Our Opinion November 2001

Our Opinion Page for November 2001

Sign of the times

I may not get the chance to reply to all of your email (I do try) but feedback from you is definitely the making of this page, so please keep it coming.

There is however, one kind of email I really don't like getting. No I'm not necessarily talking about abusive email (rare, I am happy to say) but the all too common mailing that expects me to do all the work and doesn't give me anything to go on.

Here is an example: "I'm trying to connect my new Windows 98 computer to our server. The server is expecting a TCP/IP connection to service the request. I've set up the Windows 98 computer with TCP/IP as one of its protocols (using Network Neighbourhood and Properties). What do I need to do to establish a connection ?"

My first question was, who are you ? The email wasn't even signed. After fishing about in the headers I couldn't retrieve any name. What does it cost to spend a line or two introducing yourself. For example, "Hi boss, I am a retired business man from East Kilbride and I am using Microsoft Windows 98 SE to share files on my home network. I happened to visit scotsmist ......"

Another point that should be mandatory in mailings, not just to me but to whoever, is to indicate that you've gone some way towards trying to solve the problem yourself and your not just leaning back, expecting someone else to do all the work. Even if you were, you'd need to define the problem rather better than the example email above "the server is expecting a TCP/IP connection ...." doesn't help me much. If there is a connection and nothing is working, you have one set of problems. If you haven't managed to make the TCP/IP connection at all, that's a different problem.

By way of contrast, here's the sort of email I much prefer. "I read your article at scotsmist.co.uk regarding the problems you are having with security and privacy online. Seems you are having the same realisation that I did .... I have installed a hardware router on my cable modem connected network. The router allows port forwarding to computers on the network and uses dynamic NAT to offer some protection from the Internet. The router is also configurable using packet filtering of unwanted traffic entering and leaving the router on both the LAN and WAN ports.
I have been using the router for over six months and am absolutely delighted with it. Two of the best features of my make of router are one, the router allows me to filter content by keywords and gives me the opportunity to block double-click and other known tracking networks. Two, the router is configured to automatically update my dynamic IP address with dyndns.org, therefore removing the need to install and run a client on one of the pc's.
The router also performs very quickly and I have noticed an overall improvement in access and download times since upgrading from a software solution. Of course the router is no substitute for an expensive industry strength firewall, but will deter most kiddy scripters out there.

Jason also went on to tell me more about his model of router, the cost and a decent collection of links that had reviewed the router which I have omitted for the sake of brevity. This is the kind of mail to which I respond. I supposed the most series point was the reviews he pointed to, so I loaded my browser at one and started reading.

Please remember to do your homework first.

Until next month cya in cyberspace.

December's Opinion

October's Opinion