To say that it's a _serious_ problem isn't to say that it's one that LISTSERV needs to solve, or could solve. > > As far as I can tell, this is an email problem, not a LISTSERV(R) > > problem. LISTSERV(R) might be able to ameliorate, but it can not 100% > > prevent sender and receiver from screwing up each other. > > I disagree. If Listserv stuck to (or at least had the option to) > distribute nonexecutable text-only messages virus contamination > would not be a problem. Well, in turn, _I_ disagree. Lists are not the only, or even a significant, way in which viruses are transmitted, much less LISTSERV(R) lists. Our central problem is that agreed conventions about mail have been increasingly ignored in the interests of adding bells and whistles to text, and mainly by Micro$oft, though they're not the only offenders. I don't _want_ my mailer opening files and running programs I know nothing about, so I don't _use_ those products. As long as people keep buying them, LISTSERV can hardly be configured in such a way as to prevent people from taking advantage of those "capabilities" (Bugs or features? Depends on what you're selling). -- Russ __|~_ Russell A. Hunt __|~_)_ __)_|~_ Professor of English St. Thomas University )_ __)_|_)__ __) PHONE: (506) 452-0424 Fredericton, New Brunswick | )____) | FAX: (506) 450-9615 E3B 5G3 CANADA ___|____|____|____/ [log in to unmask] \ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.StThomasU.ca/~hunt/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~