Virus crims_winning?

[frailer]

I read this, this AM, and was scared. Now I'm really motivated to get onto ebay and pick up a Quicksilver or an MDD, and flick the home PC.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/19/AR2008031901439.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

[Joe]

Interesting. It has been my experience that most people should not have a computer as they have neither the skill nor the desire to keep one running properly. Most of them deserve the problems they encounter.

[jezza]

Anti Virus software is a dead duck. You gotta tackle the problem from the other direction. Instead of making a black list, a white list of what is allowed to run would stop most of this stuff dead in it's tracks. Anti Virus software manufacturers are scared stiff of digital signatures and the like because it'll close the scare mongering bastards down.

[gnubler]

Interesting. It has been my experience that most people should not have a computer as they have neither the skill nor the desire to keep one running properly. Most of them deserve the problems they encounter.

That's right on, Joe. The internet has now been around for about 15 years and whenever someone I know whines to me about viruses and spam overtaking their computers, I privately ascertain that they are idiots. If after 15 years, you still aren't clear on how to use your own computer and keep it clean, then you're dumb (or ignorant - same thing).

Classic example: me. In the early days of Internet I had an "AOL buddy" who, after I asked him some questions about AOL and my computer, remarked that I'm "exactly the type of person who should not have a computer." He proved his point by sending me a file, which I downloaded and opened, and infected my entire system with a Trojan horse. He thought it was hilarious when I was offline for two days while I had someone fix the computer. The point is, that was 10 years ago and I didn't know anything about computers. If only that jackass could see me now...

Just a couple days ago I overheard a coworker checking his email and saying "wow, here's some spam I'm actually interested in!" and he followed the hyperlink. I just cringed inside...he obviously doesn't know why and how the whole spam monster keeps growing.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

Excellent point, Gnubler. If computer users were smarter, than there would be no need for viruses or virus manufacturers. It seems to me that if the virus makers are this together, I mean hiring computer programmers to get these viruses implemented under the radar so to speak, maybe we ought to give them jobs at Quark to get that mess straightened out.

[Joe]

Interesting. It has been my experience that most people should not have a computer as they have neither the skill nor the desire to keep one running properly. Most of them deserve the problems they encounter.

That's right on, Joe. The internet has now been around for about 15 years and whenever someone I know whines to me about viruses and spam overtaking their computers, I privately ascertain that they are idiots. If after 15 years, you still aren't clear on how to use your own computer and keep it clean, then you're dumb (or ignorant - same thing).

Classic example: me. In the early days of Internet I had an "AOL buddy" who, after I asked him some questions about AOL and my computer, remarked that I'm "exactly the type of person who should not have a computer." He proved his point by sending me a file, which I downloaded and opened, and infected my entire system with a Trojan horse. He thought it was hilarious when I was offline for two days while I had someone fix the computer. The point is, that was 10 years ago and I didn't know anything about computers. If only that jackass could see me now...

Just a couple days ago I overheard a coworker checking his email and saying "wow, here's some spam I'm actually interested in!" and he followed the hyperlink. I just cringed inside...he obviously doesn't know why and how the whole spam monster keeps growing.

I'm thinking about trying to cash in on this situation. I can fix their PC's so I might as well run an ad for it and make some $$$. $150 to restore it to factory condition without saving any files. $300 plus $50 an hour after 4 hours to save their files and restore the PC to factory condition. And then repeat the procedure two weeks later when they f*** it up again. Cash flow baby!!!

[gnubler]

Quark is a virus in itself. Ever since the OSX upgrade, it slows down to an infuriating crawl, generates mysterious font files, and sometimes takes down the entire machine. How is that not a virus?

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

Quark is a virus in itself. Ever since the OSX upgrade, it slows down to an infuriating crawl, generates mysterious font files, and sometimes takes down the entire machine. How is that not a virus?

An even better point.

[gnubler]

While we're at it, I vote for Microsoft Windows as being a virus as well.

[jezza]

It's a carrier!  :laugh:

[Joe]

While we're at it, I vote for Microsoft Windows as being a virus as well.

Vista dosn't run well enough to be considered a virus. :lipsrsealed:

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

While we're at it, I vote for Microsoft Windows as being a virus as well.

Vista dosn't run well enough to be considered a virus. :lipsrsealed:

I have never seen Vista, but heard the nightmares, you "running" it Joe?

[Slappy]

I've got a brand spankin' new machine on the way & it will be running Vista. Why not, I think much of the naysaying was over the initial release and it's pretty stable now. Gonna find out in a few eeks at least!  :cool:

This is a personal machine, for gaming - I wouldn't be doing the same in a production environment. Won't run Leopard in the shop wither.

[gnubler]

Fuck Microsoft. That is all.

[frailer]

All good points. I run a pretty clean ship on the home PC. But Mac at home would be better. Just gonna pursue it more vigorously is all.