🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <j-norstad-030992121141@norstad.acns.nwu.edu> j-norstad@nwu.edu (John Norstad) writes:
> 
>I was planning to do an ambitious new version 3.0 of Disinfectant with all
>sorts of new features to take advantage of System 7. I even made the
>horrible mistake of describing it and promising to release it publicly.
>Unfortunately, over a year ago, when I was about half way through the
>project, I ran out of steam. Since then, I have lost interest in viruses
>and Disinfectant and moved on to other projects (mostly networking stuff).
>It appears that my attention span is limited to a maximum of 3 or 4 years
>:-)
>
>Right now, I'm keeping Disinfectant updated as new viruses appear, but
>that's all.

John --

Hey, don't sweat it.  Disinfectant is a great program just as it is.
Why gild a lily?

I admit I don't recall reading about your plans to make it take
advantage of System 7.  Frankly, though, I want a program to scan and
disinfect my disks. I don't care if it supports Publish & Subscribe,
and I don't like balloon help anyway.  Maybe networking support would
be useful to some people, but not to me. Probably not to most people.
I just want a program that works when I need it most.

I don't doubt you had some good ideas for Disinfectant 3.0.  However,
as long as it works and works well (which it does), trying to "take
advantage of System 7" just sounds like an attempt to keep in style.
My guess is that you wanted to do these things more because you were
intrigued by a chance to learn more about the internals of System 7 (a
worthwhile goal, but one that can be pursued in other ways) than
because Disinfectant really needs any of that stuff.  Disinfectant
does what it's supposed to do, cleanly and simply.

I really hope you do keep Disinfectant updated for new viruses.  I
also hope that, if some future version of the System breaks it, you'll
take the trouble to fix it.  (My reasons for hoping that are purely
selfish ones.)  But beyond that, do something different.  Have a
change of scenery.  Working on the same thing for years on end isn't
good for anybody.

As for having very few new viruses this year, why do you suppose that
is?  I think it's because writing a new virus for the Mac is pretty
futile, with you and a few others like you on the job.

That's just my $0.02.  I expect a few other people on the net will
have their own comments to make.

  --dave


-- 
And the President put his hand on my shoulder and said: "Dan, 
I _knew_ Spiro Agnew.  He was a friend of mine.  And Dan...  
You're no Spiro Agnew!"
                -- Vice President Dan Quayle pwd