02 22 00

virus and myths

There's an email virus going around that my parents and other relatives caught. It's called "Pretty Park," and it's a nasty one. It's a worm (much like the Happy99 virus), and uses your address book to email itself to everyone you know.

When Windows boots up, it automatically dials up your ISP over and over. It will then email itself to everyone, and join an IRC chat channel and transmit your ICQ numbers, serial numbers, registry information, and other confidential stuff.

I was sent the virus from my dad's account. Fortunately, I noticed the *.exe attachment right away, and thought it was strange that my dad was sending me a program. Also, the message had a subject, which was VERY strange; my dad almost never puts subjects on his email. (I can spot messages from my dad right away because they look "bare".) I didn't run the program, so I didn't catch the virus. Aren't I just the little detective now?

Anyway, surf safely. Don't open *.exe attachments unless it's something you're expecting! (And even then, use extreme caution.)

I was browsing through my bookmarks today and found a page refuting an urban e-legend that I'd heard a long time ago. (See the sidebar for the page's URL.) It's an amusing story, and nothing much happened today, so I'll entertain you all with it.

The story goes like this: Australia's defense department developed a kick ass simulation program for their helicopter pilots. Part of the program included wildlife such as kangaroos. The scientists reasoned that wildlife would scatter when they heard an approaching chopper, and give away the chopper's location to enemy units.

In the computer programmers' spirit of re-using old code, the scientists just modified and existing module simulating enemy infantry movements. They altered the way the troops' moved, their speed and their appearance so that they acted like real kangaroo herds.

But they forgot about something.

When a visiting group of US military brass (or US pilots or whatever the various versions of the myth use) asked to see the program, the scientists fired up the simulator and buzzed a herd of 'roos to demonstrate how the animals scattered, just like actual kangaroos would.

But the kangaroos regrouped, turned back to the choppers, and opened fire with a barrage of anti-aircraft missiles (or Stinger missiles or whatever), destroying the entire wing of helicopters.

Apparently the scientists had forgotten to disable the infantry's "return fire" code when they changed them from humans to 'roos.

Of course, this story is false. To a point. It just illustrates how people can hear part of a story and extrapolate something completely different (and more amusing.) The real story isn't quite as dramatic, but it's humorous nonetheless.

Oh, and this was scanned last night and emailed to many Canadians on the West Coast and many Americans in the Midwest. It really doesn't do justice to the ring... The way the sides swoop up to hold the diamond, and the luster of the ring itself.

I'm still getting used to the idea.

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