Unwelcome visitor causes red alert

Date: 13/03/1997

Incoming Director-General at DGX (information), Spyros Pappas, brought an unwanted friend with him when he moved to the European Commission's communications nerve centre from his old job in the Directorate-General for consumer affairs (DGXXIV) - an unwelcome computer virus called Johnny.

Apparently, Johnny, described as a red on-screen monster, hitched a ride in a computer diskette containing a copy of Pappas' curriculum vitae and proceeded to infect the directorate-general's entire computer network.

“It took us a week to wipe out all traces of the virus, and we are still not sure if it was entirely successful,” said one informatics expert.

Computer screens at DGX now bear the chilling message: “Johnny is dead - we hope.”

Meanwhile, it's pay-day for billionaire Microsoft computer giant Bill Gates as the Commission moves all its employees over to Word For Windows.

A number of officials have been on courses this week learning the new software, which will mark a further nail in the coffin of Wordperfect.

Let's hope the Commission backs up all its important files...