On Wed, 3 Apr 1996, Ian Clowes wrote:
 
> As the topic is quite serious I thought it worth repeating post
> April 1st.  It was not intended as a spoof, although I can't
> vouch for the sesitivity to modem speed!
 
Ian isn't the only person to point out that my response was
misplaced, and of course they're right. I hereby apologise,
however I should comment further.
 
Computer viruses, trojans, ansi bombs and worms are all serious
threats about which we must be aware. We should _always_ check
for and guard against them -- we shouldn't need to be warned
about them. Much as we should check for EFB, AFB, varroa and
the like.
 
I have over the years found several computer viruses, however
I have caught every one before it did damage to my data (so far
-- touch wood).  I have also been accused of 'having a virus',
because *I* found it (hence my sympathy with Nick Wallingford
and NZ re Kashmir). In most cases, the accusers were the
people who had passed it to me!
 
The increasing tendency of applications, particularly for
MS Windows, to self-install and self-run is a development
that worries me a great deal, because we are deprived of
the opportunity to virus check _before_ we run the program.
After may be too late.
 
I work regularly with various computers in various environments
so I am indeed cautious. I also know that there is no possibility
that a virus can do things that are sometimes claimed; Which
is why I strongly suspect that this warning was a spoof, passed
on in good faith as a perhaps wise precaution.
 
A virus (etc.) cannot damage your modem, processor, RAM or
almost any other part of the hardware.
 
A virus (etc.) cannot* damage your disc drive, but it *can*
damage the data in holds. (* Erm, well, there's a suggestion
that trying to format some older PC EIDE drives may make them
unreadable).
 
It's unlikely, but possible, that a virus (etc.) *could* damage
your screen on a PC if it sets the scan rate wildly wrong.
 
I hope that explains why I felt I could laugh.
Unfortunately, I was laughing rather than thinking.
 
Regards,
--
Gordon Scott   [log in to unmask]      [log in to unmask] (work)
The Basingstoke Beekeeper (newsletter)      [log in to unmask]
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