PCSECGRD.RVW  931217
                               Comparison Review
 
Company and product:
 
Command Software Systems
Jupiter, FL
407-575-3200
800-423-9147
75300.3645@CompuServe.COM
Lance McKay
or 
93 Dewson St., Suite 101
Toronto, Ontario
416-588-8341
fax: 416-537-0998
BBS: 416-532-0456
Security Guardian
 
Summary: Full featured PC security program.  
 
Cost US$250
 
Rating (1-4, 1 = poor, 4 = very good)
      "Friendliness"
            Installation      2
            Ease of use       3
            Help systems      2
      Compatibility           2
      Company
            Stability         2
            Support           3
      Documentation           2
      Hardware required       3
      Performance             3
      Availability            2
      Local Support           2
 
General Description:
 
Mid-range functionality security package.
 
                  Comparison of features and specifications
 
 
 
User Friendliness
 
Installation
 
The program is shipped on two unprotected 720K diskettes.  As is usual with
general security programs, installation is taken to mean only copying the files
to the hard disk.  However, the configuration is menu-driven and relatively
straightforward.
 
Ease of use
 
Menu driven.
 
Help systems
 
Online help is available.  You may also build help screens for your own menu
items.
 
Compatibility
 
As usual for an operation restricting program.
 
Company Stability
 
Unknown.
 
Company Support
 
The company is accessible via the usual channels, plus Internet access and an
800 number that even works from Canada.  My experience with them has been
amicable, but has indicated some problems with shipping.
 
Documentation
 
The documentation is reasonably clear in terms of the operation of the program
itself, but fails to fully explain some of the program functions.  For example,
the system is intended to run as an extensible menu front end to DOS.  While
the operations of the edit menu itself are fairly clear, the creation of new
menus is less so.
 
Again, as with many security products, there is no general discussion of
security.  The full value of the system may not be achieved without further
study.
 
System Requirements
 
No special hardware is required.  The serial and parallel ports may be secured,
as well as the floppy disks.
 
Performance
 
Security of the system is not absolute, but a careful setup should be adequate
for most purposes.  The program has most features one would want, and is good
value at the price.
 
The system does not provide protection against boot sector viral programs.
 
Local Support
 
Internet access and an 800 number.
 
Support Requirements
 
A security background would be helpful in order to take full advantage of the
package.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1993   PCSECGRD.RVW  931217

======================
roberts@decus.ca        rslade@vcn.bc.ca        slade@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
     "There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action."  - Goethe
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" 0-387-94663-2 (800-SPRINGER)