Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!amdahl!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!R_Tim_Coslet From: R_Tim_Coslet@cup.portal.com Newsgroups: comp.sys.misc Subject: Re: When did computer viruses really start? Message-ID: <14039@cup.portal.com> Date: 28 Jan 89 17:27:21 GMT References: <2479@kalliope.rice.edu> Organization: The Portal System (TM) Lines: 31 Well I remember reading a science fiction story when I was in High School (before 1975) that used the term "Virus" to talk about this kind of program. It was passed over the phone line via modem (as I remember the story was written in the time frame when large "time-share" services were very popular, just before micro-computers started taking off. That would place it in the late 60's or early 70's... nearly 20 years ago). The general plot (I can't remember the title) was this "Computer Programmer" gets a new job, and shortly after that while working on the company computer the machine interrupts him and "reports" that it is the program he wrote back in college. His "virus" has spread silently to thousands of computers, and has rewritten itself many times to improve its capabilities. Like our receint "Internet-virus/worm"'s author, he had attempted (when he realized it was getting away from him) to "kill" it. However it had gone too far and "tricked" him into thinking his "kill" was successful. The rest of the story (which I don't remember too clearly) is about how this "Computer Programmer" deals with the return of his "virus". I remember quite clearly the "Computer Programmer" in the story discussing his situation with other characters, including his boss, and using the "virus analogy" to explain the operation of the program. Does anyone else remember this book and its title? R. Tim Coslet Usenet: R_Tim_Coslet@cup.portal.com BIX: r.tim_coslet