I volunteered to instruct an after school computer club at my son's middle school. There has been a lot of interest in computer viruses. I was thinking about showing them how to create a simple batch file virus that will infect other batch files in the same directory. Also show how creating a batch file with the same name, but that is closer in the path, can replace another program.

It could also allow for discussion of anti-virus techniques - recognizing viruses and virus like behavior. 

I mentioned the idea to my wife and she thought it was a terrible idea. Compared it to giving them loaded weapons. I don't see it as dangerous since this technique wouldn't be immediately applicable for any real mischief on any modern operating systems.

Am I being too cavalier or is she being too concerned? This isn't a settle this argument for me question, I am just trying to get another opinion. 

Update: I don't plan to cover moving between systems (or even directories) or any malicious behavior. And lest anyone think I am revealing any deep dark secrets, here is a book from 1996 I found at the library that goes into a lot more detail than I planned to cover. If some is motivated to be malicious they will find a way.

I recently found a picture of me when I was 12 and reading a book about computer viruses. It was in 1988. Like your students, I was fascinated by them.

The next year I started high school and was accused to being the origin of the virus infection of all computers in the school. Of course, it wasn't me. I was good at computers, so the teachers said it was me.

If I put myself in back in time, I can tell you that since I was very well informed by the effects of those viruses, I would never have done such a thing. Why I would do that? Harm people? No way!

Therefore I think that the more they are informed by the effects, the less likely they use them.

But this statement is linked to boys that were like me, in a good environment with strong rules and education.

If you teach computer viruses to students with a history of doing bad things, not well educated, or troubled, they will certainly use them to do bad things. So it highly depends on the audience, your students.
