To Users of Microsoft DOS Anti-Virus (MSAV)

                         October, 1993

If  you  were one of the people who ordered  the  DOS  Anti-Virus 
Update offered with the Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Update, Sydex  feels 
that there is something that you should know.

Version  1.1  of  the DOS Anti-Virus  Update  (MSAV)  erroneously 
identifies  CopyQM versions 3.00 through 3.05 as  containing  the 
"Virus  Cruncher" virus and specifies that the files  COPYQM.COM, 
CQMENU.COM  and VIEWCONF.COM should be deleted.  These files,  as 
distributed by Sydex, DO NOT CONTAIN THE INDICATED VIRUS.

The  "Cruncher"  virus is, in fact, a  legitimate  virus,  having 
surfaced in the Netherlands sometime around June, 1993.  

As  far  as  Sydex has been able to determine,  the  false  virus 
indication  arises  from Sydex's use of  Teddy  Matsumoto's  DIET 
executable  file compressor, which is a public domain  compressor 
similar  in  function to PKWare's PKLITE  or  Francois  Bellard's 
LZEXE compressors.  

Both  DIET  and  the relevant versions of  CopyQM  were  in  wide 
circulation long before the emergence of the "Cruncher" virus.

MSAV and its updates are produced by Central Point Software,  not 
Microsoft.   Sydex  contacted  Central  Point  and  reported  the 
problem  in August after the indication was reported to us  by  a 
user  of  both  CopyQM and MSAV.  Central Point,  for  its  part, 
ignored our letters and so we were forced to turn the matter over 
to our attorney.  At this time, Central Point has acknowledged to 
Sydex  that a false indication is produced by MSAV 1.1  and  that 
the subsequent update, MSAV 1.2, does not produce the indication.  
However, Central Point has not notified MSAV 1.1  customers about 
the  false  indication of the "Virus Cruncher" virus  in  CopyQM.  
Microsoft  has investigated the situation and confirms that  MSAV 
1.1 produced false virus indications for CopyQM.

It  is noteworthy that none of the other leading virus  detectors 
tested by Sydex committed the same error, even though several  of 
them do recognize the "Cruncher" virus.

Sydex  obviously  does not benefit from the accusation  of  virus 
infection  made  by  MSAV 1.1.  The issue of  damage  to  Sydex's 
reputation  still  needs  to be resolved  between  Central  Point 
Software, Microsoft and Sydex.