Klarinet Archive - Posting 000529.txt from 1998/01

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Word Attachments--Watch out for Macro Viruses!!!!!!
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 1998 00:11:30 -0500

On Sat, 10 Jan 1998, Benjamin A. Maas wrote:

> I think I got it off of a internet news-group, but I don't know. I
> STRONGLY urge everybody to check out their computers to make sure these
> word documents aren't infected.

This will probably start another one of those never-ending bogus warning
about viruses. Every day when I log on to my e-mail system, I read a
statement placed there by the system administrator: "You cannot get a
virus by merely reading e-mail." Still, people receive "warnings" about
the "good times virus" and others, and newbies still feel obligated to
forward such warnings to everyone in the world.

I don't doubt that Mr. Maas' computer was infected by a virus, but I still
feel quite confident that it did not come from e-mail. I don't know
enough about computers myself to know why experts say that viruses cannot
come through reading e-mail, but all that I have ever heard of do say
that.

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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