issue09

EMUSIC-L Digest                                      Volume 54, Issue 09

This issue's topics:
	
	MIDI virus? (9 messages)

Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon .
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Date:         Mon, 26 Jul 1993 17:08:08 UTC+0100
From:         gui 
Subject:      MIDI virus?

        Hi people....... In the last issue of KEYBOARD's Spanish Edition I
could read a little reference about a MIDI virus. It's called "Under 16" and
attacks the RAM banks of your MIDI connected devices.
        Does anyone have further information about it?

        Thanx in advance

                Luis A. Fuente
                University of Valladolid
                Spain

                gui@cpd.uva.es

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Date:         Mon, 26 Jul 1993 17:08:08 -0400
From:         Joe McMahon 
Subject:      Re: MIDI virus?

>        Hi people....... In the last issue of KEYBOARD's Spanish Edition I
>could read a little reference about a MIDI virus. It's called "Under 16" and
>attacks the RAM banks of your MIDI connected devices.
>        Does anyone have further information about it?

Yes. This is doubtless an incorrect conclusion on the part of the person
writing the article. Words fail me as to how incredibly heterogenous the
processors and operating systems of currently-existing synthesizers and
samplers are. Manufacturers can't even agree on sys-ex formats, let alone
operating systems, disk formats, and realtime code; the thought that a
virus could be written that could both break into the OS and possibly
function on *any* keyboard whatsoever is is a concept approximately as
ludicrous as imagining that John Cage will be broadcast on Top-40 radio.
Many of these processors have all of their OS code in ROM. Needless to say,
it would be difficult to break into such an OS without a PROM burner; being
a physical device, most viruses do not possess access to one.

The possibility certainly exists that there are data streams that can be
sent to certain, selected synths that cause then to lock up and barf their
RAM. Ask Nick about his experiences with the Wavestation and the VFX.

However, to put this virus scare (and let me emphasize that it is just
that, a scare) into a more reasonable perspective, this is like saying that
there is a virus that infects any computer, no matter what processor or
operating system it uses.

Not.

 --- Joe M.

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Date:         Tue, 27 Jul 1993 11:14:00 EDT
From:         John Rossi III 
Subject:      Re: MIDI virus?

So let me get this straight, Joe.  This MIDI virus is kinda like HIV in
that it may exist but probably does nothing?

John

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Date:         Tue, 27 Jul 1993 10:39:21 -0500
From:         "Mark A. Clark" 
Subject:      Re: MIDI virus?

MIDI viruses don't exist.

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Date:         Tue, 27 Jul 1993 11:46:00 EDT
From:         Mario Vergona 
Subject:      Re: MIDI virus?

        MIDI vireses do exist, they are called Musicians.
                                                        m

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Date:         Tue, 27 Jul 1993 11:59:00 EDT
From:         John Rossi III 
Subject:      Re: MIDI virus?

Neither do AIDS-producing retroviruses, apparently.

John

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Date:         Tue, 27 Jul 1993 14:00:28 -0400
From:         Joe McMahon 
Subject:      Re: MIDI virus?

>So let me get this straight, Joe.  This MIDI virus is kinda like HIV in
>that it may exist but probably does nothing?

More in that it exists only as a virulently transmissible figment of the
imagination. I categorically refuse to express any opinion about any other
virus in this forum.

 --- Joe M.

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Date:         Tue, 27 Jul 1993 15:02:00 EDT
From:         John Rossi III 
Subject:      Re: MIDI virus?

Oops, sorry.  Almost thought this was r.m.s. for a second.  I'll be good in
the future.  No retro-virus stuff here not related to the fact that
all od us analog junkies must have a real retro-virus.

John

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Date:         Wed, 28 Jul 1993 00:51:49 PDT
From:         metlay 
Subject:      Re: MIDI virus?

>Oops, sorry.  Almost thought this was r.m.s. for a second.  I'll be good in
>the future.  No retro-virus stuff here not related to the fact that
>all of us analog junkies must have a real retro-virus.

Oh, that explains why I get the shakes whenever I get near a Buchla for sale.

--
mike metlay * atomic city * box 81175 pgh pa 15217-0675 * metlay@netcom.com
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"Wow, now my hand's all sticky! Yum."                       (metlay's wife)

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