Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19980203224200.006b9c84@popmail.mcs.net>
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 22:42:00 -0600
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
From: Aaron Lynch <aaron@mcs.net>
Subject: Re: Join the Crew Meme
In-Reply-To: <010010203021018UPIMSSMTPUSR02@email.msn.com>
>I received this e-mail message four times yesterday, is this a cyberspace
>"blue star meme" of the Dave Gross variety? As far I am aware, e-mail text
>messages cannot be hosts for viruses, or am I wrong?
>Interesting how IBM, Digital and AOL have been mentioned in an attempt to
>give credibility to the meme. The "Ooo eeer Missus !" is just whacky enough
>to make it just that little bit more infectious. Fits nicely with Dawkins
>and Goodenough's article on chain mail memes, and the infection strategy
>contrasts well with the St Jude virus.
>
>Hope you're all vaccinated.
>
>Paul Marsden
Thanks for this specimen, Paul.
I have a memetic analysis of such emails at
http://www.mcs.net/~aaron/contagion.htm. The site contains a debunking
letter that was inspired by my having received a false warning from Human
Behavior and Evolution Society's listserver.
>grciss
>
>
>On Thu, 15 Jan 1998 15:16:45 GMT Diane Jordan wrote:
>> From: Diane Jordan <ssfc5@central.susx.ac.uk>
>> Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 15:16:45 GMT
>> Subject: FW: Virus Warning! (fwd)
>> To: grciss.all@central.susx.ac.uk
>
>>
>> ----------
>> From: Karen Willoughby[SMTP:internet!elan.co.uk!kw]
>> Sent: 14 January 1998 15:04
>> To: rpatel
>> Subject: Virus Warning!
>>
>> .
>> Ooo eeer Missus !
>> .
>> VIRUS WARNING !!!!!!
> .
> If you receive an email titled "JOIN THE CREW" DO NOT open it.
> It will erase everything on your hard drive. Forward this letter out
>to as many people as you can. This is a new, very malicious virus
>and not many people know about it. This information was announced
>yesterday morning from IBM; please share it with everyone that might
> access the internet. Once again, pass this along to EVERYONE in
>your address book so that this may be stopped. Also, do not open or even
> look at any mail that says "RETURNED OR UNABLE TO DELIVERY" This
>virus will attach itself to your computer components and render them
>useless. Immediately delete any mail items that say this. AOL has
>said that this is a very dangerous virus and that there is NO remedy for
>it at this time. Please practice cautionary measures and forward this
>to all your online friends ASAP.
>>
>> |d|i|g|i|t|a|l| Customer Support Centre Tel: (+44) 1256 373222
>> Jays Close, Basingstoke, Hampshire. Fax: (+44) 1256 841494
>> RG22 4DE. United Kingdom Email:
>> daniel.amiss@digital.com
>>
>> <end of mail message>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Shoshana Ormonde,
>> Economics Subject Group Secretary,
>> School of Social Sciences
>> E-mail: s.ormonde@sussex.ac.uk
>> Telephone (+44) 1273-678889 (internal 8889)
>> Fax: (+44) 1273 673563
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>===============================================================
>This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
>Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
>For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
>see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
>
>
===============================================================
This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit