PCVIREX.RVW 930903
Comparison Review
Company and product:
Datawatch Corporation
Triangle Software Division
P. O. Box 51489
Durham, NC 27717
formerly
Microcom Software Division
3700-B Lyckan Parkway
Durham, NC 27707-9904
PO Box 51489
Durham, NC 27717
USA
919-490-1277
Fax: 919-490-6672
Fax: 919-419-8312
73407.1751@compuserve.com
FJBX40A@Prodigy.com
vpctech@datawatch.com
BBS: 919-419-0284
BBS: 919-419-1602
Virex for the PC
Summary:
VPCSCAN is one of the the fastest scanning products reviewed. Virex for the PC
vaccine is customizable with multiple options and allows "protection" of
specified files as well as alerts on "formatting" and "program modification"
and is recommended for "expert" users. Documentation is an excellent overview
of viral and PC operations.
Cost U$49
Rating (1-4, 1 = poor, 4 = very good)
"Friendliness"
Installation 3
Ease of use 4
Help systems 2
Compatibility 3
Company
Stability 4
Support 3
Documentation 4
Hardware required 4
Performance 3
Availability 4
Local Support ?
General Description:
VPCSCAN is a virus detection and disinfection product. It will remove some
viri from files or optionally delete the file if it cannot be disinfected.
Disinfection or deletion is at user control. Two "levels" of TSR protection
are available: VIREX is a resident scanner and change detector; VIREXPRO has,
in addition to those features, activity monitoring capability.
Ross Greenberg was the original author of Virex-PC, and one of the first to
produce an anti-viral product, Flu-Shot. Microcom's Virex product for the
Macintosh is also well established. VIRx, is an associated file available on
electronic bulletin board systems. It was formerly a "scan only" demonstration
product, but is now a "shareware" distribution of the program, missing VIREXPRO
and registration data.
Comparison of features and specifications
User Friendliness
Installation
Disks shipped writeable but protected. Documentation stresses the importance
of write protecting the disks, suggests making "working copy" of the original
disk, and checking the computer system with VPCSCAN before making installation
onto the hard disk, but the suggested procedure could leave the "working copy"
infected.
In earlier versions effective installation was impossible without reading the
documentation and understanding the concepts and system configuration
thoroughly. This has been improved. The documentation is complete and quite
clear, but "naive" users may find the number of functions and features, and the
explanations, daunting to tackle.
Ease of use
Once installed, the system operates without intervention, unless viral activity
is detected. The alert screens are clear and informative. The decisions
necessary, and the usefulness or "hindrance" of the system depends largely on
the installation, which should be "matched" to the experience of the user.
VPCSCAN's screen display shows the files checked individually, but continues to
display the directories checked until the screen is full, so that a number of
directories can be seen at once. This is much clearer than the practice of
other programs which only display one file at a time, or only the directories
checked, especially given the speed of VPCSCAN's operation.
Help systems
Alert screens contain somewhat esoteric, but very complete information on the
activity taking place. This will be very helpful to expert users, but even
novices will find it easier to make an "informed" decision on whether or not to
allow an operation.
Compatibility
VPCSCAN has substantially improved its position with regard to identification
of viral programs. Current versions are roughly equal to the performance of
the SCAN program, although identification is more accurate than SCAN.
Company Stability
Microcom is a stable and diverisfied company, if somewhat smaller than a Lotus
or Microsoft. Virex for the Mac has been around for some time, although it is
not one fo the current "leaders" among Mac antivirals. Ross Greenberg was one
of the first to write an antiviral program for MS-DOS (Flu-Shot) and it is
still a viable program. The program has been recently purchased by Datawatch.
The level of support would not seem to have suffered by the change.
Company Support
The support provisions have increased since Datawatch purchased the product.
Support is available through the sources listed above, and also on AppleLink,
America Online and GEnie by contacting DATAWATCH. The manual states that
updates are made quarterly, and that registered users will receive
"notification" of updates. The price of updates has been reduced to $15 from
$25 each, or you may receive a year's "subscription" for $50 as opposed to $75.
Updates may be downloaded free for two years from the date of purchase if the
company's bulletin board is called directly. At the time of my first review
update notices were delayed, but this has improved since.
Documentation
Very good (clear, concise) section on general virus information.
The installation procedure, which previously could have resulted in an infected
"working copy", has been improved.
The installation "prompts" are no better or worse than others reviewed, but the
documentation explains all options very clearly, both in terms of the options
available, and the reasons for the options.
Hardware Requirements
There are no special hardware requirements.
Performance
VPCSCAN is amazingly fast. File checking is at least twice as fast as either
FPROT or SCAN across all platforms tested.
Virex for the PC has more options than other vaccine type programs, as well as
change detection capabilities. An earlier weakness in detecting Stoned
infections in memory and Stoned infection activity has been corrected.
Although Virex for the PC will make a checksum of disk or diskette boot
sectors, it does not checksum partition boot records.
Local Support
No provisions.
Support Requirements
The installation and operation of Virex for the PC and VPCSCAN should not be
beyond the average intelligent user who is willing to spend time with the
manual before installation. However, in supported environments, it would be
best to have the support staff perform installation.
General Notes
A very solid product with an excellent scanner. Of the "multi-layered"
commercial antivirals, this one may still have some weaknesses in the matter of
unknown boot sector infectors. However, it will give superior defence against
the currently common viral programs.
copyright Robert M. Slade 1991, 1993 PCVIREX.RVW 930903
======================
ROBERTS@decus.ca rslade@vanisl.decus.ca Rob.Slade@f733.n153.z1.fidonet.org
Practice random humour and acts of senseless mirth
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" 0-387-94663-2 (800-SPRINGER)