sigurd@vax1.udel.edu (Sigurd Andersen) (08/14/90)
I ( sigurd@vax1.udel.edu ) posted a message, summarized by: > I'd like to know if anyone has reviewed or tested [F-PROT, a set of > programs by Fridrik Skulason] and what their experience has been. Thanks to Y. Radai for posting a response to my query. For those who might want to know what other responses I got, here they are, with authors' names removed (in case they want anonymity - but location left, to show they're "real" people). From: ...umich.edu Date: Fri, 3 Aug 90 16:55:18 EDT It is great. Cheap, SIMPLE, and contains tips on how to guard against viruses. It can be used to check memory, hard disks, floppies, and it can be set up as a memory resident watchdog. It has documentation on the symptoms of several hundred viruses. The cost is $15.00 or $1.00/computer for 15-500 computers and $2.00 above that. The author is Fridrik Skulason at frisk@rhi.hi.is or BOX 7180, IS-127 Reykjavik, Iceland. As opposed to Mcafee's SCAN; I have been a member of virus-L for over 2 months and have seen a few complaints about SCAN but none about FPROT. You can certainly afford to invest $15.00 to see whether my enthusiasm is merited. P. From: <...@WEIZMANN.BITNET> Date: Sat, 04 Aug 90 19:13:53 +0300 Hello, I experienced the FPROT package. I found it to be good in removing but a bit slow when searching for viruses in memory. If you don't care for speed use it. It's a very good package. From: ...@polaris.utu.fi Date: Sun, 5 Aug 90 14:52:15 +0300 In comp.virus you write: [ ... part of my original message removed ] Yes, I have tested F-PROT versions 1.07-1.12 and found them excellent. I've been in contact with Petteri Jarvinen, a well-known (in Finland:-) guy who has somewhat more experience of viruses, and he has told me that F-PROT *is* good. ... >From ...@OBERLIN.EDU Mon Aug 6 15:43:11 1990 We've decided to use F-PROT here at Oberlin College; we've now "bought" enough licenses to have some of my colleagues guinea-pig it. (I have been the only tester here so far, and my other job duties leave me far too little time to test any program adequately). The reasons we've chosen F-PROT are these: 1) It seems to have the best price-performance ratio. (We can't afford SCAN!) 2) Frisk seems to update it with sufficient frequency. 3) Based on his contributions to VIRUS-L, Frisk seems to "know his stuff." I haven't taken a look at version 1.12 yet. One problem with versions 1.11 and earlier is that they are not effortless to install. My hope is to work up some sort of batch procedure which will simplify the installation. ... Houck Computing Center Oberlin College Oberlin, OH 44074
frisk@rhi.hi.is (Fridrik Skulason) (08/15/90)
Well, it is nice to know that people like my programs, but I just wanted to
add a few comments about F-PROT.
Version 1.12 is the latest available, but it is not 100% up to date.
The reason is that a number of new viruses arrived while I was on
vacation, and I am busy adding the detection/removal of them to version
1.13, which will be distributed sometimes around Sept 1. Detecting the
viruses is of course just a matter of finding a good search pattern, but
writing a disinfector for every virus takes a bit of time.
The viruses not detected by 1.12 include some of the latest Bulgarian
viruses (2100, the Bulgarian "Tiny" family) as well as some recent
viruses from Taiwan, and a few other (Joshi, Casper, Anti-CAD and
Subliminal + a few more). I am working on bringing the program up to date
again, but it will take me a few more days.
Some people have complained that the programs are a bit hard to use and
install. I know - I know.... :-) I am working on what I call version 2,
which is much improved in this area - Menus, auto-install etc.
I have not yet had the time to finish version 2, but when I do, I have
do decide whether to...
...turn version 2.x into a commercial program, quite serparate from the
sharevare version 1.x. The commercial program would of course be more
expensive, but buyers would get telephone support and a printed manual.
...make 2.0 shareware as well - personally I would want to make it
freeware, but I just cannot afford it .... see below...
What I do depends partially on how much money I make from registration.
Writing/distributing F-PROT is no personal gold mine - in fact, my
involvement in the anti-virus area has probably resulted in a reduction
in my income - as the virus-related work continues to increase, I have
had to cut back my work outside the university.
I have asked people registering a copy for a single computer to send
in $15. I have, however, discovered that the work involved in cashing
the checks and mailing out a new copy of the program takes up too much
of my time.
It has also turned out that the amounts I receive are usually either $15
(single copy) or $500 (500+ machines), so what I am planning to do is
make the programs free of charge to individuals, using them on a single
computer.
Anyhow - I'm not 100% sure what I will do - I just want to spend my
time programming, not mailing out programs.... :-)
The problem is also that even though I would like to make the programs
free of charge to anybody, I have to make a living from this as I spend
50% of my time on viruses and F-PROT. Freeware programs may be possible
on the Mac, with only 10-20 viruses, but on the PC with over 200 different
virus variants they are totally impractical.
So, this is the situation. I must assure you, that whatever happens I
will continue to support the program and update it in one form or another.
-frisk
- --
Fridrik Skulason University of Iceland |
Technical Editor of the Virus Bulletin (UK) | Reserved for future expansion
E-Mail: frisk@rhi.hi.is Fax: 354-1-28801 |