Another skiddie looking for props. I doubt very seriously that the book would be stored on any computer connected to the net, for exactly that reason. I had to submit my manuscript on a DVD as my publisher doesn't accept anything online. Several of my professional publications do, but they really don't care if something gets leaked. And since they are all security related, I suspect they are a little more armored.

This is probably somewhat similar to the versions of the last book supposedly published in China. Mostly crap. Correction. All.

Whoops reg - the actual release is 21st July 2007, not the 17th;

http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/content.asp?sec=4&sec2=1&unart=yes&artTitle=Publication%20announcement%20for%20the%20final%20book%20in%20the%20Harry%20Potter%20series

You'll send HP fans worldwide into panic if you make a mistake like that.

'prevent youngsters from exposure to "neo-paganism"'

Surely that should read 'prevent youngsters from slipping into a coma from the sheer lack of inventiveness and storylines ripped off from any other fantasy novel Rowling can lay her grubby little mitts on'?

Did you ever bother to consider this is part of larger scheme?

The news gets leaked that some one has cracked the publishers system, then we'll see a spam where someone reports that an electronic draft can be found at such and such a website.

Then all the unsuspecting HP fans go to the site and get their computer infected.

Voila, another round of bots thanks to clueless users.

We all know it ends with Hermione mis-brewing a polypoof potion after which Ron and Harry fall in love and move to Brighton leaving the Wizarding world behind.

Ian, perfect. I think you nailed it. "Bot net for rent. Guaranteed to be Harry Potter fans. Perfect for spamming and porn hosting."

The description of events released by 'O-so-leet' Gabriel does not match the chatter from the other sources that claim to have pinched their own copy of the manuscript. I have heard there is a 600+ page pdf that has many convinced it is genuine.

I won't know until next month, because I personally do not plan on stacking a 600 page printout on my bookshelf beside the 6 other hardcover volumes that my son and I have collected.

I believe Ian is on the right track. This sounds more like a social engineering ploy to pass out trojans.

Yah, it's definitely not genuine, but I'm halfway through reading it anyway. It's on the usenet in the one of the ebooks groups. Great story, but silly character development and filler. I've read all of the HP books on a Palm. No, not a Treo - a T3 using WordSmith and a Times Roman font is as easy to read as a book, and far easier than lugging those encyclopedia-sized JKR books on the train coming to work. Far less embarrassing, too : >

I've never read the books... too popular; I've been watching the films though as they appear on friends netflix subscriptions. not quite the same I know but they hardly ever mention linux in the entire 3 plot lines I've seen.

You get music with a movie

First - I am a big HP fan. I did read this post from this so called "hacker".

I caught immediately that this was bogus. Are there no other big HP fans out there?

JKR always give hints to the next book. One of the hints for this last book is that 2 (read it two!) people will die. This post from this supposed "haker" has 3 (three!) people kicking the bucket.

This is how I know that this is completely bogus!

JKR has never lied about the hints that she gives us, I don't see that she is going to change at the last second and on the last book.