RG> Personally, I use "Quick view plus". It lets you view zip files
RG> without having to extract them, and if I do want to extract
RG> them it allow the option to ignore any stored paths, thus allow
RG> me to save the files where *I* want them saved.

> The only way you can see what's in the file is to unzip it...
> unless you just read the archive.

RG> So? I still don't see what your problem is.

 I can't remember what I said... but was it to do with Explorer and
animated attachments?

RG> You original complaint is/was that winzip (or whatever you use)
RG> places files where *it* wants, and my suggestion was to use QVP
RG> which allows you to unzip files to where *you* want.

 Winzip will put them wherever you like, my problem is with Windows
and Explorer doing it automatically. Windows has so many files that a
virus-like download could end up where you will never find it.

> I thought that was the problem... that M$ Explorer will run
> cookies and crap like that,

RG> Err, Bob. Methinks you need to do a bit of research on exactly
RG> what a cookie is, and why they are used, because I can assure
RG> you that no one has EVER "run" a cookie file under any
RG> circumstances whatsoever.

 I know that, but the "crap like that" includes Java self-running
crap like that. I meant that cookies come unsolicited and end up god
knows where. To me, it seems rather simple to write a false "cookie"
that runs automatically.

RG> A cookie is nothing more than a simple plain text file. It
RG> isn't an executable, it can't be executed, therefore it can
RG> never ever cause a virus infection.

 Duh.

RG> Shheesh, next you'll be telling us that viruses can be spread
RG> via notepad files.

 Once upon a time, only .EXE, .COM and .BAT files ran with access to
the system. Then came Microsoft Windows with Explorer built in, and
Explorer runs animation, Java, VB scripts... the whole thing given
access to the sytem. Of course a text file can't get access to the
system, but Explorer and Windows by-passes that, and if you
believe that anything M$ ever wrote is foolproof, then good luck.

RG> There was ONE version of Microsoft Outlook released many years
RG> ago that had a BUG that would allow javascripts (not java) to
RG> be executed without user intervention. This bug has long been
RG> fixed.

 Good luck... I was talking about the nice-lady spinmeister from
Microsoft who admited a few weeks ago that a bug still exists in
WinXP. 

 By JAVA, I meant that you have JAVA loaded on *your* machine which
will then run java beans as they arrive.

RG> The only way to get a virus infection is by actually RUNNING a
RG> virus infected executable. If people stopped doing this,
RG> viruses would cease to exist !!!!

 Any self-loading program is susceptible. What you say *was* true
before the Net and Win98/Explorer. I made do for 20 years with no
viruses, but now I'm too nervous. It's nto enough to "just don't run
an EXE."

RG> If ANYONE gets virus infected these days it is their own stupid
RG> fault - They've actually had to go out of their way in order to
RG> get themselves infected.

 That's the problem... you don't have to make a positive step,
Windows does it for you. It's the Microsoft philosophy that made
Gate a squillion. For instance, try and remove Explorer. Win98 just
loads it again. I had a sound-card program that kept loading itself,
even when I erased it! There was a hidden backup, and Registry did the
business. I had to search the entire Registry to clean it out, and
even now I'm not sure it's all gone. And if I plug the CD in, it all
begins again! All in a few seconds, and too fast to see what happened
or where it went.

RG> Cookies are totally harmless.

 Yair? Unless the cookie is not what it seems to be... you already
give it access to the system.
        
RG> Exracting ZIP files is totally harmless.

 Yair? Unless the ZIP file is a self-extracting EXE file with an
inbuilt extra, or unless the ZIP extractor is corrupted.

RG> Reading email is totally harmless.

 Yair? What about animations? Or a hiden attachment that runs the
first time you press ENTER, or ESC, or anything? That's what the M$
bug the nice-lady was talking about did.

RG> Executing (not extracting) the contents of a ZIP file can lead
RG> to infections. Enabling javascript in your email client can
RG> lead to infections. Both of these things requires user
RG> intervention.

 Or a hidden backdoor agenda from Microsoft. I simply don't trust
them.

Regards,
Bob


  

--- BQWK Alpha 0.5