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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!decvax!decwrl!flairvax!kissell
From: kissell@flairvax.UUCP (Kevin Kissell)
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.general
Subject: worms, hackers, semantic overloads
Message-ID: <275@flairvax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 26-Nov-83 16:29:59 EST
Article-I.D.: flairvax.275
Posted: Sat Nov 26 16:29:59 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 27-Nov-83 04:09:52 EST
Organization: Fairchild AI Lab, Palo Alto, CA
Lines: 8

I would like to raise one small objection to the proposed use of the
sobriquet "worm".  The word is already in use in distributed processing
circles to describe self-replicating programs that live in and across
groups of network nodes (Shoch and Hupp, 1980).  It was originally coined
by science fiction writer John Brunner (The Shockwave Rider, 1975)
as an abbreviated form of "tapeworm", which is more metaphorically obvious.
Besides, how often are groups of people called by the names they choose
for themseves?  Common usage will be the final arbiter.