Plotting Profitable Viruses
Computer viruses have long been firm and profitable grist for science-fiction mills.
“Neuromancer” and “Silicon Brain” and “Worms” and “The Software Plague” are typical of the lot.
Now, this month, comes “Trapdoor” by Bernard O’Keefe, a tale of nuclear terrorism made possible by a computer virus.
With a rare, albeit innocent, triumph of timing, publisher Houghton Mifflin prepared advertisements for last Sunday’s newspapers.
“Computer viruses,” they claimed, “can be fatal.”
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