D&C Lug - Home Page
Devon & Cornwall Linux Users' Group

[ Date Index ][ Thread Index ]
[ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]

Re: [LUG] virus?



Hi Guys,

Thought I might add a few comments to this.

SPAM. You needn't include all that scanned for virus crap in your email,
we are a LUG list aren't we? Hence running a Linux email client, with
nothing to fear. =)

Well no actually, I am currently accessing the DCLUG using Microsoft and
Netscape, so any heads up on a mail virus doing the rounds is useful.
Hopefully I will return to Linux once I put my network back together, or when
I or somebody else (Any offers?) updates the Linux Conexant HCF winmodem
driver module to be re-entrant safe on a dual processor machine.

The other very important point I feel needs to be made from this post, is just
because we are choosing to run Linux and "free software" we aren't
automatically immune to viruses and worms. True we are less targeted, and have
an inherently more secure OS (security and multi-user operation designed in,
rather than tacked on later), but you are only totally secure at the end of
the day when you choose not to switch on the machine in the first place. :-(

As a general point I'm not sure why people feel obliged to
include marketing material for virus companies in their email
messages, whatever mail user agent they use, no doubt if the
virus writing community thought it would affect how many viruses
get run they would add such claims to the virus message text.

Thus it doesn't add value to the recipient(s), and can be seen
to be pure viral marketing.... Now if they were to sign it in
some sensible fashion, that was widely supported, we might at
least be able to place some trust in the text.

I agree with the viral marketing point, however I would guess it's the virus
filter itself that signs the email on transmission after checking, and not
something Peter has chosen to put there himself. This may be the price you pay
for using it, if its a free virus mail filter. On a purely personal note I
think it's very inoffensive, and anything that stops my hard drive being
trashed as a result of somebody else's email has got my vote.

Justin.






--
The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG
Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the
message body to unsubscribe.


Lynx friendly