Word: infection
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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After a series of interviews with experts on computers and computer security, it appears that the virus spread itself in a three-step process, which transformed an innocent computer into one that could infect others--like a chain-letter scheme run on the most advanced circuitry...
Further, symptoms may not develop until five to seven years after infection. This long, varying time period is known as the "latency" or "incubation" period. Not all those infected by HIV develop symptoms, but all who carry the virus may infect others...
That is when Amjad came up with the idea of creating a virus, a self- replicating program that would "infect" an unauthorized user's computer, disrupt his operations and force him to contact Amjad for repairs. Says brother Basit: "He wanted a way to detect piracy, to catch someone who copies." Meanwhile, however, the Alvi brothers had started doing some copying of their own, making bootleg duplicates of American programs and selling them at steep discounts. Eventually, they started injecting the same virus into some of those program disks as well...
...brothers' somewhat confused rationalization hinges on a loophole in Pakistani law. According to Basit, copyright protection in Pakistan does not extend to computer software. Therefore, he says, it is not illegal for local citizens to trade in bootleg disks; technically, they are not engaged in software piracy. Then why infect American buyers? "Because you are pirating," says Basit. "You must be punished...
Amanda's friends begin to shy away from her, thinking they may get AIDS from using a sink after her. Even Amanda's gymnastics coach gives in at the end. He tells Amanda that she may no longer practice gymnastics because blood from blisters on her hands might infect other team members. His evidence is a vague medical report which he is convinced a parent fabricated, but the fear in the community is too great for reason...