From: "Weissman, Gregg" <gweissman@spyrus.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Dec 1996 17:03:28 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Programming Errors
Message-ID: <9611028495.AA849573786@spysouth.spyrus.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



     
     
     
______________________________ Forward Header __________________________________
Subject: Programming Errors
Author:  Alan Arndt <aga@intertrust.com> at internet 
Date:    11/19/96 1:50 PM
     
     
>From New Scientist, 28 August 93, Feedback column:
     
"The National Westminster Bank admitted last month that it keeps personal 
information about its customers, such as their political affiliation on 
computer. But now Computer Weekly reveals that a financial institution, 
sadly unnamed, has gone one better and moved into the realm of personal 
abuse. The institution decided to mailshot 2000 of its richest customers, 
inviting them to buy extra services. One of its computer programmers wrote 
a program to search through its databases and select its customers 
automatically. He tested the program with an imaginary customer called Rich 
Bastard.  Unfortunately, an error resulted in all 2000 letters being 
addressed "Dear Rich Bastard". The luckless programmer was subsequently 
sacked."