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From: padgett%tccslr.dnet@mmc.com (Padgett Peterson)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Re: VIRUSSUM format (PC)
Message-ID: <0004.9105311330.AA00359@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 30 May 91 15:36:37 GMT
Sender: Virus Discussion List <VIRUS-L@LEHIIBM1>
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Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu

Mikael Larsson <vhc@Abacus.hgs.se> writes:

> > From:    Guillory@farwest.FidoNet.Org
> >
> > Other people may have beaten this to death but I propose that Patricia
> > Hoffman change her VIRUSSUM.DOC to something similar to PC Virus Index
> > (PCVI305.zip) by Dan McCool and Brian Clough.

>I disagree with this because that means that You can only access the
>database on a given computer platform. The VIRUSSUM.DOC should remain
>in pure ASCII given the benefits of being able to read it from
>whatever machine your using.

For what its worth, the individual virus files in PCVI305 are in
ASCII, it is the selector/viewer that is a program.

Since I automatically filter VIRUSSUM and reformat with form feeds
after each listing so that it goes into a loose leaf easily, I have
felt for some time that this would be nicer and allow "updates"
monthly rather than having to download/print the whole thing each
month. Telco fees can add up.

The only problem with such a flat file arrangement (access can be very
fast) is that it takes up a lot of disk space (200 viruses @ 2k per
cluster = 400k - smaller on floppy of course).

The big thing to remember is that VIRUSSUM is copyrighted material and
Patricia has put a lot of effort into it. Her decision on whether it
exists at all is final.

					Warmly,
						Padgett