On Tue, 29 Oct 1996 20:13:04 +0100 (MET), Asgaard wrote:

...

I don't think spreading false rumours is a good idea - it can discredit the spreader if anyone bothers to check any details.

Disinformation is a time-honoured weapon in political struggle. A rumour is called just that because it can't easily be checked - somebody heard from somebody, who heard from somebody etc. The spreader is hardly ever discredited since he does not guarantee the validity of the information. 'It's just a rumour, but...'

And don't forget the old he-denied-a-wild-claim: "Mr. Politician denied reports that he spent several days in the Lovebird Inn with a goldren retriever, six gallons of coolwhip and a hoover vacuum." # Chris Adams <adamsc@io-online.com> | http://www.io-online.com/adamsc/adamsc.htp # <cadams@acucobol.com> | send mail with subject "send PGPKEY" "That's our advantage at Microsoft; we set the standards and we can change them." --- Karen Hargrove, Microsoft (quoted in the Feb 1993 Unix Review editorial)