Beloved List-Servant and Other
Colleagues:
Just read several articles that say ALL Microsoft
systems have been under heavy virus attack the last two weeks and experts don't
see the problem going away. The problem is that if you don't use a
Microsoft web browser, not only will a lot of their other omnipresent products
not work but many website won't either.
If many of you are like me, I do not have the
sufficient technical proficiency nor the time to gain it, nor the salary to
support the additional cost along with all the other additional costs in life
and staying at least afloat in the ever-deepening tech waters of professional
life....
You are doing a great job. Thank you for all
your work.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 6:30
PM
Subject: virus wars--an update
Dear all:
I've thought about what I could do about the
structure of the list to fend off the terrible hassles we've been having with
the listserv and have some proposals and some updates.
First, the
update:
*I deleted what the software reported to me as trouble addresses
after notifying the addressees, and this did solve the problem temporarily.
However, when one of the problem addresses appeared back on the list, the
problem appeared again. I deleted the address again.
Again, the virus
problem is with a specific computer from which mail to the list is being sent.
If I closed the list and re-created it using the same list of over 100
subscribers, the problem would not necessarily go away (plus the time involved
would eat my lunch). This is because we operate with an "open" list. When I
set this up four years ago, that was the option that offered the most
convenience to subscribers. You could post messages from any computer as long
as you had the address, now [log in to unmask] People could also
independently subscribe to the list if they knew about it, and unsubscribe
themselves once on. The current listserv also offers subscribers the chance to
review archived messages by month if they go to http://lists.ou.edu/
and type in aejmac-L in the space for "name of list."
Now the
proposals:
* I want to close the list in whatever degrees are needed to
block viruses. There are some choices here.
Right now, effective
immediately, I have set commands for the list that will only recognize mail
from those who are subscribed to the list. This means that, if you have more
than one e-mail address, you can only post messages using the one address to
which you are subscribed (unless you want to have a double subscription...a
couple of members do already). No one outside of our list can post any
information, as some with job notices, etc. have done in the past. Subscribers
can still go to the archives, and unsubscribe themselves.
My next step
would be to block all messages to the list and not let any through until I've
reviewed them and sent them on. If any message has a virus, I'll get the
notice first before it's posted. I don't mind this extra administrative step
at this point, but it would depend upon the volume of mail. The downside is
that things that need to be posted quickly would be held up until I could get
to it. I am checking to see if this oversight would apply only to messages, so
as to still allow subscribers to search the archives and leave the
list.
*Idea: I could look into adding someone else as a co-moderator
who also would have the ability to screen messages. It would need to be
someone with a very good virus protection system on their
computer.
Let's see how this first level control works. The list should
be clean now so please share your thoughts on the list.
Finally,
believe it or not, it could be worse. I am on another AEJ list that apparently
has "sold" or "given" access of our names to outside vendors. Consequently, we
have been spammed with drug offers, financial scams, and products that promise
to enlarge certain parts of the anatomy....not fun.
Not to worry. I
haven't gotten any such offers. Yet.
Sincerely,
Your
list-servant,
Meta
Meta G. Carstarphen,
Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass
Communication
University of Oklahoma
860 Van Vleet Oval--Rm.
101
Norman, OK 73019-2051
PHONE: (405) 325-5227
FAX: (405)
325-7565
E-MAIL: [log in to unmask]