(no subject)

[scottobear]

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/topics/nimda.asp

guys... here's how to protect yourself... stupid neil Gaiman site got a lot of my buddies.

Comments

[ex-niwi603.livejournal.com]

or you could uninstall windows :)

Re:

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

well, yeah, but then the best games wouldn't run! :)

[artemii.livejournal.com]

or just not run 2000 or nt. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/delusion_/]

And install what? Linux with XWindows? Thanks but no thanks. ;)

[http://users.livejournal.com/delusion_/]

It's funny that the basic patch to protect against this sort of thing was released over a year ago, before anyone was exploiting it.

People who install Win2k Pro as a workstation need to make sure they don't have IIS installed accidently (if they don't need it, that is).

I hate the fact that on the @Home network, tons of people have Win2k/Win2k Server installed and don't realize that IIS is active.. they get infected and leave their machine on 24/7.. therefor flooding @Home's network with traffic/ARP requests.. and making my life hell.

Anyhow, my two cents.

[ex-niwi603.livejournal.com]

or linux without x or open bsd or free bsd or atheOS or....

[http://users.livejournal.com/delusion_/]

FreeBSD would probably be the distro to run if I wanted to ditch Win2k Server. But mySQL isn't as powerful as MSSQL server.. and I'm too used to Microsoft-based scripting/programming :) Plus I would miss all my neato games, like Max Payne!

I think we should all go back to running OS/2 or DeskView. Hah. That would rule.

[ex-niwi603.livejournal.com]

The games seem to be the thing that makes a lot of people I know cling to Windows. I don't play any so it was easy for me :)

Re:

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

s'why I do dual boot. :) good games and mssql, or linny for everything else.

[missv.livejournal.com]

Let me preface this by saying that I am NOT a moron. Really. However, I am also not a programmer, an IT professional, or a tech geek. I try to keep my anti-virus software updated and I scan my system on a regular basis. I don't open suspicious-looking emails and I don't download stuff from questionable sites. I think I'm a lot like the typical PC user. I mean well, but I'm not really sure what I'm doing.

And then stuff like this NIMDA starts going around. And nice guys like you post links to "helpful" sites that are so loaded with technical gobbledygook that a lay-person stands a snowball's chance in Hades of figuring out what they need to do to protect themselves. So, I spend an hour or so looking around the 'Net. I check out what CNet, Symmantec, and McAfee have to say, but it's more of the same old, same old. What the "help-desk" folks consider simple instructions and bare-bones information is actually pretty useless to plebes like me.

I don't mean to rant all over you Scotto. It's just so frustrating. I want to know what's happening and how to protect myself, but I feel like I need a freakin' PhD before I'm allowed into the rarified world of "Those Who Know Everything About Their Computers." All I can do now is update my virus software, cross my fingers, and hope nothing bad happens. It really sucks....

Re:

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

No worries.

I understand...I wasn't trying to upset, or annoy, but truly, just to get the word out.

(part of why I don't do help-desk, on either side... communication skills kill good tech help)

If I could, I'd head over to your house right now and fix it....long and short of it though, if you have the latest patch for your internet explorer, and latest norton antivirus definitions, you'll be fine.

*hug*

Re: Don't Feel Bad --

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

yup!

Re: Don't Feel Bad --

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

I use service pack 2 of 5.5 myself. how do you like 6.0?

Re: Don't Feel Bad --

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

same here for 5.5... I'd heard 6.0 had some cosmetic differences too, but now I can't think of 'em for the life of me.

as long as it gets you where you're going! :)

[missv.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the hug Scotto, old bean. I needed that. Honestly, I wasn't trying to take my frustrations out on you. I know you're just trying to help...and it's certainly not your fault that this stuff is so maddening.

I'm still not sure what I need, patch-wise. I'm still running the "ancient" IE 5.0...and all the info I've found is for 5.1 and 5.5. I absolutely refuse to "upgrade" to 6.0...so I guess I'm screwed.

Got any ideas, oh Wise One?

Re:

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

well, I'm reserving judgement on 6.0 until a patch or two come back for it... no guinea pig me... not for relying of happy surfing, anyway.

my 5.5 is nice and clean though... I can comfortably reccomend upgrading to that.

Hmmmm......

[missv.livejournal.com]

Does 5.5 have the "old style" toolbars...or that new wrap-around dealie that eats up half the screen?? I "upgraded" a few months ago and was so annoyed by the new features (scrolling news-ticker...jukebox...MSN friends list...I really don't need these on screen ALL the time) that I went back to my old browser.

Alternately, is there some way to change to toolbar settings on the new browser to make them look like the old version?

Am I starting to sound like an idiot again? I'll shut up now....

Re: Hmmmm......

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

no, no.. no idiot noises that I can hear.

I know it'll sound techy, but you can go in and twiddle the settings on the browser so that it's not as obnoxious (but you may feel it's still a little but so)

if you rightclick on the toolbar, you can show/hide the different stuff you want... I have all the radio/weirdies not viewed myself... just the address bar and the few buttons I like.

[missv.livejournal.com]

Is "twiddle" a techinal term? *hugs*

Scotto, I simply adore you. You're one of the bestest guys around. Now that we've got the butt-kissing out of the way....

Yeah, I know how to twiddle the toolbar settings. I've got mine minimized to the barest essentials on one skinny little bar. I like to have the largest viewable screen area possible (like an "F11" setup with an address bar added). I guess I'm spoiled, but I just don't want my browser intruding on my "personal space." What killed the new browser for me was the fact that the toolbars not only ran across the top of the screen, but down one side as well. Maybe if I had a 19" monitor this wouldn't seem like such a invasion....but even with my desktop set at 1280 x 960, the default toolbars seemed HUGE. I'll confess that I didn't take the time to monkey around with the settings before I ran crying back to 5.0. Call it a knee-jerk reaction if you like. I'm kinda impatient like that.

But I suppose I can't avoid the upgrade forever. *sigh*

Thanks again.

Re:

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

actually, believe it or not, it is a technical term. ;) *counter-hugs* (I was using definition 3)

twiddle n. 1. Tilde (ASCII 1111110, `~'). Also called `squiggle', `sqiggle' (sic -- pronounced /skig'l/), and `twaddle', but twiddle is the most common term. 2. A small and insignificant change to a program. Usually fixes one bug and generates several new ones (see also shotgun debugging). 3. vt. To change something in a small way. Bits, for example, are often twiddled. Twiddling a switch or knobs implies much less sense of purpose than toggling or tweaking it; see frobnicate. To speak of twiddling a bit connotes aimlessness, and at best doesn't specify what you're doing to the bit; `toggling a bit' has a more specific meaning (see bit twiddling, toggle). 4. Uncommon name for the twirling baton prompt.


oh, you can close that down the side one... yucko.. I'd nearly forgotten about it, I shut it almost immediately. it'll open like that if you hit history or faves though.

I don't blame you for running, screaming for the hills. (my fight or flight reflex leans to fight, though... "ramma-frazzen microsnot! there has to be a better way"... and ultimately It looks nice now)

quite welcome. :)