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Is that Linux or real unix. I've been wanting to set up a Linux machine for some time

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It doesn't matter. SGI, Sun, DEC, or Linux PCs will do. It's hard to call anything "real UNIX", since every UNIX workstation vendor had their own version of UNIX, anyway.

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Evans A Criswell
Huntsville-Decatur Movie Theatre Information Site

Computer security experts on Monday warned of a new virus that deletes files while masquerading as a program that will allow people to vote on whether the United States should go to war over the Sept. 11 hijacker attacks.

The ``Vote Virus'', which so far is not wide spread, circulates via e-mail to users of Microsoft Corp.'s Outlook e-mail program, said Simon Perry, vice president of security solutions at Computer Associates International Inc.

The virus, punctuated by strange grammar and a mix of lower- and upper-case letters, appears with the subject line: ''Peace between America and Islam!'' and the body of the e-mail reads: ``Hi. Is it a war against America or Islam!? Let's vote to live in peace!'' Perry and other experts said.

When the attachment entitled ``WTC.exe'' is opened, the virus tries to delete all the files on the computer's hard drive and sends copies of the e-mail to every address listed in the computer's address book, he said.

The virus also defaces any Web pages that are hosted by an infected computer to read: ``America ... few days will show you what we can do!!! It's our turn ))) ZaCker is so sorry for you,'' according to Perry.

In addition the virus, which is a worm because of its self-propagation capabilities, deletes the Windows directory files, tries to download a ``backdoor'' on the computer and unsuccessfully attempts to reformat the system, said Vincent Gullotto, senior research director of Network Associates Inc.'s Antivirus Response Team. A ``backdoor'' would enable someone to get remote access to the computer without permission.

The virus also can delete antivirus software on the computer, according to Vincent Weafer, director of Symantec Corp.'s Antivirus Research Center.

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Outlook's popularity and its use of a central server is why virus writers like it so much...

I didn't get one of the greeting cards, but I got one of the e-mails with the readme.exe virus attached. Fortunately, I had my protections up, so I was able to get rid of it immediately.

I recommend using UPDATED virus protections, and by that, I mean checking at LEAST 2 times per week. I also highly recommend a piece of software called PEST PATROL from www.safersite.com. This protects from over 26,000 "pests" which are not viruses but spyware and other bad things. Corporate license is $29.95...individual for $19.95. Updates are free. This thing found some VERY nasty spyware on my machine that I didn't even know I had! I highly recommend this software (and I have no affiliation with the company in any way.)

We must remember here that the total number of viruses in the Macintosh world is less than 100.

Mark Lensenmayer

Various strains of the Magistr virus are circulating like crazy. There had been one hoax about the "sulfnbk.exe" file, which is found in the C:\Windows\Command folder. That's actually a real file that is vital to a Windows installation. But since then some strains of the Magistr virus are found in files attached to e-mails with the same "sulfnbk.exe" file name. Beware of others such as "New_Napster_Site.exe". Well, just don't open any attached file at all unless you know for sure what it is, especially any .exe or .doc.pif file.

The Magistr virus is usually pretty easy to fix, if you find it early enough on your machine (before it starts making your icons run away from your pointer and popping up dialog boxes that say "you are a shithead"). Most anti-viral sites and SARC will offer instructions on removal --which should be followed to the letter. Some fixes will toast your current browser installation. Others might cause you to have to reinstall your OS. In some cases, reformatting your hard drive may not be enough. Some viruses are actually able to flash your BIOS chip on the motherboard, either to infect the BIOS ROM or just to make your motherboard unbootable.

I had a call from a friend up in Tulsa who works at a sign shop there. Their entire computer network got taken down by a virus last week. I forget the name of it, but it replicated itself thousands upon thousands of times over on each machine. Every computer on the network had to have its hard drive FDISKed and reformatted. Luckily for them they at least backed up their artwork data.

Running the latest version of virus protection software, be it McAfee, Norton Anti-Virus or something else is a good idea. It is even better to update the DAT files and run a full system scan at least once a week. But that alone is not enough.

Every computer connected to the Internet, especially any Broadband type, has to use a Firewall of some sort. For those who might not know why they need a firewall, here's the point: monitoring which e-mails you open and which discs you use will not protect you. Some scumbag can sniff into your computer without you knowing it and plant some form of malware right in your computer's start up routine and get your machine infected that way. A firewall will monitor what data packets come in and out of your computers ports and offer a much better form of security than just some AntiVirus watchdogging.

Don't open these, they are two differnt types of viruses