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

From: Karl Levinson [x y] mvp (levinson_k_at_despammed.com)
Date: 10/10/03 

Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 20:47:11 -0400

levinson_k@despammed.com is my real email address, you are certainly welcome
to use it, it works.

I actually did start out with the FAQ as a single plain text file posted
here, to mirror the other Usenet FAQs like the alt.comp.virus group where I
used to hang out in Usenet some eight or nine years ago... but the FAQ is
now over 250KB in size, and I would think most users nowadays don't want to
read that much plaintext, where the links to www.grisoft.com and
www.kerio.com have to be copied and pasted into their browser manually, etc.

I'm not sure why anyone would need to "navigate" the web page. The links
I've posted should bring them directly to the article they seek, and I feel
in this day and age, most people are more adept at navigating web pages than
navigating Usenet... especially since the web page has a search engine while
Usenet posts do not. Additionally, there is at least one or two mini-FAQs
in the virus newsgroups maintained by other people that match the format you
are suggesting, where the answers are actually in the post itself.

I will look into ways I might be able to post as six different posts to the
various newsgroups instead of one crosspost. I could of course be wrong on
any or all of this. [I'm not sure I see the connection between crossposting
and viruses spreading BTW.] Thanks for taking the time to offer suggestions
for improvement, it is appreciated.

"Phil Weldon" <notdisclosed@mindjump.com> wrote in message
news:9Rjhb.7926$Eo2.5634@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> 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].
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>

Relevant Pages

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  • Re: ** READ THIS BEFORE POSTING - answers to frequently asked questions 2003.10.08
    ... I actually did start out with the FAQ as a single plain text file posted ... used to hang out in Usenet some eight or nine years ago... ... various newsgroups instead of one crosspost. ... > crossposting is usually a bad bad thing. ...
    (microsoft.public.inetserver.iis.security)
  • Re: ** READ THIS BEFORE POSTING - answers to frequently asked questions 2003.10.08
    ... I actually did start out with the FAQ as a single plain text file posted ... used to hang out in Usenet some eight or nine years ago... ... various newsgroups instead of one crosspost. ... > crossposting is usually a bad bad thing. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: ** READ THIS BEFORE POSTING - answers to frequently asked questions 2003.10.08
    ... I actually did start out with the FAQ as a single plain text file posted ... used to hang out in Usenet some eight or nine years ago... ... various newsgroups instead of one crosspost. ... > crossposting is usually a bad bad thing. ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.security)
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