off topic: viruses

[Guest guest]

Annette,

I'm sorry about machines crashing. Both IBM and AOL, I reckon, have formal

virus notification protocols in effect. This means any new virus serves

notice along formal lines of notification that reach directly and quickly

into the various web resources that are there for the purpose of preventing

the rapid spread of a virus, and, the rapid spread of hoax-based fear.

The interesting feature of these kinds of protocols is that a serious

outbreak of a new virus will most often find notice at various resources on

the web *long* before anybody has a chance to start emailing one and all.

Short of finding out about a new virus outbreak in this manner, I tend to

rely on both my feeling function and knowledge about computers on networks.

(I make no great claim here.) Interestingly, Annette, I take all incoming

notifications of potential problems as a psychological moment. (In almost

all cases, especially as a Mac user, that is, finally, what is most

interesting about the warnings.) Unconscious fears; the shadow side of our

relationship to intrinsically stupid, inert machines.

***

Granted, the two machines that crashed " up at aol " (whatever that means!)

and the system engineer who duly started spreading the warning may place

you so close to the node of outbreak and outside of the protocols that your

warning is the most rare of warnings: it is based in actuality and is

completely timely. If this is true, it would be the first time I have

received such a warning in fourteen years.

However, if you'll please excuse my own developing judgement on the matter

and not read it as a judgement on your kind intention, I will tend to

withhold my surety until *what really is* presents itself to me as reality,

the report of an anonymous system engineer notwithstanding. And, will tend

to then rely upon my own belief in the standard mechanisms which work

together with my psychological functioning to reassure me one way or the

other about such matters. Above all, this means email reports are not

likely to be the way I find an actual virus has broken out, and,

furthermore, is not at all the way I will confirm such an outbreak.

Confirmation is required if I am to then turn around and respond in any way.

Now the fly in the ointment happens to be the odd contradiction in your

report: that a system engineer named a new outbreak of a virus after one of

the most well known and long-standing virus hoaxes.

Psychological conclusion. . .?

***

regards,