Legal experts urge spam leniency

TalkBack 12 of 14:

Next »

« Previous

• Thread View
• Flat View

Big Circle Jerk

The lack of cooperation (or should I say the abundance of competitiveness) and the finger pointing on this topic are typical of this industry. If cooperation doesn't exist on critical issues between the parties concerned, there's an opportunity to be an 'industry leader'. (There, that should satisfy the marketeers, mousketeers, and assorted corporate gerbils.)

Trial AV SW is a joke. Put real AV SW, with a year subscription on every box sold. Maker doesn't matter, something's better than nothing. Because PC's have come down so much in price, especially the 1-step below leading edge ones, adding the full package cost, which would be less when bought by manufacturers 100k copies at a time, would add less than 50 bucks to the price of an already cheap PC. Configure it so that, out of the box, it checks for updates once a week, or whenever, & scans e-mail as it comes in. This should cover inexperienced home users.

Give them a message about how it's important and will keep them safe, warm, and fuzzy.

The damn stuff is frequently given away when you buy other relatively cheap SW.

99% of these comments, and the babble comming from BushCo, are other examples of how it takes less brainpower to think of a negative solution (i.e. penalize users because they're neophytes or home users). If they're just lazy, do it for 'em. It's YOUR network, it's YOUR responsibility.

Add a firewall, correctly configured, and installed by default, to cable/dsl modem packages. No option to not install. If someone REALLY wants to uninstall it, let them, through the usual means. As these are comming down in price also, adding something like this at the right time will negate a price drop, but give the user something for it. Add it to routers? Sure, if you're selling to 'powerusers'. But how many neophytes buy routers?

Oh yeah, and as far as 'trial' goes, I've got a 'trial' copy that has been protecting my laptop for years. Every few months I uninstall it, then reinstall it. When I do, it gives me another six or so months of updates.

On the ISP end, just track how many e-mails a system sends out, after a certain number, contact the user, by PHONE (TALK TO HIM!!), and ask him if he really meant to send out 500 e-mails.

If he says yes, make a note that he sends that many. If he says no, MAYBE disconnect him right then, if it's happening right then. Then, while still on the phone, tell him that he's been disconnected, the reason, and walk him through the fix.

In any case, send him, at least, a spam server/cookie finder in an e-mail, while still on the phone. Tell him that you're sending it. Don't send it in a zip file, send it in a self-extractor that installs and runs it.

Also give him a verification code (smaller than 56 hex digits so he can use it easily) so he can check to make sure you're e-mail is not a spoof.

Have consideration of the user, hold his hand if necessary to make sure that he does above. If he hems and haws, tell him that he's causing damage to the network, AND YOU'RE SORRY, but you've gotta disconnect him, but please call back anytime IT'S CONVENIENT to continue the process and get reconnected. It's called REAL customer service. If companies tried it, they wouldn't be referred to as A*HOLE COMPANIES, JUST COMPANIES.

And, as far as competitiveness goes, this gives you several legs up on the competition (LISTEN UP, GERBILS). First, he'll be virus free while his friends aren't. Gives him bragging rights (you know, like in the commercials). Second, you know how you feel when you're in a nice restaurant, and the maitre d' comes over and asks if everything's OK? He'll get that same feeling when a CSR (or tech or whatever) calls him and asks if everything's OK.

It ain't that difficult if you know how to treat people and aren't all blown up by your (or worse, you COMPANY'S, you gerbil!) sense of self importance.

Corporate users? Disconnect 'em right away, but go through the same call scenario, only CALL THEM IMMEADEATELY, seconds BEFORE they will be disconnected. I'm sure they'd want to know. It CAN be done, just cooperate and don't think punitively.

Obviously, these idiots, who are in a service business, don't know how to handle the people they serve. Or are they just too greedy? My favorite is when their attitudes backfire on them. I got 6 months of free internet service once this way.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, you gerbils are so funny!

Posted by: Art Jones 3   Posted on: 03/18/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

• Three Steps You Need to Know to Stop Data Loss Varonis Sensitive data exposed to misuse or loss... it is the stuff of nightmares ... Download Now
• Building the Virtualized Enterprise with VMware Infrastructure VMware VMware virtualization software has been adopted by over 120,000 enterprise ... Download Now
• The Impact of Virtualization Software on Operating Environments VMware Today's use of virtualization technology allows IT professionals to ... Download Now