can another SL client fry your computer

[Rhonda Huntress]

Short answer no.

Long answer. Not unless they have physical access to your computer.  So no.

[Rhonda Huntress]

Short answer no.

Long answer. Not unless they have physical access to your computer.  So no.

[Madelaine McMasters]

Hi Crucible,

I think you can ignore the threat. Computer manufacturers would not produce products that could be destroyed by application software.

It is possible that malware on a computer could turn off operating system protections for the hardware, perhaps by turning off the fans and spooling up some computer intensive task, but that wouldn't be the result of running the SL viewer. If you've exercised due caution in the use of your computer, you've nothing to worry about. On my Mac, the cooling fans are controlled by a separate tiny computer (the System Management Controller) that won't allow Mac OS to do something completely stupid. I imagine Windows PCs do something similar.

Don't Worry. Be Happy!

[Rolig Loon]

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: Maybe.  It is technically possible for a program to send enough information to your graphics card to overload it and cause serious permanent damage.  There are such card killers out there.  None of the viewers on the directory of Third Party Viewers will do that, but you may occasionally run across someone using an unauthorized viewer.  Some of those may have functions that can be accidentally or deliberately harmful.  Personally, I suggest avoiding anyone who makes a threat like that, whether he can actually carry it out or not.  He's probably not someone you want to spend much time around anyway.