(erielack) computer "scare"

["Joseph A. Braun" <joebraun_@_optonline.net>]

[From Randy Brown. Chris indicates that there is considerable traffic
off-list among list members. Is this true? If so -- why? After all, one of
my prime reasons to join the list is to experience everything everyone has
to say...]

There is some off-List traffic but I don't think it approaches the
considerable level. Off-List traffic is primarily off-List TOPIC traffic. I
have been in a sporadic thread about model railroad lighting in general (not
a List topic). A Lister talks about LV traffic over the Erie main in the
Southern Tier and I have a detailed question stimulated about the LV in
general (not a List topic) that I ask off-List. The current "computer scare"
actually started off-List where around five of us were contacted and
realized quickly that we were all EL Listers; we opted to bring the issue to
the List. One of the great features of the List is that we meet people on
the List and can tap into their expertise in areas that are not EL, DLW. or
Erie specific. I personally think that is so cool, as long as List
appropriate stuff stays out there on the List.

Re that computer scare that really was not (it would have been a scare only
if a link was actually followed and that link was trouble):

- - In my further exchanges, the person knew that Dykes Lumber was a customer
on the line east of Suffern (seduction). The same person had a startling
lack of knowledge about the reasons there was no passenger service to Spring
Valley on the line (either an amazingly contrasting lack of knowledge or
provocative bait). The two extremes did not add up. So we should use what
Paul B. once termed the "BS meter" in reacting to emails from strangers.

- - An email exchange in itself is not going to create a danger. Clicking on
links or attachments is the portal to danger, as is (potentially) not simply
immediately stopping an email exchange once its nature and intent is
questionable. 

- - Re the accessibility of our email addresses, all of ours are simply just
out there. They are no secret. If you want a little sense of that in the
reverse direction, Google your email address. Mine turns up first a
professional directory in which I am listed. Second on the Google list is
the entire Erie Lackawanna List Members' Page" with all our email addresses
on it plus our interests. You can't alter the public nature of email
addresses. For good reasons, we want them out there just as much as we want
our street addresses out there for accessibility. We can only exercise a
simultaneous openness and caution.

Joe Braun



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End of EL Mail List Digest V3 #3571
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