[Evildave]

It's a government computer. Might've been 2000, or even Windoze 3.1 They keep using broken old junk forever.

We'll probably know more if they release which virus/worm/etc. it was.

[waldojim]

Spot on Dave. Old ass machines, and very likely some old ass security 'Expert' who doesn't pay much attention to real security these days.

[BGG001]

You talking about FUD? Really? What about all the undeniable proof of Mac OS X vulnerabilities I threw out a page ago? You obviously didn't bother reading any of it at all. All you can say is "oh, it's Windoze, it's shit. Here's a link to a site about the FBI getting a virus." More for you, although you won't read it anyways.

"We wanted to spend as little time as possible coming up with an exploit, so we picked Mac OS X."
http://www.computerw...ticleId=9072959

Leopard Firewall - Disabled by default and DOES NOT block outbound connections, useless.
http://www.blackhat....Hacking-OSX.pdf

[smax013]

To all:

Please keep the discussion on topic and civil. Please refrain from personal attacks.

[danield]

OK, you win. Mac OS X is just as terrible when it comes to security, if not more, than Windoze. I'll just go away and accept a moral victory based on the historical track record of Mac OS X. Peace out!

[danield]

I agree, there a millions of those old systems out there in many homes too.

[WinTard]

May I suggest that:

~~~~~~~~~~
The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.
~Joseph Joubert, 1754-1824, French Moralist and Essayist

[BGG001]

erm, it wasn't a personal attack...?

[artzy65]

"Leopard Firewall - Disabled by default and DOES NOT block outbound connections, useless."


Re 'calling home', I've been using 'Little Snitch' on my OS X machines, although I've heard there's ways of circumventing that. Most requests seem innocent enough, like Adobe, Firefox, etc. At least I get some control...



BTW, I'm guessing any agency like the FBI/CIA/RCMP could hack into my system even though I have firewalls.

[smax013]

BGG001 said:

erm, it wasn't a personal attack...?

Even though I "responded" to your post (i.e. clicked "button" to your post), it was a comment addressed to everyone. There has been quite a bit of personal attacks (i.e. questioning individual's intelligence, etc) in this thread by several different people. This was request to ALL to keep it civil and on topic.

[artzy65]

"... keep it civil and on topic."

People get a little testy here alright. Re 'on topic'... when was the last time anyone here (including me) said anything at all re apple vs windows ads?

[rgreen4]

artzy65 said:

People get a little testy here alright. Re 'on topic'... when was the last time anyone here (including me) said anything at all re apple vs windows ads?

That's the whole problem with Trolls that hijack a discussion, and cause complaints from regular members.

[BGG001]

[quote name='rgreen4']

>

artzy65 said:

> People get a little testy here alright. Re 'on topic'... when was the last time anyone here (including me) said anything at all re apple vs windows ads?
That's the whole problem with Trolls that hijack a discussion, and cause complaints from regular members.

You can't expect something involving a subject so diverse and large to stay on topic either; it's like posting something about the death penalty on a political forum and asking no one to give bias, it's not going to happen unfortunately.

[rgreen4]

Actually we can. If you want to talk about something else, it's very simple to start your own discussion rather than hijack a news discussion. That's what the General Talk area is for. We keep inviting everyone on some of these discussions that have been diverted into other areas to open a discussion there. You can start a topic on any discussion and there is even one labeled "Talk about anything Discussion" so you don't even have to start a new one as on that one there is nothing that is "off" topic.

It's really a matter of common courtesy. If a member sees a topic with a discussion labeled one way and log on to find something else, it's just not right. The problem is the same characters do this to topic after topic and wind up arguing about the same drivel.

[artzy65]

"That's the whole problem with Trolls that hijack a discussion, and cause complaints from regular members."

Probably the nasty posts should be totally ignored from the get-go; in a way it's our fault for getting sucked in?they win as soon as one of us takes the bait.

[rgreen4]

That is so true, and it's what they count on. We all go off topic on occasion, but after a few posts we should get back on. When we do, they pop back in to roil us up.

[BGG001]

I could argue that's how a general conversation works though; it generally does get off topic from where it starts out from...at least that's how all my conversations with my friends go. Certainly there are those who purposely rile up a group to the point where it is unacceptable; I'm guilty of being one who has been riled before, many times, I'm certain you could say that here too. Regardless, the conversation has switched from Macs vs PCs to trolling/discussion forms, and no one was trolled into this; am I wrong?

[WinTard]

I must admit this free-thinking and wild discussions touching anything and everything, is what makes this PCWorld public discussions forums, um, interesting...

As for trollers, people, let's outsmart them! Let's completely ignore them... Simple eh? Anytime anyone attempts to get a rise out of you, you know it's trolling, and no matter what you say or discuss in good faith, the result is BS for all. It isn't a discussion anymore. It's a futile argument. Thus only respond to reasonable posts which have some merit.

Anyway, who cares about what some moronic troll thinks? They are only troublemakers. That is their goal. Let them fail.

~~~~~~~~~~
Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.
~ Lao Tzu

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
~ Dalai Lama

[artzy65]

"I could argue that's how a general conversation works though; it generally does get off topic from where it starts out from.."

I thought about that before my post re 'off topic'... you're right; to go to another thread to post about something else would be like being at a friend's house and then having to go to someone else's house if you wanted to talk about another subject.

[WinTard]

Free discussion: Yes!
Free-for-all argument: No!

Thus as long as it is related to the topic at hand, it's okay IMHO. JMHO. Yet I am opposed to troublemakers and gratuitous trolling. And will kick ass when required... All within the rules, of course. This is directed towards all, me included. You see what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

And for the record, I respect your opinions and learn from you, thus is why we discuss in good faith. I'm just a bit annoyed by the trollers who have nothing to contribute, except causing trouble.

~~~~~~~~
If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.
{Chinese Proverb}

Do not trouble trouble until trouble troubles you.
{American Proverb}