G'day Rod

07 Apr 04 00:13, Rod Gasson wrote to All:

 >> > like a spreadsheet or word document...
 >>
 >> RG> No, you cannot execute document or spreadsheet files.
 >>
 >>  Yes you can. They have all sorts of things embedded.

 RG> As I disussed with Malcolm, you are confusing embeded macros, etc 
 RG> with the file itself. The doc/spreadsheet files are totally harmless, I 
 RG> read/view/print them all the time using QVP, OpenOffice, or one of MANY 
 RG> other tools, and even those that contain macro viruses are totally 
 RG> harmless under these conditions. The HARM comes about when you load the 
 RG> application associated with the virus, and it is the *application* that 
 RG> executes it and does the damage, but the doc/ss file itself is as harmless 
 RG> as the "i-am-a-virus.exe" file thats tucked away in that
"bigtits.zip" 
 RG> file.

 RG> Surely even you can see this??

At work, I open .DOCs with Word, and .XLSs with Excel. With the default
settings they advise me of any embedded macros, and ask if I wish to run
them.

Unless I know the origins of the document, I click "no".

Having an up-to-date virus checker helps one's confidence.

Regards,
David

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