News: Microsoft spreads virus--by accident

Special to ZDNet News ^ | June 14, 2002, 9:20 AM PT | By Robert Lemos

[stainlessbanner]

I would suggest that Windows itself is a computer virus plague.

[LibKill]

Have you ever tried Adobe Acrobat?

Yes. At work we use Adobe Acrobat for many uploads.

Even so, most of the back-and-forth is in Microsoft (tm) Word (TM) format.

The emails fly hither and thither, but the ruling factor is that eveyone is using Microsoft (tm) Word, or Microsoft (tm) PowerPoint, or Microsoft (tm) Excel.

The basic problem is that we have no alternative for file compatibility.

I would not mind the cruddy Microsoft (tm) software so much if there was an alternative.

That alternative would be software that did what one told it to do, nothing more, and 100% file compatibility with Microsoft (tm).

Microsoft (tm) is very much like the 100,000 pound gorilla, you can't ignore it.

I am not one of those liberal loosers who object to Bill getting rich. I only hope that someday I will come up with an even better idea that will make me even richer than he.

I do object to bug filled software that does everything except what I want it to do.

[Dominic Harr]

Standard MS defense tactic #42: Peasants with Pitchforks'

When faced with an embarrasing situation for The Company, the sales agent should rely upon the 'peasants with pitchforks' technique. Get out the 'torches' and burn the thread to the ground. Insult, attack people and generally make the thread too hot for the MS "bashers".

Goal: MS critics generally dislike 'flame wars' and will abandon the thread, thereby stopping the criticism of MS in the public forum.

[Incorrigible]

Here you go...

Knock yourself out.  One less complainer is worth the loss in revenue to Microsoft.

Software602 PC Suite

[Incorrigible]

Kill 'em all! Let Bill sort them out!

[PatrioticAmerican]

Man, that has just GOT to be embarassing! Who reviewed the RTM???

[dheretic]

How can you be so unconcerned by such a lack of quality control. It's not a bug, it's a friggin virus, man!

[Bush2000]

How can you be so unconcerned by such a lack of quality control. It's not a bug, it's a friggin virus, man!

You're not listening. I *am* concerned by the lack of quality control. I'm not excusing the fundamental issues; however, I am suggesting that some of this feigned outrage is a little bit over the top considering that this problem never affected a single user.

[drlevy88]

The trouble is that it revealed a stupified security methodology. It was plain dumb luck that it happened in an environment which was not friendly to the worm. In some other environment -- such as a distribution of a service pack of Windows -- where a user poking around could invoke the worm, it would be a disaster.

[drlevy88]

P.S. If they had McAfee'd the whole distribution disk, they would have caught it.

[Bush2000]

Agree on both points.

[LibKill]

Thanks! I will check it out.