Those "Don't open" warnings

[Wallace Scherer]

Speaking about those virus warnings - here's another message you might want
to pass along.

Wally Scherer
E-mail: WallyTS@iName.com (Please use this new address now!)
Web page: http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/2411
"Old piano tuners don't die - they just go beatless."

-------- Forwarded Message -------- 
Hi, 

I just got another one of those "Don't open - it's a virus" warnings from a
well intentioned friend. This one was for "Win A Holiday". Others in the
past have been "Join The Crew", etc. I used to pass them along, thinking I
was doing my duty as a good internet citizen. Now I don't. I finally
figured out what they were about. (Maybe you already figured it out - I'm
sometimes a bit slow at these things.)

A lot of people are upset about the use of the internet by some companies,
both large and small, to promote their products and services through
electronic "junk mail" or "spam". In order to retaliate, a user picks up on
the title of the advertisement and warns all his friends that an e-mail
with this subject is a dangerous virus, and has even been confirmed by
(fill in the blank for your favorite computer company).

Computer experts tell us that by simply opening and reading an e-mail
message you can't get a computer virus. However, if there is an attachment
to the e-mail message, a separate file which must be opened separately,
that attachment may contain a virus. Therefore it is important to know
ahead of time what to expect in any attachment file to an e-mail message
and to be able to trust the person from whom it was sent.

That's why I don't pass along those warnings any more; it would just be
promoting vindictive behavior. Now, if you think that this message is worth
passing along to your friends on the internet, especially those who are new
to all this, please do. It may calm some fears.

Have a great day!

Your friend,

Walter Sanchez
E-mail: WRSanchez@geocities.com
Web page: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5645