harrow@bagels.dec.com (Jeff Harrow, NMSG LKG2-2/Y10 DTN=226-5564) (01/20/89)
WARNING!! WARNING!! WARNING!!
I recently installed GateKeeper (V1.0 dated 02-Jan-89) in my Mac
II running System 6.0.3. GateKeeper is a generalized anti-viral
program, essentially an extension to Vaccine idea, which
intercepts calls to various Mac Traps and disallows and logs the
attempts--all in all a good idea. Programs that are supposed to
diddle with things get listed in a configuration table, and
GateKeeper allows them do so. For testing or experimentation,
GateKeeper has an Override button which suspends all of its
activities.
I went to install PageMaker V3.0 using the Aldus Pagemaker
Installer. Not surprisingly, the first time the installation
failed when the Aldus Installer tried to modify one of the file
attributes on a file it had created, and the attempt was
appropriately logged by GateKeeper. On the second attempt
(rebooting the machine first) I pushed GateKeeper's Override
button, and the results were unusual (and can be reproduced):
The Aldus Installer process completed successfully, but the
PageMaker program's icon was that of a generic document, and its
Creator and Type fields were blank! Also, its Bundle bit was not
set. Furthermore, ResEdit would NOT successfully change the
blank Type field to APPL (it just remained blank when examined
again)!
The text file ReadMe had been given the PageMaker ALD3 and APPL
Creator and Type fields, and its bundle bit had been set!
The files were actually OK (making the Creator, Type, and bundle
bit fields as they should be (after a re-boot without GateKeeper)
yielded a working application), but obviously something was
amiss!!
Removing GateKeeper from the System Folder, rebooting, and
re-installing PageMaker yielded a correct installation.
Now, while PageMaker installations don't occur too often, it is
clear to me that GateKeeper is providing some (probably)
unintended side effects (either by itself or in conjunction with
something else), and should be viewed with a bit of a jaundiced
eye until the author gets a chance to check it out.
Hope this helps,
Jeff Harrow
Work address:
ARPAnet: HARROW%BAGELS.DEC@decwrl.ARPA
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{allegra,Shasta,decvax}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-bagels!harrow
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Telephone: (508)486-5564
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Mail stop: LKG2-2/Y10
550 King St.
Littleton, MA 01460