🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <216@complex.complex.is> frisk@complex.is (Fridrik Skulason) writes:
>
>Still, it may be worth a try...It might be the only way of shutting the
>boards down - or at least to drive them further underground.

Fridrik,

Anyone who has hung around this group for any length of time has seen
numerous requests like the one that started this particular thread.  I've
had a question nagging me for some time.  How _would_ someone who was
interested in the subject, who was legitimately trying to learn about the
subject, and not trying to build up a stockpile to do harm with, acquire
samples?  Who, or how would his identity and intent be validated.  I know
that there is an individual from Eastern Europe, Vesselin something, that
regularly posts on the subject of viruses, and writes software to work with
them.  How did we users come to trust him?  For that matter, speaking from
personal experience as to how *I* learned about this field, how did we
learn to trust you?  Everyone started out as a lesser known at some point.
When you first started distributing F-PROT, how did someone like me, who
was not directly involved with the field of virus research, but saw the
product discussed in various forums, know that they were getting a
legitimate program, and not another Trojan Horse?  How _does_ someone new
break into the field?  And on an associated note, back when Michaelangelo
was raging last year, one of my friends made an offhand comment about how
convenient it would be to create and loose a virus, and then sell a product
that just happened to eradicate it -- and he was thinking along the lines
of SCAN when he mentioned it.  

NOTE: NONE of this is a flame, none of this is to start a fight.  I'm
really interested in legitimate answers to the questions.  It's just been
nagging me for some time, and I've only now become curious enough to _post_
the questions. And PS, I really like your product, and appreciate your
efforts in the field.  Looking forward to your reply..

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Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do..
Disclaimer: My opinion represents only me, and sometimes not even that.