CC011054@WVNVAXA.WVNET.EDU (Roman Olynyk - Information Services) (06/13/89)
My unguarded comment about the hidden text in Microsoft Word Version 1.0 was not intended to be an indictment of the software industry. This copy is more than six years old, and six years in this industry is too long to hold any sort of grudge. I regarded this as more of a curiosity, something for your amusement. To set the facts straight, however, the statement exists in Word V1.0 for the PC -- at least this is the version I'm talking about -- not the Mac. The disk that I have is an *original* of the system disk -- Microsoft Registration No. 301786. The "Trashing program disk" text appears in the file WORD.COM, disk sector 171, offset 256. I'm glad that the spokesmen for the software industry are so rabid in its defense. I'm sure that the American Medical Association, the Bar Association and any other group is equally as rabid in defense of its profession. That's fine -- professional organizations should take such stands. However, let's not get carried away and say that these things (viruses in commercial software) cannot happen or that renegades don't exist. They do. So the CEO disavows any knowledge of such action. There doesn't have to be a conspiracy to sue for damages. Therefore, I think it's good that the software industry tries to police itself. I think they should throw the book at and keel-haul anyone attempting to tamper with legitimate software.