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Mis-Typing A URL Means You're SOL ASAP Plus: Why You Never Rely Solely On E-Mail And: Strap On The Grenades And Go After The Physical Therapist Who Violated Your Rights
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Air Date: May 13, 2004
By now just about everyone's spent some time on-line, but you've gotta be careful what you type or you could end up somewhere on-line you never expected. And joining us with his own cyber-horror story is our own un-common sense expert and Dallas Morning News columnist Benjamin Dover.
Question 1: So I see in your column in today's paper that someone created quite a headache for you in last week's edition?
Answer 1: As a matter of fact they did. Last week's column generated several hundred e-mails...the column discussed how to obtain congratulatory letters from the president (as well as the governor). Why the huge response to that topic? Because someone here at the paper allowed the typesetting software to inadvertently "break" the URL (web address for the special web page on my site) with a hyphen. Anyone who’s spent a little time on the Internet by now knows that it’s a most un-forgiving place. You’ve gotta type website or e-mail addresses exactly as they’re written: Adding an extra dash, slash, dot or hyphen will shoot the wheels off of your cyber-hunt. So to answer your question, Dennis: You’re right–they published the incorrect web address...here’s the correct one: www.bendover.com/congrats.asp.
Question 2: A reader also pointed out that these letters can be requested by e-mail...and you warn people about the uncertainty of e-mail. Why?
Answer 2: I’ve been burned on several occasions by either ridiculously long or randomly-changing URLs published by government agencies...so my solution? I simply direct readers to a permanent (and hopefully simple) web address on my site for additional information and (hopefully) a much easier web environment to navigate for answers. You’re right, it’s possible to now fax or e-mail letter requests to the White House, but it’s important to remember that e-mail is still an inexact science. Relying solely on e-mail for crucial communication is risky. My advice if you’re determined to e-mail something important? Print a copy of the e-mail after it’s been sent and then fax a copy of it as a back-up.
Question 3: In your newsletter last week you had a story about a grandmother who shocked her grandchildren when they got on-line on her computer...and this hammers home your warnings about the dangers that lurk on the Internet doesn't it?
Answer 3: You've gotta be careful where you go and what you click on these days. [Read the entire story here.]
Question 4: And now Congress is focusing on the evils of spyware popping up on computers? Do you think they're wasting their time? [Read the recent NYTimes story about spyware here.]
Answer 4: Oh sure...they've done such a great job at stopping junk faxes and spam, so I'm sure they'll be equally-effective going after spyware.
Close: For the latest news-you-can-use and un-common sense advice, be sure to check out Ben's column every Thursday in the Texas Living section of The Dallas Morning News, or sign-up for his free weekly "Dose of Dover" newsletter on his award-winning website: www.benjamindover.com!
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