On Friday 02 September 2005 22:51, george@... wrote:
> beware yahoo instant messenger,
> beware spam emergency help thingys...

It seems odd to me that people need to be told, but there really are some
gullible FWs out there. Pretty much everything made by Yahoo (or Microsoft,
or Aol or any corporation) sucks. We knew that. What is shocking is that
every month hundreds more naive people get mesmerised into believing that
they're alright really or that they have no choice but to use this stuff.

> > As history has shown us, major events bring a flood of emails filled
> > with urban legends and crap. Some will have photos showing stuff that is
> > not true, virus's will be coming out bearing the hurricanes name and
> > things like emails suggesting that if you forward this a million times,
> > some company will donate money. in light of this, I ask you to consider
> > the true source of the information (not just the sender). true
> > information comes with a direct url to the information, not just a home
> > page (i.e.
> > http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/01/katrina.impact/index.html vs.
> > http://www.cnn.com/ ) If your not sure, take a few minutes and check it
> > out on the net using google or http://www.snopes.com/. Instead of
> > flooding inboxes with BS, wasting bandwidth and possibly hurting someone
> > who may be directly effected by this disaster, use your delete key or
> > spend the time checking first. And please, feel free to pass this on to
> > others.

Sound advice Roger. It's well worth getting into the habit of looking at the
email headers. (What? you ask) My email client allows me to look at the
headers (the bit that tells you where the mail came from etc.) in various
different formats. View > Headers > All Headers (YMMV) will give me a full
listing, looks ugly, but it allows you to see if the mail really came from
where it says it does. After a while you will realise that nearly all of it
is spam.

> > If you're one of the tens of millions of Yahoo users asked to upgrade
> > your instant-messaging software this week, be on your toes: The update
> > can open the door to unwanted PC houseguests--and setting changes--by
> > default.
> >
> > The newest free version of Yahoo Instant Messenger (YIM) boasts advanced
> > Internet phone calling in a upgrade that comes "highly recommended" by
> > Yahoo. By clicking "yes" to the update, a user can expect to get a
> > slicker YIM interface with buttons to quickly chat, blog, swap photos or
> > call someone online. It even has new smiley icons.
> >
> > Those changes are what many might expect. What they may not expect are
> > all the other tools they get when not paying attention.
> >
> > By accepting Yahoo's "typical" installation of YIM with Voice, it will
> > also download Yahoo's Search Toolbar with anti-spyware and anti-pop-up
> > software, desktop and system tray shortcuts, as well as Yahoo Extras,
> > which will insert Yahoo links into the Internet Explorer browser. The IM
> > client also contains "live words," which will automatically show an icon
> > when the user highlights words online and then hyperlink to Yahoo search
> > results, definitions or translation tools. Finally, the installation will
> > alter the users' home page and auto-search functions to point to Yahoo by
> > default.
> >
> > To avoid these changes, users must actively choose the "custom"
> > installation and uncheck five boxes.

A few more clues to internet safety.
1. Stop using Internet Explorer, use Mozilla Firefox instead. Microsoft put a
little 'back door' in IE so that they can do their automatic updates and get
access to the inside of your computer, this allows other people to do the
same. Unfortunately fixing the security hole would mean locking themselves
out of your computer. Switch browsers now.
2. Only send and receive emails in plain text. Nearly everything in html
format is spam.
3. Remember, reputable companies don't send emails with attachments or dubious
links which you have to open to find out what they're on about.
4. It's up to you to learn how to filter your emails. Get an IP that uses
spamassassin and an email client that allows you to filter your emails.
You'll never have to read rubbish like this again. ;)
5. Remember that anything you send by email can be intercepted and read by
anyone. Don't kid yourself that you have any privacy.

Please also bear in mind that Yahoo, Microsoft et al are Corporations just
like Ford, Monsanto, Unilever and the rest. We really should stop using their
products.
--
cheers,

tim hall
http://glastonburymusic.org.uk/tim