From: wixer!jonl@bigtex.cactus.org (Jon Lebkowsky)
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 93 07:11:58 PST
To: gnu@toad.com (John Gilmore)
Subject: Re: toad.com mailing list postings from possible virus authors
In-Reply-To: <9302190130.AA08277@toad.com>
Message-ID: <9302190302.AA17901@wixer>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> > 				 This person appears to be a virus
> > author, one who knows virus authors, and/or one who encourages such
> > activity. 
> 
> Thank you, Senator McCarthy.  I believe that thug@phantom.com is not
> a smart-card-carrying member of the virus authors' guild, but I'm not sure.
> 
> I think that the attitude that it's OK for "computer scientists" or
> "virus researchers" to talk about viruses, to dissect them in detail,
> and to write or modify them, but it isn't OK for anyone else to do so,
> is two-faced and objectionable.  Security by obscurity -- forcing
> people to be unaware of issues and threats like these, whether by
> explicit censorship, pressure on intermediate sites, or by social
> ostracism -- not only doesn't remove the threat, but is an affront to
> our open society.

I agree completely. thug was doing me & others like me a favor by
explaining in clear terms this next in a series of viral threats to our
systems' integrity, and I figger I owe him thanks...burning him at the
stake would be kinda rude, considering....

jonl