (notdisclosed_at_mindjump.com)
Date: 10/09/03 

Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 20:49:09 GMT

And this to "Karl Levinson [x y] mvp" <levinson_k@despammed.com>, posted
here because there is no other way to contact you.

Could I suggest that, at least in the microsoft.public.security.virus
newsgroup you post a short explanation for each of the 'frequently asked
questions' in addition to URL's? For an inexperienced user (those most
desperately in need of help,) being asked to navigate yet another webpage in
search of an answer is not very welcome. It is necessary to post the URL,
but ease the passage.

Also, it should be clear from this thread and other recent threads that
crossposting is usually a bad bad thing. If for no other reason the very
long half-life and the numerous sub threads that will be spawned. Take a
look at the "Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-040 - 828750" thread; it now
has over 200 posts, and, among other things, has generated a fictional
narrative.

Crossposting also tends to throw long term newsgroup participants together
who have no shared basis of respect based on reading past posts; some people
don't take kindly to assumed authority lacking a history.

Penultimately, crossposting is a documented tactic used by a group that
specializes in generating flame wars (start a crosspost with a seemingly
innocuous post, chime in later with a post (from another member) that is
mildly confrontational, then sit back and stir the posts when necessary.
The message volume on the affected newsgroups can easily double or triple,
vastly increasing the signal to noise ratio.

Finally, crossposting to Usenet newsgroups is programmed into some worms.
In fact, there is no reason a worm could not be programmed to ... well I
don't want to go there, and I sure hope a worm writer doesn't go there.

By the way, I completely agree with you that switching to a less popular
operating system brings its own set of problems. It is the world we live
in, not that that relieves any person or corporate entity of responsiblity. 

-- 
Phil Weldon, pweldonatmindjumpdotcom
For communication,
replace "at" with the 'at sign'
replace "mindjump" with "mindspring."
replace "dot" with "."
"Karl Levinson [x y] mvp" <levinson_k@despammed.com> wrote in message
news:uP6j1aljDHA.4008@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>
> "Perplexed" <per@plexed.com> wrote in message
> news:8Z5hb.6388$Eo2.4813@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
>
> > linux might soon become a reality in my box.  want to buy approximately
> > $1000 worth of microsoft garbage?  if i go the linux route i'll want to
> > unload this win2k and office xp crap (and a smattering of other
microcrap
> > fluff).  i'll let you know when i post it to ebay.
>
> Groan... so many people come in here threatening to move to *nix.  If you
> were going to do it, you would have done it by now.  For goodness sakes,
if
> you're going to do it, just DO it already.  I'll even make it easy for
you,
> go to http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-old-en.html for a boot CD that
> lets you boot Linux entirely from a CD, no installation required.
>
> Linux is getting easier and easier, but I think many Microsoft users that
> move to Linux will be in for a surprise when they find that all their
> problems with insecure default installs and security vulnerabilities
> requiring patches don't magically go away.  Linux takes an investment of
> time and effort and gaining expertise, just like Microsoft does [if not
more
> so].
>
>
>
>
>

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