Barbara Haviland wrote:
>
> I just received an e-mail warningabout a new virus: The message is as
> follows:
> INTERNET VIRUS
> If you receive an email titled "JOIN THE CREW" DO NOT open it. It will
> erase everything on your hard drive. Forward this letter out to as many
> people as you can.  This is a new, very malicious virus andnot many people
> know about it. This information was announced yesterday morning from IBM,
> 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.  Also, do not open or even look at any mail that says "RETURNED OR
> UNABLE TO DELIVERY" This virus will attach itself to your computer
> components and render them useless.  Immediately delete any mail items that
> say this.  AOL has said that this is a very dangerous virus and that there
> is NO remedy for it at this time. Please practice cautionary measures and
> forward this to all your online friends ASAP.
>
> This I just received, and a few days someone said on conch-l that you could
> not get a virus by reading email.  I am pretty knew with this computer
> stuff--if this fact or fiction.
> Now I really wonder about this?
>
> Any help from the computer genius out there on conch-l that can shed some
> light on this, and it doesn't have to have any color.
>
> Haviland
 
You've been had my dear.  There are some real good virus information
programs you can reach with any search engine.  You cannot get a virus
by reading e-mail.  I'm not a computer genius but I have learned that
virii must be activated from an executable file like .bat or .exe
files.  If you run a virus check on any downloaded info from the web or
any disks you recieve from others, you can be fairly safe.  I'm sure
you'll get plenty of answers to your query.  Michael