April Fools Day, 2000

by ComputerBob

April 1, 2000

My Introduction to Computers class met on April 1, 2000. With a straight face and a very solemn mood, I asked the entire class to go to this URL and read the following:

NOTICE TO CS 1100-71

As some of you already know, our college network has been the target of 2 separate attacks in the past 2 weeks, with each attack shutting down the entire network for several hours. We have been working closely with the State College and Universities' office, as well as the local office of the F.B.I., to trace the source of those attacks. At this time, it has been determined that both attacks originated from this classroom, during our normally scheduled Saturday morning class times.

Unfortunately, until the guilty individual(s) can be identified and prosecuted, this CS 1100 course has been suspended. As you read this, a hidden video camera is recording where each of you is sitting. We hope that that information, combined with the known IP Address of the computer from which the attacks originated, will enable authorities to bring this ugly matter to an end in the next few weeks.

We are sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause those of you who are innocent of any wrongdoing. If you have any information that could result in the arrest and prosecution of the guilty individual(s), please call the Federal Bureau of Investigation's AF Task Force at 1-APR-ILF-OOLS.