[ Last modified 23 January 89 - Ken van Wyk ] Welcome! This is the semi-monthly introduction posting to VIRUS-L, primarily for the benefit of any newcomers to the list. Many of you have probably already seen a message (or two...) much like this, but it does change from time to time, so I would appreciate it if you took a couple of minutes to glance over it. What is VIRUS-L? It is an electronic mail discussion forum for sharing information and ideas about computer viruses. Discussions should include (but not necessarily be limited to): current events (virus sightings), virus prevention (practical and theoretical), and virus related questions/answers. The list is moderated and digested. That means that any message coming in gets sent to me, the editor. I read through the messages and make sure that they adhere to the guidelines of the list (see below) and add them to the next digest. Weekly logs of digests are kept by the LISTSERV (see below for details on how to get them). For those interested in statistics, VIRUS-L is now (Jan. 23, 1989) up to 950 direct subscribers. Of those, approximately 80 are local redistribution accounts with an unknown number of readers. As stated above, the list is digested and moderated. As such, digests go out when a) there are enough messages for a digest, and b) when I put all incoming (relevant) messages into the digest. Obviously, this can decrease the timeliness of urgent messages such as virus warnings/alerts. For that, we have a sister list called VALERT-L. It is unmoderated and undigested - anything going in to the list goes directly out to all the subscribers, as well as to VIRUS-L for inclusion in the next available digest. VALERT-L is for the sole purpose of rapidly sending out virus alerts. Anyone who does not adhere to this one guideline of VALERT-L will be immediately removed from the list. That is, no news is good news. Subscriptions and deletions to VALERT-L are handled identically as those for VIRUS-L (see instructions below). What VIRUS-L is *NOT*? A place to spread hype about computer viruses; we already have the Press for that. :-) A place to sell things, to panhandle, or to flame other subscribers. If anyone *REALLY* feels the need to flame someone else for something that they may have said, then the flame should be sent directly to that person and/or to the list moderator (that would be me, ). How do I get on the mailing list? Well, if you are reading this, chances are *real good* that you are already on the list. However, perhaps this document was given to you by a friend or colleague... So, to get onto the VIRUS-L mailing list, send a mail message to . In the body of the message, say nothing more than SUB VIRUS-L your name. LISTSERV is a program which automates mailing lists such as VIRUS-L. As long as you are either on BITNET, or any network accessible to BITNET via gateway, this should work. Within a short time, you will be placed on the mailing list, and you will get confirmation via e-mail. How do I get OFF of the list? If, in the unlikely event, you should happen to want to be removed from the VIRUS-L discussion list, just send mail to saying SIGNOFF VIRUS-L. People, such as students, whose accounts are going to be closed (for example, over the summer...) - PLEASE signoff of the list before you leave. Also, be sure to send your signoff request to the LISTSERV and not to the list itself. Note that the appropriate node name is LEHIIBM1, not LEHIGH; we have a node called LEHIGH, but they are *NOT* one and the same. How do I send a message to the list? Just send electronic mail to and it will automatically be sent to the editor for possible inclusion in the next digest to go out. What does VIRUS-L have to offer? All VIRUS-L digests are stored in weekly log files which can be downloaded by any user on (or off) the mailing list. Note that the log files contain all of the digests from a particular week. There is also a small archive of some of the public anti-virus programs which are currently available. This archive, too, can be accessed by any user. All of this is handled automatically by the LISTSERV here at Lehigh University (). How do I get files (including log files) from the LISTSERV? Well, you will first want to know what files are available on the LISTSERV. To do this, send mail to saying INDEX VIRUS-L. Note that filenames/extensions are separated by a space, and not by a period. Once you have decided which file(s) you want, send mail to saying GET filename filetype. For example, GET VIRUS-L LOG8804 would get the file called VIRUS-L LOG8804 (which happens to be the monthly log of all messages sent to VIRUS-L during April, 1988). Note that, starting June 6, 1988, the logs are weekly. The new file format is VIRUS-L LOGyymmx where yy is the year (88, 89, etc.), mm is the month, and x is the week (A, B, etc.). Readers who prefer digest format lists should read the weekly logs and sign off of the list itself. Subsequent submissions to the list should be sent to me for forwarding. Also available is a LISTSERV at SCFVM which contains more anti-virus software. This LISTSERV can be accessed in the same manner as outlined above, with the exceptions that the address is and that the commands to use are INDEX PUBLIC and GET filename filetype PUBLIC. What is uuencode/uudecode, and why might I need them? Uuencode and uudecode are two programs which convert binary files into text (ASCII) files and back again. This is so binary files can be easily transferred via electronic mail. Many of the files on this LISTSERV are binary files which are stored in uuencoded format (the file types will be UUE). Both uuencode and uudecode are available from the LISTSERV. Uudecode is available in BASIC and in Turbo Pascal here. Uuencode is available in Turbo Pascal. Also, there is a very good binary-only uuencode/uudecode package on the LISTSERV which is stored in uuencoded format. Why have posting guidelines? To keep the discussions on-track with what the list is intended to be; a vehicle for virus discussions. This will keep the network traffic to a minimum and, hopefully, the quality of the content of the mail to a maximum. What are the guidelines? Try to keep messages relatively short and to the point, but with all relevant information included. This serves a dual purpose; it keeps network traffic to a necessary minimum, and it improves the likelihood of readers reading your entire message. Personal information and .signatures should be kept to the generally accepted maximum of 5 lines of text. The editor may opt to shorten some lengthy signatures (without deleting any relevant information, of course). Within those 5 lines, feel free to be a bit, er, creative if you wish. Anyone sending messages containing, for example, technical information should *PLEASE* try to confirm their sources of information. When possible, site these sources. Speculating is frowned upon - it merely adds confusion. This editor does not have the time to confirm all contributions to the list, and may opt to discard messages which do not appear to have valid sources of information. All messages sent to the list should have appropriate subject lines. The subject lines should include the type of computer to which the message refers, when applicable. E.g., Subject: Brain virus detection (PC). Messages without appropriate subject lines *STAND A GOOD CHANCE OF NOT BEING INCLUDED IN A DIGEST*. As already stated, there will be no flames on the list. Such messages will be discarded. The same goes for any commercial plugs or panhandling. Submissions should be directly or indirectly related to the subject of computer viruses. This one is particularly important, other subscribers really do not want to read about things that are not relevant - it only adds to network traffic and frustration for the people reading the list. Responses to queries should be sent to the author of the query, not to the entire list. The author should then send a summary of his/her responses to the list at a later date. "Automatic answering machine" programs (the ones which reply to e-mail for you when you are gone) should be set to *NOT* reply to VIRUS-L. Such responses sent to the entire list are very rude and will be treated as such. When sending in a submission, try to see whether or not someone else may have just said the same thing. This is particularly important when responding to postings from someone else (which should be sent to that person *anyway*). Redundant messages will be sent back to their author(s). Thank-you for your time and for your adherence to these guidelines. Comments and suggestions, as always, are invited. Please address them to me, or . Ken van Wyk X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X Another file downloaded from: The NIRVANAnet(tm) Seven & the Temple of the Screaming Electron Taipan Enigma 510/935-5845 Burn This Flag Zardoz 408/363-9766 realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 510/527-1662 Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 801/278-2699 The New Dork Sublime Biffnix 415/864-DORK The Shrine Rif Raf 206/794-6674 Planet Mirth Simon Jester 510/786-6560 "Raw Data for Raw Nerves" X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X