Slashdot Mirror
Searching for Botnet Command & Controls
Orange Eater writes "eWeek has a story about a group of high-profile security researchers intensifying the search for the command-and-control infrastructure used to power botnets for malicious use. The idea is to open up a new reporting mechanism for ISPs and IT administrators to report botnet activity." From the article: "Operating under the theory that if you kill the head, the body will follow, a group of high-profile security researchers is ramping up efforts to find and disable the command-and-control infrastructure that powers millions of zombie drone machines, or bots, hijacked by malicious hackers."
'Group' is singular; the group is ramping up.
However, it's true that there are different conventions on each side of the Atlantic for things like this, which may confuse things. In the U.S., Microsoft is developing Vista; in the U.K; they are. Does that affect words like 'group?' Anyone from the UK to comment?
You have been defeated by a Grammar Allied Force.
The only change I can believe in is what I find in my couch cushions.
When conjugating "to be" for plural or singular you take the plurality of the subject. As the subject in this case is a collective noun, "group", it may seem that "are" is the appropriate form. But "group" is a singular collective noun, as dinstinct from "groups" for multiple groups. Because the noun "group" is singular, the singular conjugation of the "to be" verb is used, that being "is".
Here are some examples:
RIGHT: The group is stupid.
WRONG: The group are stupid.
RIGHT: The bunch of grapes is rotten.
WRONG: The bunch of grapes are rotten.
RIGHT: The Slashdot crowd is bad at grammar.
WRONG: The Slashdot crowd are bad at grammar.
There are cases that may *appear* to be exceptions, and the one that comes to mind is that of the noun "people". People is plural for "person" and appears to be a singular collective noun just like group. However "people", as well as being a singular collective noun, (with plural form being "peoples", often used when referring to multiple distinct groups of people) is also a true plural of "person" ("persons" is not accepted as the correct word, although its use is becoming accepted into contemporary English):
RIGHT: "The group is screwed."
WRONG: "The people is screwed."
RIGHT: "The people are screwed."
WRONG: "The group are screwed."
Questions?
I hate printers.
Sigh. Only on Slashdot etc. etc.
Original Ghostbusters movie... and Sigourney Weaver is still HOT! Alien infested or not.
I only look human.
My mother is a halfling and my dad is an ogre, so that makes me an Ogreling
> In the U.S., Microsoft is developing Vista; in the U.K; they are. Does that
o om/1099593.stm
> affect words like 'group?' Anyone from the UK to comment?
I've seen/heard both.
A quick Google reviews this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/radio_newsr
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Collective nouns
can be singular or plural. The only rule is: you must be consistent. "Marks and Spencer is selling a new biscuit. They say it's the best ever made" is the type of rubbish we broadcast far too often. In a sporting context, teams are always plural: "England are in the soup", "Manchester United are finished", "Wales are resurgent".
Half
can be singular or plural: half the oranges were eaten; half the food was eaten.
Plurals
the media remain plural, agenda has become singular. Refrain from unnecessary Latin plurals: call them referendums, formulas. The singular of "criteria" is "criterion". While on the subject, to write: "One in twenty people believe the world is about to end" is wrong; even if that one in twenty IS right.
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(I don't understand that last sentence...)