🚀 go-pugleaf

hi folks,

sorry to disturb you, "BUDDYLST.ZIP" is not a virus,
this message is a well-known hoax.  I've included below
the AntiVirus Research Center at Symantec says; they are
at:
  http://www.symantec.com.my/avcenter/hoax.html

You should always check there before sending out a virus
warning, since the vast majority of virus warnings are hoaxes.

Although there are lots of anthropological studies of these urban
legends, i wonder if anybody has done a linguistic  analysis of the
different variants; in case anyone is looking for a Prelim topic i
duplicate below for your enjoyment the Symantec warning with the 3
variants.

-dan

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Dan Jurafsky  (jurafsky@colorado.edu   http://www.colorado.edu/ling/jurafsky)
 Dept of Linguistics, Dept of Computer Science, Institute of Cognitive Science
 University of Colorado at Boulder           PHONE: (303)492-1300
 Boulder, CO 80309-0295                      FAX: (303)492-4416
----------------------------------------------------------------------------




BUDDYLST.ZIP 
Aliases: Budweiser 
Infection length: Hoax 
Area of infection: Hoax 
Likelihood: Hoax 
Region reported: Online 
Characteristics: Hoax 
Target platform: Hoax 
Trigger date: Hoax 

Description: 

BUDDYLST.ZIP is not a virus. It is a hoax. The "virus" does
not exist. There is currently no virus that has the characteristics
ascribed to BUDDYLST.ZIP. It is a sham, meant only to panic
new or inexperienced computer users. 

The hoax message includes the following "warning" in several
forms: 

Form 1:

  Yesterday a friend of mine called and told me about
  something that happened to him. He opened his
  E-mail and this BUDDYLST.ZIP was there. When
  he opened it his computer crashed and when he tried
  to re-boot he had lost everything! It was a Virus that
  os being passed around...........BEWARE! 
  
  Please forward to as many people as you can so no
  one will get hurt. These people need to be stopped.
  Don't download anything form "buddylst.zip" or you
  will lose all your files. 


Form 2:

   A computer virus is going around! It is called
   BUDDYLST.ZIP! Do not download or some jerk
   from the internet will get your screen name and
   password! Please send this to any names you can
   think of and remember never download
   BUDDYLST.ZIP 

Form 3: 

   VIRUS ALERT

   Someone is sending out a very desirable
   screen-saver, the Budweiser Frogs -
   "BUDDYLST.ZIP". If you download it, you will lose
   everything!!! Your hard drive will crash and someone
   from the Internet will get your screen name and
   password!

   DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS UNDER ANY
                   CIRCUMSTANCES!!!


> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> 
> Sharing the alert ...
> Someone is sending out a very desirable
> screen-saver, the Budweiser Frogs
> "BUDDYLST.ZIP". If you download it, you will
> lose everything!!!
> Your hard drive will crash and someone from
> the Internet will get your
> screen name and password!
> DO NOT DOWN LOAD THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!
> IT JUST WENT INTO circulation
> yesterday, as far as we know.
> 
> Please distribute this message.
> This is a new, very malicious virus and not
> many people know about it.
> This information was announced yesterday morning
> from Microsoft. 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. AOL
> has said that this is a very dangerous virus and that there is NO
> remedy for it at this time.
> Please practice cautionary measure and forward
> this to all your on-line friends.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>