Viruses

Viruses - we don't like them. Probably we pretty much hate them. They knock us down and make us feel horrible while we're down. But, they seem to be inevitable. Even the most isolated among us can be susceptible. All it takes is one little slip, one unsanitized shopping cart, or a sneeze from a fellow parishioner.

And so it is with computer viruses. The most innocent and careful user is vulnerable. Sure we're always told, 'don't open any files that you're not absolutely sure about' but not even that seems to protect us. They're out there and it seems that they can find insidious ways of invading our most sacred places.

The way I understand it there are real viruses and viruses that aren't real. But whether they're real or not, they incapacitate us to the same degree. The difference is that the real viruses actually attack and kill our precious files. The fake viruses throw up a window that tells us our computer has been infected by a dangerous virus and that we need to scan our files with their software and then download the solution at a cost of about $60.00. Until we do or until we get rid of their presence, our computer is rendered unusable. Whether or not the solution would even work is open for discussion. I haven't heard of anyone purchasing it and then successfully using it yet; and I don't intend to be the one to check it out.

As you've probably guessed, I've been attacked.

My desktop is suffering the effects of an unknown invader and it's not looking good. I think it's a fake virus and I hope so because I haven't backed up my files in a couple of months. There are lots of pictures (a few thousand), not just of You Capture subjects but of grandchildren and a newborn great grandson and his birth. Now once again I vow that I'll never go so long without backing up my entire system again.

So here I am on my new, not so Mary friendly laptop. I'm thankful that I have it but it's not the same as the desktop that has everything in it that has happened in my life for the last ten years or so and some things from much farther back than that. I can navigate around that old desktop without even really thinking about it whereas this laptop seems cumbersome and challenging in every application.

So my desktop is sick and that makes me sick but the thing that troubles me the most is why. Why are there viruses? Honestly I don't think I would ever intentionally do anything that I knew might hurt somebody; but there are people out there, probably geniuses really, whose sole purpose in life is to create and spread evil viruses that they know will cause untold misery and heartbreak. I just don't understand it.

So you tell me. Why are there viruses?

Oh! And just so you know. This particular virus is not contagious. Otherwise my laptop would have it too.

I Was Attacked

I've been attacked. Or maybe I should say my computer has been attacked but that's the same as being attacked myself. It's very personal. Whatever virus sneaked into my machine wreaked havoc and rendered it unusable. It pasted hundreds or maybe thousands of pop-up windows with dire warnings and advice to buy a special software to get rid of the virus itself. When my wonderful computer guy, Brian, downloaded solutions, the evil virus turned those sites into porn sites and advertisements for Viagra. It was all very disconcerting to say the least.

I can't swim but I've been known to play around in the water. I've tried maneuvering below the surface and I find it very difficult - almost impossible. Everything is distorted, my movements are slow and cumbersome, I'm completely disoriented and I feel threatened and insecure.

That's how it felt when my computer was under attack. And that feeling when you break the surface, and can breathe fresh air and see the sunshine? That's how it feels now that it's back to its normal self.

I don't understand the people that start and spread viruses. I understand that some of them do it for money but I also think some people just get their jollies from doing it. As far as doing it for money, the very people that spread the virus include the solution that you can buy in your panic to get rid of it. It probably doesn't even work. It's just all evil and beyond my understanding.

Anyway, I'm glad to be back - to breathe and settle back into my element.

And I want to post this warning. Be very careful about opening anything you find on the internet. You never know what evil might be lurking inside.