[comp.sys.mac.programmer] Computer Socio-paths

hallett@hamlet.steinmetz (Jeff A. Hallett) (03/17/88)

In article <22168@bbn.COM> dredick@vax.bbn.com (The Druid) writes:
>
>	I am really interested in the make-up of a virus and the 
>vaccination. Could someone send me or point me to a SOURCE for a sample
>benign virus or vaccination!
>
>Many Thanks,
>-- The Druid
>===============================================================================
>=    The Druid (dredick@bbn.com)                                              =
>=                   "Did you ever feel that you were a typewriter,            =
>=                    when everone else in the world was a wordprocessor"      =
>===============================================================================


Don't trust anyone who can't even sign his real name to his postings.
:^):^):^)

As an aside, it appears that Don Brown (writer of Vaccine!) at CE
Software has actually received threats of things that would happen if
he released it.  They seem to be coming from a person identified only
as "Mike" on Compuserve.  "Mike" threatens to release a virus designed
to destroy people's harddisks should Don release Vaccine!

It is a curiosity to know what would provoke someone to be so
socio-pathological.  What could possibly motivate someone to take a
stance like this?  The only conclusion is that this person is just
plain evil, derives pleasure from releasing viruses and won't permit
anyone to interfere in his fun; a sick attitude at best.

As a precaution, when you download, keep a skeleton system disk handy.
Transfer the program to that disk, write-protect it and unmount your
harddisk before starting it up.  This should be a lot safer and good
protection against sick minds like "Mike"'s.


Jeffrey A. Hallett                     | ARPA: hallett@ge-crd.arpa   
Software Technology Program    	       | UUCP: desdemona!hallett@steinmetz.uucp
GE Corporate Research and Development  | (518) 387-5654
+--------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|                            Credo Quia Absurdum Est                          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

tedj@hpcilzb.HP.COM (Ted Johnson) (03/20/88)

>So, what would MacMag be "sued for"? No harm was done. Like I said, I agree,


How about suing them for invasion of privacy?  And trespassing!  1/2  :-)

Also, I'm sure Genie, Compuserve, and all the other professional BBS's  
are losing big $ because people are afraid to download stuff from their 
archives.


>MacMag should be punished severely, not just for doing it, but giving viruses
>a sudden burst of visibility and publicity. Now, all of a sudden, viruses

Amen to that!

-Ted

cnc@hpcilzb.HP.COM (Chris Christensen) (03/29/88)

>In the mean-time, if I were Aldus, I'd be pretty pissed off that
>one of my suppliers was careless enough to send me anything that wasn't 
>pristine.
>
>So, MacroMind may indeed have a very good case for sueing MacMag for loss
>of business. It could show that this incident has had a negative effect on
>MacroMind's image and that that will lead to less sales. $$$. At least it
>is worth a try. And personally I wouldn't mind seeing the MacMag nailed to
>the wall.
>
It seems to me that the above would be very poor advise. Aldus woud be setting
a nice example and legal precident for all its users to sue. Aldus also sent
out something that wasn't pristine.

You know how much people like to sue recently ;-)

Chris Christensen