Re: hwg mailing list Protocol ???

Kate,
    I fully understand your concern .... last summer, my roommie gave my
computer a Trojan (a PWS).  Granted, it was from a download from "someone he
knew" (AKA someone via the internet), and the "someone he knew" also had no
idea that the download contained a trojan.  (Needless to say, under threat
of death, he doesn't download anything but pic's and wav's anymore, unless
the attachment is from someone he and I know in "real life" and not simply
someone he knows only via the internet!)
    My point being, it took hours upon hours of repair (finding it was easy,
thankfully.... it was purging it that took so long, it was a doosie!)... and
I also get leery about opening email from unknown senders.

    One thing though, it's very rare that simply opening an email will give
you a virus or trojan (unless codes are placed in the body of the mail that
you don't see).... you have to actually click on an inserted link or
download and open an attachment.  Also, make sure that you have a reliable
virus scan program.  Mine scans my email before I get a chance to even read
it!  (It's only McAfee, which some people say is good and others say is not
reliable -- to each one his own, I guess -- but ever since I installed it,
it has twice alerted my roommie that the email he has opened may be
contaminated, and didn't let him proceed with opening the email until I ran
a scan on it.)

    I do have a link for you, a free virus scanner that is "reported" to be
very reliable.  I haven't tried it yet myself, but I do have the link.  Let
me know if you want it, you can email me privately if you prefer, rather
than via the entire list.  I do plan on trying it out myself, as constantly
upgrading a virus scan prog can become rather costly.  Can't hurt, right?

    However, I, myself, will *try* to remember to put "HWG" in my subject
line before the rest of my subject... a habit that will take conscious
effort and therefore possibly a while to *get* into the habit, but I
actually agree with you on this one.  So far, everyone on this list that has
emailed me has been very courteous and has not sent me anything malicious...
however, I do receive some email that isn't from this list, so it would be
nice to know if a private email is sent to me from someone on this list or
simply a total stranger.   :)
    TTFN,    ~~KAT~~
(another relative "newbie" to the HWG list!)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kate Pollara" <kpollara(at)home.com>
To: <hwg-basics(at)mail.hwg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2000 11:59 AM
Subject: hwg mailing list Protocol ???


: I am a newbie on this list and have an observation that concerns me.  With
: all the problems associated with email coming from people you don't know,
I
: am concerned whether or not I should be opening the mail I get from people
: on the list.  That is, I have been on other mailing lists and the subjects
: of the mailings are much clearer than the ones I've received so far from
: this list such that I know its mailing list mail and not junk mail.
:
: Is there any way that people can add a code such as hwg at the beginning
of
: their subject area so we can all know that the mail we are opening isn't
: junk mail/spam/virus etc?
:
: example:
: Subject:   hwg Any title you wish to ask about
:
: This would be a terrific courtesy that would make us all feel a lot more
: comfortable with receiving mail from unknown sources.
: I really want to stay on this list but have serious concerns about knowing
: what I am opening.  If you have ever detected a virus on your system,
: perhaps you can appreciate my concern.
: Kate Pollara
:
: www.jsjbf.com
:
:
:
:
:

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