rmf239@uxf.cso.uiuc.edu (03/24/88)
I think you missed a major point here. Your freeware utility Splatz would have been downloaded by Joe Shmoe and he could(should) have tested it. Also, Splatz would probably have a *gasp* Disclaimer, and a disclaimer is the legal tool (I think, I'm not a lawyer) to protect oneself against lawsuits of this nature. But, with virii he didn't have the option of testing this it and wasn't given a disclaimer. B.Y.T. Is this a new type of software ... Virii-ware :-) -- Bob Frank Just another struggling undergrad.
chuq@plaid.Sun.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) (03/25/88)
>Also, Splatz would probably have a *gasp* Disclaimer, and a disclaimer is >the legal tool (I think, I'm not a lawyer) to protect oneself against lawsuits >of this nature. But, with virii he didn't have the option of testing this it >and wasn't given a disclaimer. Disclaimers are primarily there to make you think you have no rights. The courts have sometimes disagreed with it, depending on the severity of the software's screwups. If, for instance, Splatz ate my hard disk for lunch and laughed at me, causing me to lose a weeks' work and two major clients, no disclaimer in the world would save you. On the other hand, if Splatz gave me the option of deleting my hard disk, or allowed me to inadventantly cause a head crash, with the same results, it's a lot more likely the disclaimer would be upheld. And something that comes walking in on another program unanncounced, installs itself in my system, and then does something to me, that's rape. I'm all for taking virii manufacturers and hanging them from trees. It might discourage the next one. chuq (hard line, yes. But virii do to computers what coke does to noses. String up both pushers....) Chuq Von Rospach chuq@sun.COM Delphi: CHUQ Speed it up. Keep it Simple. Ship it on time. -- Bill Atkinson
snow@ndmath.UUCP (Dennis Snow) (03/28/88)
In article <46906@sun.uucp>, chuq@plaid.Sun.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) writes: > I'm all for taking virii manufacturers and hanging them from trees. It might ^^^^^ > discourage the next one. > > chuq (hard line, yes. But virii do to computers what coke does to noses. ^^^^^ > String up both pushers....) > Chuq Von Rospach chuq@sun.COM Delphi: CHUQ I have seen this 'virii' one too many times. The plural of virus is viruses. Dennis Snow snow@ndmath.UUCP Dept. Math. Notre Dame, IN 46556