if there was no computer that follows commands (computer code) there's no such thing as a computer virus....

it is not the code (software) that made a computer virus a "VIRUS" but it is the one interpreting the code....

this explains why MSWORD, M***CEL and other office applications have MACRO viruses because microsoft gave those applications the ability to interpret MACRO code. The intention was good with great possibilites... but then again every innovation has the tendency to be exploited and abused. (there was a time when a document infecting other documents was just a hoax)

this is why a JPEG virus is POSSIBLE and indeed IS HAPPENING.... the JPEG FILE itself is not the culprit... a JPEG file is a PICTURE file... it is the one interpreting the file that could make it dangerous... that's why as you can see from the text above... it is emphasized that those applications that renders the picture file are the ones FLAWED....

ex.

====start of virus code=======
main prog(){
if (you are reading this){
i'll infect your computer
}
}

====end of virus code =======


what you saw above can be a virus code... but it is not a real virus because it did not really infect your computer... for now it is just a sequence of characters or simply TEXT that you can read.... but what if one day a software application such as this forum interprets and is able to execute the code....THEN it becomes a virus.....


......just a thought.... nice to share ideas....