Goodness gracious, I've just got my rant hat on tonight

[pointedview]

Justify yourself to me.

Go on, do it. I want to hear it.

I'm talking about you people who use Microsoft's Outlook e-mail program. Still.

If you've been on the 'net for at least a year, you've probably gotten a virus in your In box. Maybe you opened it, maybe you didn't. Maybe you've had the shame and embarrassment of having your address book

Comments

[epicureanangel]

I fully appreciate your rant. Right now, the reason I use Outlook is because it syncs with hotmail. And yes, I've seen rants against hotmail as well. I'll be interested in hearing your recommendations. :)

[pointedview]

Whee, a post. :) Nice to hear from you. Oh, just as an FYI on what inspired this, I run a mailing list, and just got a post from a member essentially apologizing to other list members (whose personal e-mail addresses he had) for sending them infected e-mails. Not to toot my own horn, but if I weren't such a vigilant gatekeeper, that virus would've gotten to the list. However, I take plenty of precautions.

Alternatives: Eudora, as a pay solution (well, it's free as the sponsored version, but I don't recommend adware), is rarely targeted. I looked at it when evaluating e-mail programs for myself.

However, I actually decided to go with the feature-rich Calypso. I've been using it for years - I was actually a paid user. The company discontinued support of the product, but that really doesn't matter - it's finished, it doesn't really need any improvements or upgrades. It's that good

[goodjoan]

Ok, I admit it...Outlook Express came with the computer and I am too lazy to look for an alternative. I'm also a terrible cheapskate so I find it hard to pay for software to replace something I have that works.

I am beginning to dislike it though simply because I get so much crap in my mailbox and the sorting/rules functions aren't as complete as I'd like them so I can't get a good rule or set of rules to sort out all of the junk mail.

[pointedview]

Hey, you! Thanks for writing, and for putting up with my rant, you generous spirit, you. :) LOVE the pic! I want to see her sometime when it is convenient, and it means SO much that you would take a minute to write here when you've got a new one! That's awesome on both fronts. :)

The "paying for something when I have something" is understandable. I hereby offer the feature-rich Calypso (page opens in a new window) as an alternative. I've loved it the whole time I've used it, and I'm probably one of the most demanding e-mail users out there. Of course, you may not like it, which is okay, too, of course! :) However, at least you'll be able to say you had another option to explore. There's also Eudora, but it's either adware or a pay solution, and frankly, I liked Calypso better anyway.

*BIG HUGS* and thanks for understanding. :)

[goodjoan]

Well, look what you made me do! I spent a fair bit of time this evening dowloading and playing with both calypso and eudora! It turns out that the free free (light, no ad) version of Eudora has a MUCH better filtering capability than either OE or Calypso. Why is it so hard to tell a program 'delete any mail that isn't addressed to me' Eudora actually has is/is not and contains/doesn't contail as filtering options!!

I'm happy! And you converted one more OE user away from the dark side!

[pointedview]

Actually, we both win, here. To be honest, I haven't given Eudora a look in a while, but it sounds like they've made some improvements since last I checked it. I didn't know that about the "delete any mail that isn't addressed to me" option - slick! ;) Well, okay, I'd probably still have to set up some customized filters because just because the e-mail isn't addressed to me doesn't mean it's not for me, given the way our WomenGamers.com staff mail is set up, but still, it sounds nice. :) So, I learned something I didn't know. :) Yippee!

*hands you a bag full of tasty, congratulatory tortilla chips* ;)

[gooddan]

I can't resist...
I can hardly get worked up over email clients anymore... Now emacs vs. vi - there was a blood bath ;). It strikes me as the height of presumption to suggest that a person's choice of email client equals neglect of their duties to the global email-using community. Your ire would better be spent on the spammers, chain-letter forwarders, and trolls. Do you condemn the person at the office who brought in the flu virus and spread it to you - or perhaps, would you if you knew exactly who the person was? Do you scowl at the person who sneezed next to you in the checkout line at the grocery store? You might be able to save yourself from a virus infection, but you should give up trying to save the world.

[pointedview]

Actually, I do think people with viruses should stay home from work, assuming a relatively normal work environment. That's what sick days are for, and they should take them

[gooddan]

For biological viruses, a person can be infectious before they know they are sick. My children got chicken pocks at a birthday party from a child whose pocks appeared the next day. Viruses can be sneaky that way

[pointedview]

Well of course biological viruses can be bloody sneaky. I spent two years as a patient counselor in an HIV clinic, and one of those years serving on the board of directors for said clinic. However, speaking from a consequentialist perspective, a person can most certainly still be infectious once they've developed symptoms, and once they are aware that they're sick, then not spreading the disease throughout the population is the considerate thing to do. Obviously they can't do anything when they're not aware that they're contagious. However, someone would've had to have been living under the proverbial rock not to know that e-mail is a common means of computer virus transmission, so they should have that basic awareness when it comes to dealing with computers. They may or may not understand the specifics of it, but even my father is aware of the basic concept

[ntang]

I use outlook, and have for a year or two, I guess.

I've been online and using email for... well, "online" has different definitions, but I've had an internet accessible email address for at least 7 or 8 years now.

I've never been infected by an email-borne virus.

Actually, in all honesty I haven't been infected by a virus of any sort since I left school, and even then it wasn't my machine that was infected, so I don't even know if that counts.

There are a few reasons:

- it's easy
- it works pretty well
- it syncs with hotmail
- it comes pre-installed
- it's fairly stable, and fast

As far as safe-guarding it, well, I've never been infected because of it, so take that for what it's worth, I suppose. If you're careful, and clueful, it's actually pretty hard to get hit by a virus.