Terminal Compromise

y, Sept

on, T

It rang three times before Joan Appleby answered. Joan was the daytime network administrator for Building 4. Hundre

ou much, right?" Ang

" They were good friends outside of wor

n'. Joan, I g

a hon." Joan Texas

s tw

rd just ate

'd be lookin' out for

n appreciation

r my computer and ate up all the lette

me on, right?" Ma

screen. I couldn't get it to come back so I turned my computer off and now it won't do a

. "It may mean that we have some might

tandstill. Over 4,000 of their internal microcomputers, mainly IBM a

he various business units. They contacted the National Computer Virus Association in San Mateo, California, NIS

ou hard disk, we may be able find out what's going on . . .otherwise, your best bet is

stems that it would be at least a week, maybe ten da

ompers, Junior democratic representa

. It was the only way she knew to insure that her weight would never ebb below 200 pounds. Her pleasant silken skin did not matc

black coffee with 4 sugars. She turned on the power switch and waited as the hour- glass icon indicated tha

ld display a wide range of options from which she could select. Mary would

essage, one she had not seen in the nine months

ZER TEST P

ALIZI

ADVANTAGE OF SYSTEM STORAGE CAPABILITIES.

TIN

URN OFF COMPUTER

d as the computer's hard disk whirred and buzzed. She wasn't familiar with the me

e dove into her second donut. And she waited through

s from the technocratic box on her desk. The Mac continued to work,

taken long enough. What

r switch off and th

light was on, the disk light was on, but the

am, a co worker in anoth

ing Vi

gitated. "Yeah,

and with my computer. Got a sec?" Ma

doornail. Won't do anything. I mean nothing." Violet was fr

s dead too. What

check or something, seemed to take forever

Have you ca

to. I never did trust these thin

ll call you

the technical magi- cians in the basement wh

ou?" The voice spoke qui

uter seems to be having a little problem .

ng is going to be a slow one. My best guess is that over 2500

..." Mary sa

a Big Ma

wha

ould stop it, but I guess there's a new strain out there. Congress is

can't fix it

en't sick. Somebody took a good shot at Congress and well . . .they won. We're gonna be d

she sat idle at her desk wondering if she would have a

*

ES FAT IN PROCESS by Scott

hat it was requesting over $1 Million in emergency funding

acintosh, but Apple Computer issued a quick statement denying any connectio

ronic mail, E- Mail that has saved taxpayers millions, will be unavailable for communications until October at a minimum. Inter-office communi- cations, those that address legislat

on everyone's mind is, was this virus directed at Congress

, and AXT, an XAT, an ATX or . . .well whatever. I use it to write a lot of my stories and then I can se

to me that a compu

lows or blows out, the wind blows. I am sure that Thomas W. Crapper, the 19th century inven- tor of the flush toilet would not be pleased that in 1988 man has

to me that a compu

find the ON switch or her cat knocked it on the floor. Computers have 'fat

to me that a compu

the country getting ill. Sick, having the flu, breathing difficulty, getting r

omputer virus that indiscriminately attacks and de

crobe has the nerve to be aerodynamically transferred to the smoggy air of Taiwan. Upon landing in Taipei, the micr

eard of antibiotics, and in the spirit of true Darwinism, it replicates itself before being killed off with a strengthened immunity. So, the microbe copies itself and w

ast of the US has billions and trillions of identical microbes c

a epidemic is over. Until next year when Asian Flu B shows up and the process begins all over again. (The same group of extremists who believe that the Tri-Latera

atribe is that computers ca

n't give you the flu anymore than

ago, before Wozniak

ld be great fun to play a prank on Bill, another programmer who worked at a big university. Joe wrote a little program that he put into Bill's big computer. Every time Bill typed the word 'M

f it, and no harm was done. Then Bill decided to get back at Joe. He put a small program into

and became a persona

w they could a

e new game. Other gr

ed and soon computer

ford and elsewhere go

rld's first computer

Mason. Using

*

r, 3 Ye

le, Cal

financial community known as DGI, was on the road to being in as much favor as Lotus or Microsoft. Annual sales of $300 Million with a pre-tax bottom line of over $55 Million were cause celebre on Wall Street. The

$100 Million in options over 5 years. No one objected. He had earned it. DGI was the pearl of the computer industry in a

ike Microsoft in that they both got rich and famous on one product. While Microsoft branched out from DOS into other product areas, DGI elected to re

r computers with pictures and icons instead of complex commands that must be remembered and typed. dGraph theoretically made IBM computers as easy t

its standard fare. Just as a computer needed DOS to function, it was viewed that you needed dGraph before you even loaded the first program. Operat- ing without dG

chnical secretaries e

schools such as Kathe

hat all its girls we

just can't run a

the success for DGI was his and his alone and that he too was a standard . . .a fixture. The press and computers experts portrayed to the

flated resume by a person applying for a position totally outside his field of expertise. Complet

ry well. By the age of ten he was considered something of a prodigy and his parents decided that they would move from Par

was rapt in the study of the theory of music. How notes related to each other. How scales related to each other. What made certain atonalities subjectively pleasing yet others com- pletely offens

would continue his study of musical relationships which by now had become an obsession. There was little expertise in this specific area, so

ould have the formula for making perfect music every time. With the Law at the crux of all music, and with control over the Law, he rumin

interpretive musical analysis filled file cabinets and countless shelves. He relied on his memory to f

both enjoyed the live country acts that played there. Max played the roll of an Urban Cowboy who had temporarily given up Acid Rock in favor of shit kickin' Southern Rock. Pierre found the musical phen

nhattan. A complex mixture of com- puter junkie, rock'n'roll aficionado and recreational d

me and I pretend to work. I don'

. At 27, Max had the rugged look that John Travolta popularized in the 70's but on a roc

a T-shirt were a strong contrast to Max's ruddiness. Pierre's jet black hair was

h; no one in their right mind would ever view Pierre as anything but a confirmed and practiced heterosexual. His years of romantic achievements prove

Max rambled on about how wonderful computer

ation will be free and the planet will be a better place to live and so on . . ." Max's technical sermons bordered on reli- gious pre

ew of a future world with everyone sitting in front of a picture tube

as trying to break into anoth

hat's that you say?" Max sipped de

ters you pla

with!" He pointed emphatica

hese computers play,

m it in and out it comes. In fact, the Apple II is the ideal co

know anything a

Max smiled wide. This was what he loved, playing with computers and talking to pe

ected to endless hours of computer war stories and technical esoterica he could

rre found that the Apple had the ability to handle large amounts of data. With the new program cal

estions of Max and demands of the Apple became increasingly complex. One night after sev

hat it knows what each piece of da

. They're just a tool. A shovel doesn't know what kind of dirt it's digging,

ich he managed to ask, "but what if you told the computer what it me

n Garth. It was called Giles Goat Boy. Yeah, Giles Goat Boy, what a title. Essentially it's about this Goat, musta been a real smar

rs who competed for control of the world and this kid, I mean," laughing too hard to breath, "I mean t

h an Apple learning," Pierre sai

. Most people either think, or like to think that a com- puter can thi

re might still be a poin

but probably not for a

t?" Pierre aske

a machine c

re was dis

reated into mental oblivion as Abbey Road played in the back- g

What's that? Hey, M

back to Earth

reality. "Oh, copy.

each you emulation du

thought that that w

nguage for all of wr

ening's conversation we

came by Pierre's lo

ut what?" Pierre di

pl

You know what we were talk

ng much less getting shit fa

nd on about machines

Pierr

ing of illicit recreation. He could actually grasp the germ of a stoned idea and let a st

t?" Pierre tri

so that to all appearances each piece of music

id that was impossible .

into a bean bag chair. "We assign a value to every piece of music. For example, in music we might assign a value to each note. Like, what note it is, the l

Pierre leaned forward with anticipation and listened intent- ly, unli

the data is put in the computer, you decide what you want to call each grouping. You name it anything you want. Then we could have the computer look for similar groupings and label them. They could all be put on a curve, some graphic of some kind, and then show

ns beyond Pierre's understanding. As they labored, Max realized that if he got his "engine" to run, then it would be

lish. He was getting back some incredible results. He was finding that many of the popu- lar rock gui

s music. All the while, as Pierre searched the reaches of the musical unknown, Max c

ple, Lotus and other shining stars in the early days of the computer industry. Max was looking for an investor to finance the marketing of his engine that would change the worl

hird dimension. Data is conventionally viewed in a two dimensional viewing field, yet is really a one dimension stream. In either source dimensional view, the addition of

Damn it, he thought. Why don't they understand. I outline the entire theory and they don't get it. Jeez, it's so ea

ax." Max sounde

the C

ut tomorrow. You're booked

California. I have

forgotten to bill you for the e

dn't even understand what I

me to understand. I just need you to get some of these investors to understand and then we can have a company and make

to convey the subtleties of a complex piece of software using actual demonstrations from his music were the touchy-feely the investors wanted. It wasn't that he was technical; he really

al wizard and char- ismatic front man. And t

't know how to run a company. That doesn't matter, the investors said. You are a salable item. A person whom the press and future investors can relate

s long as he could

n as DGI. Using Byte, Personal Comput- ing, Popular Computing and the myriad computer mag

own language of, at that time, several hundred words, to describe the third dimension of data. Or, they could do it in pictures. While the data on the screen was b

aid, "dGraph

road, speaking, meeting with writers, having press conferences every time a new use for dGraph was announced. He was adored by the media. He swam in the

g run by professionals and Max headed up the engineering group. As new computers appeared on the market, like the IBM AT, additional power could be

d get on the road with Pierre any time he needed a break. Pierre got into the act hook, line and sinker and Max acted the role of genius be

DGI, the original investors go along for the ride. That's how the VC's who worked with Lotus, Compaq, Apple

s. "Pierre, there is only one way to say this. Our organization will no longer be involved with DGI. We

nything?" Pierre was nonp

, satisfy their egos and protect their invest- ment, that's entirely normal. But,

ierre had true conc

Essentially the finan- cial people wil

blic? That's the only way I'

derwood would profit over 400 percent on their original investment. The Japa- nese buyer was paying more than the company was worth now. They had come in offering an amount of money way beyond what an open- ing offer should have been. Un

in the transfer, Under- wood controlled the board of directors and technically didn't need the founder's consensus. Not that it overtly appeared to mattered to Pierre. Ma

ld change for them. They would each continue in their respective roles. The day to day interference was expected to be min

date of issue, Pierre re

Japanese accent mangled his

accent. The Japanese spoke French as well as a hair-lipped stutt

OSO is to visit your city tomorrow and participat

y could say "Yes!" a hundred times in a meeting, yet everyone present understood that the speakers really meant "No Way, Jose!" There of course was the need for a quality gift for any visitor from Japan. Johnny

could provide me with details of his flight I will

fled a smirk at the mispro- nunciation

to visit at this time. Very auspicio

ontinued successes in the future. I expect, as I am sure you do, that the revenues raised from your public stock offering will

and the forecasting. My function is more to inspire the troops and carry the standard, so to s

need to know about your business an

together? Partners?" Pierre clarified the idiom for

ew days." That statement had the air of an accusation more than good wishes. "Th

s so small it should- n't be mentioned. Ple

"I do need your help. Not today, but

." Pierre was re- lieved. Just some more Ja

d to one of a very serious man. "Mr. Troubleaux, how can I

this was only an Oriental game of mumbley peg or chicken. "Sir, what would I

othing without your honor. Every child, man and woman in Japan knows that. We are raised with the focus of growth being honor. During the war betwe

the panic that instantly struck h

lots to serve as example of honor. The kind that brought honor to Japan in the face of defeat.

turalized over twenty years ago,

. I require nothing of you today, other than the guarantee of you honor. Is that agreeable to you, Mr. Troubleaux?" Homoso- to w

size 48, ill fitting suit. Pierre was amazed at how much money the Japane

Pierre took it carefully from Homosoto and looke

XE to F

ly at Homosoto, his e

got to do wi

ill be instructed to add one of the files on this disk onto the dGraph programs you

help dGraph? No that can't be it. What is it? Why so secret. What's with the honor bit? From t

disk is. You are asking me to promise something I don't understand. What if I don't agree. At least unti

agree to maintain the honor between us. It is so much more pleasant.

Troubleaux, you will get to keep the $20 Million you make this Friday and you will b

*

e he and Taki Homosoto had set their plans in action. Alex hadn't spoken to Homosoto in a couple of months. It was now time to report to Homosoto in Tokyo. It was 17 hours earlier there - Homosoto would probably be at his desk. The modem dialed

of courts from every state where a forwarded phone was located. Then, the State Department would have to coordinate with the Ja

ECTION>>>>

ter terminal paused. If he was on satellite to Japan, or to Dallas or anywhere else, his signa

PT

ntelligible symbols and random characters. By choosing 43, Alex told his computer and Homosoto's computer to use Crypt Key 43, one of over 100 secret keys that both computers held in their memory. This cryptographic sche

SMISSION E

or Alex to send the f

ing, Homo

ED PARTNER. YOU HAVE

l is in

. .MY MEMORY IS

of the Operators are

es 8 altogether. San

es, (LA), Boston, (BM

ington, (DC) a

CAN BE

penalty. If not, we

, you are rewarding t

r ef

ECT RESULTS. A

ing as well. Four of

T

MEN. WHAT I

roof of our sincerity. They know nothing other than they get paid, very

D THEY TOO AR

strong motivation. Bes

EY READ TH

es from. Most need the money more than their lives. My c

ES MEN HONORABL

are always exceptions, and

HA ARE AT YO

ound Hogs, the fi

NY AND

T&T, 3 at IBM, 14 in government positions, 12 in major banks, a couple of insurance companies, 3

L THEY

en we call, they will perform. I will add more as we pro

DISAPPO

promise. When will th

IN DAYS. YOU ORGANIZE IT. THE GROUND HOGS ARE NOT TO BE ACTIVATED FOR SEVERAL W

obliga- tions. We pay 10 times their salary for their

NG AS ALLEGIANCE. DO

to the almighty dol

ill be

HERS CAN OFFER MORE DOLLARS AND WE CAN BE FOUND. I CANNOT RI

am responsible

PREPARED FO

o insure the security of our task

L. I WILL

CTION TERMI

*********************