Re: Frethern virus going around
On Tuesday 16 July 2002 01:04 pm, Paul Johnson wrote:
[snip]
>
> 1) Use an effective virus scanner. AVG distributes a free (closed
> source, so not quite Free[1]) self-updating virus scanner. I have it
> mirrored at http://ursine.dyndns.org/~baloo/software/avg6277fu.exe.
> (It's hard to find and they want personal information if you get it from
> thier website or download.com). Whenever there's a Windows machine in
> the house, I offer to install it for them, I swear by it for Windows
> users.
thanks for the source on that. i've been recommending the same, though having
my recommedees suffer the indignation of registration to achieve the benefit.
none have yet complained about that, which i take to be a testimonial for the
scanner.
>
> Firewalls will not protect you against pretty much every virus
> in existance. Don't pretend they will. I'm not saying to be lax about
> security, as firewalls are an important part of protecting your network.
> Most out there are only intended to make it a little trickier for some
> random cracker[2] to get in.
>
> 2) Shut off the preview pane and set the security level to restricted in
> Outlook and OE (check the options and click around the menus, it varies
> from version to version). Never open attachments you don't know what
> they are ahead of time, whether or not you trust the source.
for the same folks mentioned above, i've encouraged them to explore eudora,
not that i want to send qualcomm the business, but simply to wean them of the
dependence on wholly retarded m$ mailers.
>
> 3) Use some other mail reader other than Outlook or OE. Mozilla is a
> Free (open source) web browser and mail client avalible for at least 10
> different operating systems on at least 4 architectures. It's avalible
> from http://mozilla.org/. AOL distributes thier own (semi-broken and
> adware) version of Mozilla under the name Netscape 6.
i've had a lot of them balk on mozilla, complaining that "it looks like a
weird version of" nutscrape. though it feels really weird to be discussing
the redemptive aspects of apps running on the devil's own os, i've found that
a combo of opera and eudora keeps the winlusers in my circle happy.
>
> 4) Use an operating system that makes it difficult for a virus to exist.
> My personal recommendation is Debian Linux (http://debian.org/) and I'm
> plenty happy to help with getting that installed for you. If you would
> rather not have to download Debian, I can UPS you a CD of Debian, or any
> other distribution of your choice, for the cost of shipping and media.
> Many other people out there also highly recommend Mach/MacOS X for the
> PPC architecture, assuming you're not running it on top of OS 9. I can
> also get you Debian for m68k and PPC.
so far, i've converted five to the way of the light (albeit four mandrake,
one suse), under the promise that i always make, that if they make the jump,
anything i can do to help is free, as in beer. given that offer, extended to
everyone i know, i'm still making more than beer money on the recalcitrants
who insist that their neighbor's aunt's uncle's ex-housekeeper's brother's
wife's nephew has it on good authority that linux, much less debian, is the
road to hell.
>
> 5) Total abstience. Remove your system from all networks and don't
> install anything that doesn't go through your hands or that you don't
> trust. I find the best balance to be around idea 4.
#5 is how i got my converts. given the choice between access to email and
vulnerability to abuse, they choose the reduction of the latter.
>
> [1] My idea of Free differs slightly from free. And according to recent
> studies, about 5% of home users and 25% of businesses agree with me on
> this one. http://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines
none of my converts fully believe in it, yet. they're spooked by being forced
to choose between the club mentalities of m$ and (rotten) apple, and scared
shitless of *nix. i feel, sometimes, like i'm deprogramming cult members.
>
> [2] http://ursine.dyndns.org/jargon/html/entry/cracker.html . This is
> different from a hacker, and it annoys those of us who fall under the
> latter term when people use it the wrong way (Eric S Raymond
> (http://tuxedo.org/~esr/) has even made special mention of it in several
> of his books). Hackers are the ones that created the internet, run the
> servers that deliver your email, and in some cases, are the ones
> answering your calls for help when you call tech support.
>
yes. i wonder about chomky's theories on inate language skills when i
challenge those who see nothing wrong with phrases like "hacking through the
undergrowth" but squirm at the thought that what i encourage them to do is to
realize that as soon as they wonder about a solution they become a hacker, in
order to hack their way through the problem they have and the bullshit
they've been fed.
actually, i have a few of my would-be's perusing the archives for your
(baloo) posts' and seneca's, as examples of younger user's enthusiasm and
skill; as well as those of colin watson and joey hess, both of whose
restraint in the face of often massive ignorance approaches sainthood, along
with those of karsten self (however limited lately, given his new
obligations) and dman--all of whom i respect for cutting straight to the
point, and straightening me out, on occasion. i know that there are many
others whose contributions are worthy but i had to give those would-be's a
concise field of view, in order to get the point across.
i guess that the thought that's occupying my time here is that, for those who
wonder where debian is going, its philosophy is going everywhere it can get
to--so much so that, soon, if not yet, you can jump in a highrise elevator,
say debian, and have at least one person there know what you mean.
ben
--
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-request@lists.debian.org
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org
Reply to: