Re: NO, MICROSOFT DOES NOT SEND OUT SECURITY PATCHES, IT IS A VIRUS!

From: Lanwench [MVP - Exchange] (lanwench_at_heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmail.atyahoo.com)
Date: 05/23/03 

Date: Fri, 23 May 2003 14:07:42 -0400

The daily FAQ is a nice idea, but is not going to stop a lot of the
repetitive posts. That's just the way a public newsgroup works - and as more
and more people are finding out about the NGs (MS directs you to their web
version from the MS support pages), it's only going to get worse. That's why
a canned boilerplate reply is a good idea - or just ignore the post, if you
are feeling frustrated, which we all do from time to time. Iisn't Joe
Blogg's fault that three hundred people before him asked the same question -
best to give him a canned answer that also explains how to use NGs rather
than jumping down the poor guy's throat - a lot of people are happy to learn
the rules.

Daniel Billingsley wrote:
> I did not compare new users to spammers. I compared the argument
> that we can just delete spam to the argument with regard to
> newsgroups that we can just "don't reply to the ones you feel grumpy
> about". I compared the effect of these newsgroup posts to the
> effects of spam, a very different thing from comparing the people
> doing it of course. Whether the intention is malicious or benign,
> the flood of those posts here lessens the value of the newsgroup,
> just like spam does for email. So, unfortunately, I am all too
> right.
>
> Anyway, I fail to see how you think a user can find his way to a
> newsgroup (which even from the web interface doesn't exactly jump out
> at a new user staring at his screen scratching his head) and post a
> new message, but doesn't have the wherewithal to even scroll down the
> list to see if any similar questions have been asked. That's why I
> proposed the frequent posting of a FAQ of sorts, so a new user could
> see it in the list without having to be able to do any kind of search.
>
> "xp slave" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:e5GB95TIDHA.2152@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>> Unfortunately you are wrong. There is no comparison between a new
>> user and malicious spammers. A lot of these new users are barely
>> able to post to the newsgroups via the web interface much less
>> figure out how to search one. It may be simple to you but it's not
>> to them. What if someone sat you down in the pilot's seat on a 757
>> and said "OK, fly me to LA". If you had never flown an airplane you
>> wouldn't have a clue.
>>
>>
>> "Daniel Billingsley" <dbillingsley@NO.durcon.SPAAMM.com> wrote in
>> message news:e$V50IGIDHA.4048@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>>> I don't really mean to be be attacking the poor people who truly
>>> need help. However, in a newsgroup the flood of posts asking
>>> questions that could have been easily answered with a few minutes
>>> of responsibility and searching take away from the overall value of
>>> the newsgroup to those needing more advanced help. For
>>> illustration - if there were 1,000 posts here a day by people
>>> asking if Microsoft sent them a virus, we'd all just unsubscribe
>>> and then this would become a useless resource for those truly
>>> needing more advanced help.
>>>
>>> It's much like a spammer suggesting that "It's no big deal - can't
>>> you just hit the delete button?"
>>>
>>> I don't mean to argue here, and I've certainly been known to answer
>>> those questions myself sometimes, but I hope you can see the other
>>> side of this too.
>>>
>>> One of the things may be helpful is for someone to take on the task
>>> of compiling a FAQ of these types of questions and then posting it
>>> here about 3-4 times a day with the subject "FAQ - read this before
>>> posting your question" or something like that.
>>>
>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
>>> <lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmail.atyahoo.com> wrote
>>> in message news:OUN%23ZTAIDHA.2220@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>>>> It's everyone's first time, some time. Cut people some slack. You
>>>> aren't getting paid by the post to answer NG questions, I presume,
>>>> so the simple answer is: don't reply to the ones you feel grumpy
>>>> about.
>>>>
>>>> Jason wrote:
>>>>> * Charles Otstot <saries@nc.rr.com>:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Torrey" <TRitter@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:eeFW005HDHA.672@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Because they are f'ing lazy asses who don't want to RTFM or
>>>>>>> learn anything. They deserve every virus they get plus 1.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> BZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!! WRONG ANSWER!!!!!!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Use a little thought and have a little compassion Torrey...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The vast majority of those who post these questions are not
>>>>>> newsgroup habitues. They are more often ordinary, everyday
>>>>>> people who use a computer to perform ordinary, everyday tasks.
>>>>>> If they are technical at all, it's on a very rudimentary level.
>>>>>> Those who want to learn more will do so, but without making the
>>>>>> mistakes that *all* inexperienced people (I've hated the word
>>>>>> "newbie" for nearly 20 years) make.
>>>>>
>>>>> Then they should learn to do a search. It's not that hard, I use a
>>>>> text newsreader and I see about 50 from the start asking the same
>>>>> question. And when I go to the MS website and access this group I
>>>>> see at least a dozen all asking the same question. All without my
>>>>> ever reading a post just the subject lines.
>>>>>
>>>>>> These folks are simply looking for a
>>>>>> helping hand from those they consider more knowledgeable and who
>>>>>> can either allay their fears or assist them in preventing those
>>>>>> fears from resulting in (perceived) disaster. They deserve to be
>>>>>> treated with respect and kindness, not ridicule and insults. It
>>>>>> doesn't take but a minute to answer the question, why waste that
>>>>>> time with vitriol? It hasn't helped anybody and makes it that
>>>>>> much more likely that the questioner will shy away from learning
>>>>>> more and will really encounter problems down the road.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Religion aside, you really are your brother's keeper. If we're
>>>>>> not willing to help others, we become less than nothing
>>>>>> ourselves.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Im no ones keeper but my own. I and probibly many others have no
>>>>> problem helping out if someone has a problem but also we expect a
>>>>> little leg work to be done by the person who has the problem.
>>>>> Little things like doing a search to see if this is a common
>>>>> problem etc.. They get short answers and insults because
>>>>> after the 50th time you see the same question asked by someone
>>>>> too lazy to do any work you get a little grumpy.
>>>>>
>>>>> Jason

Quantcast