Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!polyslo!vlsi3b15!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!sei.cmu.edu!krvw
From: WHMurray@DOCKMASTER.ARPA
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Anti-virus Virus
Message-ID: <0013.8909281133.AA14331@ge.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 28 Sep 89 00:13:00 GMT
Sender: Virus Discussion List 
Lines: 42
Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu

Chris Poet invites comment on the idea of an anti-virus virus.

Chris you are correct.  The idea is not original and has been
discussed here ad nauseum.  The consensus appears to be that it is not
a good idea.

Certain behavior is reprehensible regardless of its motive or
intention.  One such class of behavior is misrepresentation.  Nice
people do not resort to lies, regardless of motive.  A subset of
misrepresentation is stealth.  Nice people do not intrude unannounced
and univited.  Good intentions in such cases rarely excuse the
behavior.

Finally, some behavior is so potentially dangerous that it cannot be
justified by good intentions.  Spreading any kind of computer code by
automatic replication is dangerous and not justified by the intent or
value of the code so distributed.  Nor is it justified by any
superiority of this method of distribution over any other.  The
decision to employ protection is a personal one.  Open distribution by
overt channels is preferred.

I am glad that you sought advice before embarking on this ill-advised
scheme.  Having sought it and received it, I hope that you will heed
it.

[Ed. I agree with Dr. Murray in that this topic has been discussed
here ad nauseum - the general concensus of which is that it is not a
good idea.  Unless anyone has anything significant to add to the
conversation, let's please consider this topic closed.  Ok?  Please?
:-)]
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