SC - Maggie Black's bread recipe (was: Emeril ...)

[Thomas Gloning]

Well, a couple of points . . .  and I really hate defending MS, but the
software that is the base level core of the network system (BEUI) was NEVER
written with the internet in mind - it was written before the internet as
even a glimmer of an idea. In order to adapt to an exploding market, they
simply adapted and layered on top of it (Net BEUI and TCP/IP). MS never had
the opportunity to sit down and develop a whole new net operating system.
The environment changed so rapidly that it was almost impossible to do so.
    As a result, there are all kinds of cracks and crevices that malicious
(but creative) people can exploit to inflict damage. People can, to a very
great extent, protect themselves by simply keeping current on updates, which
can be downloaded for free from Microsoft's website. Whenever MS runs into a
problem, they develop a fix, and post it. All you have to do is go and get
it.
    MS sets almost everything to 'on' as a defalt, simply because most
people have no idea what they actually WANT from their machines, and get
very upset if what they want isn't 'on' already. Most of the weaknesses of
MS Windows, IE, and OE stem from this. You can dramatically reduce your
exposure by simply turning off things you don't need or will never use.
    Now, Macs are better machines, no question. But the brilliance of their
engineers was, unfortunately, defeated by the bungling idiocy of their
corporate management. Because of this, the Mac is a niche machine, and is
likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. They are limited in software
availability, peripherals, and upgradeability. And you can't 'tweak' them. A
Wintel machine gives the owner the ability to configure it to his EXACT
specifications, but with a Mac, what you got is what you got, take it or
leave it.
    So it's all a tradeoff. I'm pretty well protected, but I know how to do
it. I try (with disappointing results) to instruct others in how they can
protect themselves as well, but they usually can't be bothered. Sigh, it's
that kind of attitude that leaves them vulnerable.

    Sieggy

Adamantius commented:
> I thought perhaps you were referring to Sieggy's forwarded html posts,
> which my mailer just opened and said, "Oh, html, you wanna look at this?"

Yes, I wish the digest would do this. :-( Or perhaps filter out all the
HTML crude, which since it is transformed in the digest to text, loses
all it's relevance anyway.

> I love my Mac... ;  )

Yep. I haven't had to worry about these last two worms and in general
have much less problems with virus/worms on my home Mac. The fact that
I don't run Microsoft (unless forced to, as with Word) is a help too.
Whether the Mac is just a better machine from a security standpoint or
just isn't as common a target is still a question.

For those forced to use a Windows machine (like I'm forced to now at
work), I found a wonderful book on changing your Windows eviornment to
be more Mac-like. For those used to the Mac-enviornment it also has
some suggestions on getting around the quirks and errors in Windows.
Anyone interested can contact me by email.

As for capturing these worm/virus culprits, I'd be more interested in
simply reining in Microsoft, who seems to be able to easily buy the
congressmen and lawyers it needs to get out of any penalty for illegal
activities. It is afterall, the multiple holes in the faulty software
put out by Microsoft that these software deliquents are exploiting.

See Stefan too, can have his tirades just like some others here. :-)
- --
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****



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