In article says...
I have to "mess with Outlook Express" because I have Windows XP professional
and the e-mail program, Outlook that can handle the massive e-mails does
fine but doesn't allow me to use it for going to the newsgroup. I am trying
to get another provider to the newsgroup, but that doesn't have anything to
do with my lack of being smart and savvy (thanks for that, though, I didn't
think I was savvy, smart about some things yes, ignert in other things
deffinately) it has to do with not willing to return to Netscape
(BellSouth doesn't support Netscape communicator anymore, and they're my
internet provider. and for $9.60 a month, I can't beat it with a stick)

Don't bother changing providers, they aren't the problem. You are only
one of thousands if not millions of people who got infected using Outlook
and it's not your fault. Many people just get computers and use whatever
is installed on them to use the Internet. That's certainly
understandable; you shouldn't have to be a computer geek to use the
Internet.

That said, it's always good to use email and newsreading products that
are not made by the same company, namely Microsoft. Microsoft integrated
these functions so closely into their operating system even they don't
know what kind of backdoors that exist which became obvious in this
current flood of email.

My server, brandylion.com, is getting flooded with those emails now,
well over 10,000 large messages killed. They don't do anything but
register into my rejected email logs now since my server doesn't run
windows but I wouldn't blame this situation on any one person. A vast
majority of the Internet got hit who didn't know any better and it's
causing massive turmoil. I feel sorry for those folks with yahoo
accounts that are getting hit.

I would suggest using a different email program which you can get free
from Netscape or Mozilla (www.mozilla.org) or Eudora (www.eudora.com).
Use a third party newsreader. My favorite is Microplanet Gravity which I
originally paid $35 for but now has become freeware. You can download it
at:

http://cws.internet.com/news-gravity.html

The bottom line, don't use Outlook or Internet Explorer for anything.
You don't have to and you'll be a lot less likely to become infected with
any viruses out there as long as you never consciously execute any
attachments that come your way (and they will).

This virus has hit everyone and it's severe. Right now fix your PC so it
stops sending email without your knowledge and that will end it. That
you're getting email from others will take awhile before everyone else
fixes their PCs. I consider this problem 95% Microsoft and 5% the people
who discovered the exploit and instead of writing a white paper on this,
they unleashed this virus on us all.