Subject: Can Mail be used to affect the reader's program's character interpretation?

From: "B.R.PICKUP" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 1996 23:26:45 +0000

I have been sent a mail message that when you scroll down it it changes 
the characters on the screen into gibberish ... this is obviously a non 
harmful prank, but I was wondering if I could do something similar but 
non destructive ... can anyone tell me how it's done?

Ben Pickup
Still a Law Student at University of Hertfordshire
([email-masked])

*********************  In the twinkling of an eye  *******************
*   ** ** *** * *   *    It can never be bought,   *   *   *   * *** *
* *** * * *** * * * *      Can never be sold,      ** *** ** * *  ** *
*   *   * *** * *   * It's the greatest love story ** *** ** * * * * *
*** * * * *** * * * *    That's ever been told!    ** *** ** * * **  *
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*********************         Cost a life.         *******************
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			    Do You Want It?

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From: Paul O Bartlett <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 1996 07:32:45 -0500

> non destructive ... can anyone tell me how it's done?

    It is probably not a wise or courteous idea to try this sort of
thing, even if others do it.  What happens when you put supposed
control characters in a mail message all depends on the recipient's
terminal hardware and software, which you, the sender, have no control
over and may well not even know.  It might might a harmless prank or it
could cause a recipient a lot of noxious problems.  Please don't do it.

Paul                             <[email-masked]>
----------------------------------------------------------
Paul O. Bartlett, P.O. Box 857, Vienna, VA 22183-0857, USA
Finger, keyserver, or WWW for PGP 2.6.2 public key 
Home Page:  URL: http://www.access.digex.net/~pobart

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From: Ed Greshko <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1996 08:34:58 +0800 (GMT)

> non destructive ... can anyone tell me how it's done?

	One thing you can try, since April 1st is coming, is to sneak
up behind someone's terminal and with a pair of metal scissors cut the
power wires to their monitor.  It is sure to bring excitement into
everyones' lives.

	:-)

	Ed

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