Gibsonian Worlds

I've posted already about how effing smart William Gibson, the sci-fi writer, is. This news article from CNet only goes to prove that more than anyone else in the last twenty years, he's predicted our now. The current large-scale virus (actually, worm) attacks on various big business' Windows computer systems, it seems, may be related to international organized digital-crime syndicates:

The outbreak has a financial motive, according to Sophos, an antivirus company based in Abingdon, England. "Organized criminal gangs are behind attacks like these, and their motive is to make money. Owning a large network of compromised computers is a valuable asset to these criminals," said Graham Cluley, the senior technology consultant at Sophos... A botnet of about 5,500 "zombies," or compromised computers, typically costs spammers, phishers or other crooks about $350 a week, security company Symantec has said.

I fully expect to be followed by ringing phones at some point later today. (See "Art I Like (#2 in an Occasional Series): William Gibson" here.)