In a msg on , to Brian May, Robert King writes:

 RK> #1, Writing to executing executables is simple and is in fact done 
 RK>     quite often by shareware and some comercial applications.

Name one.

 RK> #2, Protected mode means nothing to the virus programmer.

There are a whole lot of words that mean nothing to the typical virus writer.

 RK> #3, Even a DOS based program can read/write to HPFS drives under 
 RK>    OS/2 just as they do in DOS. NO VIRUS uses BIOS/DOS calls for 
 RK>    reads and writes. 

That's not correct.  In fact, it's very far off.  Most viruses DO use BIOS
and DOS calls for disk reads and writes.

 RK>    Such operations are performed at the port level which, as you 
 RK>    apparently aren't aware, bypasses the operating system entirely. 

Careful where you throw those stones, Robert.  In fact, due to the nature
of a protected mode multitasking operating system such as OS/2, I/O can be
easily intercepted.  Support for it is built into the processor.  This
means that any attempt to read from or write to the ports occupied by the
hard drive or floppy drive controller may be intercepted and checked by the
OS.

 RK> #4, The OS/2 scanners that are available, DO NOT detect several virusi.

First, it's viruses, not "virusi" and second, no scanner detects
all viruses, regardless of what the ad copy says.  

 RK>  The point I'm trying to make clear here is, OS/2 virusi may be 
 RK> few and far between but, they are as real a danger as burns 
 RK> from lighting one's hair afire. 

And almost as likely.  So what steps have you taken to prevent having your
hair catch on fire from lightning?  ;-)

 RK> And until the OS/2 community wakes up and takes the required steps to 
 RK> prevent loss, the danger will only continue to grow.   

One important aspect of risk management is risk analysis.  The analysis
must, in turn, be based on accurate information.  I do regular tape
backups, never use pirated software, and I run chkdsk on a regular basis. 
While these things happen to also be some of the most effective means of
avoiding loss due to virus activity, they also make sense for a less
esoteric reasons.  Although viruses *are* a threat, these other reasons,
which include physical failure, buggy software, and inadvertent user
damage, are for most people much more likely to be encountered.  While it's
important to realize danger, it's also important not to overreact to it.

-> Ed <-

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