- Re: The Digest V1 # 661

- C******d eMail, TFTD, email address, SPAM, Grab / Copy,

- Help with K2 (was Grab / Copy Text From 5mx Screen?)

- Re: Grab / Copy Text From 5mx Screen?

- Re: Grab / Copy Text From 5mx Screen?

- battery life, Leak of addresses, Spyware,

- Spemmars

- Brightmail

- Re: Help with K2 (was Grab / Copy Text From 5mx Screen?)

Date: 28 Dec 2004 23:47:27 +0100
From: Bernard Hill <address truncated>
Subject: Re: The Digest V1 # 661

In message <address truncated>, The Digest <address truncated> writes
>
>Bernard (Hill), I'm very sorry you get so much returned spam though the >methods I use will, at worst, only increase that. They don't cause it.

That's a strange thing to say. The increase has been caused by you: as I said PLEASE don't bounce spam.

>
>But my methods are endorsed by a lot of anti-spam gurus, that's where I >got them.

I complained to Mailwasher that they bounce all mail and that is pointless. Their reply was that they agreed but I could disable it if I wanted (true). That seems to me to be that they are simply using the bounce option in Mailwasher as a selling point only: implying that you can hit back at the spammer that way.

I can quote an article in the Computer Weekly of 2 years ago "Something worse than spam" in which the writer, Glyn Moody, points out the very thing I am saying.

>Most spam is trying to sell something so a fully-shielded "from:" >eAddress would be counterproductive to those spammers as well as >unnecessary.

No, they all contain click-through links to web sites to do their selling. You get no reply at all from hitting reply - as I know because
I get the replies!

And do you really think I sell V**gra simply because bounced spam comes to me?

>The returned spam you get (I got just one at a now-defunct eAddress) is >probably generated by a non-commercial spammer, someone else as useless >as a virus writer.

>
>Or those returns might be caused by a virus. No, not necessarily one >you've got, just one using your eAddress. I had that experience, but >only one false return from a non-existent eMail server saying the eMail >came from me. It was a Windoze virus so my machine definitely wasn't >infected.

Agreed and I understand that. But the fact that spam does not bounce to the spammer is what I am referring to.
>
>Also the SWEN virus
>sends itself out from infected Windoze machines to every eAddress it >can read. It reads eAddresses in newsgroups too (SWEN=NEWS). I used my >old eAddress to post to the NGs and my eMail box was permanently full >of the damn'd virus-generated stuff. Steve Litchfield had the same >problem - and he didn't have the virus either. As it's a Windoze virus >I knew I didn't have it - and my AV software is kept up-to-date anyway >- I'm Macced.

That is true. But nothing to do with my point. Which is that by bouncing spam you are adding to it and the spammer never suffers.

>
>Perhaps there's another, similar, virus out there. But either way the >only real answer is to change your eAddress!

I can't do that since I run a business selling my software. I advertise in magazines and my email address is known and used as a response point. I have to put up with spam, I have no alternative.

The worst comes when I use my netBook and a mobile phone on holiday to check my emails. There's no filter on my netBook, and so it takes around 30 minutes of contact time merely to download and delete the headers of all the spam emails I have - most of which are bounces.

I also get barred from sending email to some people because their ISP or company has decided that I send spam, based on the return address. It's
a real problem running a business.

PLEASE stop encouraging bouncing. Well-intentioned as you may be, you are hurting other innocent people, and causing real financial loss to such as me.


--
Bernard Hill
Braeburn Software
Author of Music Publisher system
Music Software written by musicians for musicians
http://www.braeburn.co.uk
Selkirk, Scotland

Date: 29 Dec 2004 00:34:11 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman <address truncated>
Subject: C******d eMail, TFTD, email address, SPAM, Grab / Copy,

Answer to: Antony Booth

Re.: C******d eMail - In all honesty I can say that I don't remember anymore how many messages were not published. The whole thing is quite a while back now.       If other subscribers feel that the digest could be the source of SPAM the digest Team would very much like to hear about it.
Re. TFTD - Yes, that is me (skipping them). First of all the software does not facilitate erasing the TFTD's, neither for specific subscribers nor for the general digest. Secondly, you want the TFTD's taken out, others might want certain subjects out, again others might want certain subscribers out, etc. etc. The digest comes in it's current form and that is what is on offer, in my humble opinion a good service, liked by many and _for free_ !!  Of course all subscribers are free to choose whether or not to continue their subscription. Currently there are no changes planned or anticipated beyond the HTML version which will be announced very soon now.
"If part of the subscription requirement is that others may emailme" I think this has already been answered by the choice of not having your email address published (Ah, a choice ... <G>)

Answer to: Chris S Handley

Re.: email address - Even if on these occasions the email addresses were sent, it would still be a very small chance that just at that time someone from our list would have a trojan virus on their machine and that that way your email address would have been added to SPAM lists. Sorry, I don't remember the dates it happened.
Re. SPAM - At work I continue to get SPAM even though I don't do anything to warrant it and have anti virus and anti spam software installed. I don't know from where they got my email address but it just does not stop, continues to flow in at regular rates.

Answer to: Martin

Re.:  Grab / Copy - Ok, now I understand you need it in Tomeraider. Sorry, I don't use that program so cannot advise you.

Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK

Date: 29 Dec 2004 11:04:15 +0100
From: Eir <address truncated>
Subject: Help with K2 (was Grab / Copy Text From 5mx Screen?)

Owen H. Morgan wrote:
>One option may be to check whether the document you >need to copy from is available in K2 format.

Thanks Owen, I downloaded K2 eventually, after much to and fro surfing between http://www.mypsion.ru/k2.php and Babel fish translator.  It looks like an excellent piece of software and seems to be more comprehensive than TomeRaider.

However, most of my TR files are self made from data contained in my free form TreePad database on my PC. I have designed macros to extract the data and put
into a TR text file which can be imported into the Windows verstion of TR and then transferred to my 5mx.

Firstly, does anyone have an English version of the K2 help file?  Even though, the menus are quite explanatory, there must be some advanced options explained in the help file.

Secondly, it seems that files can be made using a package called MakeDict, but I have not been able to get this to run and it would seem that it is a bit complicated.  Has anyone made K2 files in English and can they offer any help?

Sorry to see you go Owen.  I have mainly been a lurker here on the Digest for some time.  Best wishes in your travels.

Martin O'Neill

Date: 29 Dec 2004 11:12:37 +0100
From: Martin O'Neill <address truncated>
Subject: Re: Grab / Copy Text From 5mx Screen?

Alan Morris wrote:

>I guess that you are referring to that excellent program RPL - Resident Programming Language. 

I don't remember how I did it, but it was very easy to do and I remember it as one of the regerets of moving to Windows.

>Most texts are displayed on Psions as proportional >rather than the fixed spacing used in DOS.  So making >a memory search would not find the screen memory area >in use.

So, it would appear that there is no OPL statement which would help then.  I thought that possibly a macro might help me.

>Grabbing as you mention and then using an OCR program >would be the only method that I'm aware of, but this >would be very time consuming. 

I need to do the copying and pasting on my 5mx when I am away from my PC and so OCR does not seem to be an option.

It is a pity that TR has done away with the copying option.  Maybe the K2 solution suggested by Owen may be the way forward for me, if I can create my own files.

Many thanks for the help.

Martin O'Neill

Date: 29 Dec 2004 11:42:40 +0100
From: Eir <address truncated>
Subject: Re: Grab / Copy Text From 5mx Screen?

Alan Morris wrote:

>I guess that you are referring to that excellent program RPL - Resident Programming Language. 

I don't remember how I did it, but it was very easy to do and I remember it as one of the regerets of moving to Windows.

>Most texts are displayed on Psions as proportional >rather than the fixed spacing used in DOS.  So making >a memory search would not find the screen memory area >in use.

So, it would appear that there is no OPL statement which would help then.  I thought that possibly a macro might help me.

>Grabbing as you mention and then using an OCR program >would be the only method that I'm aware of, but this >would be very time consuming. 

I need to do the copying and pasting on my 5mx when I am away from my PC and so OCR does not seem to be an option.

It is a pity that TR has done away with the copying option.  Maybe the K2 solution suggested by Owen may be the way forward for me, if I can create my own files.

Many thanks for the help.

Martin O'Neill

Date: 29 Dec 2004 13:52:42 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman <address truncated>
Subject: battery life, Leak of addresses, Spyware,

Answer to: Alan Morris

Re.: battery life - I appreciate what you mean, still using a mBook myself. However, I do see people in airplanes working on laptops most of the flight without having CPU connections, so either they have 4 or 5 batteries with them (longer flights) or there are models that do have a longer battery life than 1 hour. Anyone with positive experience in this field ?
As to the P910, I still did not touch the spreadsheet and word programs on my P910, did not have time to look at it properly.

Answer to: Antony Booth

Re.: Leak of addresses - I am still waiting to hear from anyone else claiming that this leak of addresses or the digest in general caused him/her spam.
Re. Spyware - It is worthwhile noting that there are several programs for free that will scan your computer and delete all the spyware present as well as immunize your PC for these spyware programs. I use Spybot (no connection) which now fights well over 20,000 spyware programs and keeps my PC's at work and home reasonably clear of them. At home my PC does not allow pop-ups either unless I specifically allow these to be opened temporary.

Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK

Date: 29 Dec 2004 15:10:00 +0100
From: Phil Aypee <address truncated>
Subject: Spemmars

Hi Folks,

Owen, first of all, good luck and I hope to read your messages again soon!

More seriously, you asked "How do you know that the e-mail addresses your script generates do not lead to a real person somewhere who will not be thanking you?" and the short answer is "I don't". But the random nature of the script (not mine, incidentally) makes the likelihood vanishingly small. The script generates eAddresses from a possible vast number, not simply many times the number ever used but truly vast. The writers say the number is actually infinite but that's an exaggeration. The real number is probably much less than a googol but still vast.

The (Perl) script comes from Infinite Monkeys (http://www.monkeys.com/wpoison/). You know the tale , take an infinite number of monkeys, each typing, and eventually one will write a Shakespeare play - in Sanskrit probably!

Of course it may take a while.

But the possibility is certainly there. Nevertheless, any real eAddress generated is actually unlikely to be spammed, at least repeatedly, as it will probably be quickly junked with all the useless eAddresses. Despite Bernard's misgivings this is a highly recommended (and effortless) way of filling spammer's lists with garbage. As I said, the Psioneering site has links to that script.

I think it's important to realise how spammers must work.

First, they *must* accept any and all eAddresses that don't fit a fairly small pattern of obviously false ones. One of my correspondents had the word "spam" in his eAddress, obviously a spamtrap so never to be spammed!

Second, the profitable return on spam is minute so millions of spams *must* be sent - and the spammers eMail accounts have to be free of any restrictions. If spam cost even one cent per message it would be far too expensive.

Third, spam is predominantly a commercial effort. There may be a few spammers who have no commercial axe to grind - like virus writers - but most do. I can't hit them directly in the wallet but I might be able to indirectly. Giving them millions of false eAddresses does hurt them financially (time is money in their world). They hate it and will try to stop it if they can.

The spammers want you to be *free* to get as much spam as they send. They believe any and all antispam measures should be outlawed as they believe their spam is legitimate advertising.

And most disagree!

Also I really don't want to endure even a few months of spam, even a few days would seem a lifetime - and did. I appreciate that you, Owen, may well have particular difficulties in changing eAddresses that I don't so I'm particularly pleased you get so little spam.

But if you are being spammed it really is the best way.

Happy Hogmanay,
Phil.

"Mythology is just gossip grown old."

http://www.philaypee.co.uk/

Date: 29 Dec 2004 15:10:02 +0100
From: Phil Aypee <address truncated>
Subject: Brightmail

Hi Folks,

Bernard (Hill), I went to the Brightmail site but the product is not meant for home computing (or so it says). I didn't download it as I wouldn't try it, I was just curious.

It seems reasonable for a commercial organisation to use it (or something similar) but for most of us I think it would be overkill.

I'm sympathetic to your problem but I can't agree with you. I personally don't bounce spam as I no longer get any. But for many people bouncing spam is a reasonable answer. The W-Poison script (at http://www.monkeys.com/wpoison/) may result in you receiving returned spam, but I seriously doubt it.

And a great many sites use that script, mine is only one. Intelligent spammers (if they exist) will program a 'Bot to find it if they can and then avoid it like the plague. I personally think every site should have that script linked - the spammers get most eAddresses from the 'Net after all. Incidentally, I think that script runs on the client computer so it doesn't slow the 'Net down either.

But, as I said, I think the only real answer is to change eAddresses and try to keep the new one out of spammers hands.

Happy Hogmanay,
Phil.

"Everybody should believe in something.
I believe I'll have another drink."

http://www.philaypee.co.uk/

Date: 29 Dec 2004 22:55:00
From: Rolf Vonau <address truncated>
Subject: Re: Help with K2 (was Grab / Copy Text From 5mx Screen?)

Martin O Neill <address truncated> wrote at Wed, 29 Dec 2004 11:04:15 +0100 (> ):

> Firstly, does anyone have an English version of
> the K2 help file?

> Has anyone made K2 files in
> English and can they offer any help?

Hi Martin,
the author of K2 is a person with nickname "Robin Hood". His email: <address truncated>. May be, he can help you.

BTW: One of coauthors of K2, indicated at mypsion.ru, is subscribed here in the digest. Perhaps he is reading your messages. The second one was unsubscribed recently.

--
Best Regards
Rolf