PCVISPY.RVW 920711 Comparison Review Company and product: RG Software Systems Inc 6900 East Camelback Road Suite 630 Scottsdale AZ 85251 602 423 8000 FAX (602) 423-8389 BBS (602) 970-6901 Ray Glath <76304.1407@CompuServe.COM> Vi-Spy 9.0 Professional Edition Summary: Scanner, disinfection and operation monitoring Cost: $150, site licensing available (starting at $40/unit min. 25) Rating (1-4, 1 = poor, 4 = very good) "Friendliness" Installation 2 Ease of use 3 Help systems 1 Compatibility 3 Company Stability 3 Support 3 Documentation 2 Hardware required 4 Performance 3 Availability 2 Local Support ? General Description: Virus scanning and disinfection, both resident and non-resident. Also some recovery and operation monitoring. Recommended for intermediate users. Provision is made for Windows operation. Automatic scheduler utility. Comparison of features and specifications User Friendliness Installation Vi-Spy was shipped to me on writable but protected media, low density 3 1/2" and high density 5 1/4", but I have been informed by Ray Glath that this is only for review copies: ordinarily the product is shipped on non-writable disks. An installation program is provided, as are instructions for manual installation. The automatic installation seems to consist merely of copying and decompressing files, although it does check for viral infection before proceeding and will refuse to proceed if infection is present. Installation to Windows is a part of the package, but in testing this was found not to work effectively. (An addition was made to the WIN.INI file, but no "icon" was entered into the Windows system.) (Ray Glath contests this: there is supposed to be an additional step that the user is directed to take. I ran the installation three times and reached the same result each time.) Ease of use The various programs are easy to use, although the plethora of command line options recommends careful study of the manual. The on-screen messages are quite clear, and contain good explanations of the options and possible situations to the user. Help systems The VSMENU programs allow "on-line" reading of the documentation, and also provides for additional material to be added by the user. However, it would be difficult to call it a "help system" as such. The onscreen display is simply a visual editor. One would hope, for example, to be able to "search" the list of viral programs: one cannot. Compatibility No problems were found in testing. The primary test machine reserves an extensive area at the top of memory. In testing, this was identified as a possible viral type activity. The potential danger, as well as other possible causes, were listed, but there was an option to proceed, rather than merely reboot. Company Stability RG Software Systems is one of the oldest commercial (non-shareware) makers of antiviral software. Company Support The company lists phone, fax and BBS numbers for support. This is the first time I have received a tech support callback before I received the software for review. Two days before I received the package Ray Glath called to apologize for an unsatisfactory support call in which the caller had intimated he was myself. (I am by no means making fun of RG Software here. It should be noted that Ray Glath is one of the only producers of antiviral software who has bothered to take advantage of my offer to "review the review" before I posted it to the net. (Another notable exception is Ross Greenberg who posted a very gracious response after I stupidly failed to send him an advance copy.) He did so in writing and in depth. He also offered to provide the names of a number of referees as to the support RG Software provides.) Only one mention, strangely for a scanning program, is made of the need for updates. However, that mention is that return of the warranty registration provides the user with free quarterly upgrades for one year. (Ray Glath subsequently informed me that the user is informed at the end of the year, and offered the option of continuing with update maintenance.) The accompanying promotional material received with the package made strong representation regarding support. It stressed that many commercial antiviral packages have been bought, rather than developed, by the distributors. It is good to see that RG is bucking this disturbing trend. It also made much of the written material, including a white paper and the "Primer" (see below). The white paper was a fairly straightforward presentation of observations with regard to the viral situation, and a list of policy recommendations heavily weighted towards "only buy commercial software". (To be fair, BBSes are not portrayed as universally evil.) Documentation There are two booklets that come with the package, as well as a number of files on disk. One of the books is a "Guide to Operations": the actual manual for the program. The manual is quite clear as to the installation and operation. However, the layout gives a feeling of "clutter" and presents something of an imposing front. While there is a single sheet inserted into the front of the manual which provides for quick installation, more effective protection requires a thorough reading of the manual. This should not be a problem for any intermediate user as the manual is less than fifty pages. The second manual is a "Computer Virus Primer and Troubleshooting Guide". Accompanying forms and promotional materials allow you to order additional copies of this booklet "as an educational/training tool". While there is much material of merit in the booklet, in the end it is simply more documentation for the Vi-Spy program. (There is, for example, no attempt to deal with viral infections other than with an antiviral tool.) It is, however, considerably simpler to read than the "Guide to Operations". Hardware Requirements The only requirement listed is for DOS 2 or higher and at least 150K of memory. Performance In tests the program performed well and speedily. Messages, and particularly identification of viral programs, were quite clear. The package appears to be very concerned with boot sector infectors, a very good thing in the current climate. Local Support None provided. Support Requirements The intermediate user should be able to use this program very effectively, provided time is taken to read the manuals. The novice user should be able to obtain a good measure of protection from the automatic installation, but will likely require assistance in obtaining full advantage from the program. General Notes Recommended for intermediate users. Adjunct "changed detection" software might also be desireable. (In reaction to the review, Ray Glath informed me that change detection is due in the next release of the product.) copyright Robert M. Slade, 1992 PCVISPY.RVW 920711 ====================== roberts@decus.ca slade@freenet.victoria.bc.ca Rob_Slade@mindlink.bc.ca The secret to enjoying your job is to have a hobby that's even worse - Bill Watterson Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" 0-387-94663-2 (800-SPRINGER)