The reason I’ve been so gratifyingly silent for the past day or three is because my computer was infiltrated by one of the above-mentioned creatures. Apparently known as Blaster.

According to the moderately useless Microsoft support page (a day late and a dollar short), these little buggers can infiltrate my computer through some hole in the Microsoft operating system and run amok. The symptoms have manifest themselves in the form of a forced shutdown every couple of minutes. Few things can be more irritating.

My anti-virus (shouldn’t that be anti-viral?) software was unmanned. Microsoft security patches take longer to download than the nefarious worm allowed the computer to be ‘up’, to use a technical preposition.

In short, I was beside myself and I sure as hell didn’t need the company.

Finally, the worm is now defunct. Sliced and diced by the remarkable Mister Norton.

Now, I always regarded worms as sympathetic creatures, burrowing through the loam to bring needed oxygen, turning clods of mud into useful topsoil. Now, apparently, the clods are winning.

I wish I could spend a few minutes with the spotty-faced, geeky creator of this Blaster worm. I’d cheerfully rip him a new one. And stick a worm in it.

Apparently, this thing from Hell has been a very busy invertibrate. Companies and organizations have had to spend much valuable time and money protecting their assets. What a waste.

It’s all very urinated-off-making. I hope nobody else got it.

- PW
p i s s e d

Thanks. Microsoft and I have now taken the appropriate precautions.

- PW

>:([quote author=Palewriter link=board=omni;num=1060749856;start=0#0 date=08/13/03 at 00:44:16] . . .
In short, I was beside myself and I sure as hell didn’t need the company.
. . .

Now THAT is a great figure of speech!

If you can’t keep your OS updated, at least keep your virus checker up-to-date.  Mine catches a slew of various worms and trojans that seem to be coming from an Astronomy list.  At least they’ve only shown up on that account so far.

I have a long list of people for whom I’d like to rip a new one.  The virus and trojan writers are at the top of the list.  Tied for second place are all the people who want to offer me a mortgage, better my complexion, increase my breast size (definitely NOT a good idea for a male!), increase another portion of my anatomy (hey, it’s big enough to do what I want it to do . . . ), sell me Viagra or a generic version thereof, . . .  and then there’s those damn Nigerians trying to enlist my help smuggling money out of their country.    To Hell with the National Do Not Call List:  I want a National Do Not Even THINK Of E-Mailing Me List!

>:( >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:( >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(

[quote author=Stargzer link=board=omni;num=1060749856;start=0#3 date=08/14/03 at 14:21:01]Tied for second place are all the people who want to… increase my breast size… increase another portion of my anatomy…

Goodness knows why, I’ve never received any of the former, yet I get messages advertising the latter with great frequency…

~Silver
Who is definitely NOT eligible for such offers

I don’t agree with PW on the benign nature of spam.

Neither do I. He’s an idiot. Anyway, neither breast enlargements nor other-things enlargements don’t interest me, but as least I can delete them at the flick of a diffident finger. (Notice, I didn’t say "flip".) The virus thing is more time-consuming.

- PW
whose various enlargement needs are very modest indeed, mostly focusing on bank balance

I feel for you PW.  I’ve just deleted 146 virus infected e-mail/mails (?).  It’s tiresome and above all, "Mr. Norton" has informed me that I am one of the senders of such e-mail to some innocent receiver.  I swear, I am totally innocent.  Bugger the bugs!!!!

[quote author=Iterman link=board=omni;num=1060749856;start=0#8 date=08/15/03 at 04:35:19] . . .  and above all, "Mr. Norton" has informed me that I am one of the senders of such e-mail to some innocent receiver.  I swear, I am totally innocent.  Bugger the bugs!!!!

Unfortunately, some of the viruses co-opt (sense 3) a victim’s email address book, so if your address was in some victim’s address book, the virus will spoof (verb sense 1) the email systems and send a message that appears to come from your address, making you look like the guilty one.

I agree with the concensus regarding spam, although I do not think it nearly as invasive as telemarketers or junk mail offering me new credit card accounts.

My wife had her identity "borrowed" by someone who established cell phone service and proceded to run up an extrodinary bill in just two months.  We now shred all of these silly things when they get to the house.

Steve

And THAT is really time consuming

Howdy,

I am fairly new to this community & just thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself and say “hi”.

For once a stable community with font that I can follow - that is a refreshing change!

I am here to learn + get involved in the community.  How could I best participate?

Cheers~

PS: - I am attempting to find a lost cousin called Rhett Aderholt, Where could I search for him?

You’ve done this before, and you were told before, nobody cares about your lost cousin. Find a site that does.