DISCOURS Digest - 31 Jan 2002 to 1 Feb 2002 (#2002-10)

[William Mann]

Dear DISCOURS List members:

I agree with the prevailing sentiment that attachments should be barred on
DISCOURS list.  As a list manager, I know that that is about a 2 minute fix,
adjusting software settings.

However, it is not just a DISCOURS list problem.  The RST list has been hit
as well, and now it bars attachments.

I would hope that this problem would be solved, with more sophistication, at
the LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG level.  That would require software (like that
which is in the server I use) that can tell an infected attachment from a
safe looking one.

Prohibiting attachments should be treated as a temporary defense.

Bill Mann

----- Original Message -----
From: "Automatic digest processor" <LISTSERV at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG>
To: "Recipients of DISCOURS digests" <DISCOURS at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG>
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 12:00 AM
Subject: DISCOURS Digest - 31 Jan 2002 to 1 Feb 2002 (#2002-10)


> There are 8 messages totalling 309 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
>   1. The medium and the message (was: on viruses) (5)
>   2. attachment solutions (2)
>   3. attachments on Discours
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date:    Fri, 1 Feb 2002 11:46:21 +0400
> From:    isa <786isa at OMANTEL.NET.OM>
> Subject: Re: The medium and the message (was: on viruses)
>
> Robin Shoaps wrote:
>
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > I agree with Celso that the Discourse list needs to consider the danger
of the
> > medium to be used inadvertently in the spreading of worms and viruses.
>
> >
> >
> > Is there a reason why people have to send short messages as attachments?
>
> Many lists have strongly designed policies to prevent virus and worm
propogation.
>
> Just have your hard disk destroyed once and you will understand why.
Academic
> computers are particularly prone to the propogation of unwanted fauna and
flora and
> protistia because of the need to share programs and information with
colleagues and
> students and so forth, just like grade school where one kid sneezes and
the next
> day half the class has a cold. Every consideration should be given to
security. No
> attachments.
>
> Isa
>
>
> --
> copyright c.kocher 2002
>
> <<<>>>
>
> twin towers of steel
> shimmering in sunlight
> standing tall always
>
> out of twisted steel
> from that terrible furnace
> they forge us new hope
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Fri, 1 Feb 2002 08:25:58 +0100
> From:    zouhair maalej <zmaalej at GNET.TN>
> Subject: Re: The medium and the message (was: on viruses)
>
> Dear Celso, Robin, and other List members:
> I cannot but agree with Celso and Robin that attachments are a serious
> threat to our machines and work. I myself have received two infected files
> from the List through attachments (so far!). Sometimes, even a powerful
> anti-virus software is not enough in the face of this crazy proliferation
of
> destruction through launching viruses to the world. It is well known that
> attachments are fertile grounds for worms, and talking about them is not
> spamming (Lahcen was joking in his reply to Celso). Attachements are more
> safely handled when they come from people you know. What do List members
and
> Owners think of banning attachments as part of the List's policy?
>
> Best
> **********************
> Dr Zouhair Maalej,
> Department of English, Chair,
> Faculty of Letters,
> University of Manouba,
> Tunis-Manouba, 2010, Tunis, Tunisia.
> **********************************************
> Office phone: (+216) 71 600 700  Ext. 174
> Office Fax: (+216) 71 600 910
> Home Telefax: (+216) 71 362 871
> Mobile: (+216) 98 585 551
> E-mail: zmaalej at gnet.tn
> URL: http//: simsim.rug.ac.be/ZMaalej
> **********************************************
> CURIOSITY BRINGS JOY
> JOY BRINGS HEALTH
> HEALTH BRINGS LUCIDITY
> LUCIDITY BRINGS CURIOSITY
>
****************************************************************************
> *********************
>
> All Outgoing and Incoming E-mails are Virus-scanned using Norton 2001
> Software.
>
>
****************************************************************************
> *********************
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robin Shoaps <shoaps at UMAIL.UCSB.EDU>
> To: DISCOURS at listserv.linguistlist.org
<DISCOURS at listserv.linguistlist.org>
> Date: Thursday, January 31, 2002 10:38 PM
> Subject: Re: The medium and the message (was: on viruses)
>
>
> >Hi everyone,
> >
> >I agree with Celso that the Discourse list needs to consider the danger
of
> the
> >medium to be used inadvertently in the spreading of worms and viruses.
> Almost
> >every message I receive from the list is an attachment, usually just a
> short
> >thing like an introduction. I had begun to think that this was some sort
of
> >official policy.
> >
> >Is there a reason why people have to send short messages as attachments?
> Our
> >department has had a rash of viruses and now as a matter of principle I
> don't
> >open attachments from people I don't know--sadly that includes almost the
> >entire discourse list. Perhaps attachments could be limited to areas
where
> they
> >make more sense--like sending articles or other materials that we request
> from
> >each other.
> >
> >Sorry if this is what some of you consider spam.
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >
> >Robin Shoaps
> >
> >Department of Linguistics
> >University of California, Santa Barbara
> >Santa Barbara, CA 93106
> >U.S.A.
> >
> >shoaps at umail.ucsb.edu
> >
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Fri, 1 Feb 2002 10:40:02 +0100
> From:    LMF <lfontaine at TEASER.FR>
> Subject: Re: The medium and the message (was: on viruses)
>
> Greetings to all,
>
> I agree about the medium being an important part of the message. And I
also share concerns about attached files.
>
> >What do List members and
> >Owners think of banning attachments as part of the List's policy?
>
> I think that attachments should be banned from all lists.  I wonder if
there isn't another solution, I'm not sure about what options Listserv has
but we could create a group (relatively hassle free) with yahoo.groups, not
to replace this one, but as a means for people to post files, an
announcement of the new file could then be posted here to all members and
those who want to access the file can do so through the members page using
their web browser.  If such an option is acceptable to the group and in the
absence of other volunteers, I would be willing to set this up. In other
words, this list could continue as ever but without any attachments, and
when someone wants to share a file with members, it would be done via the
web through yahoogroups (or some other web-based group server).
>
> just a thought,
>
> Lise
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Fri, 1 Feb 2002 16:20:08 +0400
> From:    isa <786isa at OMANTEL.NET.OM>
> Subject: Re: The medium and the message (was: on viruses)
>
> LMF wrote:
>
> > Greetings to all,
> >
> > I agree about the medium being an important part of the message. And I
also share concerns about attached files.
> >
> > >What do List members and
> > >Owners think of banning attachments as part of the List's policy?
> >
> > I think that attachments should be banned from all lists.  I wonder if
there isn't another solution, I'm not sure about what options Listserv has
but we could create a group (relatively hassle free) with yahoo.groups, not
to replace this one, but as a means for people to post files, an
announcement of the new file could then be posted here to all members and
those who want to access the file can do so through the members page using
their web browser.  If such an option is acceptable
>
> As far as I know, that is already an option at yahoogroups. Documents and
such can be already archived, and that can be set up by the list owner.
>
> Isa Kocher
> Sohar University
>
>
> --
> copyright c.kocher 2002
>
> <<<>>>
>
> twin towers of steel
> shimmering in sunlight
> standing tall always
>
> out of twisted steel
> from that terrible furnace
> they forge us new hope
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Fri, 1 Feb 2002 13:22:34 +0100
> From:    LMF <lfontaine at TEASER.FR>
> Subject: attachment solutions
>
> At 16:20 01/02/02 +0400, you wrote:
> >>LMF wrote:
> >> If such an option is acceptable
>
> >As far as I know, that is already an option at yahoogroups. Documents and
such can be already archived, and that can be set up by the list owner.
>
> yes, right. I meant if such an option is acceptable to the members of
"Discours" ( = us!), but for the yahoogroups options to be used as a
resource for handling files, and not to replace this listserv.  To do this,
someone would have to subscribe everyone, or have individuals do so
themselves, and whoever the list owner of the yahoogroup is would have to
handle uploading the files.
>
> cheers,
>
> lise
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Fri, 1 Feb 2002 14:33:00 +0000
> From:    Dena Attar <dena.attar at BTINTERNET.COM>
> Subject: Re: The medium and the message (was: on viruses)
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I like Lise's suggestion if it's feasible.
> Very often these days it's possible to include a hyperlink to a webpage
which has all the information needed re conferences, new publications and so
forth and that's a method I would personally prefer.
>
> On a different tack, I have been following how people communicate in email
exchanges over viruses, virus hoaxes, email petitions and so on as part of
my research into new literacy practices. As Discourse list members we're not
just dealing with this, we're also observing how it's dealt with.  It seems
to me that we are all having to negotiate our ways round the following:
>   - a sense of responsibility about sharing knowledge and good practice
about what are still relatively new areas;
>  - a sensitivity about doing this via email when there are obvious
concerns about (mis)interpretations of tone, language &c.
> I have come across many examples of good intentions leading to angry or
distressed reactions as I'm sure others have too. Without getting too
reflexive or incestuous, I'd be interested in what other people think and in
any other current research into this.
>
> Dena Attar
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Fri, 1 Feb 2002 11:23:52 -0500
> From:    m chuk <m.chuk at UMONTREAL.CA>
> Subject: Re: attachment solutions
>
> hallo all.
> the Lyris list [USF] server simply returns all messages with
> attachments, non-ascii type, &c., with a message (see below)
> recommending the member let others on the list know that she has a
> file available to those interested persons who contact her offlist.
> while the non-ascii prohibition may be problematic for certain
> language fonts, the solution for attachments seems to be a good one.
> [all those little .vcf attachments that pile up in one's files ...]
>
> o, and all subject headers are preceded by the list's name ;
> efficacious aide for knowing from whence comes the mail before it's
> opened. i wish all groups did this.
>
> marsha chuk
> --
>
> Reply-To: "Lyris List Manager" <lyris at lists.acomp.usf.edu>
> To: m.chuk at umontreal.ca
> Subject: CULTSTUD-L does not allow file attachments
> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 17:19:54 -0500
>
> Your message has been rejected because it contains a file attachment --
> which CULTSTUD-L does not allow.
>
> If you're not actually trying to send a file attachment of some sort, the
> odds are good that your message is formatted using HTML or "fancy" fonts
> of some sort -- which the server interprets as a file attachment .  If
> this describes your message, then you should be able to solve the problem
> by resending your post as plaintext.  No boldface, no italics, no shifts
> in color or font.
>
> If you have a file (e.g., a WordPerfect document, an image, etc.)
> that you would like to share with the list, the preferred approach is to
> send a brief note to the list describing the file in question and asking
> interested people to contact you OFFlist for a copy.
>
> Cheers,
> Gil Rodman
> CULTSTUD-L list manager
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Fri, 1 Feb 2002 12:16:05 -0600
> From:    Mary Bucholtz <bucholtz at TAMU.EDU>
> Subject: attachments on Discours
>
> Dear all,
>
> Due to the rash of viruses and other problems associated with attachments,
> Discours will no longer accept attachments. We ask that brief
announcements
> be included in message text, and we urge subscribers to provide URLS for
> lengthier announcements whenever possible.
>
> As for the possibility of a Yahoo group, if anyone on the list wants to do
> something of this kind, that's fine with us, but we will be unable to take
> any kind of organizational role. Also, we'd prefer that a name other than
> Discours be used, just to avoid confusion.
>
> If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.
>
> The listowners,
>
> Mary Bucholtz (bucholtz at tamu.edu)
> Chris Holcomb (chrish at unix.tamu.edu)
> Marty Jacobsen (marty at linguistlist.org)
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of DISCOURS Digest - 31 Jan 2002 to 1 Feb 2002 (#2002-10)
> *************************************************************