From phantom@spods.dcs.kcl.ac.uk Sun May 25 18:18:22 1997 Subject: TestPost From: The Phantom -------- Title: "Test Post - Do Not Read" (1/1) by Peter Copeman E-Mail: Rating: G - General - Suitable for all. Classification: Humour Summary: Mulder thinks there's a conspiracy on the internet newsgroups. Disclaimer: Blah, Blah, X-files, Mulder, Scully, Blah, Blah, Not Mine, Etc, Etc, Etc, Just Borrowing The Characters, Dum-De-Dum-De-Dum, No Copyright Infringement Intended, Blah, Blah, Blah, Chris Carter Is A God, Etc, Etc, Etc, Don't Sue Me, As I've Got No Money! This Story Came From The Depths Of My Mind, A Dark, Dank, Hideous Place, Where Anything Could Happen. The Sort Of Place Where Ideas For Text Adventure Games Start Life, And Where Ideas For FanFic Hide I often scan the Sci-Fi based Newsgroups and there always seems to be people (usually newbies) who don't know what they are doing, or are finding out how the whole internet/newsgroup thing works, and post those sometimes annoying 'Test Post' messages. As an X-Philer and fan of fanfic i came up with this short story, based on some ideas i had while i was at work, doing my usual boring repetitive job - which gives me loads of time to think... 87) Just a quick note, - any E-mail addresses, Sites, etc, mentioned in here are ficticious (because i just made them up) and similarities to actual sites, e-mails, etc is purely coincidental. To avoid confusion i have put 'quoted' newsgroup posts with a '$' at the beginning. - these headers are MEANT to be there. 87) Test Post: Do Not Read by Peter Copeman (a.k.a The Phantom) Scully entered the office at the main FBI building where she worked, to find that Mulder had arrived before her, and was tapping away at the keyboard of the computer in front of him. Scully assumed he was typing up some reports on a couple of cases they had been working on. "You're eager," She said to him, "Who are you trying to impress?" "No-one," He replied "I wanted to check out something." Scully moved over to where Mulder was sitting, Looking over his shoulder she could see he was logged onto the internet. "Surfing the net?," She said, looking from the screen to him, "Let me guess, You were checking out the Playboy Web Pages.." "No, for your information, I wasn't on the Playboy Website or any other adult's only website." He said defensivly. "No?" She replied feining amazement. "No!" He confirmed. Turning back to the computer he tapped a few buttons and brought up the newsgroup list. "I think i have found something interesting," He said. "Not another Porn dot Binaries newsgroup?" She said mockingly. "Come on, Scully, Let's cut the porn talk, I'm on about something else altogether now." He said, trying to get Scully to take him seriously. Just because he liked to watch the 'occasional' blue movie from time to time, she never let him forget the fact, by getting her little 'digs' at him. "So, what is it?" She asked, sensing he was starting to get annoyed with her innuendo's. "Here, read this," he said clicking the mouse pointer on one of the newsgroup titles, then clicking on a message title. The message was then displayed on the computer's screen. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- $From: roswell@outthere.com (Rose Wells) $Newsgroups: alt.test $Subject: Test Post: Do Not Read $Date: 16 Jan 1997 10:02:38 GMT $Organization: Out-There Inc. $Lines: 3 $Message-ID: <7jhfge$e6a@outthere.com> $References: <7jhfge$e6a@oti1.news.demon.com> $Reply-To: roswell@outthere.com $NNTP-Posting-Host: port-17.server2.oti.com $Mime-Version: 1.0 $X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.93.14 $ $Test post: Do Not Read $ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So, what about it?, Looks like someone just testing to see if their newsgroup mailer works" Scully said, not noticing anything of importance in the message. "What about the name? - Rose Wells, - it's an expansion of Roswell" He said "Coincidence," She tried to think of explanations, "Or a faked account". "I checked the I.P Address - it checked out as real. - I even got a 'receit' E-mail when i E-mailed her" He informed Scully. "What did it say" She inquired. "Just one line, 'Thanks for the E-Mail, we'll be in touch soon'" He quoted. "It's one of those 'Vacation' messages that can be sent when you are going to be away from your E-Mail account for a while, - Nothing unusual about it." She told him. "I thought the same thing, then i read some of the replies" Mulder said. "Replies?," Scully said, "Anything worthwile?" "Well, mainly similar replies to the original posting," Mulder replied, "Here, - This is the last reply so far". He tapped at the keyboard and up came another message. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- $From: roswell@outthere.com (Rose Wells) $Newsgroups: alt.test $Subject: Re: Test Post: Do Not Read $Date: 18 Feb 1997 18:39:47 GMT $Organization: Out-There Inc. $Lines: 3 $Message-ID: <7jhfge$e6a@outthere.com> $References: <7jhfge$e6a@oti1.news.demon.com> $Reply-To: roswell@outthere.com $NNTP-Posting-Host: port-17.server2.oti.com $Mime-Version: 1.0 $X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.93.14 $ $> In article wrote:- $>> In article , mib@ufo.com wrote:- $>>> In article , ebe@area51.com wrote:- $>>>> In article , roswell@outthere.com $>>>> wrote:- $>>>> $>>>> Test post: Do Not Read $>>>> $>>> I did not read this, it doesn't exist :-) $>>> $>> We know the truth, We know the lies, We know you too... $>> $> I know what i believe, i also know it may not be the truth. $> $ Prepare to be contacted, $ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Mulder, it looks like someone messing about on the newsgroup" said Scully. "Look at the E-mail addresses and compare with their answer" Mulder said pointing at the screen. "Fake accounts, forged posts or something" Scully offerred. "I think it's too obvious to be fake postings" Mulder said. "You know, Mulder, I think you need psychiatric help" Scully said, reaching over to her handbag. She took out a business card and handed it over to Mulder "Here, try this Doctor, He's a friend of mine." "Thanks, But no thanks, Scully, I'm not crazy" Mulder said as he took the card, read it then, but it in his wallet - just in case. "Whatever you say, Mulder," Scully responded, "But those messages are just some people having fun on the newsgroups." "I still think there is more to it than that." Mulder said. "So you're going to investigate this further then?" Asked Scully. "Of course" Replied Mulder. "Good luck" Scully said in a tone that meant 'Your wasting your time' and then left to go to the lab, where she had some other work to do. Mulder carried on tapping away at the computer keyboard, calling up various Web Sites, Newsgroups, etc, etc, completely burying himself in his work. After an hour or two, he stopped to answer a call of nature. While he was out of the room his computer mail box beeped and a digitised voice said 'You have new mail'. When Mulder got back a few minutes later he saw his that his electronic mail box was flashing, so he clicked the mouse pointer on the mail icon, which brought upa message. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- $From: Rose Wells $To: Fox Mulder $Sent: 19th Feb 1997 - 11:20am GMT $Subject: 'Out-There' $ $ Welcome to 'Out-There' - the Paranormal & UFO Website $ $ We aim to bring you up-to-date news of UFO sightings and contacts $ aswell as unexplained paranormal activity from all over the world. $ Where possible we'll include digitized pictures, and interviews with $ witnesses. $ $ To read about all this and more, visit our website at:- $ HTTP://WWW.OUTTHERE.COM $ and sign on the visitors guestbook today. $ $ Rose Wells, $ Editor, 'Out-There' $ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Damn!" Mulder said aloud to himself, "It's just another Web Site." He quit out of mail and returned to the 'Net-surfer' program, where he typed in the HTTP address and spent the rest of the day reading everything they had online. -- end -- =============================================================== -- -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- - From 'Big Pete' a.k.a 'The Phantom' - - E-MAIL : Phantom@Spods.Dcs.Kcl.Ac.Uk - -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-