alt.books.raymond-feist FAQ- Primer
Lore
Compiled 13 of April 2005
v3.00
A word of caution this FAQ is so big now, it has been split in to
three pages. What I have done is created Related Topic links that will
take you through out the three pages. I want to convey to you all the
knowledge I have about UseNet, Mailing-list, Internet, and general
computer use so you don't suffer any problems making your experence
much more enjoyable instead of painfull. Please consume all the
information and make it your own. If you have a question, by all means
ask me. I'm willing to help in anyway that I can.
Contributers and editors to this FAQ have been John Buten, Peter, Bill
DeMartini, and Jeff Jonaitis. Thanks to everyone that has been
involved in contributing too this.
1. UseNet and Mailing-list Primer FAQ
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1-1. Q: What is the WWW and Internet?
A: The WWW stands for World Wide Web and the Internet is the
whole thing. Yes, AOLers and newbies of the Internet. The WWW is part
of the Internet, as is e-mail, file-sharing, Video conferencing, and
UseNet. Unlike contrary belief the USA government made the Internet
not a politician by the name of Al Gore. Its purpose was to use phone
lines and computers to rapidly communicate between military
installations, but the USA government stop supplying funding to the
group that was hired to make all the protocols and programs. So the
colleges picked up the tab and shaped the Internet into what it is
now.
However “Big Business” is now adapting the Internet to their needs and
are changing it from being the spread of information into a commerce
instrument. In the end whoever has the most money will win, as now
“Big Business” is pushing the court system into make rulings based on
the Internet. And most court cases are determined by who has the
deeper pockets and connections, “Big Business” or college students?
Related Topics:
How does the Internet work?
Should I trust everyone or should I trust you?
1-2. Q: How does the Internet work?
A: Each part of the Internet was designed to carry certain
types of data; that is, their are different types of "transfer
protocols." Though they have one theme in mind, they transfer files
from your computer to another or another to your computer. The outcome
is the major factor that determines what protocol your using. The four
major transfer protocols are FTP, HTTP, SMTP, and NNTP.
Related Topics:
What is FTP?
What is HTTP?
What is SMTP?
What is NNTP?
1-3. Q: What is FTP?
A: FTP is File Transfer Protocol. This is the main protocol
for transferring files. Popular programs similar to Kazaa (spyware
from hell) or AceFTP, are referred to as peer to peer File-Sharing
programs. So you can receive or send file extensions like .jpg, .avi,
.exe, .dat, and .html. But does this mean when I'm looking at an .html
it actually came to me through FTP. No, it’s the final outcome that
determines what protocol your using. FTP just copies the file from
computer to computer. That’s it; it doesn’t execute or rename it.
That’s what software does. FTP just copies or deletes the file in
question. The problem is that this protocol is blind and needs the
user or software to indicate what to download. The good thing about
this protocol is that it can resume, or finish a download of a file
based off the last packet of a file as long as the software supports
such a thing.
1-4. Q: What is HTTP?
A: The World Wide Web uses HTTP, short for Hyper Text Transfer
Protocol. Hyper text refers to the language code of html. A German
developer back in the 1991, developed a program called a Web Browser.
This program displays graphics along with colored or stylized text for
a "Web page" or window, which is hosted at a server on the Internet.
When your computer request information from another computer (server)
using this protocol, it will receive from the requested computer a
file called index.html or default.html in which your computer will
execute in a browser (program). Then your computer makes requests for
other files based off the information in the index file.
Mosilia (later MOSAIC) was the first such program created to process
the file extension html. Netscape took the idea and expanded on it to
an amazing extent with Navigator by adding in JavaScript and
stylesheets. Then Microsoft saw the opportunity and came up with
Internet Explorer by reverse-engineering everything in Navigator and
updating the code. But Microsoft has allowed lots of security holes
with their product and now a new program has taking center stage
called FireFox. The browser is based off the Mosilia update and
features tabs and better security. But however now virus makers are
now targeting Firefox as people migrate from IE to it.
Related Topics:
What is the file extension HTML?
1-5. Q: What is SMTP?
A: Email servers use SMTP, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. This
file transfer is limited to ASCII text. Which is sort of like plain
text that has limited characters of 256 (the basic font family you
find on your keyboard). The message gets sent out from your computer
to your ISP Server. Then your ISP Server sends the e-mail (file) to
the SendTo ISP Server, which is the name@SentTo ISP Server.com. Then
that Server turns and places the e-mail (file) in a directory that the
intended reader would retrieve it from. The sad thing about this is
you must take the e-mail. You have no choice of not accepting or
download a part of it. You must accept all incoming e-mail, virus or
spam and if your sever gets flooded with e-mails, it may slow or crash
the server. This protocol was never intended to send anything other
than the ASCII format.
Ah, but you can email binary attachments or files, you say? You
actually place or embed the file into your e-mail and send the now
connected file with you text message to the recipient of your e-mail.
Related Topics:
What are attachments and binaries?
What is an ISP and IP address?
What is this Mailing-list I keep hearing about?
Can I post Binary attachments to abrf or the Mailing-List?
1-6. Q: What is NNTP?
A: Usenet articles are sent from one news server to another
much like e-mail, via Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP). The
articles (file) I post to my server are forwarded to my server's
"mailing list" of other news servers, which then send the articles to
their list of servers, and so on. UseNet articles ripple out from the
originating site, taking varying amounts of time and various routes to
travel to you.
The file or post as it’s often referred to is stored in a group
association on the server. The server upon receiving the post compares
it to see if it has that post. If it does, it deletes it, if it
doesn’t, then it stores it in the appropriate group association. These
group associations are called newsgroups.
We request information from that newsgroup and its transferred from
the server to our computer. But keep in mind that the server never
deletes the post, you can only copy it to your computer. If it deletes
it, then no one else can view the messages, defeating the purpose of
NNTP. So it’s very much like a really large message board or advance
form of a Mailing-list. The downfall is that to store the articles, it
places the post on a hard drive. If your server doesn’t have a large
hard drive, then your retention will be small. Another good thing
about NNTP is that you download headers before you want to download
the main file. This can save you time if you're looking for certain
articles or want to read only certain ones.
As stated, this protocol is similar to SMTP. Articles need a SendTo or
the Newsgroups name, Optional header to interest readers, Who is it
from (tracking information with ISP DNS number in the message), and
Attachment field. The attachment field is similar to SMTP, in which it
places the attachments at the end of the message. This trick is called
embedding or encoding the file for UseNet transmission.
Related Topics:
What is UseNet?
What is Retention?
Can I post Binary attachments to abrf or the Mailing-List?
1-7. Q: What is the file extension HTML?
A: HTML is an abbreviation for Hyper Text Mark-up Language.
This is a file extension similar to .avi, .bat, .jpeg, .bmp, and .txt.
This file is what is launched in what is refereed to as a Web Browser.
The file .html is coded pacifically for opening not editing in a Web
Browser. However you can edit the file using a program that allows you
to edit it and save the file like Dreamweaver, or you can do what is
called “Hard Coding” through Notepad or any word processor program.
With Notepad similar programs you will need to know all the “command
switch’s” or code to get a Browser to reading it properly. Most
college’s offer classes in this and degrees as Webpage design is a
large Internet business or service.
Related Topics:
What is the rule of posting in html?
1-8. Q: What is embedding or encoding the file?
A: Embedding or encoding the file for transmission is the work
around that early net gods devised to convert (encoding) binaries into
text for posting to forums, and then back to their original binary
form (decoding) after downloading.
Many encoding schemes are available, but Uuencode/Uudecode is the
accepted UseNet standard. With the creation of Forte’s new encoding
scheme yEnc, which compress even better than the Uuencode or MIME (the
standard e-mail compression). A good newsreader can detect binaries
and perform all of the encoding/decoding for you. Many e-mail programs
do the same, enabling you to send binary files via an attachment with
SMTP’s version of MIME. All of this is done by converting the file
into a ASCII format. Which is the basic font family that you find on
your computer (a basic example is your keyboard).
Nevertheless, when encoding such files for transmission makes the
e-mail or posted article very large in size. Which may take time to
download or strain the server that has to handle this demand. Another
issue may be that encoding this file with an encoding scheme that the
readers program doesn’t know will make little sense to the program.
Hence posting in HTML will be display the HTML code in the ASCII
format to the reader.
Related Topics:
What is SMTP?
What are attachments and binaries?
What is Media?
What are the standard rules of UseNet?
1-9. Q: What are attachments and binaries?
A: These are files that you embed into your e-mail or UseNet
articles. Any file can be transmitted on the Internet, however SMTP
and NNTP protocols require a little bit more of a trick and each one
has its own limitations and advantages.
SMTP can’t handle large files. As it will take tons of time to
transmit a single file, because the e-mail must contain the whole
encoded file. When attaching a file, the file is placed at the end of
the message where it is encoded into ASCII format using the encoding
scheme known as MIME. You never see this because most e-mail programs
recognize this and separate the attachment from the text message
before the reader sees the file in the encoded format.
With NNTP the file should be the part of the message that is posted or
sent. No additional text should be posted in the message, or it may
screw up the decoding of the file. NNTP still suffers the same large
issue that takes time to download large files. However with NNTP, you
can break these files down to a packet size limit and link them
together. This is referred to as multi-part posting. Additionally, due
to the fact the NNTP has no real encoding format (no standard), new
ones can be created all the time. Meaning better and more efficient
encoding/decoding protocols can be developed. yEnc encoding/decoding
is the latest such format developed by Forte. This improves the
chances of the program decoding the file if the multiply parts came in
at different times. Giving the readers program a larger advantage of
reorganize the file to decode it. However the readers program needs to
understand this format and be able to process the task. Despite this
little flaw, yEnc is becoming a very large popular encoding/decoding
scheme and may become the standard that replaces Uu encoding/decoding.
Related Topics:
What is NNTP?
What is Media?
What are the standard rules of UseNet?
1-10. Q: What is an ISP and IP address?
A: An ISP stands for Internet Service Provider and IP address
means Internet Protocol Address. Wow it’s that simply, well no.
Nothing ever is. Your ISP is how you gain access to the Internet. This
is how you’re reading this right now. You can be your own ISP and be
what is called “Being a Node on the Internet” or you can subscribe and
connect to one. I don’t want to go to deep in to the world of
networking and the lands of WAN (Wide Area Network) and LAN’s (Local
Area Network). But, your IP address tells another computer what
computer is trying to communicate to it and which one is requesting
information. Now this is all done through ports and standardized
protocols. But suffice to say that the IP address is the stamp that is
placed on a file when it’s transmitted on any network.
So what does this mean to me? Well when you post or e-mail articles,
they originate out of your ISP. Your ISP places their stamp on the
file when it gets transmitted on the actual Internet or WAN. So when
you look at any article in your e-mail or on UseNet, it states where
it came from. Either by IP address or @the server name.tag extension.
Due to the fact that ISP must keep log files because of the Digital
Millennium Act, where they send files and received file they must keep
in a log of transfers. This log records which IP (computer) is talking
to it, what is being transmitted, and where does this communiqué goes
to next (IP). The Courts can now force the ISP to give up their
confidential log files to prosecute the potential criminal. So you can
trace down who is doing what, this can also tells you who is a
potential trustable source and who wont give you a virus, as they can
be tracked. So think twice about what you post.
1-11. Q: What is a ghost-name?
A: A ghost-name is a fictional name that one uses to cover
their identity for fear of retribution or attack. Its kind a like a
handle on a CB (Communication Box), or Mr. Anderson other name is the
notorious hacker called Neo. Neo, Lore, Red Rocker, Shoe Man Jew, and
other similar names protect the individual from physical harm. Meaning
with this day and age, all one-person needs is only a few bits of
information to track down where someone lives. Real names, address,
ISP, Phone numbers, and Identification numbers can even allow someone
to impersonate someone else. So maybe using an anonymous name on the
global Internet may come in handy for those who want to avoid personal
attacks. However it opens up the fact of ghosting a ghost-name or
stealing a ghost-name. Which covers the unwritten rule of the
Internet, Don’t give out personal information.
1-12. Q: What is Media?
A: Media refers to the files you download that require other
programs to view or edit. Media files are audio, movie, picture, and
text files. They provide a source of entertainment on your computer.
Some many be more entertaining that others, but regardless this is
type of stuff is shared almost freely on the Internet. So is this
illegal or legal? Well it depends on the owner of media intensions
where when he gave it out. As the Judicial Court system looks into the
Internet. The idea of giving media to someone and then not getting
explicit okay to spread the media, might be viewed as a infringement
of the copyright owners rights. But of course this comes down to if
the author finds the infringement (out of sight out of mind implies
here).
Don’t get me wrong, “Big Business” see it to their advantage to force
the courts in to regulating the Internet from the spread of
information in scientific and education means, to a monopolistic
commerce-making device. However there is nothing wrong with this at
all. Personally, am conflicted with this, as is probably 99% of US
population.
Related Topics:
What's a virus?
Why do I need to know file extensions and what are they?
Where can I post Binaries?
1-13. Q: What is UseNet?
A: UseNet is the correct name or preferred name of what is
called "newsgroups", "ng" for short. UseNet is actually short for
“usage network”, the relationship between the word “newsgroups” is the
fact of anyone can use it as long as they are willing to do so. So
hence it’s a community of people's voices, and shared software. The
basic architecture is sort of like a large message board. Or a chat
channel that has posted messages that stay up based on current
retention of the group or topic.
UseNet uses the protocol know as NNTP to handle this unique aspect of
the Internet.
Related Topics:
What is NNTP?
What are the standard rules of UseNet?
What is the preferred language of abrf and the Mailing-List?
1-14. Q: What is Retention?
A: Retention is the amount allotted on the UseNet server to
store articles (post). This is represented by how much Hard Disk space
or available Disk Reels that the server has for the newsgroup. The
smaller the space the shorter the time that the article will be
available for download, and the more post a group receives may reduce
the time that a file is stored. This is how the file is actually
deleted. It is written over by writing the new article just posted
over the oldest posted articles in a group.
In the case of a multi-part post, if the new article is written over
the oldest part of the linked post. Then that part of the multi-part
post is lost. If you didn’t get, you’ll have to put in a request for a
repost and this may tie up the system, so wait before re-requesting a
file and see if you can get it from another source. Or you can request
that particular part and someone just might have that first part.
Related Topics:
What is a packet and multi-part post?
What is the normal size of a posted article?
What is Conserving Bandwidth?
1-15. Q: What is a packet and multi-part post?
A: A packet is a collection (cluster) of information of a file
that is traveling over the Internet. Packets size many be large or
small, but most servers have a certain packet size limit. And if the
packet is larger then the allotted size, the file is ignored and the
server will never send the packet on to its next destination.
Since some servers have packet size limits, which vary widely. Many
binary files (programs and multimedia) can be quite large when
encoded. In order to handle this situation, UseNet provides that large
articles can be broken into several pieces and linked together. We
call these ‘multi-part posts’. It so happens that this break down of a
file is actually equal to the size of a packet.
Now the problem is that packets can take different routes to get to
your server since each packet is treated as a new file. Sometimes
packets get deleted or never reach your server. What does this mean to
me? You can’t view a binary unless you have all the packets or parts
of the post. So the larger the file, the more packets it has, and the
more likely chance that the file will have missing parts.
1-16. Q: What is this Mailing-list I keep hearing about?
A: A Mailing-list is done through e-mail using SMTP. How does
a mailing-list work? Well, when you send an e-mail to a certain
address, like say nospam-f...@cornell.edu you will receive all
e-mails that is sent to that address. However your e-mail address must
be on that server’s list of e-mail address. Or in other words, you
address must be in nospam-feistfan-l address book in order to receive
e-mails from nospam-feistfan-l.
The problem with this is that more people that e-mail the address. The
more e-mails you will get to the address you placed in
nospam-feistfan-l address book and you must accept all incoming
e-mails, you can’t turn any away. And sometimes the address book might
lose your e-mail address, so you have to re-subscribe. Or you may lose
the e-mail address account you placed in the address book, but
nospam-feistfan-l doesn’t know that so it continues to send e-mails to
that address. All these problems can cripple the e-mail server at
Cornell College.
However, early net gods created a new protocol to handle large
readable e-mail that was message board like. It’s called NNTP, and is
referred to as UseNet. So what is the difference of the Raymond E
Feist Mailing-list and the alt.books.raymond-feist newsgroup? Well
both are filled with the same type of fans you can find in both
forums. But both feel differently about each forum. The Mailing-list
subscribers feel that the spam in the newsgroup is to annoying, and
newsgroup readers feel that they want better control over what they
read. But regardless of use of programs they use, those on the
Mailing-list might not have newsgroups available to them. Meaning that
their ISP doesn’t support NNTP. So it basically becomes a decision
between the lesser of the two evils (sounds like voting).
UseNet: Not support by some ISP, and is not well used by the masses.
Full of Spam bots and viruses. ISP can’t afford all the equipment to
supply decent service. Less activity than the Mailing-List. Kill
Filters -filters out spam, viruses, and unwanted topics. Free/Illegal
software and media at your fingertips. Can read the articles you want
based on downloading only the header information and not the whole
message.
Mailing-list: Software doesn’t properly support it, and everyone has
e-mail. Needs a host that’s willing to handle the list demands on
their e-mail server. You must accept all incoming e-mails (and
potential viruses). Server can get attacked, killing the server or
could go away if Host doesn’t want to maintain it. Raymond E Feist
posts and responds mostly in this forum. You might need a separate
e-mail account for the incoming e-mail. Way to much activity compared
to the Newsgroup.
Related Topics:
How do I get on the Mailing-list?
What is the preferred language of abrf and the Mailing-List?
1-17. Q: How do I get on the Mailing-list?
A: To get on the Mailing-list you need to add your e-mail
address to nospam-f...@cornel.edu address book. But Whoa, hold
on their Tex. The list might just cripple your own e-mail box and you
might get anywhere’s from 10 to 400 e-mails a week. Depending if
something gets heated (as with opinions start flying) or something
vicious is sent through this system. As your e-mail account must
accept all incoming e-mails. Plus do you have software that allows you
to easily read the soon to be e-mails you will need to read through.
Now in order to what is called subscribe to the list, don’t send your
request to feistfan-l. This won’t get you on it, and if people try
responding to you through the list, you wont see their responses tying
up the system and you won’t get your answer.
So in order to get on this e-mail account crippler, you need to send
an e-mail from the account you wish to add to the list’s address book.
Send your e-mail To: ly...@cornell.edu with join feistfans-l "your
name" in the body of the message. So it will look like this to be a
guarantee for addition:
To: ly...@cornell.edu
Header:
Body: join feistfans-l "your name"
You MUST include the quotation marks around your name, and you MUST
send the message in PLAIN TEXT. Check your programs documentation on
how to send Text only messages.
Then you have to wait until your added. You will know your add when
the account receives the first e-mail from the automated system that
tells you all the information you need to know about un-subscribing,
posting, and dealing with your virtual account of being on the
Mailing-list. Then the flood of e-mails will start filling up your
Inbox.
Related Topics:
How do I UnSubscribe from the Mailing-list?
How do I ReSubscribe to the Mailing-List?
1-18. Q: How do I UnSubscribe from the Mailing-list?
A: Send an e-mail to ly...@cornell.edu like you did to
subscribe but this time you're placing in 'leave feistfans-l'. So it
should look like this:
To: ly...@cornell.edu
Header:
Body: leave feistfans-l
Make sure that you send the leave command from the address you
subscribed to the mailing list from.
1-19. Q: How do I ReSubscribe to the Mailing-List?
A: To ReSubscribe you need to do a little trick first. You
need to make sure your off the list. Send a e-mail to
ly...@cornell.edu with in the body leave feistfans-l, then in the next
line join feistfans-l “your name”. So it should look like this:
To: ly...@cornell.edu
Header:
Body: leave feistfans-l
join feistfans-l "your name"
For more information go to
http://www.cit.cornell.edu/computer/elist/lyris/user-custom.html
1-20. Q: What's a virus?
A: "A virus is a self-replicating program containing code that
explicitly copies itself and that can "infect" other programs by
modifying them or their environment such that a call to an infected
program implies a call to a possibly evolved copy of the virus."
Viruses are programs that cause the computer to do operations that the
user did not intend to do. The computer is very mindless and stupid
thing; it just does a lot of amazing things. However its trapped in
that of the world of algorithmic steps (step 1 do this, step 2 do
this) and can't break into the world of heuristic problem solving,
which is using reasoning based on knowledge, experience, and trial and
error. Even its root commands are very simple. It just looks fancy
because you’re running a graphic user interface based Operating System
(O.S.) like Windows. A virus is a program that takes basic computer
commands and operating program commands and trashes things on your
computer. Virus can delete files, corrupt files, move files, rewrite
files, rename files, retrieve information and send that information to
an e-mail address or through a port to an IP address. Viruses come in
all shapes and forms.
So on the Internet, one can encounter lots of virus or none. It's a
matter of steps you take to eliminate potential threats to the safety
of your hardware and software.
Related Topics:
How do I avoid viruses?
1-21. Q: How do I avoid viruses?
A: To avoid viruses you must not download them and execute the
corrupted files. Most virus authors target those who don’t have a clue
or are poorly educated about the Internet or how to use a computer.
Does this mean that you got a virus this means you’re an idiot. No, it
just means you trusted the wrong person or people. So you must create
a sort of procedure about trusting people. Filters can help eliminate
a lot of spam and those authors who target gullible people, recognize
what can be a virus and removing it or avoiding it, using a virus
scanner/remover can help get rid of viruses, and above all arm
yourself with knowledge about your computer and how it works, then
learn all you can about the Internet. Hopefully by read this whole
FAQ, you have started down that path of enlightenment.
Related Topics:
How do I set up a Kill Filter?
How do I Recognize a potential virus?
What is a virus scanner/remover?
What are the types of virus my computer can get?
1-22. Q: How do I set up a Kill Filter?
A: A Kill Filter as hinted upon eliminates virus by removing
know elements or virus. However, just like thief’s. Virus authors
(programmers) will come up with new stuff to get around your filters.
But you still need to use those filters, as they will remove the ones
that are known.
Your newsgroup provider filters out (deletes) all messages from ISP’s
and IP’s that are known virus spreaders. Plus they scan the incoming
messages for virus. But scanning only works so far, because you can
still find virus. So you must rely on your newsgroup reader, which has
the ability to delete certain messages from a keyword in the header.
By all means use it, and scan for words associated to money, teen,
test, sex, and even certain symbols. This filters out a lot of
standard junk (spam) mail or posts. If you have Forte Agent, place
this in the subject box in a UseNet filter marked for deletion:
subject: * and (money or $ or cash or buck or pyramid or test or porn
or sex or teen)
You can also add more keywords, think of words that you don’t want to
see in the text group your reading. You can add pictures to that list
or numbers, but keep in mind that someone may ask for a picture or how
to find pictures of say of a book cover of a certain writer from a
certain date. You can also reverse engineer the filter by adding in
'and not'. So it will look like this for ambe that will help you view
only the message that is related to the topic of download videos:
subject: * and not (.avi or .mpg or .mp2 or .mov or .wmv or .asf or
.zip)
Unfortunately Forte Agent is the only known program that does Kill
Filter efficiently well. Microsoft Outlook is claimed to have
filtering capabilities like its counter part Outlook Express. But
Microsoft doesn’t feel that UseNet is a strong force in the Internet
community. Sadly this is probably true and I oddly hope it remains so.
Because if it did become a force, then “Big Business” would get the
courts involved to shut it down just like Napster and Kazaa.
1-23. Q: How do I Recognize a potential virus?
A: Now recognizing what could be a virus may reduce your risk.
It however doesn’t eliminate it. Getting something from someone that
posts on UseNet on a regular bases doesn’t clear them of being a virus
spreader. They may be doing it intentionally or unintentionally. Maybe
someone is ghosting the author who is known for posting to that group.
Maybe the regular poster is infected and is not aware of the virus or
can’t stop their computer from doing what it is doing. So lurk and be
patient before downloading and most defiantly wait before executing
any programs or files that you get. And eventually you’ll become so
Internet savvy that this becomes second nature to you.
So pay attention to these factors: does the posted article follow that
groups format, size of posted articles, author ghost-name, authors ISP
IP address, Header information, file extensions, and other authors
that are not posting files but messages. Because they will tell you
what author is spreading viruses or trolling. As a community you must
function to eliminate these delinquent people. So if a virus hits you,
try clearing it as soon as possible or going somewhere’s and posting a
warning about that author or his post. But remember, that other author
is the last consider factor into determining a virus or not. As it
could be a troll trying to discredit someone because of what that
author said to them in another group.
This all boils down to your judgment call on downloading and executing
which files. The best way to avoid viruses is to not download files.
Related Topics:
What is the normal size of a posted article?
Why is the Header important?
What is following the group’s format?
Why do I need to know file extensions and what are they?
1-24. Q: What is the normal size of a posted article?
A: Knowing the normal sizes of a post or email can tell you if
the file is representing what it’s suppose to be. Programs or files
when encoded for e-mail or UseNet transfer become quite large, in fact
they can become huge, so the smaller the message, the less likely that
it will be a virus.
On Agent it will display a column that states how many lines are in
the post. If the column is between 20 to 60 lines, the message is
mostly likely safe to download. However if you wish to download a jpg
(file), for instances can range from 120 to 1000 lines. And this is
all for a simple 640x 480 picture. Now do you see why encoding can
make your message quite large.
If your using Outlook to read a plain text message, it would be 1 to 3
KB in size. If you want to download a file like a jpg, they can range
from 30 to 70 KB for the same size of 640x 480 picture.
So what does knowing the size of posted or sent message help eliminate
viruses? Viruses are files/programs, so when encoding them they become
quite large like all attachment files. So avoid downloading the file
and most defiantly avoid from executing or running the file. But wait,
oh no. I have downloaded the header. Relax, your safe. You still
haven’t downloaded the body of the message. But you say, “With e-mail
you have no choice but to accept the incoming file.” Good, you have
been paying attention or your smarter than I thought. You still have
some defenses left, Don’t Execute The File, and delete it as soon as
possible. Then for added precaution run your viruses scanner. If you
have executed the infected file, your last saving grace is your virus
scanner. Hopefully you have the latest update virus’s scanner/remover
and it catches it before the infected file damages your software or
hardware.
1-25. Q: Why is the Header important?
A: The Header of an e-mail or posted article may tell you if
this message interest you or not. In fact, Header is based off the
newspapers idea of a Head Line for an article. So thus when filling in
the Header field, you must catch your readers interest but still
maintain a certain appropriate format.
For recognizing viruses, this might be the most single important part
of eliminating them. If they don’t catch your notice, they get lost
among all the other articles that you didn’t find interesting. Hence
virus authors do anything to catch your attention, because their
intention is for you to download it and ruin your computer.
So they may break all the rules of proper format posting to that
group. Or they may break the rules of the standards of all of UseNet.
An example is posted in to the newsgroup alt.books.lore-sung
From: bigred...@finnezgroup.net
Header: >>***/\BRITTANY SPEARS_BLOWJOB MOVIE.mpg_A MUST SEE+
->+DOWNLOAD NOW+ POSTED ONLY ONCE/\ (1/18)****.
Attachment: BRITTANY SPEARS_ BLOWJOB MOVIE.mpg_A MUST SEE+.exe
Now lets dissect this example message. This has no place in
alt.books.lore-sung. It breaks the standard UseNet code of posting
binary’s or files as in .jpg, .avi, .exe, .html to groups that only
have the word binaries in their name. Since alt.books.lore-sung
doesn’t have binaries in it’s name. The poster broke the third rule of
UseNet.
Now for the second rule of UseNet, maintaining the proper format that
the newsgroup readers demand and the conducting of posting to that
newsgroup regardless if it is not posted to the correct forum. Even if
alt.books.lore-sung did exist, then you would want to maintain a
format the such articles should properly be posted in for the
newsgroup that is was intended for. Meaning, do to the grotesque
nature of this article, this article should have been posted in
alt.binaries.multimedia.erotica (abme for short). This group has a
very detailed FAQ and conduct that this article Header breaks. Look to
those group FAQ’s for more detailed information.
This is where knowing your file extension can help. You’ll recognize
that the file extension says .mpg_A. Or if the author is calling it a
Movie but the post is a file extension of .exe or .bat. Movie media
doesn’t come in those file extensions. Now lets think about how this
file got your attention.
“Brittany Spears blowjob movie”, this alone should put on a red light
or warning sign. No way such a thing will exist. Then the commercial
type adds, use of all caps, and the use of symbols to get your
attention so that you don’t pass it by because it stands out compared
to the rest of the articles posted. Then what does Brittany Spears
have to do with the topic of Books author Lore Sung? Nothing really,
as Lore is a fictional name and Brittany is a music artist.
1-26. Q: What is following the group’s format?
A: Following a newsgroup’s proper format adds creditability to
the message you post or send. Breaks in the format or conduct might
get you ignored or your post automatically deleted. Maybe the
Newsgroup follows strict rules that discussion or text only messages
take place in another group. Or that all response are to have keywords
in them like OT (Off Topic), REF (Raymond E Feist), and TD (Topic
Discussion). Then request to participate you must use a Kill Filter
that deletes all messages that don’t have any of the three indicators.
Of course they state this to eliminate random spam and viruses that
are sent to the newsgroup through bots (an automatic program that
sends a message to a location in it’s address book). So reading each
newsgroup’s FAQ will help prepare you for dealing with that groups
regular readers.
Related Topics:
Proper etiquette and rules
1-27. Q: Why do I need to know file extensions and what are they?
A: Knowing your file extensions might help determine if your
downloading a virus or the appropriate file you're intending to
download. Meaning you want a picture and you’re downloading an
executable, chances of this file being a picture, 0%.
So what are the various file extensions and what are they for? Well
below is a small list of Media and the file extensions that belong to
each Media.
Documents .txt (text only)
.doc (word document)
.rtf (rich text format, rarely used)
.pdf (Abobe Photoshop Acrobat Reader file)
.ppt (Power Point Presentation format)
.html (Hyper Text Mark-up Language)
Pictures .jpg (compressed picture graphics)
.gif (Graphics Interchangeable format, frames)
.bmp (Devise Independent bitmap)
.tif (Tag Image File Format)
.tga (Targa)
.png (Portable Network Graphics Format)
.psd (Adobe Photoshop file)
.ai (Adobe Illustrator file)
Movie (video) .mov (Quick Time format)
.avi (compressed video format, high quality)
.mpg or .mpeg (compressed video format uses media peg layer 1)
.wmv (Windows media video, mostly for streamline, poor
quality)
.asf (streamline video, poor quality)
.mp2 (compressed video format that uses media peg layer 2,
high quality)
asx (compressed video format)
Sound .wav (uncompressed wave format)
.mp3 (compressed audio format uses media peg layer 3 or
application)
.mid or midi (midi, a low channel sound wave of 8 or 16 bit
channel)
Others .exe (executable or application)
.bat (batch file or application)
.ini (initiation file, can’t execute outside of application)
.dll (application extension, can’t execute outside of
application)
.cfg (configuration file, can’t execute outside of
application)
.zip (File compression format or application)
.cab (Cabinet, Windows pacific File compression format or
application)
Now this doesn’t cover all the file extension but gives you a general
idea of what I’m talking about knowing you file extensions. Please
note in the ones that say “application”, these launch the file like an
executable. Meaning, these are more likely going to be very dangerous
virus. Zip files and mp3’s have a bad habit of saying that they are
file format that have no association (connection to a program) on your
computer.
1-28. Q: What is a virus scanner/remover?
A: A virus scanner/remover is a program that looks for
viruses. Then based on options they remove the infected file or
attempt to clean it. The later is often a bad idea. There are lots of
programs that do this function. McAfee and Norton are the most popular
ones. But do to their popularity; some virus authors tailor their
programs to slip past these vigilant programs, so always maintain the
latest up to date version of one of these programs.
Unlike common belief, having both of these programs doesn’t make your
computer any safer. In fact they may cancel each other out on load up,
or complain that each other is a virus.
I recommend having one updated virus scanner, and when encounter
infect files. Delete them don’t try saving or recover them. Just
reinstall the program, or file. But what happens if you don’t have the
file. Like say it’s a jpg off the Internet. Back up your hard disk to
a back up medium that most likely wont be infected. Portable Hard
drives and CDR’s fit the bill, especially the CDR. Though you may have
to burn a few CDR say every month or depended on how much you download
a day. CDR’s are now cheap enough for you to buy a big 50 pack that
can last you for a year for back up media.
Related Topics:
My computer is infected by a virus, should I still post?
1-29. Q: What are the types of virus my computer can get?
A: I feel that they’re really is no real types of virus.
Viruses are defined by actions that they do and how they can travel to
you. Viruses come in many different forms and ways. Here is a small
list of type of viruses defined by experts.
o Macro - these are small viruses that come though Outlook/Word
documents. They spread themselves through .doc extensions that you get
or share. The best way to avoid this type of virus is disable the
Macro. In Word, go to Tools, Then go down to Macro ->. And then go
down to security on the pop out menu. Click on Security to open it.
And double check that the High option is selected, then click okay.
This should cause Word to prompt you if you download a document with a
Macro. Always click No. You can't even trust your friends for they
might not even know about the virus that infected them.I wish MS would
allow an option to disable the whole thing. Incase you don't know what
a macro is, a macro is a script like language in Word that enhances
your written and reading experience in Word. I see it as a major
security leak.
o Boot sector - this type of virus tries to write copies of itself
to the system areas of hard disk and floppy disks. Then the infected
floppy disks may infect other computers that boot from them, and the
virus copy on the hard disk will try to infect still more floppies.
o Trojan Horse program - A type of program that is often confused
with viruses is a "Trojan horse" program. This is not a virus, but
simply a program (often harmful) that pretends to be something else.
For example, you might download what you think is a new game; but when
you run it, it deletes files on your hard drive. Or it could look for
a sector that doesn't exist on the hard drive causing the head to bang
around, destroying your hard drive. And it might format or rewrite
your flash BIOS. So every time you turn on your computer you get
nothing but blank screen. Trojans do not replicate, but others claim
they do. Like all computer definition, the word Trojan has been
redefined and changed like AI (Artificial Intelligence) because
computer game makers are claiming they have AI in their games. But
what they have is something called Game AI. Which is a set program
that is reactionary based with preprogrammed randomness add to it. Its
not real AI, if that was the case they would have a fortune if they
had real AI in a computer game don't you think?
o Worm - A computer WORM is a self-contained program (or set of
programs), that is able to spread functional copies of itself or its
segments to other computer systems (usually via network connections).
o Stealth - A STEALTH virus is one that, while "active", hides the
modifications it has made to files or boot records. This is usually
achieved by monitoring the system functions used to read files or
sectors from storage media and forging the results of calls to such
functions. This means programs that try to read infected files or
sectors see the original, uninfected form instead of the actual,
infected form. Thus the virus's modifications may go undetected by
antivirus programs. However, in order to do this, the virus must be
resident in memory when the antivirus program is executed and *this*
may be detected by an antivirus program.
o Companion - A COMPANION virus is one that, instead of modifying
an existing file, creates a new program which (unknown to the user) is
executed instead of the intended program. On exit, the new program
executes the original program so that things appear normal. On PCs
this has usually been accomplished by creating an infected .COM file
with the same name as an existing .EXE file. Integrity checking
antivirus software that only looks for modifications in existing files
will fail to detect such viruses.