Home Forums FineTunedMac Community FineTunedMac Feedback #$!& YO'COUCH?

We've spent plenty of time discussing ways to get out the FTM word and increase membership, but I'm concerned about an aspect of the FTM website that I must suspect is driving potential new members away...

FTM's home page displays a screen capture of a form of malware along with this text above it



and this below



Clicking calls up a screen capture of a porn site and displays what I consider to be an extremely crude and objectionable image of some jerk pawing a young woman (which, in addition to being inappropriate for "some work environments" is also most assuredly inappropriate for kids).

I might understand the link's existence if seeing the complete screen capture contributed to people's understanding of the threat, but as far as I can see it contributes absolutely nothing, and, further, since this text



is also displayed, I see absolutely ZERO reason why a porn, rather than benign, site is linked.

Now, to the point... Since this-all is prominently placed on the FTM home page it is likely to be a potential member's first exposure to the FTM "aesthetic," and whaddaya know... FTM turns out to be a Mac troubleshooting site that hosts offensive content and requires parental controls!!!

I'm going to call on joemikeb, whose religious convictions and affiliations (I expect) make him representative of many potential FTM members as well as sensitive to their "aesthetic," for input on this issue, because his opinion will be both thoughtful and worthy of respect.

Sorry for putting you on the spot, joemike, but what say you? (I doubt you can even begin to imagine how many times I've caught myself on the verge of posting the obvious typo.)

I agree. That's not in good taste. I hope it will be changed to something that's not controversial.

Having read all that, I had a look at the home page for probably the first time ever. (If I've ever seen it before I don't remember: this note to save someone wading through StatCounter logs to see if I've ever accessed the home page.)

Why have a home page? This is a forum for fixing Mac issues and discussing them, what's the need for a home page anyway? Every other forum I've ever been on has no home page (apart from some travel ones but that's different, they're not specific as this one is).

If the software demands a Home Page, just put the Forums main menu in there, I'd suggest.

The reason for the image being linked is to show the warning in a typical context; the reason it's behind a link is to keep it from being displayed if it isn't specifically requested. This same image is used on a large percentage of the sites downloading this particular variant of the malware, which is why I think the context is important.

I do recognize that some people might not like to see it, which is why it's behind a click, and I'm certainly open to other possibilities, including a more strongly worded caution when clicking the picture, or removing it altogether.

Thanks for the response and clarification, tacit.

I'm waiting for joemike to (hopefully) weigh in, but, under any circumstances, I'll revisit the subject later today.

The link to the full image has been removed.

As for what the home page is, eventually (time allowing) I plan to turn this into a place to add links to Mac articles, Mac tech bulletins, and Mac-related security issues, problems, and malware. The goal, hopefully, will be to have a front page that's a resource for Mac users, linked to the forums.

FYI, while he may very well do that, it won't be until the end of the week at the earliest (anniversary trip).

> The link to the full image has been removed.

Great; thanks!

It's for the best!

Edit: The image of the malware, itself, is the important thing to burn into people's brains; putting it into only one of several possible contexts has the potential to lull people into a false sense of security.

> As for what the home page is, eventually (time allowing) I plan to turn this into a place to add links to Mac articles, Mac tech bulletins, and Mac-related security issues, problems, and malware. The goal, hopefully, will be to have a front page that's a resource for Mac users, linked to the forums.

I like that idea faaar better than Bensheim's "If the software demands a Home Page, just put the Forums main menu in there, I'd suggest.".

We all fully understand that you've been devoting serious time to the FTM project, hopefully not to the detriment of your others, and will be happy to wait to see how the FTM home page develops...as it develops.

Again, thanks from all of us for your contributions to this venture.

> (anniversary trip)

Good for joemike and Mrs. b! (50 years... Wow!)

Since tacit has removed the offending link joemike's input is no longer necessary, so since he hopefully hasn't seen my initial post I'd have no objections to your editing it to remove my call for his opinion (not that it wouldn't interest me to hear it).

Your call.