Patrick Douglas Crispen wrote:
>
> [ Tip: Use a monospace font like Courier when reading this message ]
> _________ ____________ ________ __________ _____________ ___ _
> / | / | | / | \
> | JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY PANEL / | \
> |__________|__________/__________|__________|___________/ | \
> / /______|----\
> | Answer Questions on Interesting Topics and |//////| |
> | Win $$$ Prizes. Email: [log in to unmask] |//////| |
> | Or <a href= "http://www.AdvisoryPanel.com" > Click!</a>|//////| |
> \________________________________________________________|______|____|
> / \ / \ / \
> \___/ \___/ T h e I n t e r n e t T o u r B u s \___/
> Free Subscription Info and Archives at http://www.TOURBUS.com
>
> TODAY'S TOURBUS STOP(S): Crispen's *Five* Anti-Virus Rules
>
> Howdy, y'all, and greetings from sunny Alabama!
>
> TOURBUS remains free thanks to the kind support of our sponsors. I
> want to thank the folks at the "International Advisory Panel,"
> "Automation Consulting and Supply, Inc.," and "Golden Palace" for
> making today's post possible. As always, please visit our wonderful
> sponsors and thank them for keeping the bus rolling!
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> **** Inkjet Printer Users Save Money ****
>
> Refill your existing cartridges with high quality low-cost bulk ink!
> Black ink: $21.95 / 450 ml. Color inks: $23.95/pint. Photo inks, too.
> More Info: <http://www.oddparts.com/ink> or 1-888-728-2465 tollfree.
> FAX: +1-770-972-7923 or EMAIL: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Moneyback Guarantee. ACSI Bulk Inks. Mention Tourbus & save $5 S/H
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> +---------------- GOLDEN PALACE ONLINE CASINO ----------------------+
> We offer the very finest in casino gaming. Fully regulated
> and licensed with 28 games! Play for FUN or WIN REAL $$$.
> It's SAFE, it's FUN & it's EXCITING!
> Let luck be a lady... tonight! Click Here Now:
> +--------- http://www.goldenpalace.com/indextourbus.html -----------+
>
> On with the show ...
>
> ------------------------------
> Crispen's Five Antivirus Rules
> ------------------------------
>
> In light of the recent Melissa and WormExplore.Zip virus outbreaks, I
> decided to rewrite my rules on how to protect yourself from computer
> viruses, Trojan horses, or worms. Regardless of your operating
> system, these five rules will protect you from most of the over FORTY
> THOUSAND viruses that are currently floating around the Net.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 1. PURCHASE A GOOD, COMMERCIAL ANTIVIRUS PROGRAM LIKE NORTON
> ANTIVIRUS OR MCAFEE VIRUSSCAN.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Most commercial antivurus programs usually cost between US$40
> and US$50 and can be purchased at almost any computer store in
> the world. [You can usually save about US$10 if you purchase
> the software online -- visit http://www.shopper.com/ for more
> information].
>
> Antivirus program manufacturers also release minor upgrades
> every two to three months and major upgrades every twelve to
> eighteen months. YOU NEED THESE UPGRADES. Minor upgrades are
> usually free, and major upgrades usually cost anywhere between
> US$20 and US$40, depending on the manufacturer [think of this
> as an expected expense -- just as you have to change your
> car's oil every 3,000 miles, you have to upgrade your
> antivirus software every year to year-and-a-half].
>
> To see if any minor or major upgrades are available for your
> antivirus program, visit your antivirus program manufacturer's
> homepage. A list of antivirus manufacturers' homepages can be
> found at http://www.yahoo.com/ or at AOL keyword "virus."
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 2. UPDATE YOUR VIRUS DEFINITIONS FREQUENTLY (AT LEAST ONCE A
> WEEK).
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> With over 250 new viruses being discovered each week, if you
> don't update your definitions frequently you won't be
> protected from ANY of the new viruses floating around the Net.
>
> How do you update your virus definitions? That depends on
> the antivirus program you use. Norton Antivirus has a "Live
> Update" button built into the program; click on it, and Norton
> automatically downloads and installs the latest virus
> definitions from Net. McAfee VirusScan has a similar update
> function (go to File --> Update VirusScan).
>
> If you are unsure of how to update your virus definitions,
> visit the homepage of your antivirus software manufacturer and
> look for their "download," "update," or "technical support"
> section.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 3. NEVER DOUBLE-CLICK (OR LAUNCH) *ANY* FILE, ESPECIALLY AN EMAIL
> ATTACHMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHO THE FILE IS FROM, UNTIL YOU
> FIRST SCAN THAT FILE WITH YOUR ANTIVIRUS PROGRAM.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> This is probably the most important rule of them all. There
> are currently over forty thousand viruses out there, there are
> over 2.8 trillion possible files names out there, and any one
> of those viruses could be hiding in any one of those file
> names. A lot of people think that you can protect yourself
> from a computer virus by being on the lookout for one
> particular virus or one particular file name (hence all of the
> virus warnings you have received in your email inbox lately).
> That's not only silly, that's dangerous. If you want to
> protect your computer from viruses, you need to ignore ALL of
> the virus warnings you receive and instead beware of EVERY
> file you see, especially every file that is attached to an
> email message.
>
> It is important to note that, despite all of the warnings to
> the contrary, there is no such thing as an email virus. You
> can open your emails, regardless of their subject lines,
> without fear of infecting your computer, provided your email
> program doesn't automatically open attachments (most don't) .
> It is the files that are ATTACHED to emails that you have to
> fear.
>
> Think of a computer virus as a well-packaged letter bomb. You
> can move a letter bomb from room to room in your house without
> any danger. Open the letter bomb, however, and you die. The
> same is true with computer viruses. You could download a
> billion virus-infected files from the Internet and receive
> another billion virus-infected files attached to email
> messages and your computer still wouldn't be infected with a
> virus. Open just ONE of those files, though, and your
> computer is dead. Remember, to infect your computer with a
> virus, you have to launch (or double-click on) a file that
> contains a virus. As long as you don't launch that file, you
> really have nothing to fear.
>
> How can you scan a file for viruses? It depends on the
> antivirus program you use. The best bet is to read your
> antivirus program's instructions or read their online help
> section. If you use Norton Antivirus or McAfee VirusScan,
> right-click (or, if you have a Mac, click and hold) on the
> file in question. A pop-up menu should appear, and one of the
> choices should be "Scan with ..." and the name of your
> antivirus program. If that doesn't work, just open your
> antivirus program and try to scan the file from there.
>
> Do you have to scan EVERY file, even if that file is from your
> friends or coworkers? Yes! Both the Melissa and the
> WormExplore.Zip viruses distributed themselves by opening your
> email program, looking at either your 'friends' list or the
> list of email addresses in your inbox, and then distributing
> virus-infected files to everyone on that list.
>
> In the world of computer viruses, you can't trust anyone.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 4. TURN ON MACRO VIRUS PROTECTION IN MICROSOFT WORD, AND BEWARE
> OF ALL WORD MACROS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT MACROS
> ARE.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Word Macros are saved sequences of commands or keyboard
> strokes that can be stored and then recalled with a single
> command or keyboard stroke. They enable advanced Word users
> to easily accomplish what would otherwise be difficult tasks.
> They also allow virus writers to do serious damage to your
> computer. For example, the Melissa virus was actually a Word
> Macro virus.
>
> If you use Word 97, go to Tools --> Options. Click on the
> "General" tab. Make sure that "Macro virus protection" (at
> the bottom of the list) is checked.
>
> If you use Word 2000, Double-click on the Tools menu, point to
> "Macro," and then choose "Security." Select the level of
> security you want. High security will allow only macros that
> have been signed to open. Unsigned macros will be
> automatically disabled. Medium security always brings up the
> macro dialog protection box that allows you to disable macros
> if you are unsure of the macros.
>
> With Macro virus protection turned on, Microsoft Word will
> warn you every time you try to open a Word document that
> contains a macro. The warning gives you three choices: the
> option to open the file but disable its macros ("disable
> macros"), open the file with macros enabled ("enable macros"),
> or the option to not open the file ("do no open"). Chose the
> first (default) option: "disable macros."
>
> For more information, visit the Macro Virus Protection page at
> http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/focus/articles/o97mcrod.htm
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 5. IF SOMEONE UNEXPECTEDLY SENDS YOU AN EXECUTABLE FILE -- IN
> OTHER WORDS, A FILE THAT ENDS IN .EXE -- THROW IT OUT.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Most of the forty thousand viruses that are floating around
> the Net right now are hiding in executable files. If someone,
> even a close personal friend, unexpectedly sends you a file
> that ends in .exe -- or if they unexpectedly send you a zipped
> file that contains a file or files that end in .exe -- your
> safest bet is to delete the file without opening it.
>
> The key word here is "unexpectedly." If you are expecting a
> friend to send you an executable file, you certainly don't
> need to delete that file -- just virus scan it first before
> you open it.
>
> However, if you are in an environment (like a home) where you
> don't often receive ANY files attached to your incoming email
> messages, a better rule would be: "When in doubt, throw it out
> ... and doubt EVERYTHING."
>
> How well will these five rules protect your computer from becoming
> infected with a virus, Trojan horse, or worm? Take a look at the
> following questions, and decide for yourself. How many people whose
> computers were infected with the Melissa virus ignored at least one of
> these rules? ALL OF THEM! How many people who followed these five
> rules had their computers infected by Melissa? NONE OF THEM! How
> many people whose computers were infected with the WormExplore.Zip
> virus ignored at least one of these rules? ALL OF THEM! How many
> people who followed these five rules had their computers infected by
> the WormExplore.Zip virus? NONE OF THEM!
>
> These five rules will not protect you from every computer virus,
> Trojan horse, or worm, but they will so significantly decrease your
> computer's chances of becoming infected that you can all but forget
> about the next virus scare and all the ones that will follow.
>
> ---------------------------------
> TODAY'S SOUTHERN WORD OF THE WEEK
> ---------------------------------
>
> SKOO (Noun). Educational institution.
> Usage: "Bubba's the scholar in the family ... he didn't drop out of
> skoo 'til the third grade."
>
> [Special thanks to "DonnelsonJ" for today's wurd]
>
> You can find all of the old Southern Words of the day at
> <A HREF="http://netsquirrel.com/crispen/word.html">
> http://netsquirrel.com/crispen/word.html </A>
>
> =====================[ Tourbus Rider Information ]===================
> The Internet Tourbus - U.S. Library of Congress ISSN #1094-2238
> Copyright 1995-99, Rankin & Crispen - All rights reserved
> Archives on the Web at http://www.TOURBUS.com
>
> Do You Like Tourbus? Recommend It and You Could Win a Palm Pilot!
> <A HREF=" http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=194773 "> CLICK </A>
>
> Join: Send SUBSCRIBE TOURBUS Your Name to [log in to unmask]
> Leave: Send SIGNOFF TOURBUS to [log in to unmask]
>
> Send this copy to 3 friends and tell them to hop on the Bus!
> =====================================================================
>
> **** IS WINDOWS TOO BORING? ****
>
> Bring it to life with Oska DeskMate. Oska is an interactive
> character that lives and plays on your Windows 95/98 desktop.
>
> !!FREE!! DOWNLOAD NOW !!FREE!!
>
> http://www.oska.com/oska0103.htm
>
> (: Go on. Have Some Fun. :)
>
> .~~~. ))
> (\__/) .' ) )) Patrick Douglas Crispen
> /o o \/ .~
> {o_, \ { [log in to unmask]
> / , , ) \ http://www.netsquirrel.com/
> `~ '-' \ } )) AOL Instant Messenger: Squirrel2K
> _( ( )_.'
> '---..{____} Warning: squirrels.