[ale] Open Fire on Windows Viruses

[Stephen R. Blevins]

Aaron,
I agree that this is a better improvement than I had conceived.

Use of the phrase "commercial software" might be confused with the
Microsoft use of the term to exclude open source software from business
use.  I would recommend the phrase "software from proprietary sources."
I know.  It sounds wordy.  However, as often as you are using it, it
might just make the point by dint of repetition, if nothing else.

Also, in the legal area, DRM isn't the only source of loss of user
freedom.  Before there was DRM one of the really big obstacles was the
restrictions on use, modification, and examination listed in End User
License Agreements (EULA's).  Don't  know if you want to make that point.

Stephen R. Blevins
srblevi at worldnet.att.net


arxaaron wrote:
> I've (extensively) re-written and (excessively?) embellished
> the letter to Lili on avoiding computer viruses that I posted in
> the "[OT] good FREE windisease anti-virus software" thread.
> The intent was to make it more complete, presentable and
> politically correct for posting publicly through ALE and
> other outlets.
> 
> Constructive criticisms and observations are welcome
> (typo and grammar corrections doubly so), though I
> feel that the contents are quite accurate and defensible
> as written.  Part of the re-write takes Mike Trausch's
> notes about acknowledging non-GPL licenses
> into consideration, though only by implication.  I try to
> address Mike's other critiques by clarifying that the
> issues being addressed by Open Source and Free
> and Freedom Friendly Software are practical and self
> evident levels of trust WORTHINESS, and not an
> expectation absolute or automatic "TRUST".  As a
> general rule, I think any exchange of goods or services
> will be more Worthy of Trust the further that ulterior
> motives of greed and secrecy are removed from the
> transaction.
> 
> Not sure if the subject line is the final title for this proposed
> help page on fighting computer infections, so suggestions
> for that are welcome, too.
> 
> Anyway, here it is... please play nice. :-)
> 
> =================================
> Just like avoiding contagious illness in the physical world,
> the best protections against computer infections involve
> simple, common sense precautions.  For instance, taking up
> residence in a hospital ward is a sure way to increase your
> exposure to illnesses and elevate the probability of getting
> diseases. Flipping this analogy affirms that the most effective,
> common sense means of protecting your computer health is
> to use a secure, competently designed Operating System in
> the first place.  Functional, user friendly and widely available
> options include popular versions of Linux (the Free, Freedom
> Friendly Unix model OS that runs most of the internet) or
> FreeBSD (another Free, Freedom Friendly Unix model OS)
> or  Mac OSeX (a well known commercial product built on that
> same Free, FreeBSD OS).  However, even for those who feel
> they have no choice but to handle bed pans in the MicroSoft
> Windows ward, there are a few simple guidelines for using
> information technology that are extremely effective for avoiding
> the majority of computer infections.
> 
> After the options of choosing a secure, virus resistant, Unix
> model Operating System, the best measure people can take
> to keep their personal computers healthy and internet worthy
> is to ONLY run programs and softwares that originate from
> trustworthy sources.  Contrary to the extensive propaganda
> of commercial vendors, a great deal of the most trustworthy
> software in the world is free and freely distributable, and
> paying money for programs is no indication of whether or
> not the software should be trusted.  [aka: caveat emptor]
> 
> The guidelines for recognizing and running trustworthy
> software, once again, are simple matters of common sense
> with direct corollaries to the physical world. At the heart of
> this is recognizing that the less a software producer is trying
> to hide information from you, and the fewer restrictions they
> try to place on your usage of their products, the more likely
> it is that they can be trusted:
> 
> -- Only download or run software programs when you are
> certain that the source for the programs is 100% known and
> trustworthy.  Following this simple guideline, users can feel
> confident and safe in enjoying the cost savings and freedom
> of using any of the thousands of capable free, shareware and
> donation-ware programs that can be acquired through the
> internet.  At the same time, this rule discourages the
> distribution and use of unlicensed copies of commercial
> software, since the contraband nature of those programs
> makes it nearly impossible to know or trust their sources.
> Unlicensed commercial softwares may well be the most
> common carriers of computer diseases.
> 
> -- The most trustworthy software choices will be those that
> are true OPEN SOURCE, where the author(s) have publicly
> published the source code and file formats for their products
> such that ANY programmers, peers or users can readily see
> if there are any serious errors, vulnerabilities or malicious
> components in their programs.  Further indicators that a true
> Open Source program is trustworthy is when it is distributed
> at no cost (free) or with payment on the honor system at the
> user's discretion (shareware) or with a request that payment
> be made by donating to a charity (donation-ware).
> 
> -- The most trustworthy of the trustworthy Open Source
> software choices will be distributed under a formal and
> Freedom Friendly license that grants full rights for any
> user, peer, or programmer to freely distribute, modify,
> improve and customize the software to suit their own
> needs and interests.   The most common and well known
> examples of these licenses are versions of the General
> Public License (the GPL) created by the GNU Free
> Software Foundation.
> (see <http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html>)
> 
> The remaining common sense issues of computer
> security involve managing your system so that programs
> are only run, and data items are only exchanged, when
> and where YOU want them to be. The increasing numbers
> of interactive features on the internet has spawned a
> plague of proprietary formats and automatically initiated
> web client programs that can make the task of managing
> your system resources challenging. None the less, it still
> pays to be in control as much as is possible, and there
> are a few simple guidelines that can minimize the risks:
> 
> -- Never open an email attachment if you don’t know what
> it is. Certain types of attachments can trigger your computer
> to run them as programs, and these programs can be used
> to infect your system. Even if you recognize the name
> of the sender, beware of attachments.  It is possible for an
> infected windows system to send out email to everyone
> in the local  address book without the owner ever being
> aware.
> 
> -- If you get pop-ups when opening a web page, don’t click
> inside the pop-up to close it.  Always click the close
> button in the corner of the window frame. Any "cancel” or
> “close” buttons inside the pop-up can be fakes that
> initiate unintended effects.
> 
> -- If you get a message on your computer screen warning
> you that it is infected and telling you to download software
> to remove a virus, DO NOT DO IT. At this point the system
> is already infected. Downloading fake "repair' software will
> only make the problem worse.
> 
> The final measures for protecting yourself from computer
> infections aren't quite so simple, since they address the
> increasingly common problem of adware annoyances,
> destructive functions and intentional vulnerabilities being
> intentionally built into commercial computer products.
> Eliminating this kind of viral infection is much more
> complicated, since these abusive practices can be legally
> protected under concessions to user and usage restrictions
> found in the incomprehensible fine print of commercial
> software licenses.
> 
> Given the obscured program code of todays bloated, closed
> source commercial Operating Systems, and the associated
> invasions of privacy being introduced by various destructive,
> "defective by design" Digital content Restriction Mechanisms
> (DRM), responsibly managing your personal computer has
> been made a very challenging task. The simple key here, as
> with stopping any other malicious computer code, is being
> aware of the programs that may be running on your system:
> 
> -- Configure your Operating System so that it is only allowed
> to run the services that are essential to your applications and
> use of the machine. On any computer system, many programs
> are run during the startup process that stay hidden in the
> background. A lot of these may be services you never use.
> These services can become entry doors for viruses or used
> for sharing data from your computer without your consent.
> If you are not using a Freedom Friendly operating system
> that allows you to see and fully control the system background
> processes, or if you don't understand which services are
> required for the basic operations of your system, seek the
> aid of a trustworthy professional in configuring your computer
> such that it only initiates the Operating System services YOU
> want to have running when YOU want them to be run.
> 
> In he long term, the "legal" viruses may be greater threats
> to your freedom to use and enjoy information technologies
> than any criminal third party trojan or worm on the internet.
> These are issues that every computer user who has any
> concern about their freedom of speech, privacy and rights
> of fair use in the digital age should, at the very least, be
> aware of, so that they can take the responsible, common
> sense steps needed to keep their computers and the
> internet they are connected to healthy.
> =================================
> 
> peace
> aaron
> 
> 
> 
> 
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