Forwarding E-mails

[Luba]

Since I went on-line with my new Computer about three weeks ago, I still am ignorant on a lot of points, so please, give me constructive criticism, my new friends!
Today I found out that one shouldn't be forwarding E-mails because there is such a huge chance of getting or giving a Virus! I have received already so many forwarded E-mails from people, so I believe that they don't know that, either.
If that paragraph happens to be true, any advice on how I can tell my friends to stop forwarding E-mails (mostly jokes) because it seems just about everyone I know has no qualms about it.
I just want to do what's correct!

:?

[Star]

I've always recieved and sent forwarded joke e-mails and never had a problem. You need to have an anti-virus on your computer to protect it from viruses. My anti-virus will detect an e-mail infected with a virus and won't open it. I don't get this virus infected e-mails too often at all. I don't worry about it. shouldn't have to if you have a good anti-virus on your system.

[Duke]

Your anti-virus program scans your e-mails, the best way to tell is to check the very bottom of the message. If it says "certified as virus free" by ______ anti-virus program then your pretty much ok. Personally, I tend to delete any e-mail now that sends attachments for me to download because you can hide a virus in the file very easily. If you want to download an attachment, save it to your desktop, find the file you just dl'd, left click on the file, and choose scan with _______ anti-virus. It will then scan the file and ensure it's safe to see. If not, don't open it, drag and drop it to your "Recycle Bin" and then right click on your "Recycle Bin" and choose to delete all files.

[Merika]

I forward jokes/files and such. I try to clean them up so the person's info as to who sent it to me doesn't show up. Some people, especially AOL, don't seem to do that. You can get a virus from anywhere. Just keep your protection updated and hope for the best. I remember when the internet used to not be like that.

[Luba]

I like to go for coffee in the morning because if some of the group is there, we usually have some discussion. So since I'm online so much, my questions usually have something to do with the Computer, Internet, or E-mail.

So I asked why would someone want to create a virus?
One response was that whoever is creating a virus wants to show how intelligent they are!

My thoughts to that are...I don't think that's intelligence at all, I think it's stupid, and couldn't this same person creating a virus use his/her intelligence for humanity's good instead of evil?

Why do you think they do it?

[Vautrin]

Sheer boredom. Hatred of Microsoft, and Microsoft based systems. To create damage - billions of dollars of damage, while you only need a computer of a few hundred bucks.

[Duke]

...because they can, pure and simple.

Also, you get to see the fruits of your labor by infecting millions of computers, making life hell while actually perfecting your programming skillz.

I wish these tards would turn their talents into writing helpful software :roll: