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virus warning messages



"The only thing we should fear is fear itself."


The insidious thing about virus warning messages is -not- the capacity
of the described virus itself to do some sort of internal damage to your
own pc data, because in almost all cases it is a false cry.  The most
insidious thing about the virus warning message is the message itself,
because IT IS A VIRUS that multiplies itself through fear and
ignorance.  That's the irony!  It doesn't even need a clever program or
any secret code.  Its sheer quantity, gained through wide dissemination
by well-meaning but misinformed recipients (and through all the
reactions and counter messages by those who know better, like me, ha
ha), fills
up computer storage and speed capacities.  This makes heavier traffic on
system lines / channels.  Heavier traffic and heavier usage means, of
course, bigger systems and higher prices for the user.  It also
increases university, corporation, and/or organization expenses.

Virus hoaxes (and some other urban legends, chain letters, and the like)
is a means by which the computer (and/or the cable/telephone) industries
can benefit from higher traffic and storage. With one message dispersed,
thousands and thousands of users can be affected by the amount of time
they are on the computer and the amount of electronic traffic they
generate, and moreso because these hoaxes keep going around and around.
Each hoax is a seed guaranteeing a future upgrade.  Our own gullibility
contributes to our costs.  (I've heard the notion somewhere that the
hoaxes get planted for this very purpose--a kind of electronic leaven to
make a LOT of "bread").

I know I'm adding to "time and traffic" with this message, but hope that
it helps make people aware that the virus -warnings- are exponentially
more annoying and troublesome than most viruses we actually encounter.
Let's hope we can rely on our own system operators to inform us about
valid viruses, and IGNORE ALL THE REST despite our temptations to do
good and inform everyone of the warning that randomly fell in our
inboxes one moment.

And if THIS warning makes some sense, please,  "pass it on."  ;)

David Jellema

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