* Justin Gombos <mindfuq(_at_)zianet(_dot_)com> [2004-11-03 13:19]:
Anyway, you could use the same script, and just write your canned
response in anti_word.msg (obviously w/ different wording than I
have).
Here's how I've worded the response, in case anyone is interested in
implementing the same type of auto-response.
[anti_word.msg]
My scripts have detected that you sent me an email with a Word
document attached, and this is an automated response, intended to
inform you that you are using a non-standard tool and to illustrate
how this is a detriment to society.
The first issue is that Micro$oft Word (tm) is a proprietary
commercial software package that is not easily affordable.
Furthermore, the price is unjustified to those who can afford it
because freely available tools exist that are superior.
Microsoft Word is closed-source, and the structure and format of the
bloated non-standard .doc files it produces is kept secret to make
widespread fair use difficult. It's not a good idea to
automatically assume that other users can read a Word document.
In fact, not even Word users are guarenteed to be able to read your
Word document. Microsoft has been steadily changing the .doc format
over the releases of Microsoft Word (4.0, 95, 97, 2000, and now XP).
Users with a different version of Word will possibly have troubles
with the document created by another user.
Microsoft can (and did recently in Kenya and Brazil) have local
police enforce laws that prohibit students from studying the code,
prohibit entrepeneurs starting new companies, and prohibit
professionals offering their services. Please don't give them your
support.
I hope you realize that I have nothing against you as a person.
It's just that to be fair to all users, Microsoft Word documents
should not be exchanged publically. The objective of this automated
message is to discourage the use of Word documents in public.
If my scripts are working correctly, you should only receive this
notice once. Future submissions of Word document attachments from
the same email address should not receive this response.
I will first try to view your Word document in OpenOffice.org, since
my email system is on a GNU Linux machine. If that fails (and it
often does), I will transfer the document to a Windows machine and
attempt to open it in a native Microsoft Word application. I will
then reply manually if I still have troubles working with the
document.
For further information about why Word attachments should be avoided,
I invite you to the following links:
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/papadopoulos-response.html
For information on Word as a virus transmission tool, see:
http://www.viruslist.com/eng/viruslist.html?id=7
Text that you think you deleted may still be embarrassingly present;
see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3154479.stm for more info.
What should you do, if not send a Word document? If formatted text
and graphics are not necessary, plain text should be adequate. If
you are delivering formatted text and graphics, a more appropriate
format would be PDF. Although I will accept PDF attachments, it's
always better etiquette to post binary files on a server and email a
link or instructions accessing them. This is because some users
still today do not have high-speed Internet connections, and email
is generally a poor way to send large amounts of binary data.
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