Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac:55077 comp.sys.mac.programmer:15129 comp.sys.mac.hardware:3744
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!pacbell!pacbell.com!mips!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!math.lsa.umich.edu!sharkey!msuinfo!cpsin2!gurney
From: gurney@cpsin2.uucp (Eddy J Gurney)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.mac.programmer,comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: HELP, Jumpy Cursor
Message-ID: <1990Jun4.145556.1636@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>
Date: 4 Jun 90 14:55:56 GMT
References: <9193@bunny.GTE.COM>
Sender: news@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu
Distribution: na
Organization: Michigan State University, East Lansing
Lines: 60

In article <9193@bunny.GTE.COM> CAH0@bunny.gte.com (Chuck Hoffman) writes:
>
>    I have a Mac-IIcx with color monitor, 4-meg, 80Mbyte HD.  No 
>accellerator boards or exotic software.  Standard Macintosh board for 
>monitor.  Running 6.0.4.
>    Lately I have started seeing the cursor jump around a bit.  A small 
>move with the mouse sometimes makes random sized moves with the cursor; 
>large moves (---) mix in with small moves (-), making life difficult when 
>trying to do fine work on the screen, or even select menu items (last 
>night I tried for the Get Info menu item, and got Duplicate instead).
>    IF the system proves to be virus-free (I have a teenager who keeps 
>bringing "stuff" home from unknown sources) and IF the mouse is okay (I 
>will try out one I use at work) are there other things I should look for?  
>I remember seeing titles about jumpy cursors a while back, but did not 
>read them because I didn't have the problem.
>    This does not look like an RF magnetic interference problem.  Only the 
>cursor is affected, and only when I move it with the mouse.
>    Thanks for any help you can give me.

Well, it sounds to me like your system is NOT virus free.  According to the
documentation for Disinfectant 1.8, there's a virus that does exactly what
you're talking about.  Here's the info below:

The ZUC virus was first discovered in Italy in March, 1990. It is named
after the discoverer, Don Ernesto Zucchini.

ZUC only infects applications. It does not infect system files or data files.
Applications do not have to be run to become infected.

ZUC was timed to activate on March 2, 1990. Before that date it only
spread from application to application. After that date, approximately 90
seconds after an infected application is run, the cursor begins to behave
unusually whenever the mouse button is held down. The cursor moves
diagonally across the screen, changing direction and bouncing like a
billiard ball whenever it reaches any of the four sides of the screen. The
cursor stops moving when the mouse button is released.

The behavior of the ZUC virus is similar to that of a desk accessory
named Bouncy. The virus and the desk accessory are different, and
they should not be confused. The desk accessory does not spread, and it is
not a virus. ZUC does spread, and it is a virus.

ZUC has two noticeable side effects. On some Macintoshes it causes the
desktop pattern to change. It also often causes long delays and an
unusually large amount of disk activity when infected applications are
opened.

ZUC can spread over a network from individual Macintoshes to servers
and from servers to individual Macintoshes.

Except for the unusual cursor behavior, ZUC does not attempt to do any
damage.

Vaccine is not effective against ZUC. GateKeeper 1.1.1, however, is
effective against ZUC.

Hope this helps.
--
Eddy J. Gurney, N8FPW -- gurney@frith.egr.msu.edu   OR   17158EJG@MSU.BITNET
                         (reachable via uucp also)