Genie, Virii, and Beagle Bros. (was Re: Genie...is it worth it?)

[shoppa@almach.caltech.edu (Timothy D. Shoppa)]

In article <bazyarD8q7DL.n40@netcom.com>, bazyar@netcom.com (Jawaid Bazyar) writes...
>kindall@falcon.ic.net (Jerry Kindall) writes:
> 
>>Jawaid Bazyar (bazyar@netcom.com) wrote:
>>On GEnie, every program in the library is 
>>checked to make sure it works properly and contains no viruses.  
> 
> 
>  Well, the latter part of the statement has no relevance for Apple II
>software, but it is good to have software in the library verified,
>even if just for the ability to unpack it.

Hey!  I wrote an Apple ][ DOS 3.3 Virus about 12 years ago, loosely
based on a Scientific American article that told you pretty much
exactly how to do it.  I know there are other viruses out there, too;
many of the nastier ones are ProDOS based.  (All the DOS 3.3 ones
I've seen seemed to be rather benign.)

Maybe I should make my DOS 3.3 virus available by ftp so that
it can be used to test Apple ][ emulators.  It's just a modified
version of DOS 3.3 that checks for itself on the current floppy
whenever the VTOC (track $11) is accessed, and if it isn't
present, it writes itself onto tracks $0-$2.

>GEnie: lots of Apple II files. Lots.  OTOH, there is limited demand 
>       for "Jason's Latest SoundSmith Song".
>Internet: Lots of apple II files, but not as many as GEnie. 

This is true.  While the Genie "Lost Classics" drive has pretty
much fizzled out, they do have a few good things there I haven't
seen anywhere else.  In particular, you can download many of the good
old Beagle Bros. games, utilities, and tip disks from Genie.
I'm not sure why none of this stuff has shown up on the ftp sites -
I think it may be possible that only Genie has the rights to
redistribute it now.  Anyone know more details?  If they really are
freely distributable, I'll make the Beagle Bros. disk images
available via ftp.

Tim. (shoppa@krl.caltech.edu)