Virus Alert

[White, Rich]

I believe Mr. Dinn is describing "Windows"
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.*++From: owner-pynchon-l
.*++To: SY19058
.*++Cc: pynchon-l
.*++Subject: Re: Virus Alert
.*++Date: Wednesday, June 05, 1996 2:18PM
.*++
.*++<<File Attachment: HEADERS.TXT>>
.*++
.*++RICHARD ROMEO writes:
.*++
.*++> I've been told of a virus spreading via e-mail which has the word 
Happy
.*++> in subject or something to that effect.  If you view message your hard 

.*++> drive will be wiped clean and the CPU will be given a rather 
complicated
.*++> mathematical request which will burn that out as well.  I hear this is 

.*++> legit so  delete the message is what I hear to save yourself. 
 Beware...
.*++
.*++Yeah, the virus is called Infinite Jest and you can recognise it by
.*++the subject line which is just one of those smiley faces - compose the
.*++characters '-', ':' and ')' in order 2, 1, 3 if you don't know what I
.*++mean (at your own peril, of course - I'd recommend doing it on paper)
.*++
.*++The math problem relates to transfinite cardinals and works through a
.*++variation on Cantor's infamous diagonal technique. It's sort of like
.*++it sends your memory management hardware on a wild goose chase
.*++following invisible pointer links.
.*++
.*++The worst of it is that the virus is intermittent. When it grabs your
.*++computer you never know how long it will take before it hands control
.*++back. With the net result that you sit there watching, waiting for the
.*++dumb beast to respond. Terribly cruel joke on someone's part, I'd say.
.*++
.*++
.*++Andrew Dinn
.*++-----------
.*++And though Earthliness forget you,
.*++To the stilled Earth say:  I flow.
.*++To the rushing water speak:  I am.
.*++
.*++