In September 1996, Penguin Books published a press release, announcing the launch of an interactive novel called Irina.
Various part of this press release led some readers to believe that a new virus was spreading over the Internet and World Wide Web. Penguin Books published a second press release soon after, but the word had already spread beyond recall.
Please ignore any messages regarding this supposed "virus" and do not pass on any messages regarding it. Passing on messages about this hoax on serves only to further propagate it.
The original hoax message follows:
FYI
There is a computer virus that is being sent across the Internet.
If you receive an e-mail message with the subject line "Irina", DONOT
read the message. DELETE it immediately.
Some miscreant is sending people files under the title "Irina". If
you receive this mail or file, do not download it. It has a virus
that rewrites your hard drive, obliterating anything on it. Please be
careful and forward this mail to anyone you care about.
( Information received from the Professor Edward Prideaux, College of
Slavonic Studies, London ). |