Vendit found following answer:
From axd7104@acfcluster.nyu.edu Mon May 11 23:32:06 1992
From: axd7104@acfcluster.nyu.edu (Aaron Dickey)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Microsoft advocates killing of Jews
Date: 29 Apr 92 23:24:20 GMT
Organization: New York University
Nntp-Posting-Host: acf1.nyu.edu
Hey everyone!! Did you know that Microsoft is advocating the killing of
Jews in New York City? I sure didn't! But it's true! I read it in the
paper!
Get ready for a whopper. Once again the news media proves that it doesn't
know the first thing about computers. The entire story, retransmitted
without permission, is below, as it appeared in today's New York Post.
For those who don't know, the Post is a tabloid paper, where the entire front
page is one huge headline. So, screaming out at millions of New Yorkers this
morning was the headline, "PROGRAM OF HATE". Above the headline is a photo
of one of those old PC green-screen displays, with "NYC" = <skull> <Star of
David> <thumbs-up sign> superimposed on the screen. Above that is a
subheadline, "Millions of computers carry secret message that urges death to
Jews in New York City..."
So, without further ado, here's the story:
ANTI-JEWISH CODE LURKS IN POPULAR SOFTWARE, by Don Broderick
One of the world's best-selling computer programs contains a secret anti-
Semitic message apparently urging death to Jews in New York City.
A computer consultant discovered the diabolic message while installing
Microsoft's new Windows 3.1 software for a client yesterday.
The consultant was testing a mailing-address use of the program when he
noticed the letters "NYC" had been replaced by a hateful message - a skull
and crossbones, the Star of David and an approving thumbs-up symbol.
Microsoft strongly denies any hidden message. Others disagree.
"There's no way it could be a random coincidence," said Brian Young, a
friend of the consultant, who does not wish to be named.
"It's pretty scary. I was pretty shocked by the whole thing."
Computer owners who use Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word or any other
Microsoft program containing a print font named "Wingdings" can duplicate
the anti-Semitic message by typing the letters "NYC" on their screen.
Microsoft said "Wingdings" was designed by Bigelow and Holmes, an outside
vendor, and denied that Microsoft intentionally designed the secret
message.
Prof. Charles Bigelow confirmed that his company provided the symbols, but
insisted that Microsoft made the final "mapping" decisions assigning his
symbols to specific keys on the keyboard.
But a senior Microsoft spokesman said the charge that the fonts contain a
hidden message is "outrageous."
"It's like saying that if you randomly type out characters on a keyboard to
spell 'Satan', you can do that, but it's incredible to say that there's anti-
Semitism in Microsoft or one of its vendors," said Charles Hemingway.
But Young, who discussed the matter with other computer consultants, isn't
so sure it's just a coincidence.
The "Wingdings" font contains no letters - just 255 symbols.
Young calculated the odds of three letters of the alphabet being combined
with 255 symbols, and said he found that the odds of obtaining the message
were less than one in a trillion.
"It's mind-blowing," said Young. "Somebody's responsible for this. This
is very offensive."
"I found it hard to believe some of the stories about the resurgence of
Nazi sympathizers - but this puts things back into perspective."
Microsoft, based in Seattle, is the world's biggest software publisher,
with 100 million customers around the world and sales of more than $2.3
billion in 1991.
When Windows 3.0 was introduced in 1990, customers were snapping it up at
the rate of 30,000 a week.
-- end of article
Above the story is a line of some of the various symbols in the "Wingdings"
font, with the caption: "LOADED: When a specific font is used in Microsoft's
Windows, these symbols, which correspond to the alphabet, appear. Type the
letters NYC, you get the death sign, the Star of David and the thumbs-up."
So what do you all think? Should me load up the buses and make a pilgrimage
to Redmond to firebomb Bill Gates's mansion, or what?
--
Aaron Dickey Bitnet: axd7104@nyuacf
New York University Internet: axd7104@ACFcluster.nyu.edu
Al Roker Is God.
From axd7104@acfcluster.nyu.edu Mon May 11 23:32:31 1992
From: axd7104@acfcluster.nyu.edu (Aaron Dickey)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Microsoft advocates killing of Jews
Date: 30 Apr 92 05:52:24 GMT
Organization: New York University
Nntp-Posting-Host: acf1.nyu.edu
Well, it appears that the Brainless Millions once again have the upper
hand. Hot off the press, here's the story from Thursday's early edition
of the NYPost...
FURY SPARKS DEMANDS FOR END TO COMPUTER 'HATE CODE', by Don Broderick
The discovery of an apparently anti-Semitic message lurking in a computer
program sold by the world's biggest software publisher set off a furious
storm of controversy yesterday.
The coded message, seemingly urging death to Jews in New York City, was
found in Microsoft's new Windows 3.1 software.
Microsoft insisted it is a coincidence that the program replaces the
letters "NYC" with a skull and crossbones, the Star of David and an
approving thumbs-up symbol.
"We are very sensitive to the hurt feelings of the Jewish community,"
said Microsoft spokesman Collins Hemingway.
But he said people who believe this is a secret message "are the same kind
of people who listen to rock records backwards."
However, Rabbi Pinchas Stolper of the Union of Jewish Congregations of
America said: "It's easy to see all these little things as being random and
unimportant, but one gets the sense that something is loose in our society
and someone better start worrying about it."
Mordechai Levy, founder of the militant Jewish Defense Organization,
warned that the Jewish community will not idly stand by in the face of
anti-Semitic messages.
"Hate messages should all be made illegal. If we find any computer person
is involved in this we will track them down - and put them out of
business," said Levy.
Brooklyn Councilman Noach Dear said that, coincidence or not, Microsoft
should change the program or be subject to a boycott.
The Anti-Defamation League of the B'nai B'rith, which contacted the office
of Microsoft founder Bill Gates yesterday, was assured by Microsoft it would
consider changing the assignment of symbols on the keyboard to avoid the
problem in future versions of the program.
"We think it was a reasonable and immediate response. We will follow it
and monitor their progress," said ADL spokeswoman Myrna Shinbaum.
--end of story
Personally, I think that Microsoft should tell them all to go screw off if
they really believe this. Even if a boycott was started, Microsoft would
probably save money in the end, since any people that participated would
be the same ones calling tech support four times an hour asking where
Drive C is.
--
Aaron Dickey Bitnet: axd7104@nyuacf
New York University Internet: axd7104@ACFcluster.nyu.edu
Al Roker Is God.
From axd7104@acfcluster.nyu.edu Mon May 11 23:29:53 1992
From: axd7104@acfcluster.nyu.edu (Aaron Dickey)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Readers advocate killing of NYPost
Date: 11 May 92 14:00:32 GMT
Organization: New York University
Nntp-Posting-Host: acf1.nyu.edu
For all those who care, the first letters to the editor appeared in this
morning's New York Post...
COMPUTER MESSAGES
Your Page One story on April 29 reported that an anti-Semitic message is
produced when the letters "NYC" are printed in Microsoft Windows' "Wingdings"
font.
The odds of this happening by sheer chance can be calculated as the
permutations of 255 symbols taken three at a time, which works out to 1 in
16,386,810, not 1 in a trillion as was claimed in the article.
The odds of some random message being produced by some combination of three
letters are considerably better. In fact, given the human imagination, it's
almost a certainty.
Brian Young, quoted in your interview, said that this incident puts "the
stories about the resurgence of Nazi sympathizers...back in perspective."
Wrong. What it puts into perspective is the intolerable level of credulity
in American society.
--Bob Buethe, Elmont
If the letters NYC (skull and crossbones, Star of David, thumbs-up) make a
secret anti-Semitic message, then NYU (skull and crossbones, Star of David and
cross) would be a secret attack on Jews and Christians.
And how about the lethal NZ (New Zealand) with it's skull and crossbones plus
star and crescent. This obviously means death to Turks.
Finally, YEMEN would be under attack from Israel since the Star of David,
pointing finger, bomb, pointing finger, and skull and crossbones would clearly
mean that Israel was ready to bomb Yemen to death.
How silly can you get?
--John C. Gebhardt, Manhattan
--
Aaron Dickey Bitnet: axd7104@nyuacf
New York University Internet: axd7104@ACFcluster.nyu.edu |
