Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!umich!vela!w8sdz
From: w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Keith Petersen)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: Suggestion for comp.binaries.ibm.pc
Summary: It's time to switch from ZOO to ZIP to assure authenticity
Keywords: SCAN CLEANUP VSHIELD
Message-ID: <4407@vela.acs.oakland.edu>
Date: 25 Dec 90 09:01:33 GMT
References: <4525@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US> <2038@beguine.UUCP>
Reply-To: w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Keith Petersen)
Organization: The SIMTEL20 Archives
Lines: 38

The time has come to reconsider the ZIP format as the preferred medium
for distribution in comp.binaries.ibm.pc.  Many of the authors of
today's popular MS-DOS programs are distributing them in ZIP files
that have the authentication verification feature, with the author's
personal authentication number.  The is the policy of SIMTEL20 *not*
to repack ZIPs which contain authentication, in order that it may be
retained to assure downloaders that these files are exactly as the
author released them.

Some recent programs noted to have this feature are:  DSZ, ZCOMM,
WHERE4x, PKLITE, PKZIP/UNZIP, the McAfee anti-viral programs (SCANV,
CLEANP, NETSCAN, VSHIELD), and numerous others.

One side benefit of switching to ZIP format would be a considerable
reduction in the size of the files distributed by comp.binaries.ibm.pc.
I have seen some ZOO files which were 300-350K reduced for a savings
of 100K and sometimes as much as 180K when converted to ZIP format.

What's different now from the last time we discussed ZIP for cbibmpc?
The Info-ZIP group has released a freely distributable fast UNZIP for
several flavors of Unix, VAX/VMS, IBM/CMS, and MTS - complete with
portable C language source.  A freely distributable ZIP is now being
Beta tested by the same group.

If you would like to be a part of this development effort, send email
to Info-ZIP-Request@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL asking that your name be
added to the mailing list.

I encourage all BBS SysOps to preserve the authentication on files so
distributed by their authors.  This is a big step towards the
elimination of viruses and trojans.

Keith
-- 
Keith Petersen
Maintainer of SIMTEL20's MSDOS, MISC & CP/M archives [IP address 26.2.0.74]
Internet: w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.Army.Mil    or     w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu
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