4chan

[doliest]

Okay, time to reveal how utterly un-tech savvy I am.

I have a simple question for...well...people smarter than me. Is 4chan safe for use? Not in content, I'm not trying to talk about what is on the site-I know what's on it. I mean, is the site prone to viruses. About a week ago, I started perusing a number of new sites, 4chan among them, and found that withen a few days, my computer had a virus on it so bad I likely need to reboot the OS to fix it. Most of those sites I have simply chosen to never visit again. But 4chan interested me. It has a few threads archived I was in the middle of reading, etc. So, as I'm attempting to narrow down if 4chan caused my crash, I ask the one forum I frequent and trust on whether or not 4chan was where I likely obtained that virus.

And as I have already said, lets not turn this into a discussion of 4chan itself. That isn't forum safe in the least, I'm just asking about if the site is prone to viruses.

[thubby]

nothing ever popped up on my virus scan the few times i poked around to get a feel for the place.

that said, why would you want to go there?

[doliest]

I have a thing for Quest Threads and I solicited help in writing a background for a campaign I'm running.

That is helpful, though I'm still hesitant to risk my new Laptop.

[Mordokai]

that said, why would you want to go there?

Because it's fun, you can let yourself go and give in to urges you can't possibly ever satisfy on this or pretty much any other forum? Because it caters to all the lowlives, scum and thugs of internet? Because it's the wretched hive of villainy and we love it for it? Because it's, with one word, liberating? And lets not forget, there's much more to 4chan than just /b/

To answer OP, I've browsed it semi-regulary in the past and still do it. I never had any problems with the site itself and my antivirus never reported anything bad from it. Nothing as much as spam, let alone viruses.

What kind of virus did you get? What other sites were you on? Doesn't your antivirus give you anything to go by?

[Pokonic]

Your more likely to get a virus from TV tropes than from 4chan, actualy. It seems that being around a bunch of other moderatly tech-savvy people tends to keep them in line. Its funny, realy.

[Porkslope]

In my experience, 4chan is itself a safe site. While the moderating staff leaves much to be desired, the business side of the site seems stable enough. I'd still recommend making use of some sort of ad-blocking plugin for your browser of choice (I use Firefox with Adblock Plus and Flashblock, and sometimes Noscript), since no site is immune to shady advertisers -- Something Awful is a good example of this. If you go to SA, take a peek at the Questions, Comments, and Suggestions forum and the advertisements thread for some horror stories of strange banner ads giving strange viruses.

There are really only two things you need to be cautious about on 4chan, and these really depend on which boards you go to.

1) Illegal material. You might never actually encounter any such thing, but even if you do, make sure to click the checkbox next to the offending post, scroll down to the bottom of the page, click the report button, and report it as illegal. This sort of thing is more likely to show up on /b/ Random than any other board, with /v/ Video Games in close second (since /v/ is just /b/ 2.0).

2) Suspicious links. Again, you'll likely only encounter this on /b/ or other sparsely-moderated, high-traffic boards (like the pornography boards), but it's good to exercise some extra caution when someone links offsite.

[doliest]

I really only plan on frequenting /tg; like I said, Quest Threads and DMing advice.

The Virus started out redirecting me any time I clicked on a site in a search engine. Then opening tabs on its own. Then slowdown. Then it somehow stopped me from System Restoring.

[Renegade Paladin]

that said, why would you want to go there?
/tg

I really only plan on frequenting /tg; like I said, Quest Threads and DMing advice.

The Virus started out redirecting me any time I clicked on a site in a search engine. Then opening tabs on its own. Then slowdown. Then it somehow stopped me from System Restoring.
Run virus scans in safe mode; that usually does the trick. I recommend MalwareBytes. If you still get problems, then asking on a more tech-minded board will probably get you answers fairly quickly.

[Porkslope]

Malware Bytes is really, really good. If you're looking to do some system cleanup, I also recommend Glary Utilities and Microsoft Security Essentials.

[tensai_oni]

I spend more time on 4chan than GitP and I have yet to catch anything nasty there. I run Noscript and adblock, but then - who doesn't nowadays?

[Newman]

4chan, I can understand. Stuff comes and goes, it's very transient and very fizzy and sparky.

Something Awful is the thing I don't get. They're the only forum I know with such an aggressive attitude towards other places. And unlike 4chan, the data is much more cumulative over time.

[tensai_oni]

Something Awful is driven by the goons' desire to pretend they're the last bastion of intelligence in the murky cesspool of the internet, and that everyone else are the immature fanboys while they are the high-class gentlemen (and -women).

They're not the only site on the 'net who is like that but they are the most visible and aggressive about it.

[Pokonic]

Someing Awful people think there better than the rest of the internet because they pay to be around other nutjobs.

[Porkslope]

SA isn't actually that bad, it just suffers from the same "obnoxious vocal minority" factor that makes so many other places also look terrible. There are a few other things about SA that build up to make it look a lot worse than it is.

The pay wall. You can browse most of the forums without registering, but sometimes they close the forums to non-members for extended periods of time. If you get banned, you have to pay another $10 to re-register (and more money if you want an avatar and certain other functions). This can be incredibly daunting to people, not necessarily because $10 is a lot, but just out of principle. Why should I bother paying?

Extremely strict rules. Strict to the point that many discussions of SA and its moderators lead to conversations getting Godwin'd within a few posts. Thankfully they have probations in place (which are like temp bans, where you can browse but not post) but if you break the rules, the admins will come down on you like the fist of an angry god.

Combine these and you've got a community that looks pretty insular, but actually isn't -- as long as you lurk before you post. Lots of people miss that part and want to jump right into discussion without having picked up on the norms and posting styles people use.

Though, there are some boards that are insular, like FYAD, where posting actually decreases your postcount. If you see someone with a negative postcount, then chances are good they take themselves and their sub-forum way too seriously. This is ironic because punctuation and honesty are to them as sunlight is to vampires.

[Haruki-kun]

Don't click any links and don't take any tech advice from 4chan and you should be mostly safe. That's all the advice I can give.

EDIT: If any tech advice LOOKS safe, double check it with Google OR someone who knows about computers.

[doliest]

I'm not planning on clicking any downloads or the like, just asking for DMing advice, and reading archived quest threads. This computer is brand new and as such only has Norton on it. Need to fix that.

[Porkslope]

Don't click any links and don't take any tech advice from 4chan and you should be mostly safe. That's all the advice I can give.

EDIT: If any tech advice LOOKS safe, double check it with Google OR someone who knows about computers.

I've only ever received two pieces of tech advice from 4chan. The first was to delete system32 (which you should never ever do) and the other was to install Linux.

I don't ask 4chan for tech advice anymore.

[Newman]

Linux is nice... as an alternative...

[Porkslope]

Linux is nice... as an alternative...

Keep in mind that the "Install Linux" suggestion was made in response to an issue I was having involving a proprietary router installed by a local internet service provider. I solved the issue myself. It did not involve installing Linux.

[Haruki-kun]

Linux is nice... as an alternative...

Linux is pretty spiffy. But when someone says "I'm having this problem with my computer" the answer should never be "Install Linux" or "Get a Mac".

Anyhoo... that's mostly the issue with /g/. /b/ will usually try to give you advice that will ruin your computer. Which is why I stand by the same advice. If you're just going to /tg/ to get DMing advice you should be fine. Not that I frequent /tg/, though...

[Porkslope]

If you're just going to /tg/ to get DMing advice you should be fine. Not that I frequent /tg/, though...

I only drop into /tg/ once in a while, and usually just to make a That Guy thread or something comedy-related. My problem with /tg/ is that I'm pretty much only into tabletop RPGs, like D&D and Pathfinder and other d20 and Shadowrun and whatnot, while /tg/ is an all-purpose board that covers miniatures and card games. I'm not a big fan of miniatures and card games (especially miniatures) so it annoys me to have to scroll past twenty bazillion Warhammer 40k and Magic: The Gathering threads to find something relevant to my interests.

[Haruki-kun]

I only drop into /tg/ once in a while, and usually just to make a That Guy thread or something comedy-related. My problem with /tg/ is that I'm pretty much only into tabletop RPGs, like D&D and Pathfinder and other d20 and Shadowrun and whatnot, while /tg/ is an all-purpose board that covers miniatures and card games. I'm not a big fan of miniatures and card games (especially miniatures) so it annoys me to have to scroll past twenty bazillion Warhammer 40k and Magic: The Gathering threads to find something relevant to my interests.

Aye. Moot doesn't like splitting them up, though. And many people in the communities feel it's not a good idea to do so, either. It was suggested to split /a/ - Anime and Manga into an Anime board and a Manga board. The community came to agree that it would just mean losing a lot of good posters to a separate board.

[Newman]

Keep in mind that the "Install Linux" suggestion was made in response to an issue I was having involving a proprietary router installed by a local internet service provider. I solved the issue myself. It did not involve installing Linux.

The best professional advice is the advice you pay for.

[Caesar]

lol delete system32 trolollolol... honestly, who in god's name ever falls for such a thing??

4chan is probably one of the safest sites out there, which is something extraordinary considering it probably has the most virus infested links than almost anywhere else on the entire web except the old warez sites.

[Prime32]

Aye. Moot doesn't like splitting them up, though. And many people in the communities feel it's not a good idea to do so, either. It was suggested to split /a/ - Anime and Manga into an Anime board and a Manga board. The community came to agree that it would just mean losing a lot of good posters to a separate board.*is still trying to figure out what the /jp/ split was for*

[Delwugor]

You want good GMing advice or ideas - stick to GitP. Not everyone agrees on advice but people here give what they think is best. God knows what kind of crap comes out of 4chan silliness.


The Virus started out redirecting me any time I clicked on a site in a search engine. Then opening tabs on its own. Then slowdown. Then it somehow stopped me from System Restoring.
I'd suggest running CCleaner on all user profiles, this speeds up scans significantly. Good tool for cleaning up a computer and can be useful in tracking down viruses and spyware with a little knowhow.
Run a couple of different virus scanners separately (you may need to install, uninstall to avoid conflicts). I usually run Avast and AVG but MS Security Essentials is pretty good now.
Also run scans with both Malware Bytes and Ad-Aware.
If it still persists you may have a real difficult one.


The best professional advice is the advice you pay for.
I've help some for free before and after listening to what so called "paid advice" it is often just a waste of money.
I've actually found the best free advice comes from http://www.bleepingcomputer.com but there are other good free sites as well. Sometimes they do get in-depth but that is because they are also extremely thorough. But often they are extremely patient with people not understanding computers and usually give easily followed instructions.
In fact they are so thorough I just use the tools recommended on bleeping computers and follow the advice they give others. Only once have I had to reformat a hard drive and reinstall windows, and that was from a really nasty MBR root kit last year.

[Tengu_temp]

You want good GMing advice or ideas - stick to GitP. Not everyone agrees on advice but people here give what they think is best. God knows what kind of crap comes out of 4chan silliness.

I'm curious, have you ever been to 4chan? What makes you think the advice /tg/ gives will be any less genuine than whatever you receive here? Like it was already said here, not all boards are /b/.

[Porkslope]

I'm curious, have you ever been to 4chan? What makes you think the advice /tg/ gives will be any less genuine than whatever you receive here? Like it was already said here, not all boards are /b/.

Echoing this sentiment. 4chan's /tg/ is a board specifically for Traditional Games: tabletop, CCG, miniatures, and so on. It may be an anonymous imageboard, but some great discussion happens there, and some wonderful ideas are shared. Don't judge it until you've gone there yourself.

Just, don't browse while at work. /tg/ is a board with a blue background so it's technically supposed to be worksafe, but the moderators can't be everywhere at once.

If you want to check it out yourself, Delwugor, it's the Traditional Games board at 4chan.org in the Interests column on the frontpage.

[Tengu_temp]

Personally I'm mostly an /m/ guy, by which I mean I look it up for funny threads/pictures. I can see the value in most of the other boards, though.

[Drascin]

I'm curious, have you ever been to 4chan? What makes you think the advice /tg/ gives will be any less genuine than whatever you receive here? Like it was already said here, not all boards are /b/.

Well, there's the fact that /tg/ sometimes amuses itself by giving bad advice on purpose. Or will turn your thread into something entirely unrelated four posts in, while you're trying to get someone to give you actual advice.

Fa/tg/uys are fickle things :smallbiggrin:.

[Pepz]

On-topic : I've never had any problems with viruses or anything in my year or two of frequenting 4chan. As long as you don't click on every link they give you and triple check any advice with other sources (google, past experience, friends) you should be perfectly safe.

Off-topic: I'd say 4chan just has a special way of asking for advice or opening discussions. If you start a thread with "Hey guys, is X a good idea?" I can assure you that the first three posts will be either "Yes, X is a very good idea, especially when done from a plane covered in marmite. Source: Experience" , "No, buy a Gadget-of-the-week-matron, I've had one for years and it does my dishes in 2 seconds flat" or "Monkeys are awesome". (or variations upon these three)

/tg will probably be kinder and less random in their own fashion, if you lurk a while you can probably pick up on the ways to post a productive thread and have some good discussions with others.

Off-off-topic: I've even had a few (two) funny discussions on /b/, when it was slow and there weren't too many c-c-c-c-combobreakers around.

[Just_Ice]

I find /m/ and /tg/ pretty inoffensive, to be honest. /tg/ recently had a link to a wonderful mecha game (fan-made), and without /m/ I'd never know about sdgo.

As for virii, I personally like avast or kaspersky. The latter isn't free, but is very effective. If you browse places like 4chan, you're going to want to keep a backup of your stuff, as viruses are very difficult to remove nowadays.

[doliest]

Well, there's the fact that /tg/ sometimes amuses itself by giving bad advice on purpose. Or will turn your thread into something entirely unrelated four posts in, while you're trying to get someone to give you actual advice.

Fa/tg/uys are fickle things :smallbiggrin:.

Random bad advice makes for an amazing campaign. I've added a Drosselmeyer-esque figure into my campaign as a True Neutral ally/enemy on their advice and my players loved it.

[Newman]

Wait, who here knows about Princess Tutu?

[turkishproverb]

Good show.