From: aglover@acorn.co.uk (Alan Glover)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: killer 1.26 expires May 1st 1992
Date: 6 Apr 92 07:45:10 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, England

In article <16W+Htj010n@arc.nicedel.terminal> kai@arc.nicedel.terminal (Kai Schlichting) writes:

>Hello,
>as I have just tried out !VKiller 1.26 23-Jan-1992 with my system date
>set to May 1st 1992. It pops up an error box,declaring that this
>version is too old.
>Note: it still works in April.

Actually, it is different for the various versions of 1.26 (since it
has been distributed by several different channels, and each has a
different date for being in the hands of it's recipients). The full
table is:
  
Release method          Version        Timebomb date

RISC User               1.26RU           (1/7/92)
Archimedes World        1.26AW           (1/6/92)
Archive                 1.26AR           (1/6/92)
Acorn Developer News    1.26DN           (1/7/92)
Tech BBS/Acorn           1.26            (1/5/92)


>I hate this kind of Software,because you generally use your newest
>viruskillers until they are replaced by a new version.

It's in there for two reasons:
  
a) using old anti-virus programs is a health hazard, which can lead to
data loss (eg when that version of !Killer is only aware of one strain
of a virus - eg !Killer 1.17 and the Module virus) and failure to spot
newer viruses. Anyone using !Killer should always use the latest
version available, otherwise they simply aren't fully protected. This
is version 1.26 (though beta testers have seen versions 1.27, 1.28 and
1.30).

b) to ensure a clean transition of the software from being an
"unsupported" Acorn product to a fully supported product sold
commercially by Pineapple Software.                      

>As the error box gives you xxxplesxxx phone number, this sparks
>the question once again:
>Is this software (C) to Alan Glover or to Acorn ?

It was written by myself whilst working for Acorn. This makes it 
Acorn's. After much debate it has become clear that supporting it
properly takes more time than I can spare during the day, so Acorn
are handing the project over to Pineapple to continue. I will still
be involved.

>Acorn has denied any plans to make !Killer commercial; on the CeBIT.

Correct. It has never been a formal product, in the sense of Desktop C
or Acorn DTP. The misunderstanding here is that Acorn are not
releasing it as an Acorn commercial product, however it is going to be
a commercial product sold through Pineapple.

>Anyway,this would just improve the chances of MORE virii floating
>around in net.world,considering that 80% of all Archimedes software
>is PD...

A trend which concerns me is the growing number of PD authors who are
embarking upon writing their own anti-virus software. I think we can
expect to see a plague of virus killers soon (nearly 20 if all the
people I can think of who are writing things release them). With the
inevitable confusion that this is going to cause (to say nothing of
the dangers of some being trojans, or badly coded) there is an obvious
need for a standard that people can rely upon. After all, what better
way to spread a virus than in a virus killer!

>Does Acorn see this point? They are the first company I know of who
>really care of a virus problem/not denying it ,as it is not really
>a problem on their machine,yet. (U remember the number of PC virii
>toppling around the number of 1000 ? and the Amiga with 500++ growing?
>bye,Kai.

For interest, my first sighting of an Archimedes virus was 'Archie'
(or FF8) which I saw in 1989 ! Fortunately it's taken until now for
people to start imitating it.

Alan