Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Lee

Mar 20, 2007 6:17AM PDT

Theres a ongoing discussion in the V&S forum regarding the title of the sticky post as well as the title of the forum itself.If you care too check it out,LINK

Thanks for tour time,
Tom

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Thanks Tom
Mar 20, 2007 6:27AM PDT

Not Lee Koo but I thought I add here something Grin

Forum Title: Viruses & security alerts forum

Tom requesting for possible Forum title change because "virus" does not spyware, trojans, worms, rootkits and other type of malicious software that is a huge problem on the net.

If it is possible to change Forum title, one of my suggestion is:
Malware & Security Alerts Forum
Malware - covers almost all malicious software

Virus is the general and the widely used term whenever one suspects strange behaviour so I'm not sure if we can drop "Virus" and replace it with "Malware" or use both?

Virus, Malware & Security Alerts Forum or Malware & Security Alerts Forum

Let's hear from others and if possible to change.

- Collapse -
ONLY to add my 2 cents.......
Mar 20, 2007 6:37AM PDT

Isn't it enough, that already is mentioned underneath:

Viruses & security alerts forum

CNET's Forum on viruses and spyware is the best source for finding the latest news, help, and troubleshooting
advice from a community of experts. Discussions cover how to detect, fix, and remove viruses, spyware, adware,
malware, and other vulnerabilities on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

- Collapse -
Hi Marianna
Mar 20, 2007 6:51AM PDT

The header is the first thing someone will see and the "mentioned underneath",for lack of a better term is the fine print and most people automatically ignore such.

Maybe the title virus and security alert is obsolete in todays world.

- Collapse -
Thanks for the suggestions...
Mar 20, 2007 7:29AM PDT

Let me give this some thought... but I'm hesitant to change it.

Here are my reasons, I really don't want to extend the forum's name any longer than it is already. And the one problem that I have with the word "malware" is that while we here understand what it means, it is not a loosely used term in the general public. I always use my father as guinea pig for words like this--and if I asked my dad what malware was, he would have no clue, but if I asked him what a virus was he'd understand.

I think the title virus and security alerts covers these grounds: viruses, Spam, Trojans, Worms, Spyware, Rootkits--without having to going into much details as it is implied through the current forum's title. We can call it the Security forum, but then that becomes a bit too vague--Virus gives it direction and clarity as to what this forum is about.

Anyways--let me kick this idea around... I have to consider many things since this is a very visible forum throughout CNET and through the eyes of search engines, so I have to be careful when doing a change like this. So for now, I would like to keep the forum name as it is.

BTW I did change the title of the welcome message for you guys--what you guys put together for the sticky thread is spectacular!!

Cheers!

-Lee

PS: I answered Tom... so that makes 2 replies Wink

- Collapse -
(NT) I appreciate your responce
Mar 20, 2007 7:38AM PDT
- Collapse -
Thanks so much Lee
Mar 20, 2007 7:48AM PDT

That is what I thought too. Virus is the "general and the widely used term" whenever one suspects strange behaviour.
Malware describes most of the malicious software on the net but not all users are familiar with malware as term.

Incident:
I have a neighbour who don't even know what is 'rootkit' and 'phishing' and 'pharming'
He said "My computer is infected with virus" but after I checked the system, it is infected only with 1 spyware which is known spyware toolbar.

I said it's spyware but he insists it's a virus.
It's OK as long as his PC is clean now Grin

- Collapse -
(NT) Forum title should remain the same IMO (my 2 cents) :)
Mar 20, 2007 7:52AM PDT