Date:  Wed, 18 Oct 1995 20:51:33 EDT

From:  Larry Horn <LHORN[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]YALEVM.CIS.YALE.EDU>

Subject: Re: Apology about virus



Natalie points out concerning

>>The Good Times virus is evidently a hoax. Sorry if I worried anyone

that

>The Good Times Virus alert is part of net tradition -- along with the

>Neiman-Marcus cookies, little Craig Shergold collecting cards, and the

>FCC modem tax. It's kind of fun to watch these hoaxes popping up year

>after year after year.



The only problem is that of the boy who cried wolf. It's one thing to read

that anecdote about the $250 (or $500, or whatever) Neiman Marcus chocolate

chip cookie recipe for the umpteenth time (complete with free "valuable"

recipe, which I keep meaning and then forgetting to try); at least there's no

danger of accidentally disregarding a REAL anecdote about being charged $250

for the recipe, especially now that everyone in the civilized cyberworld KNOWS

enough not to ask for the recipe for the scrumptious cookies they were just

served at N-M (if indeed they even HAVE cookies there). But what if there's a

REAL virus someday? We're all so used to the hoaxes that no doubt we'll just

tune out the warnings. Oh well, time to stop babbling.

     Larry