PCIBMAV.RVW 950606
Comparison Review
Company and product:
IBM Corporation
Old Orchard Road
Armonk, NY 10504
IBM High Integrity Computing Lab
Thomas J. Watson Research Center
P. O. Box 704
Yorktown Heights, New York
USA 10598
David Chess CHESS@WATSON.IBM.COM, CHESS@YKTVMV.BITNET
http://www.brs.ibm.com/ibmav.html
Note - customers should contact IBM rep, not HICL directly
800-551-3579 (US only)
800-465-7999
fax: 800-267-5185
IBM Antivirus/DOS 2.1 (also IBM Antivirus/2)
Summary: scanner and change detector
Cost U$29.95/C$37.95
Rating (1-4, 1 = poor, 4 = very good)
"Friendliness"
Installation 3
Ease of use 3
Help systems 3
Compatibility 3
Company
Stability 4
Support 2
Documentation 2
Hardware required 4
Performance 3
Availability 2
Local Support 2
General Description:
An integrated change detection and scanning system with a GUI (graphical user
interface) for manual operation. Provision for operation under either DOS or
Windows (OS/2 version available separately.) Recommended as a basic protection
system for most users. Now bundled with PC-DOS, and a definite reason to
prefer PC-DOS to the MS-DOS versions. This is the retail version: a "site
license" version is also available with additional features and information.
Comparison of features and specifications
User Friendliness
Installation
IBM Antivirus/DOS is shipped on three 720K or six 360K writable but protected
diskettes. Two install programs are provided (for DOS and for Windows), with
no provision for manual installation. The Windows installation program is a
bit odd in places, giving an impression of completing a few times before it
actually does. If a previous version of the program is detected, it will be
updated.
The user is in charge of the operation at every point, but not always given
much information. There is, for example, the option to install for either DOS
only or DOS and Windows operation. It is not clear from the documentation
whether the Windows installation also installs the DOS files (it does).
The earlier VIRSCAN did not suggest installation on the hard drive at all. In
opposition, Antivirus/DOS must be installed on a hard disk, and only one
operation is stated to work in the absence of a hard disk. This does allow for
"offline" signature scanning. There is also a set of files for a "stand alone"
scanner.
Ease of use
The user interface is generally clearly laid out. Using the DOS program with a
monochrome monitor, though, the menu item selected is almost impossible to
distinguish.
While the documentation talks of "fuzzy" and "heuristic" systems, details of
operation and options are not given. This does prevent "false alarms" being
presented to the user, but may allow viral changes as well. This is good in
that is does not require much in the way of knowledge from the user, but there
is no option to provide the information for those more capable.
Help systems
Help is available via the F1 key. The Windows version has a version of the
manual online, and a fairly abbreviated set of virus descriptions.
Compatibility
The structure of the signature file is no longer outlined in the manual.
Company Stability
These guys are Warped. Really Warped.
Company Support
Those on the Internet and Usenet who receive VIRUS-L/comp.virus will have
access to David Chess' postings and email address. IBM also sells a support
package which includes a variety of antiviral assistance.
Whether from faulty diskettes or damage in shipping, my own copy had defective
gates on two of the three 720K disks. This was not evident until I tried to
remove the diskettes from the drive, when they jammed. This could cause a trip
to the shop to get the diskette removed, or, at worst, damage to the disk
drive.
Documentation
The level of the documentation is uneven. At some points, such as
installation, it seems to be written with the novice as the primary audience,
and the experienced user may find it frustrating. At other points, in regard
to some of the options which can increase the level of protection the reader
had better be used to fighting with technical manuals and lists of switch
settings. The program is definitely easy enough to use without the manual, but
customization is not explained as well as in other products.
The material provided is generally accurate, and very well written. New
contents provide better general background to the virus situation, but still
show some minor errors, such as the date of the first known virus.
System Requirements
DOS 3.3+, Windows 3.1+ (for the Windows portion), memory required is variously
stated as 640K, 450K, 400K and 480K, disk space of 1.6 or 2.6 megabytes (for
DOS and Windows respectively).
Performance
Speed and general detection and protection capabilities are still neither the
best nor the worst tested, but should be acceptable in most situations. The
basic "system" check that is performed deals with change detection first. Only
if a change is detected is scanning brought to bear. (This is obviously not
the case with diskette scanning, and the system can be made to scan everything
by default if desired by the user.)
The package will now scan PKZip and LZEXE format compressed files.
Local Support
Local support from IBM staff is, in my experience, becoming more dependable.
Support Requirements
The program should be suitable for any user.
General Notes
This product is a basic antiviral tool, but one that will offer substantial
protection to the normal user. Users in a "high risk" environment may want
slightly more protection than the package has to offer.
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995 PCIBMAV.RVW 950606
==============
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