Internet virus panic/hoax

Michele Gale-Sinex/CIAS (GALE-SINEX@ae.agecon.wisc.edu)
Thu, 26 Oct 1995 17:11:22 GMT -0600

Howdy, all--

I checked with some Silicon Valley/Bay Area cybernerds of my
acquaintance on this one, and they support what I'd heard from other
sources weeks ago, that the "Good Times" e-mail virus was revealed to
be a hoax. One amigo in Berkeley/Oakland recommended checking the
UseNet newsgroup alt.folklore.urban for something in writing. I saw
nothing on there, and I also checked alt.folklore.internet and
alt.folklore.computer. I'm three months behind in my /Wired/
subscription--but will check there too.

The purple prose ("nth complexity infinite binary loop" which can
damage a processor if left running "too long"?) of the warning
message is what tipped me off when I first heard about it. Call me a
cynic or an Annenberg School alumna, but I can't imagine the FCC
being "terrified" by anything that would injure citizens' ability to
communicate via bandwidths that that agency doesn't control for stiff
licensing fees. But I digress. ;^)

Peace--
Michele

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Michele Gale-Sinex, outreach and education
Center for Integrated Ag Systems/Ag Technology and Family Farm Institute
UW-Madison--Voice: (608) 262-8018 FAX: (608) 265-3020
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Nobody knows pressure till they've played in
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