Are "Good" Computer Viruses Still A Bad Idea?

Part I of Essay
? Research Associate Virus Test Center University of Hamburg Vogt-Koelln-Str. 30, 22527 Hamburg, Germany bontchev@fbihh.informatik.uni-hamburg.de [Editor's note: Vesselin's current email address is bontchev@complex.is] During the past six years, computer vir ....

Part II of Essay
.... and directions are given in which this technique can be improved further. The paper also demonstrates that the main reason for the conflict between those supporting the idea of a "beneficial virus" and those opposing it, is that the two sides are assuming a different definition of what a computer virus is. 1. What Is a Computer Virus? The general public usually associates the term "computer virus" with a small, nasty program, which aims to destroy the information on their machines. As usual, the general public's understanding of the t ....