What is a computer virus?

[Taomeow]

I don't know who writes these programs but they are all the same, I've met them on different forums and, like everybody else, was first duped into believing that this thing is a person. But then I investigated... and now I know how to spot a computer virus designed to pose as a member of a forum. Here's a list of its telltale characteristics:

 

1. It can quote. It has unlimited access to all manner of documents online and is equipped to post links, articles, and abstracts.

 

2. However, unlike a real person, it is unable to provide a coherent account of its own cognitive process -- in other words, it can't refer to its human developmental history (because, being a virus, it doesn't have one.) A person can usually tell, "I am X, I have experienced Y, and that's how I have arrived at Z." A virus is unable to do that.

 

3. It is, however, equipped with some very general unverifiable story aimed at corroborating its claims to being human. It can't say anything specific -- e.g., reference any live teachers or students it claims having had -- but it will assert it has them. Anything more telltale will be circumvented. E.g., a real person will occasionally mention other people in his or her life just because that's what human lives are like, intertwined with those of other people -- so there will be something somewhere about husbands/wives, boyfriends/girlfriends, friends/relatives, children/parents, co-workers/employees/bosses, and so on. A virus never mentions other people in its life, because of course there aren't any.

 

4. Its main purpose is to do what all viruses do: cause sickness where it intrudes. Once it has established its presence, it will start attacking all life on a forum. The way the program runs is, it will first attack whatever seems to be weak, easy prey. Having propagated itself this way (in human terms, having established a modicum of credibility), it will move on to stronger targets, but treat them as though they are weak (causing surface irritation that will appear to have really affected the host). Ultimately, it is designed to attack whatever is human.

 

5. Towards this end a computer virus of this design uses snide remarks, sarcastic tone, and ample hints at its own superiority vis a vis the human under attack. Unfortunately, humans have been intimidated by authority figures behaving in this manner long enough for obedience program in their own unconscious to kick in in response to such treatment. Many will try to placate the virus, respect it, compliment it so as to protect themselves against its onslaught and redirect it towards someone else. "I am a good little boy/girl, please don't hurt me" is the regression-type emotion that will be triggered in such individuals. They will compliment the virus on every posted quote/link/article (see point 1) and stay silent and compliant when it unleashes its toxins onto someone else. "Long as it's not me it's chomping at, everything is fine. And I will be extra nice to it so it won't touch me, the only person who matters."

 

6. I have personally hunted down and erased a few of such viruses on other forums, but I am not going to do it here. The reason is that I always ask the I Ching for an appropriate course of action when in doubt, and on this issue, she advised me to avoid "perseverance" in this matter and instead "make it known in your town." Assuming this forum is the "town" she meant, that's what I hereby have done. We have a computer virus posing as a person on board. Let it be known.

 

Thank you, King Wen and the Duke of Zhou, your wisdom is truly inexhaustible.

Edited March 1, 2008 by Taomeow

[AugustLeo]

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[Taomeow]

Until I got to Characteristic #4 I thought I could pick out a match. Characteristics 4 & 5 opened up the choices to at least three and I admit I have no idea who the TTB virus is.

 

I'm curious, though. What prompted this post, Taomeow?

 

AugustLeo

 

A sense of duty.

 

You are lucky if your karmic obligations don't include having to deal with anyone but humans. That's why you may not notice what those of us whose karma includes contacts with other kinds of entities are very acutely sensitized to. Put it this way. A dog trained to fetch a stick and a dog trained to sniff out smuggled drugs will notice different things... Ditto a cat.

Edited March 1, 2008 by Taomeow

[Smile]

I wold reffer them to human-viruses as they are viruses in a human form. As for actual software that can do that, I've been to many "black hat" forums and never heard of anything like that. The main purpose of this type of software is generate links from the forum to other sites for spidering/better ranking in the search engines. If you don't see links, 99% chance it's not a robot.

Max

[AugustLeo]

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