Klarinet Archive - Posting 000543.txt from 2002/12

From: Rhea Jacobs <rhea-j@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] How it happens
Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 17:49:25 -0500

----- Original Message -----
From: "Neil Leupold" <leupold_1@-----.com>
Subject: RE: [kl] How it happens

> Ad-Aware is designed for spyware, which only hits your system if you
perform a download of some
> kind. Then it embeds itself in the registry files and goes undetected by
antivirus software.
> Most people are, I suspect, obvlivious to the specter of spyware and would
by quite surprised the
> first time they ran an Ad-Aware scan. In other words, even though I don't
think spyware is what
> caused Bill's recent observation of pop-ads following his Google search,
it's still a good idea to
> run Ad-Aware and see what it finds.
>

Ad-Aware is good for spyware if you keep the reference files updated, but it
doesn't in and of itself kill spam. There are various spam-killers you can
buy or download which try to identify SPAM and keep it out of the mainstream
of your e-mail. I've never used one before, since I don't get that much spam
(most of it seems to be a result of my eBay habit) and have no problem with
using the delete key. The other day, however, I downloaded a highly-rated
freebie called SpamPal, which inserts itself between you and your POP3
(incoming) e-mail server -- rather like Norton Antivirus does when it scans
incoming e-mail -- and adds a text prefix to the subject line. One then sets
up a message filter to move messages with that text to a separate folder for
examination and deletion. So far, it's caught all the spam, but it has also
caught a fair amount of innocent mail from the OPERA-L mailing list (nothing
from here, yet -- I guess clarinetists don't use words in their headlines
which trigger the program). This thread should probably not continue for too
long; still, I'm curious to hear about other spam killers -- their
effectiveness, selectiveness, intrusiveness, etc.

Happy holidays!
Rhea in Saint Louis...about to go play in another Christmas band concert

rhea-j@-----.net

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