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From: curtis@.uucp (Jeffrey Curtis )
Subject: Re: Heatseeker
Message-ID: <1991Jun23.064304.3877@mcs.anl.gov>
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Organization: Computing and Telecommunications, Argonne National Laboratory
References: <910621184230.584787@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL> <1991Jun22.023810.26366@mcs.anl.gov> <16484@smoke.brl.mil>
Date: Sun, 23 Jun 91 06:43:04 GMT

Now that I've had a chance to calm down a bit, I'd like to make a brief,
general statement regarding the product I'm offering.

First, the software is quite virus-proof.  As I have mentioned, and many other
people have backed me up on (thank you B^) ), I would be committing a "Network
suicide" of sorts if I tried such a stunt.  It would be very obvious who the
culprit was.  And for that matter, in the documentation I'll be including,
I'm going to recommend starting small when people receive the software - trying
the commands on an isolated machine, with, if it would make them feel any more
safe, their hard drives disconnected.  That way, even if someone on the
receiving end decides to redistribute the software with a virus attached, the
users should be safe.  Besides, it's been quite a while since I've seen an
Apple // virus - perhaps I'm not looking hard enough.

Second, the reference to how my original article sounded and the claims I made
sounding like the "perfect excuse for a virus" (or whatever your exact wording
was; I didn't want to include it all here), is understandable.  As I wrote
that, in the back of my mind, I was thinking, "Sheesh, I sound like a used
car salesman."  Unfortunately, that seems to be the only way to catch people's
attention, though.  I offered the software on "another" international Apple
network about six months ago and received ZERO responses.  So I was just trying
a different approach, and it has proved highly successful.

Third, why do you say that I couldn't claim trade secret status for the
software?  As far as my experience with the U.S. Copyright Laws has proven,
indiscriminant distribution of object code shouldn't remove such status from
the software.  I have protected the source at every stage of development,
though, and refuse to even tell my closest friends the "secrets" of the
program.  I believe I am eligible.

Fourth, and this is to everyone who has sent me a request, I appreciate your
patience and am pleased to say that alpha testing is 99% complete.  One
final run through and I should be done, and the instant that I am, copies
will start being emailed out.

Fifth, I say that I have "guts" because the technology is dangerous in
many aspects from a programmer's perspective.  But, of course, I can't go into
detail here; I'd be removing my trade secret status.  ;-)

Jeffrey S. Curtis
curtis@achilles.ctd.anl.gov