Chicken and sausages

On Yahoo Answers someone called Rowen raised pertinent questions around Grouply. Unfortunately this Rowen seems to have been simply repeating verbatim something that he or she considers a "reliable source".

Now there is an extremely healthy debate around Grouply, but Rowen's reliable source has sent him or her barking mad up the wrong tree in so many ways that this seems more intent on spreading rumour than dealing with verifiable facts.

The first problem is that they talk about Grouply as if it was a Yahoo Group. Now in fact there is a group, on Y!G's called Grouply. I know because I am a member. The group is largely dormant and only has a handful of members, but that is not the point. The point is that the current debate is around Grouply the service. This is something so totally different: chalk and cheese.

The second problem is that somehow giving a reputable company your Yahoo ID and password implies they can and do mass mailings. Excuse me but people, including spammers don't need a Yahoo ID and password to do mass mailings. There are a range of tools that you can get for free to do mass mailings. And certainly if you are going to spam you jolly well keep your head below the parapet when doing it.

It's just like someone saying a chicken lays eggs so let's have 5 sausages to eat.

I could steer a whole barrage of battleships through the question, but in the interests of brevity I will conclude with saying that the questioner has chosen an answer that says the solution is to use some spyware. Don't get me wrong, I am a great advocate of spyware and consider it of better value in the security game than anti-virus tools. But that is not the point.

The point is that it is another example of chicken and sausages.
Now what I like best about the questioner is that they have chosen an anwer
Well Rowen, you have just proved how disreputable your source is and if that is the quality of information on which you depend - they I would recommend you change your friends, instantly.

You see Rowen, a "group" (in the Yahoo sense) mostly contains messages. Some groups may not discuss nice things. But that is the limit of the damage they can do. You see Rowen, you are implying that using Yahoo Groups is somehow dangerous, and I am not sure that Yahoo would like that implication.

Now in case you think that I am taking a dig at Rowen, think again. We can all do better and we all need to improve ourselves. But please Rowen, do some real homework. If you really are quoting your source then do yourself a favour and find someone else since, I am sad to say, this one is not on planet earth. I recommend some of the people on GrouplyComplaints. Some of the posters there can make cogent arguments.