RE: PhD Topic suggestions

Hi Antony,

Thanks for your input. I agree. But lets suppose we do not use virus technology to go and save computers from viruses but use the technology to spread, say node updates or security patches. In other words i could build some sort of virus envelope that contains some updates for nodes. However I am still left with the problem of people wanting control over their nodes even if "good" is intended.



-----Original Message-----
From: openantivirus-discuss-admin-5NWGOfrQmneRv+LV9MX5uipxlwaOVQ5f@public.gmane.org
[mailto:openantivirus-discuss-admin-5NWGOfrQmneRv+LV9MX5uipxlwaOVQ5f@public.gmane.org]On Behalf Of
Antony Stone
Sent: 10 December 2003 12:11
To: 'openantivirus-discuss-5NWGOfrQmneRv+LV9MX5uipxlwaOVQ5f@public.gmane.org'
Subject: Re: [Openantivirus-discuss]PhD Topic suggestions


On Wednesday 10 December 2003 11:32 am, William Fitzgerald (BH/EEI) wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I have just joined the group. I am interested in persuing virology as part
> of my PhD associated with Ericssons Ireland. I was wondering if anyone has
> any ideas that merit 3 years research. I was thinking of using viruses for
> a good purpose like dissemination of healthy  information. any ideas?

I believe most examples of this approach (Naachi comes to mind as a recent 
one) have been generally poorly regarded by the Internet community, on the 
basis that the author of a 'good virus' cannot predict every operating system 
/ application software / user configuration setup which the virus is going to 
encounter, and with any viral code, even small mistakes can lead to disaster 
once the thing starts replicating in the wild (I'm reminded that the first 
Internet worm, courtesy of Robert T Morris, was not intended to spread the 
way it did - that was due to a programming error).

Basically people do not want you releasing code which is intended to do things 
to their computer without them having control over it.

It's the difference between a virus and a patch.   Okay, some patches don't 
quite work as advertised, but at least you know where it's come from and who 
supplied it, so you have someone to go back to if it causes problems.

Just my 2c, anyway....

Antony.

-- 
I want to build a machine that will be proud of me.

 - Danny Hillis, creator of The Connection Machine



-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program.
Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive?  Does it
help you create better code?  SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help
YOU!  Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/
_______________________________________________
Openantivirus-discuss mailing list
Openantivirus-discuss-5NWGOfrQmneRv+LV9MX5uipxlwaOVQ5f@public.gmane.org
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/openantivirus-discuss


-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program.
Does SourceForge.net help you be more productive?  Does it
help you create better code?  SHARE THE LOVE, and help us help
YOU!  Click Here: http://sourceforge.net/donate/