INFO: F-Prot 6.0.4.0 Beta Released

Not sure about this beta, but according to the F-Prot Lifecycle policy, the final version of F-Prot 6.0 should work on Windows 98SE and Windows Me as well. I'm not sure though whether FRISK will support Windows NT, since NT's lifecycle has passed.

 

The beta only supports W2000 and XP (and Vista I assume when final). From what I read W98 and ME are being dropped entirely.

I don't use an email scanner but I too wonder why it only works on Outlook.

 

Dropping Win 9x and Me is somewhat akin to one who shoots himself in both feet. According to FCC, FTC, ICC and even the FBI's page for safe computing, 91% of the households in The US, Mexico and Canada, run Win 98 or less, use dial up, abd have between 64 MB RAM -- 256 MB RAM. Insp. Geo. W. Fenney, FBI Cyber Div,. said that people buy new PCs, can't handle the "complexity" of XP, take their new PCs to a chop shop to have Win 98 SE loaded.

If this sounds fantastic, ask your neighbors what they use!

Dave

 

But the FRISK Lifecycle policy says that Windows 98SE/Me are supported till July 2008

Well, even though I use Windows XP, I think dropping Windows 98SE and ME support right now is a bit strange. There are quite a lot of users in developing countries using these operating systems, and besides, a light AV like F-Prot is essential for Windows 9x (I know from experience how badly some of the heavier software can affect Windows 9x).

I know it gets difficult to keep developing for so many operating systems, such as Windows 98, 98SE, Me, 2000, NT, XP and Vista, but not everyone can upgrade.

In my opinion, F-Prot should support Windows 98SE/Me for another year, and then drop support.

 

Uhh... I think your stats are vastly outdated. Heck, 91% of households do not even fit any single portion of your criteria. Most users are too lazy to do anything about the OS that is installed. I would say from first-hand experience, it is more around 30%.

My neighbors all use XP and have broadband...

 

Those stats are quite recent. They may look odd, but those are the facts.

It's a strange world, and nothing beats the truth!

Dave

 

It doesn't make sense to support all the old operating systems. It starts already with a very big problem: You have no support from Microsoft for it anymore, and this affects also the development! If you encounter strange things - for instance there is a well known kernel memory allocation bug in 98 - nobody is going to help you there and you invest a lot of time in developing and bugfixing for an operating system version which is already dead - even if people still using it. And those who cannot afford to have at least not a completely outdated os version they are most likely not going to purchase a AV at all - they are just using a freeware version. Instead of this companies are focusing on 64Bit and Vista 'coz this makes more sense instead of having nothing ready when it is released but a old windows 98 version to statisfy a few guys from texas which are still running around with their 1872's winchester.

Edit: I hope Detox doesn't read this
Edit Edit: Ronjor too

 

There are ~430 million people living in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. In the U.S. a lone, there are 84 million broadband users (adults) as of March 2006. Pretending that no one in Canada or Mexico has broadband, and that everyone is an adult, that already brings it down to ~80% for just one of your three variables.

 

Where did you find those stats? If mine a wrong, then I'll never trust Uncle Sam's web facts again!

In fact, the last time that I trusted Uncle Sam, I ended up in Nam!

Dave

PS We DON'T have to be wrong as per our facts, because Sam's logic is often fuzzy! (That's a pun so horrible that God could send me straight to Hell for posting it!)

 

["a few guys from texas which are still running around with their 1872's winchester."]

I sure wish I had some of those in mint condition!! There's gold in them there hills.

Jerry

 

What is the status of 64 bit and Vista support?

 

I have worked on probably 100 pc's this year so far and only one of them had 98se and three had ME. All of the rest had one version or another of XP except one Linux box. I don't see the need for 98 or ME support.

 

Windows 98 is over 8 years old OS. Let is rest in peace.
Windows 2000 are basically the same (but more stable). Hardware requirements shouldn't be any (much) higher either.
I mean i just don't get it why are people sticking to Win98 so much? Because they love BSODs? Constant crashes? No updates?

 

IME, a lot of small businesses in the UK still use the old OS's.

Further, Home users with older, secondary machines, tend to stay with the originally installed Win98/Me.

Upgrading may not be an option for several reasons; cost or the hardware/software they are using.

 

More importantly, it has taken Frisk a long time to push out this new beta. Just think of the extra time needed to ensure compatibility with the non-NT systems!!!!

 

Well, conlfating my data with the other data, we become prime candidates for civil sevice and G-99 salaries with a verion of F-Prot that works on NO PC.

But in all honesty I see many PCs still running Win 95, 98, 98 SE, and several with Win 3.1. F-Prot needs to keep in mind the fact that many refuse to upgrade. I have only 1 PC with XP SP2 for networking, and the rest are 98 SE.

BUT! The PC with XP is going be Linux by this time tomorrow.

Dave

 

Many big and small companies are still using very old version of Windows. They are reluctant to upgrade because of the cost. It is a problem of weighting pros and cons. Should the AV companies try to retain customers in the Win9X sector, or to invest more to make the AV still compatible with the Win9X line? Which one is more cost effective or more profitable? It depends on the strategy and approach of each AV company.

 

And most AVs still support Win 95 with a runtime 6 and installer update, e.g.,Norton and McAfee 9x packages through distributors. A runtime update places all of the free AVs as supporting Win 95. It's a fact that many will not or cannot upgrade to more recently developed systems. F-Prot should be aware of this.

I found out who compiled the stats which I presented above about old OS and dial up. You can find more about them here: www.nsa.gov

Dave

 

Do you have a non standard DPI? F-Prot support just informed me that this error occurs when using a DPI other than the standard 96. I use a DPI of 120. Support said this will be fixed in the next beta.

 

There's too many of us at Wilders' to count, podnah!

 

Thank you very much.
Yes I use a DPI of 120 too.

 

All,
Hope springs eternal! This new version might be out of BETA and ready for the bird, by the time CA EZ is out of subscription.

I certainly know that beta means not for me. I do actually read before putting on my system. I do not know when ready for public beta means... I just know it means not for me. I break out in sweats when all those messages come up... well less now then I use to, but still....

I agree on the OS issue, like all things a computer OS and all is not meant to last for ever although in theory you could keep replacing parts with upgraded stuff and get a box to last a long, long time. It makes no business sense to continue to support old OS. Yes at some point you must move up to a more current OS and it does not necessarily mean a new machine I added another memory card bought me a retail box of XP and destroyed the ME OS from my hard drive and loaded XP up. One of the best things PC wise I ever did.

The texas comment I just went "Oh no" Take cover

 

I tested it , no problems on my XP SP2 laptop. I saw some guys here with interface issues but I couldn't meet them