AVIEN Frequently Asked Questions

 

Why on earth would I want to join AVIEN?

• Quite simply, because you want to be up-to-date on this fast growing area, talk to fellow specialists about viruses, worms, Trojan horses and other related anti-virus topics that keep you busy.

• And, best of all, you'll be in the forefront. AVIEN is recognized as THE place to find out what is really happening in the world of malware. Amaze your friends, scare your colleagues, and be the life of the party!!   Seriously, AVIEN has become a real on-line community, where people help each other every day.
  
  Read some comments of  AVIEN members.

If I subscribe to the AVI-EWS do I automatically get membership in AVIEN?

• No, they are two different systems. Anyone can pay their fee and subscribe to the AVI-EWS, but AVIEN membership has specific requirements (mainly, you must manage at least 1500 PCs and not work for a vendor of AV software or hardware).

• When you fax your signed AVIEN membership application form, it includes the details for your AVI-EWS subscription which you get automatically.

How do you verify that AVIEN members actually meet the membership requirements?

• We ask for some corroborating information from each applicant. Most members to date knew at least one other already in the network, so that usually makes it easy.  We might call your company to check that you really are the "Lord High Supreme Knight for Saving the Universe from Malware, Corporation X, Big Issues Department".

• We also have some rather large individuals who visit each potential member and ask embarrassing questions. If the potential member is able to answer these questions correctly and perform a mathematical skill-testing question, the large individuals will then move on to the next victim, err..., candidate. ;-). Of course, if you believe this, you better advise the Easter Bunny that Santa will be late for the Mad Hatter's party next week.

• If you have not guessed by now, let's make it clear - we think that a little joshing is good for the soul and takes some of the stress out of dealing with vicious, cruel, disgusting, and infuriating verminous code produced with the sole intent of ruining our days, disrupting our sleep, and causing our fingernails to curl at awkward angles. (The Membership Committee wishes to apologize for that last rant, and the Webmaster has been sent to his room for a spell.)

What happens to a member who violates a list rule?

• They are warned and placed on suspension (no list access except for alert warnings) until the Disciplinary Committee investigates the matter and decides on a course of action.  To date, we have only had to apply this rule once. Everyone has been very civil, mainly serious, and utterly professional. Except for the contingent who insist on calling everyone Bruce...

If I'm "shy", or just plain paranoid in the beginning, will I be given some leeway in posting messages or will I need to participate immediately?

• You talk as little or as much as you want. No pressure. If you seem to be dead, we might send around the paramedics to do CPR... <g> (This joke was supplied by an AVIEN member, actually called Bruce....)

Is the tone of AVIEN messages deadly serious, or is there room for some interesting banter?

• We try to keep things professional. However, if you feel the need to make a pun or poke fun at something, we look the other way... so we don't spill coffee on our keyboards. 92.45% of all messages posted are serious. ;-) And, we have several lists for the not so serious folks to get it out of their system.

• However, we must warn you that there is an undercurrent of donut jokes that runs through the AVIEN lists. So, don't act surprised... <vbg>

Why do I have to pay to belong to AVIEN?

• The entire AVIEN and AVI-EWS system is run by volunteers on a not-for-proft basis. Expenses are involved with maintaining the email databases and mailing lists, the web sites, promoting the project, general administration (there are literally hundreds of members) etc.. Your annual dues go towards offsetting these expenses, which are currently borne by the administrative support company, ByteMatrix Limited.