You know, there was a time that I would come to TR because I would look to my peers to help resolve IT issues or to discuss professional subjects in a mature and conversational way. So what has happened and why do I feel so obscenely let down by TR?
Here is a clue. It is a question on the forums now: "Group Policy - How to configure". A question from an "IT Consultant" in India. Or maybe a question like "How do I program in C++", this time from Pakistan. Perhaps something like "How to configure a Cisco router" from an African state.
I use to try and offer assistance to these people but I started getting bombarded by emails from these people/criminal organisations and two phishing emails and three pharming emails got to my inbox from these TR members.
My question is: Has TR become a platform from which to launch attacks, maybe even using social engineering in the form of the forums to met their ends? I have the feeling that it has. I also believe that TR is not fulfilling a committment to weed out these miscreants. Does that sound harsh?
I try and protect my computer at home as well as I can and never open dodgy attachments etc; but when I see something from a TR member sending me a personal message, it makes my skin crawl now. I can guess 9 out of ten times what the content will be.
Does anyone else feel as I do and does anyone feel that TR, a once fantastic site for techy people the world over, could do more to return the site to its former glory days?
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I have answered a couple of really dumb questions with what I hoped were helpful and polite answers. Before I knew it I had three emils from that person in my Junk mail. All were exactly the same, simply sent three times.
It is beginning to annoy me.....
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Maybe just don't answer questions from those "bad" countries...
Don't reply. <br> There are only 12 or so people here that can send me an email anytime and they don't need to use peermail. <br> If you want to answer questions go to the questions forum.<br> You don't OWE an unsolicited TR peermail a reply. If they keep it up use their email address to sign them up for a free laptop or something.
While the majority of poorly worded, uninformed questions appear to originate on the Indian subcontinental area, we've had twits from all over the world.
We suffered an attack of potty-mouthed Irish kids around Christmas '07 or '08. They disappeared when school started back up.
There was an invasion of rude 'anonymous' idjits during Jason Hiner's 'President of the Internet' discussion, and a wave of them combating with Scientology defenders before that. Unruly posters from both groups originated in many countries. None of them were TR 'regulars' per se; they spotted a couple of 'hot button' phrases they apparently search for constantly and came like flies to fresh cowpats.
We've had obvious homework questions from most English speaking countries.
For a while we had a rash of "I bought / was given / borrowed (read: stole) a computer and 'forgot' the Admin password" nonsense from right here in the Good Ol'.
Would it be possible to give the recipient of a peermail the option of replying with a non-identifying blanket reply of "please post your question on the forums, I will respond there", or something to that effect, that doesn't expose the members mail?
If you're asking for technical help, please be sure to include all your system info, including operating system, model number, and any other specifics related to the problem. Also please exercise your best judgment when posting in the forums--revealing personal information such as your e-mail address, telephone number, and address is not recommended.
What is happening to TechRepublic?
Here is a clue. It is a question on the forums now: "Group Policy - How to configure". A question from an "IT Consultant" in India. Or maybe a question like "How do I program in C++", this time from Pakistan. Perhaps something like "How to configure a Cisco router" from an African state.
I use to try and offer assistance to these people but I started getting bombarded by emails from these people/criminal organisations and two phishing emails and three pharming emails got to my inbox from these TR members.
My question is: Has TR become a platform from which to launch attacks, maybe even using social engineering in the form of the forums to met their ends? I have the feeling that it has. I also believe that TR is not fulfilling a committment to weed out these miscreants. Does that sound harsh?
I try and protect my computer at home as well as I can and never open dodgy attachments etc; but when I see something from a TR member sending me a personal message, it makes my skin crawl now. I can guess 9 out of ten times what the content will be.
Does anyone else feel as I do and does anyone feel that TR, a once fantastic site for techy people the world over, could do more to return the site to its former glory days?