RE: word of mouth on the internet

From: Mark J. Welch <MarkWelch_at_adbility.com>
Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 15:46:15 -0500 (CDT)

TIM SMITH ASKED:
>Do you ever open an .exe file from a non-trusted source?

Absolutely, positively not. In fact, I don't open
unexpected .exe files or Microsoft Word or Excel files from
people I know and trust quite well.

I will ONLY open a file attachment if I have set up a clear
prior arrangement with the other party (an obvious example
would be my monthly reports from Goto.com, which come in a
Microsoft Word file).

Even if I write to a company asking for information (such as
a data sheet or price list), I generally reject any file
attachment other than HTML or PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format,
since there is no real reason to use some other format. (One
reasonable exception might be exchanging proposals and
offers regarding web advertising, where you might want
formulas embedded so that sub-totals and totals adjust
automatically when you increase or decrease the number of
exposures being purchased.)

I do not think that Tim is being unreasonably paranoid, nor
that I am being unreasonable. It's just prudent -- and in
99% of situations there is never any need to use anything
other than HTML, which truly represents a practical
"universal file format."

Mark J. Welch
[Adbility's Web Publishers' Advertising Guide]
http://www.Adbility.com/WPAG/
(925) 462-8483 voice - Pleasanton, California

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Received on Fri May 14 1999 - 20:40:51 CDT