Err... F***ing... Hotmail

[myth]

I have just recived a VERY IMPORTANT email, However the attachmentWas.. Well blocked!

"Hotmail has permanently blocked the following potentially unsafe attachment(s): *****.exe (7.08 MB)"


OMG!!! Now what! Why has this hapend? I know it was safe! I need that file!!!

[directhex]

get them to zip it instead? the average person will simply open all files they receive, regardless of effects, and a very large number of mail relays will outright block executable attachments

[nichomach]

Because executables, macros, shell scraps, (alleged) screensavers are all prime candidates for virus infection. Because the Hotmail folks know this, and also know that a large proportion of their users are going to be the sort to say either "virus scanner? Wot dat den?" or "Well I don't have a virus scanner and I'VE never had a problem..."(to which the appropriate answer is "No, ducky, you haven't, you're just one of the plague rats that makes life hard for the rest of us"), they block those sorts of file types completely. I don't know whether you use your web browser to access Hotmail, or whether you use Outlook Express - if the latter, THAT would have blocked it too. May I suggest that you get the sender to send again as a zip file, see if that goes through? BTW, I'd have thought 7.08MB was pretty large for Hotmail unless you're on the Premium service?

[myth]

Because executables, macros, shell scraps, (alleged) screensavers are all prime candidates for virus infection. Because the Hotmail folks know this, and also know that a large proportion of their users are going to be the sort to say either "virus scanner? Wot dat den?" or "Well I don't have a virus scanner and I'VE never had a problem..."(to which the appropriate answer is "No, ducky, you haven't, you're just one of the plague rats that makes life hard for the rest of us"), they block those sorts of file types completely. I don't know whether you use your web browser to access Hotmail, or whether you use Outlook Express - if the latter, THAT would have blocked it too. May I suggest that you get the sender to send again as a zip file, see if that goes through? BTW, I'd have thought 7.08MB was pretty large for Hotmail unless you're on the Premium service?

Premium! The problem is the sender only checks his email once a week!

[nichomach]

Look, Hotmail isn't a service I'd use for critically important stuff anyway. I'd phone him, get him to burn it to a CD and then snail mail it to you.

[myth]

He was just over at my house yesterday! he lives 5 mins away! But I'm too lazy!

[SilentDeath]

hotmail :E

Why, really WHY do people use it?

its not the ONLY free email service. WHY!!!

I can name about 50 others, all better. I use yahoo, works well for me.

And I wouldnt get the same problem as you, it scans all attachments and you can download any not infected...

Not that I need a virus scanner with emails.. I dont recive any potentially infectable formats anyway...

And I dont use one myself either (well only full scan once every few months. Realtime scanning is stupid and pointless)
Firewalls are a seperate issue, which ill ignore - Assuming all software is upto date then viruses can only get into your pc by user error (this includes running IE and other software with known exploitable bugs.. - and im well aware of the fact no software is perfect/bug free...).
Anyway Ive never had a problem with viruses (only when other people are infected, e.g. the email spam I get regually).
Using a NAT router will prevent most if not all remote exploit things, like the blaster worms.

[Gordy]

Hotmail is fine for me , I have 2000mb of space now , I use the address to limit the spam that makes it to my main account. I get very few spam emails nowdays maybe 5 or so a day.

Its a reliable service which everyone knows and I've had the account for 7years why should I change to another ? Yahoo has just as much spam.