Zimbabwe start-up releases first beta of virus protection program

L.S.M Kabweza Avatar
Viral Suppressor

Viral SuppressorA local start-up, TechTribe, has released the first beta version of a virus protection program it’s calling Viral Suppressor. The software is available for free download on www.vs.co.zw, and TechTribe is encouraging visitors to download and try the software.

TechTribe was founded by Tawanda Katsaruware and Simon Mambariza. Katsaruware, a former Chinhoyi University of Technology student who is the technical lead and developer of the software, says he developed the program as part of his final year project for his first degree in 2009. The duo is working on a professional version of the software, which they say will be ready for release later this year.

We met Katsaruware and Mambariza at their offices in Harare where they demoed the software and shared with us the inspiration behind it. According to them, the software can provide basic protection to Microsoft Windows based computers, all without any need to download virus definition updates the way regular anti-viruses do:

All antivirus products require updates, which, without these, your antivirus is virtually useless. The updates have to be acquired over the internet. Here in Zimbabwe, the majority of computer users do not have internet connections. Others have it but it is either too slow or too expensive to download the updates that range in size from 40 to 100MB. ($8 to $20 per update on Econet rates).

So I decided to find a way to protect users of developing countries like Zimbabwe. I had to find a solution that requires no internet whatsoever so everyone could be protected from viruses whether they have an antivirus or not.

Asked if Viral Suppressor can be used in place of regular anti-virus programs, Katsaruware said that for the purposes of testing Viral Suppressor one can keep their regular anti-virus program adding proudly that “The VS basically starts where your antivirus stops. It covers the shortfalls of your antivirus program”.

We had a long discussion about this and it kind of didn’t come out clearly how much different VS is from a regular anti-virus or where it lacks versus where it’s better. We don’t blame them though; the program is in its first beta. We’d be shocked if it can outdo mature anti-virus programs like those by McAfee, Symantec, Trend Micro and the like. We’d happy if you readers try the software and add your comments `below.

Katsaruware also explained that Viral Suppressor can reverse changes made to a computer after a virus has been removed noting that most regular anti-viruses only remove the infection and stop there.

On how the project will be resourced, Katsaruware said TechTribe is in discussions with Chinhoyi University of Technology for possible technical partnership on further development of the software.

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90 comments

  1. Joe Black

    “… so everyone could be protected by viruses whether they have an antivirus or not.”

    I guess I DO want to be protected by viruses … it does take snake venom to kill snake venom!

    1. Anonymous

      typo there. thanks bro.

  2. Wburwa

    this is good news, i am already downloading the application and will give feedback soon. thats exactly what universities should do, training people to develop practical systems that improve our lives and this is a good example. keep up the good work guys.

    1. tinma@n

      Congratulations on the launch of the product. Not meaning to throw a dead cat into the fanfare, some fundamentals have to be highlighted.

      It is impossible to create an effective antivirus that requires no updates for two reasons:

      1) many viruses and related malicious programs are written everyday
      2) patches and updates notoriously introduce new flaws that can potentially be exploited. Particularly so with Windows(the most vulnerable OS)

      Anyone in IT worth his/her salt should know that (and its not really the rocket science of IT).

      Here is some advice to the start-up as I will not waste time cautioning people, as they have been already cautioned through other comments.

      1) Submit the application to trusted sites like ( http://download.cnet.com/ ) who will thoroughly review and comment on your product (quality and claimed effectiveness). Another worth mentioning is PC World ( http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/downloads.html )

      2) I havent installed it yet, but those interested could test it using the standard EICAR (European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research) Test.Download files here: http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

      3) Ensure you live up to your claims and only say what the product can do. Misleading people can have irreversible repercussions to the product and possibly your names as developers. Security is very sensitive.

      All the best!

      1. Picky

        the software is not an anti-virus, it complements anti-viruses and goes beyond what anti-viruses do

  3. Wburwa

    this is good news, i am already downloading the application and will give feedback soon. thats exactly what universities should do, training people to develop practical systems that improve our lives and this is a good example. keep up the good work guys.

  4. Tapchiss

    I definitely like this software, hwever, i know yr site is stil under construction bt there’re just too many typo errors on t and some funny phrases like “wil catch new viruses”. just thot u myt wana tek a look at tht also

  5. Kurai

    This is stuff dreams are made of. Keep it up. We have got one of our own (just to add to the choices). However, they should perfect it and commercialise. Viva Viral suppressor.

  6. Ocybergateway

    i think these guys dont know what they are doing. We have quite a number of people in the this computer industry who because of too much exposure end up doing crazy things like this. These guys claim that they have made an antiviral that does not need to be updated would have made these guys instant billionaires truly speaking but the fact that this guys are still in the ghetto with their invention suggests that what these guys have not made any serious stuff. An antivirus that doesn’t need updates invention would have taken these guys to MIT or Harvard straight away or to New York straight away. I dont think a Zimbabwean can get into software engineering at an university in Chinhoyi and come up with serious stuff like this. Infact Zimbabweans we sometimes dont know what we are doing. With our small resources and limited code writer pool we need to get on to other simpler stuff than try to do the big stuff which we can’t accomplish. This guys reminds me of Daniel Chingoma who wants to build a helicopter and such news can be better understood like when the paper carry a report saying that is Daniel Chingoma helicopter is now on beta and volunteers are required to test whether it works well. I dont see any people volunteering to be carried with that kind of plane and this is the reason I would not download this piece of software inorder to maintain selfrespect. I dont despise zim inventions but I have seen lots of people who have purpoted to have made inventions that dont make sense and which are the most simply java, c++ programs that have been hauled from the internet numerous source codes website. if there are any serious coders there they might join me in a project i am doing that translates shona voice into shona text and into english voice and text too. I am using c++ and have been working on it for some time. I think such kind of project makes sense just because no software has been made that carries such tasks and the software will be very useful,. however on nice note, i would like to edge these guys to get into better stuff that benefits our country rather than engage in trivial development whilst in the process wasting enormous code brain power in white elephant projects

    1. Anonymous

      the idea of a home grown anti-virus solution really and truly appeals to me..
      and i was really happy to see the initiative taken by someone…

      however, after reading some of the comments on their website, and in this artical, i have some serious doubts about how legit the function of this software is.

      in particular:

      “Needs no updates, but will catch new viruses”

      i’ve been working with computers a long time now, and have had a fair share of computers with viruses come my way during that time. Virus developers evolve their viruses to bypass current protection software that is already running on the computer. That is why you have to update your virus definition database.. so your anti-virus software knows what to look for, and how to stop it.

      if Microsoft themselves cannot create an update-less antivirus application to protect their own developed operating systems (therefor making windows the safest OS in the world, and can abolish OS patches/updates), then it makes me wonder what these Viral Suppressor guys are doing differently.

      unless they have some kind of evidence to backup their statements on their app (beta or not), then i dont think seasoned IT people will take them seriously.

      the first lines of defence against viruses/malware is to not install cr@p on your computer in the first place…

      1. Anonymous

        Hey, I think the guys are just using all kinds of words to market their product and that may actually be a big mistake bcoz as you rightly put it IT pros won’t take them seriously.

        They admit though that it’s not an anti-virus program. I’d think of it as some utility that locks ‘known’ means of infection that viruses use, reverses effects of viruses on infected machines and helps identify some suspicious files.

        just my thoughts. the developers have their own.

        1. Anonymous

          howsit kabweza, yeah look, honestly, much respect to the Viral Suppressor guys for making this into something from nothing…and i absolutely respect their programming abilities and reasons for coming up with this application.

          after posting my comment, i decided to take a better look at the screenshot.. and read through some of the other user comments posted on this article.

          In the end..I’ve interpreted their application to be kind of an alternative to windows-defender.. instead of a full blown antivirus. if you look at the pic of the app on their site, you can see this is much more of a system security type app which has a startup/registry analyser and can display running processes etc.

          after seeing all that.. i have a better understanding of what it ACTUALLY is.

          it now makes sense…and im sure it can do some of whatever they said it could do on the website (gives user control of applications etc)..

          but, the general impression that they gave everyone (being the ultimate non-update-able virus protection application) is extremely misleading.

      2. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

        This is Child Play man. Wish I had never read such a disturbing foolish start-up

    2. Anonymous

      Personally i don’t think we should look at this product in comparison with Symantec or McAfee products. I think what spurred the development of the product makes a lot of sense. The guys may be using all kinds of words to market their product but for you to shoot them down and write them off is unfair.

      The fact that many people can’t afford to download AV updates is real. and if anybody can come up with a solution that suppresses all known methods of infection is great. And yes, I personally don’t think the software can remain effective without some kind of updates but these guys identified some common way of infection which the product supposedly guards against. bravo for that! I classify the product in the class of such tools as HijackThis. small and effective for what it does, but doesn’t replace regular AVs. And maybe in the future it will. who knows.

      “I dont think a Zimbabwean can get into software engineering at an university in Chinhoyi and come up with serious stuff like this. ”
      why not? Not saying these guys are super brains (which they may be or may be not) but why do you think the best brains in the world are at MIT & Havard? Some of biggest brains in the world right now may actually be herding cattle in Binga there.

      “we need to get on to other simpler stuff than try to do the big stuff which we can’t accomplish” ahh sha…WHO defines what we CAN’T accomplish?

      I’m glad you’re working on that software, maybe you should release it and have people use it and give you some feedback. maybe even open sourcing it so you can get other developers to assist for free.

      1. Joe Black

        Problem is vamwe vanhu still have an immense inferiority complex. There’s nobody who can tell me the levels I can reach and can’t aspire to.

        We set our own ceilings, especially in IT where your limits are simply your own imagination … munhu uyu anoda kurobwa neshamhu chaiyo.

        Big up to these A/V guys, but personally, I don’t have a test machine to try it on.

        1. Anonymous

          Thank you.

        2. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

          Ahh shame Mr Joe Black. Go ahead and spend a Century trying to re invest a wheel and we will surely telll you how DUMB you are.

          There are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better Info Sec solution on the Market Highly Funded. The solution is not in creating an Antivirus which we all know is utter Mess Code. Everyone can code such an application.

          I personally am not a Graduate but I could even advise these Musiyamwa coders to stop before they follow Nhava

      2. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

        “I dont think a Zimbabwean can get into software engineering at an university in Chinhoyi and come up with serious stuff like this. ”

        Who ever said that was right. Mr Kabweza I would like to leaf plane fly you 🙂

        On a serious note Forensic Heuristics arent at all Chibhubhu bussiness. Please forgive me for not being that profesional on this but Uhu hudofo.

        These could have sold a better idea as Pen Test profesionals. But I can tell you this. These guys arent at all Security or Infosec experts. A true infosec profesional doesnt at all use the word “doesnt need updates”. Thats FOOLISH talk.

        I will reserve my time and get back to my work.

        I personally feel I have been disturbed by such nonsense

    3. Aaron Pondayi

      good idea Octbergateway , i am willing to help you out the same way i helped that youngster, we need to support each other , your comment “I dont think a Zimbabwean can get into software engineering at an university in Chinhoyi” does not go well with most of us!! For your info CUT is the only Univ in Zim working on a Grid computing project!! You need to goggle that please! Musaderere CUT, there is serious work happening there!!

      1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

        Ha Ha Ha. To even think reall inovation is behind lecturer is so not “cool” . Varaidzanai ikoko muri mega mega. Muchinyeperana CUT who wat wat. Muchasvinudzana henyu.

        Endai kuchikoro zvigumire kuma projects enyu ne ma teacher enyu ikoko. Im sure not all Zimbabweans are that Desperate well not all wise chaps can put an ear to such foolishness.

        Serious Work !! I smile I laugh I wont mock but I loathe such words. Our Country is Under funded to even think of the least

    4. tendekai

      I share the same sentiment. A couple of weeks ago there was another kid who was published here who they said is writing an antivirus program that does not need updates. I don’t understand how that happens at all. malware software does not update itself regularly, what is updated are the virus definitions. i.e. what can be flagged as harmful and these definitions evolve everyday. New worms and phishers are created everyday and i don’t see how you can have an antivirus program that does not needs updates. It might be possible in future and i am sure there are institutes pumping in millions into research for that, i don’t think anyone in Zim has the resources to do such research into the nature of infections to cover all corners.

      I am actually working on something in the same realm as what you are doing but mine is more of a translator and sentence constructor. does this forum have PMs (private messages)? if not, shoot me an e-mail at tendie87AThotmail.com, you can replace the AT with the proper symbol.

      1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

        You right man. Well I should think I knoe the man behind this comment. You are right in all you have said only a small point of corection. NEVER in the world of Infosec is it possible to have a plartform that isnt maliciously compromised least we go back to hard state computing.

  7. Richwell Captain Phinias

    That is brilliant work guys. Rome wasn’t built in a day. A journey of miles starts with one single step. Will download and test and give feedback. The area you are covering got so much potential locally and abroad. I also read of one Luke Madzedze and I have used his Shortcut Virus remover, it’s cool. I think as developers we should have some forum where we pitch and market our ideas. Criticism comes in all forms but it’s for encouragement to grow.

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      KKKK so you want to Build Rome by running arround creating sand instead of brinks. Inventing watter instead of digging wells.

      Surely this Rome you are building is child’s play

      1. Richwell Captain Phinias

         Different Contexts of analogue Sir. Think Differently. Make the words mean what you want .

  8. Mkanyima

    I downloaded the product and used it after reading this article, i really was impressed. CUT has really done it this time, NUST and UZ need to follow suite. VS is a handy tool from what i’m seeing, of course every system has its flaws but i haven’t noticed any just as yet. Still toying arnd with the product but i like it, its very simple.
    @ Ocybergateway its not about complexity, its all about does the software serve a purpose. in this era, we are all victims to viruses, trojans and worms so if VS can ease our worries thats the way to go. Hats off to Tawanda and Simon, u’ve got something here. how do we invest coz i see a Facebook rite here.

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      Any Virus caught as yet. Well unfortunately I wont be having time to sample such a piece of software. Honestly this could create a even worse breach to any security layer.

  9. Ocybergateway

    I am really sorry whether my comments offended somebody, but when the truth is said sometimes it hurts. I stand by by my position that “I dont think a Zimbabwean can get into software engineering at an university in Chinhoyi and come up with serious stuff ” I have been following a number of so called Zimbabwean software engineers for close to two decades and just seen some of these projects were final year degree projects which dont serve practical purpose other than helping the student to pass an exam. Infact if these guys software had some sort of clout I dont think they would have completed their studies to go the Gates or Zuckerberg way. The University of Zimbabwe has got a computer science department and has been churning thousands of graduates, but there is no single graduate who have made a mark on software in the country or region. This shows that all is not well with our universities, right now the computer science department are using a syllabus written close to a decade ago and thats means the students are learning old stuff. This is why you find some uz students have to undergo further studies inorder to get a sound job. I have seen a number of them doing so at NIIT.Whilst old material like c++ is the bedrock of computers this needs to be intergrated using new tools and ways to do things. In terms of infrastructure we still way behind, just visit the UZ tech departments and you will feel sorry for those students sharing pentium 3 computers (if not 2) learning how to become software engineers. The major reason why our people dont make impact in software engineering is partly because of the paucity of funding on our universities. Supporting our universities like what the Indian government did is what needed here if we are to have genuine and serious software developers. Whilst we cant wait coding because our schools are not at par, we however ought to learn to engage in projects that are are less demanding in terms of human personel, infrastructure, costs e.t.c things which are in sync with our capacity. I hate people who have out of the wild dreams. The Daniel Chingoma syndrome will not take us anywhere. Lets get to the basics.

    1. Aaron Pondayi

      The thrust taken by Tawanda ,you can call it Heroic Programming ( hopefully you understand that) What you need to do is ask him to have some look at his source code, test it then contribute too!! Usa derere Mu zimbo!!! its funding only!!!

      “i am doing that translates shona voice into shona text and into english voice and text too.” Then how is it going to help the business world??

      1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

        Its easy just call the TechZim guy to you 2 minute office pa Zimex mall paya. Tell him gibberish and we spend hours on end talking about your code.

        Who would be coming to Zimbabwe to open a laptop and read what a Shona Girls is talking. Oh simply put could I use it to translate for SRB oaks that try and talk english.

        A bug to watch for. Im a Karanga looking at a South African palchrutide lady would I shout to it. Mwana uri tsvarakadena munzi zvobgodo svusvura ndadya mhohi yomuchirimo — Child you are —- decoding please be patient missing data– User agent – Chikomana dzokorora

        Think were the money is Aaron. These guys are dead broke in 2 weeks watch my mouth I said it and Nhava is vanished

    2. Mack

      This translation software of yours, what are its applications in the real world? i mean, seeing as everyone who uses computers is literate and ALL business is conducted in english. Kudos to the Techtribe team by the way, will download my copy soon as i get proper bandwidth (which btw is what these guys are trying to combat by giving us a product which doesn’t need any updating)

      1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

        Mack do you really have time to download such nonsense. Hande totamba pada nevamwe.

    3. Tawanda Katsaruware

      @Ocybergateway. Where do i begin? You seem to exhibit a lot of ignorance. What you should have done before posting was ask how the thing works. You read the article, did not download the program and your first statement is “i think these guys dont know what they are doing.” Really? Justify.
      This thing is NOT an antivirus and i dont call it that myself. Can u deny that people are being plagued by viruses in Zimbabwe whether they have updated antiviruses or not. For your nformation, Internet in Zim is available to 12% of computer users (i mean a real inernet connection). The rest dont have it.
      i came up with a solution and have been testing it for the past 6 months with different people. AND IT WORKS. I have been getting feedback from the people i used as testers (both computer experts and non experts), and NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN INFECTED BY A VIRUS WHILE THE VIRAL SUPPRESSOR WAS RUNNING!

      What i can understand is how people have difficulty understanding how an program that fights viruses can do so without updates. First of all, i dont call it an Antivirus because of the way the term “antvirus” is widely accepted. I began this product by doing manual virus removals (without formatting the computer) because the computers there had antivirus programs on but were unable to fix the computers. So without relying on an antivirus program i would then disinfect the PCs with a keyboard, mouse, command prompt and regedit. i perfected this skill for about 3 years before i made the Viral Suppressor. In a sense i made it to automate the processes i perfected in virus removal.

      a Virus, dear people is JUST A PROGRAM!!! it uses RAM like all the other programs do. It runs from a harddrive like every other program. they are not as complex as you may think. they are actually very predictable. there are limited ways a virus can do its job on your computer. limited ways they can enter or leave your computer. limited places they can hide. they have roughly the same purpose of creation no matter how different they are. And the Viral Suppressor knows how they work. Simple.

      “I dont think a Zimbabwean can get into software engineering at an university in Chinhoyi and come up with serious stuff “????? Really?

      In conclusion, @Ocybergateway. To shoot down a concept you do not understand isnt something you should be doing before you have facts. You are a fellow developer, fellow Zimbabwean (hopefully) and so i do not understand why you instantly label a Zimbabwean invention as crap because its made by a Zimbabwean. Im assuming you would have downloaded it without question if it had been made by an American developer, European maybe? Chinese perhaps?

      Oh ya, when i make the money, i am going to fund that helicopter into full production. You and others like you are the reason people are cowering away with brilliant ideas.

      1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

        Im a profesional part time info sec and a certified Ethical Hacker and just from that the following statement is insanely stupid and shallow. Its not that at all Man Sorry sorry sorry man.

        Hazvisi zvekuvhiya N’ombe mosvina matumbu izvi. We talking malicisou algorithms that are coded by someone who isnt even from a University. Well Im not even from a Univeristy I loathe Uni guys big time.

        “””””””a Virus, dear people is JUST A PROGRAM!!! it uses RAM like all the other programs do. It runs from a harddrive like every other program. they are not as complex as you may think. they are actually very predictable. there are limited ways a virus can do its job on your computer. limited ways they can enter or leave your computer. limited places they can hide. they have roughly the same purpose of creation no matter how different they are. And the Viral Suppressor knows how they work. Simple.”””””””

        Tawanda kasi ndozvamunenge muchitaura ku bhora doro rapera?

        If It was predictable would there be a million dollar industry to talk about. Would I be employed to pen test would there actually be the need for Info Sec would Microsoft charge Enterprises Fortunes for Microsoft Forefront when Viruses are predictable.

        This is not for shallow minds man.

    4. VS Critique

      @Ocybergateway: Techtribe guys have come up with something quite innovative considering that this was a project that began at varsity. Lets give them all the encouragement and positive criticism so that they will keep on improving their product. Shooting them down like that before you even tested the program will get us nowhere as Zimbabweans. Honestly speaking, the project you claim to be working on will not benefit the business community as the other person said, business is being done in English and i dont see why you’d like to waste time doing those translations in Shona. Besides there are so many softwares out there that already does what you are trying to do. I’m sure if you were as intelligent as you portray you wouldn’t have wasted your time starting that project. Wake up man and do something more meaningful. To Techtribe i say hats off guys, just try and work with others like the other guy suggested, that way you’ll get even much better ideas to improve your product. You could even start an online technical group that would test your product and give advice, also dont limit your product to Zimbabwe, go all out there and you’ll start seeing good results. One thing you have to know is that this product is not only intended to those who cant afford expensive anti-viruses or those who have no access to internet, NO, as for me i wouldnt pay for an expensive anti-virus program when i can get a cheaper one that does the same job even better and am sure there are so many of us out there. Well done guys, keep up the good work.

      1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

        When you mentioned wake up and do something more meaningful I almost thought you were wise for a second. I later realised you think Creatng an AntiVirus is a meaningful idea. Ever checked how much money is put in compiling virii databases. Do you think Symantec doesn’t dream for such stuff with all the Highly sophisticated business experience, knowledge resources and money.

        Veduwe. I always say this. Zimbabwe is not at all desperate for such so called foolish start-ups.

        Go on and get infected by Viruses than adding this easily compromised piece of software.

        Does this little Home Work project understand whats called a RootKit?

    5. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      All thumbs to you and I wish you remove that “Im really sorry” Its actually sorry that they find a fat chest out of garbage talk. You are right man it ll comes down to resources

  10. Ocybergateway

    @Aaron This anti-virus guys have taken a very dangerous path and they must be prepared for lawsuits if they dont properly write their software terms and conditions statement. I do support Zimbabweans but have reservations on some products. The shoes I wear are Zimbabwean made, but unfortunately I would not sacrifice my computer to use such an antiviral just because it was made by a Zimbabwean. What I am seeing is that this antivirus guy wants money too much….. People should understand that there is a difference between a computer savvy person and a software engineer. One needs to graduate from the former to the later if he is to make an impact. Unfortunately in Zim we still have computer savvies who are still to graduate. As for the translation software I dont want to make a profit out of it and am doing it over my spare time and will contact this website when I complete a prototype so that they publish links to the source codes for anyone who cares to work on it

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      Man please add me to linked in…. I also am a fan of Zimbabwean cooked Sadza and Mazondo. I apreciate the innovation tha is put in the crafting of arts and the invention of a Nyatera. I aploud sound ideas. I for a second apploud that guy that built a helicopter I obviously look if anyone is watching though.

      How Much are school fees that graduates have found their paths in such shameful last for money. Software engineering is not money changer business its not “Madhiri” . Zvakavhariswa zveku be=urner mari now you talking of creating Antiviruses lol ashh shame

    2. Guruuswa

      Ocybergateway, why is it that your english morphed from appalling to perfect in the space of a few paragraphs? Stop trolling dude. This software is not a trivial effort. Skill was put into it. It is made in zimbabwe. Be proud and stop trying to make us look bad. Your own efforts in c++ are commendable but you are actually the one who is in way over your head with that speech synthesis thing. How will you manage accents and dialects? Also, i cannot find a single practical use for a tool that does that.

      To the developer of this software, nice work, we appreciate.

  11. Macd

    Ocybergateway, dont mix things up, C++ is not very old but C is old. C++ have corrected and adapted to the modern changes needed in today’s programing languages. It is very accurate to say C++ is the modern version of C although it adds more complexity for beginners to learn

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      You right on that C++ simply means plus 1. C plus 1.

  12. Macd

    Ocybergateway, dont mix things up, C++ is not very old but C is old. C++ have corrected and adapted to the modern changes needed in today’s programing languages. It is very accurate to say C++ is the modern version of C although it adds more complexity for beginners to learn

  13. Macd

    Tawanda Katsaruware, l understand you perfectly and WELL done!! lm aware of certain BIG company who use the same security concepts of analysing anomalies within the OS and block and report such actions, but we are talking $$$$$$$ masive dollars to pay for licensing , appliances and support.

    And if it goes beyond cleaning the infected PC, even better because at the moment there is NO company big or small offering such service. If you are making this product to get more cash, it even sounds sweeter to me.

    Ocybergateway, you seem a very negative person on this one! If Tawanda program is not altering MicroShaft OS source code, which by the way they dont dish out, there is nothing to fear.
    If you understand security very well, you have to give Tawanda the credit he deserves.

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      Actually what you dont realise is any piece if stupidly coded piece of software that interferes with the security layer of a Microshaft Distro open a loop for attack. Technically it is possible to simply port an app on that server and call it their app build name and deploy it out to all you computing stingy fools that dont realise if you are that broke then Ubuntu is for you.

  14. Elviischims

    tina

    mazimba kutarisirana pasi…nxa..nxa.i have cut out academic and proffessional ties with my fellow compatriots becoz most of them want to appear whizzy when they critisize an endeavor you present to pursue . look guys these guys are atarting from somewhere hanti give them a chance. ko zvino zvaunoti vakarasika , kozvako zvawakaitawo ndezvipi? a certain Ghananian friend of mine highlited to me that zimbabweans are too jelousy to see their fellows do well. iye akazokuudzai kuti you are educated iyeye. zvinopa tsitsi.
    Tawanda keep up guys !!!

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      shame to you

  15. Luke Alvin Madzedze

    about 6 months ago a bug in the windows xp,vista and 7 was manipulated in such a way that a new family of viruses emerged which used shortcuts to infect computers….I think most of you have seen usb drives with many shortcuts.You see, for about 2 months NOD32,AVIRA,NORTON (and your favorite antivirus that you are running on your machine NOW) could not pick up this new type of viruses.IMAGINE 2 MONTHS…..you see as developers that’s where we come in.I developed an application that could reverse the effects of the virus on a Saturday in exactly 2 hrs and gave it to a few friends.I even sent a copy to some friends in BRAZIL who had been infected by the shortcut virus….I get many emails from pple thanking me from all over the world….WHY? coz when people needed NOD32,AVIRA,AVAST etc……THESE GUYS WHERE NOT THERE….i was there to save the day…..and i made something that worked before any of your “HEROES” could.Iam a zimbabwean……i culd not even get a place at UZ or Chinhoyi…iam from a small university of 300 students…CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY!……..i dont know wat you guys are on about….but maybe its jus jealousy…i was at the RIExpo and met tawanda…and these guys know wat they are doing…..and maybe i myt be the only person who can judge them here…WHY???? coz i dont think there are many virus experts here… i mean people who know virus code just from assembly….No i dont think so…My name is Luke Alvin Madzedze..

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      So you better than iron geek right. Thats if you knoe Iron geek. Well what you are talking about isnt at all something you could claim could be better than what a Nod 32 engineer could imagine possible. Simply put its doesnt take knowing a computer to create a solutions obviously it takes me. You dont just graduate from a lecturers face and make it into the info sec industry. You think these busineses invest in Nod 32 oremium licenses coz they are foolish or well they have Dumb It profesinals whom you seem to be clever than.

  16. kepekepebhora

    I agree with Ocybergateway I dont want to get all technical here before I run this Beta version,but theoretically ……”really an anti virus with no updates” its a pipe dream.Kudos for the effort but I would urge these guys to focus more on developing rather more practical and useful applications that to bother with this area where even the big guys have not been very successful…bottom line is there are way too many development platforms out there,there are also new and brighter coders that are being born every day with knowledge that is far beyond what my fellow Zim guys have and resources that are way better than Zim could ever get.I will go technical after running the program..but i am not expecting fireworks based on my extensive knowledge of current operating systems architecture and their vulnerabilities.To develop such a product you need to have in depth knowledge of operating systems and their security vulnerabilities.I have had 8yrs consulting experience on Microsoft operating systems that I can tell off the bat that this program wont impress.

  17. macd

    kepekepebhora, l still believe and know Tawanda is on the right path, have a look at how Cisco CSA works and tell me with good authority if Tawanda is wrong

  18. Tawanda Katsaruware

    So Ocybergateway and kepekepebhora, if I’m getting you correctly, the basis of your negativity is the fact that this thing is Zimbabwean? Correct?
    You also believe that Zimbabwe has no such people capable of “useful and practical” inventions/innovations?
    Basically, you mean the people outside of this country are the brainy ones based on the advancements of their countries?

    For starters, ‘brains’ are not dependent on geographical location. If that were so, all people in one country/continent would ALL be serious geniuses when those in another country/continent are all very stupid/unintelligent. But you find all these mixed up. Did God then decide to keep all the brains outside of Zimbabwe’s borders? Suppose a genius crosses the border from outside, he should drop dead right since Zim can’t hold such people?

    Secondly, natural talent and innovation are not dependent on the level or quality of education. My being at Chinhoyi has nothing to do with the ways or reasons I made the program. Universities in Zim don’t offer Computer Virology. But I know viruses like the back of my hand. Luke Madzedze also made something that works without being taught it. Let me use the Bill Gates example Ocybergateway mentioned. Bill gates DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL. He got very successful. Now if he dropped out and went on to make some innovative stuff we are all using today, WITHOUT PROPER EDUCATION, what does that say about school and talent/innovation?

    Let’s now talk about “practicallity and usefulness” kepekepebhora has mentioned. I assume u mean the Viral Suppressor isn’t. And like Ocybergateway, you arrived at your conclusion BEFORE testing it. Anyway, some facts: people ryt now are missing stuff on their flashes, replaced by shortcuts for example. Computers all over the place are being slowed down or disabled by viruses. Antiviruses are at times too expensive. 78% of computer users don’t have internet or have weak connections incapable of downloads.
    These are things ihave spent a year and 6 months solving. And I have solved it. Now organisations don’t have to ban flash disks. Users click one button to restore folders and clean the flash. People without internet can now be protected. Now you don’t have to be a computer wiz to restore malicious changes to your system. All these are single button clicks on the Viral Suppressor, some functions don’t even need the user’s intervention. Now talk about usefulness and practicality.

    1. muzukuru

      Dude, you got it all wrong, you are too quick to get offended. No need to bring God into this. Stick to the points and facts. Here is a fact, resources are not evenly distributed, meaning you will gush @ having a Nokia 3310 in Zim whereas in US kids are gushing @Tablets, such is life. All these guys are saying is, no matter how much brains you have been blessed with, as long as other factors are not permitting such technology, you will only go this far and this far is not is not impressing some of us who live and eat better technology. To some of us you are only reinventing the wheel, you are backward in other words, or maybe politely, your invention, brilliant as it may be, came too late on the scene. So stop throwing stones at critics, they know better cz they have seen better. You can only go as far as your resources can permit you. End of story

    2. Sakupa

      I ran the program. Its not bad at all but i noticed a few gotchas that
      make it sub-par in the cleaning tool industry. One, that EULA looks like its got more holes in it than a golfball. You can either
      make this thing open source, so we can help you, or pay a lawyer and get a proper EULA set up. Also, the program does not give me the option to exit, which is irritating. Otherwise, excellent work. I’m sure version 1 will be great, with all this input you’re getting.

      ps: your website is nice but it is cold and not very interesting. 

  19. Techstone

    @Tawanda. I quote you:
    “a Virus, dear people is JUST A PROGRAM!!! it uses RAM like all the other programs do. It runs from a harddrive like every other program. they are not as complex as you may think. they are actually very predictable. there are limited ways a virus can do its job on your computer. limited ways they can enter or leave your computer. limited places they can hide. they have roughly the same purpose of creation no matter how different they are. And the Viral Suppressor knows how they work. Simple.”

    If this is how simple you think viruses and malware operate then you still have a lot to learn. Of course most antivirus software already employs heuristic analysis to detect suspicious behaviour which may be attributed to malicious software. Are you using heuristic analysis algorithms?
    Every antivirus or antimalware scanner needs regularly updated definitions because viruses are continuously evolving.
    I’m not trying to criticize you ut I think you either have to explain the functions and limitations of your program better or you need to study much more about how malicious software works. I wish you all the with your initiative.

  20. Tawanda Katsaruware

    @Techstone, hi. You remember back in school when one of the kids was really brilliant in Maths. When there was a math problem on the board, some would see only complexity and hence wouldn’t be able to solve it. He saw just numbers and symbols and as such could easily rearrange them and solve the problem in minutes. I reduced viruses the same way to understand them.
    Try not to think of it as an antivirus, because people up to now have accepted that antiviruses operate in a certain way. Antiviruses need updating because of the way they work. This thing doesn’t work in the antivirus way. Hence doesn’t need updates.
    Here’s an illustration: back in the day, for light, people had lamps, then sm1 came up with a candle, after that a light bulb. Flourescents and xenons followed later. Now all these can light up a room. Same purpose, same effect, but different principle. Just like a bulb doesn’t use wax because its based on electricity, the Viral Suppressor doesn’t use updates because its based on something that is not virus definition signatures.
    I’m only going public now because tests since september 2010 have shown that it works.

    1. muzukuru

      LOL. me thinks you are one of those kids who used to sit at the back, who is doing things that the front group has since done long back. You are seeing symbols that others have since seen longback … try the front desk so you can impress some of us, the real buyers and users else you will keep impressing you fellow backbenchers, only pats on the back and no real $$
       

  21. Macd

    Tawanda, to make life easier for yourself, dont call your program a antivirus, lets just call it Tawanda Security Agent- TSA in short.
    -A antivirus waits until a computer is infected to positively identify the virus

    -Antivirus can not defend against Zero Day attacks

    -regardless of the buzz words used to describe antiviruses, they are all signature based, which means if there is no signature to identify a new virus, that virus will be passed as a legit good program.

    – all antiviruses needs constant updates to catch new viruses

    -most antiviruses have difficult recognising Trojan Horse activities, and more……….

    But your TSA can prevent can prevent this in one goal without even needing updates, which is great and it even do more, which is even heavenly news for those who use MicroShaft OS. Keep the fire burning.

  22. Mkanyima

    wow, this discussion is heating up. only problem is the skeptics are still to test the product, it is my true hope and wish that you will download the product and see, quality speaks for itself. i do admit that these guys have jumped into a field where the so called “big boys ” have failed but why write them off when they’ve got so much potential. i tested this product, and i went to the site. Like all first Beta releases there is soo much room for improvement and of course the typo’s on their site i’m sure will be fixed. i guess they require us to give positive criticism so that they can perfect their product for us. Personally i would like VS to end up as an Anti Virus, i like the progress on it right now, its a great tool , that is easy to master. its not heavy on resources only problem is at present its being advertised as an additional accessory to the anti virus. Tawanda can i use the VS as my sole viral defense mechanism???
    i know that no anti-virus is perfect as a viral removal tool and redudancy is required to ensure a clean network but can you guys work towards an Era where i can load my VS as my only line line of Defense against malicious software. i don’t have 10years of experience in the industry but i do possess a Comp Scie undergrad from N.U.S.T , and i know good software when i see it. I actuall think that the frustation that comes with overstaying in a field and having no major breakthrough is clouding other peoples judjement here. Step out of your comfort zones everyone, dowload the software like i did, i’m sure if you say VS is crap because it chews up my resources or is a knock off and supply examples Tawanda would be grateful.
    Hats off again, Tawanda, u’re sitting on a gold mine here. its a perfect start, even Zuckerburg met opposition when Facebook Launched butg look at him now. Don’t worry if people say you’re after the cheddar, who ain’t sir. we’re all trying to make it one way or the other. don’t let people pull you down, just do your thing. Very interested in investing, please tell me how to do so.

  23. Mkanyima

    wow, this discussion is heating up. only problem is the skeptics are still to test the product, it is my true hope and wish that you will download the product and see, quality speaks for itself. i do admit that these guys have jumped into a field where the so called “big boys ” have failed but why write them off when they’ve got so much potential. i tested this product, and i went to the site. Like all first Beta releases there is soo much room for improvement and of course the typo’s on their site i’m sure will be fixed. i guess they require us to give positive criticism so that they can perfect their product for us. Personally i would like VS to end up as an Anti Virus, i like the progress on it right now, its a great tool , that is easy to master. its not heavy on resources only problem is at present its being advertised as an additional accessory to the anti virus. Tawanda can i use the VS as my sole viral defense mechanism???
    i know that no anti-virus is perfect as a viral removal tool and redudancy is required to ensure a clean network but can you guys work towards an Era where i can load my VS as my only line line of Defense against malicious software. i don’t have 10years of experience in the industry but i do possess a Comp Scie undergrad from N.U.S.T , and i know good software when i see it. I actuall think that the frustation that comes with overstaying in a field and having no major breakthrough is clouding other peoples judjement here. Step out of your comfort zones everyone, dowload the software like i did, i’m sure if you say VS is crap because it chews up my resources or is a knock off and supply examples Tawanda would be grateful.
    Hats off again, Tawanda, u’re sitting on a gold mine here. its a perfect start, even Zuckerburg met opposition when Facebook Launched butg look at him now. Don’t worry if people say you’re after the cheddar, who ain’t sir. we’re all trying to make it one way or the other. don’t let people pull you down, just do your thing. Very interested in investing, please tell me how to do so.

  24. David

    TechTribe dudes good idea but i’m telling you u wasting your time u don’t have to reinvent the wheel again what you to do has already been done by this company Sergiwa they been out they for a couple of years and i have been using their software for about 3years now. Sergiwa Antiviral Toolkit http://www.sergiwa.com/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?cid=2&lid=1
    is the best app so far i have come across it does more than what the viral suppresor app does
    Still lost on the never needs update part of viral suppressor.

    And this goes directly to “My name is Luke Alvin Madzedze..” hotshot do research before you blow your horn. The claim that NOD32,AVIRA,NORTON could not pick up the virus for 2 MONTHS is full of 5HIT. Most of them did pick the virus up but they don’t remove the shortcuts. thats when u use app like Sergiwa Antiviral Toolkit to clean up the mess

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      “blow your horn. The claim that NOD32,AVIRA,NORTON could not pick up the virus for 2 MONTHS is full of 5HIT. Most of them did pick the virus up but they don’t remove the shortcuts. thats when u use app like Sergiwa Antiviral Toolkit to clean up the mess”

      Tell em tell em

      1. Drotsky

        @dedb693f50daead05c8fc535eb97c7d5:disqus , it is not so much reinventing the wheel if you differentiate your product. You need to realize that even though somebody came up with the idea first, if you provide greater user experience you are bound to succeed as a business. A case in point is Win-Mobile(the predecessor to the Windows Phone) where Microsoft thought of making a smartphone, but Apple made an even better product-well thought. The result: The iPhone is now the industry standard and Microsoft would rather have their initial venture forgotten. So to suggest that since there is existing software , these guys should fold their project is next to ridiculous. What I would rather have is these guys is to listen to what the people who have decided to give their product a shot and develop on it. The reality is even though corporations are working on it and haven’t released it yet, means its time to corner the market. Patent your software and make sure you keep on developing and I can bet you this is a million-dollar idea-maybe not in its current form but think of s/w that does not need updates. Golden! All the best of luck and hope you keep on working on new projects.

  25. David

    TechTribe dudes good idea but i’m telling you u wasting your time u don’t have to reinvent the wheel again what you to do has already been done by this company Sergiwa they been out they for a couple of years and i have been using their software for about 3years now. Sergiwa Antiviral Toolkit http://www.sergiwa.com/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?cid=2&lid=1
    is the best app so far i have come across it does more than what the viral suppresor app does
    Still lost on the never needs update part of viral suppressor.

    And this goes directly to “My name is Luke Alvin Madzedze..” hotshot do research before you blow your horn. The claim that NOD32,AVIRA,NORTON could not pick up the virus for 2 MONTHS is full of 5HIT. Most of them did pick the virus up but they don’t remove the shortcuts. thats when u use app like Sergiwa Antiviral Toolkit to clean up the mess

  26. Anonymous

    Following the barrage of criticism, I decided to download the suppressor on an old pentium 3 computer in my garage just to see what the frenzy is all about. Initially returns still make my position unchanged on this one and will still need to see whats really the ingenuity here. When I visited the website for the software, found out that the website only carries a download link to the software and we are also told about the antiviral briefly. On the site there is not much information about the developers of the software nor the company behind it. I was surprised that the software is about 4MB large zipped. At first i thought maybe I had downloaded a web installer for the software and later saw that the 4 mb is the zipped full package and it doesn’t need any updates wow give me a break!!! when I installed it on my computer all the files stretched to 8MB, still far below the size of norton updates i get weekly.When I ran the software it then opened a small window on the right bottom corner alerting that there are some utachionasi in my java files. I am still find out whether this was a false or true alert as I maintain a thorough antiviral schedule. Worse the antiviral did not tell me the name of the virus nor did it offered me a solution to the problem.

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      I made it a promise not to put my valued eyes on this piece of nonsense. I want to talk to the CEO of this start-up I have two … him not two seconds obviously but a few words in two lines. In simple words could you be healed by a medicine for a 1984 polio disease or rather lets use caugh serup to heal all viruses.

      What acomputer doctor these guys are. If my computer is sick of noobyCode they give me a 4MB dose of Woods(caugh Serup) if I have Cyphilis they Give me that one drug.

      Haaa Nonsense

  27. Noel

    @ Ocybergateway its nt the sku that teaches a man but the vision in a man drives him.U see to be a mr know all who wants pple to copy yo failures and thats wrong.Rega vapfana vanedzakarodzwa vanyore code yavo.The fact that no one is taught virology in zim universities will nt stop Tawanda,hats off to him.iwewe wakakonewa kuita code so all u must do is retry zvakakuvhara

  28. TheCodebreaker

    If u’ve neva made a virus….pliz shut up on the critisms…. My name is CODEBREAKER….straight frm htown…i made the virus that adds an intro to all the mp3’s on ur hdd…my virus spread all around the region and sometyms u cld hear songs with my intro on POWER FM…no Antivirus cld pic that up until some idiot frm moza posted a sample to avast…5 months later avast had a signature for my virus…..soooo i went 2 my virus factory,changed 4 lines..and avast cld no longer detect it.i diployd my virus again and lol……i nolonger make viruses..i now enjoy the opposite.iam zimbabwean…and wat were u sayin abt zimbo brains?wats my name? Aaaah swt, u can call me “orion”…@david…calls me “hotshot”

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      Im sorry man Im not with you on this one. ek ek ek what are you saaaaying. Iwe iwe hatisi kutamba bhora pano.

  29. Tawanda Katsaruware

    LOL. And the issue rages on…

    MacD, thanks for helping me define this thing. David, myself and many other people havent heard of the Sergiwa program. M not saying that it doesnt exist, i mean that its an issue of its non availability to the people it can help. I am basically trying to address a local problem with a local solution. And it is working.

    Ocybergateway, even if you do find the usefulness of the program, im not expecting you to then admit that you were wrong. You are taking wild swipes now. Anyone can tell that the site is not finished. The purpose of the site right now is to provide a download. And with the many times i and others like MacD and Kabweza have told you, IT IS NOT AN ANTIVIRUS. Please go through the comments again. MacD defined it perfectly.
    Izvi zvekuti its 4mb zvinei? It does its job. Im really failing to understand where exactly your issue is. Tell me, can you run Norton 360, for example on that P3? Or any other Antivirus for that matter? It becomes slow as heck. How any people in dear Zim have high end PCs here? Fact is vanhu avana cash! Antiviruses are becoming heavier because the developed countries have the hardware. Isu atina and its not going to change. Im not the type of person who sits and waits for things to happen. You should have the ability at your age to identify problems that cant be solved. Ma antivirus ahasi kushandira vanhu vakawanda muZim nekuti they have old computers and avana internet. And no one is going to donate Ma quad core to those people. The developed world is leaving us behind. So lets make our own solutions for ourselves.

    Your negativity, Ocyber has prevented you from reading the alert you got. It said there was a program running with suspicious attributes. It did not say it was a virus did it? And it gave you an option to allow or stop the program if you recognise it, didnt it?

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      Nxce heya. Esset os so foolish to send me 20 MB files of Viri defination everyday. When It cam be done in a 4MB Zimbabwean University code

  30. David

    @codebreaker could you post some virus.exe for all of us to see. use a site like hotfile or rapidshare and post the link here.

    @Tawanda agree with you if you make your app like the one i said or even better will support you. Another thing can viral suppresor pick up “codebreaker” alledgedly untraceble virus?

    1. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

      Haa David @CodeBreaker is just one of those spammers dont take him seriously. He probably has run outter econet airtime.

  31. Anonymous

    @ Tawanda, so you need to elaborate as to what your software does. You say its its not an anti-viral so what it is it. I think your software is a “File change alert system” as when I probed some alerts it gave about some folders, I went I went there I would find that its a file that has undergone changes after I added some new features. I saw it when I upgraded my dotnet framework. What I am seeing is that through your much emphasis on Zimbabweans being a poor lot, this software will appeal to people who cant afford to maintain a thorough anti-viral schedule due to costs under the belief that it might alert them to file changes that normally might be triggered by viruses for them to make further investigation. If that is the case the software wont assist the layman or the ordinary person on the streets………… I had to use it on my disused p3 as i feared it will mess my business workstations. Anywhere wish you the best lucky in your project and hope these debates here brought some awakening to you such that your software comes out stronger in future releases if they will be any. As a developer you should accept any kind of critique and understand computer security is a very serious issue. I would have loved to thoroughly test your software but have other pressing projects. However I would like to leave you with the following tips.
    1) Try to work with others when developing softwares, teamwork makes perfect. I can actually see from the graphics design icons, forms, agreements, help files, code, website, e.t.c everything you must be the one who did it all . What about others – were you the only one in your class, why didn’t others put their contributions. If others had made contributions I would have seen that in the acknowledgements. i wont be surprised if you and your friend run tech tribe from development, marketing, management, pr, to support. I am not prescribing that you ought to to include others but having been at Wits University I found out how powerful teamwork is. On my project I included students from the universities different departments like law, Business management, marketing, IT, literature, graphics design, journalism e.t.c. . And the project came out nice that I won a Reuters Digital Fellowship Scholarship. I have been to google and MIT labs and have learnt a lot on software and hardware engineering. dont complain about funding as your start at university is a good start as you can find willing people to assist for free at the least and the most for a plate of sadza.
    2) This is a call to everyone, lets trying working together. I would like this blog to come up with techies directory so that we know who is doing what, where and how we can help and maybe look for funding under one umbrella. Its no longer time to do things the simba makoni way (kuzvimirira). Right now most of us here we cant give our really names because we live in a world of our own. Kabweza I hope you will take this techies directory seriously, maybe you can organise workshops too. at the moment I am thrilled with state of proper organisation of techies in Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa. No wonder why they have attracted Google to their countries. ……………………………….

    1. Amandaelizabeth30

      ocyber I agree with you on point 2 of your post

  32. Macd

    Here are some facts l think will cheer Tawanda and his TSA to do more and remain focused:

    When Google was brought out, Yahoo and Ask were the biggest boys on search engine. Google brought simplicity which made it won so many people’s hearts even when it was in beta for over 10years! Tawanda your TSA must remain simple, stay away from bling bling coding.

    When two Latino ladies who didnot know how to code or been to university approached Mark(d?) Zuckerberg to make them a program which allows them to stay in tough with there friends in Latin America by means of pictures, Mark(d?) saw the brilliance ran away with their idea and make it his, the case was settled out of court. On the other end, Hi5 and MySpace were there first, even Murdoch paid millions and millions of dollars for MySpace, but who is the boss now?

    Mark(d?) Shuttleworth started his Ubuntu about 8yrs ago, everybody wrote him off because he was challenging very formidable establishment namely MicroShaft and Red Hat, how is Ubuntu now: Citroen, Peugeot, German gvt, Swedish gvt and many more are fully Ubuntunised(if its a word)

    When that college dropout called Bill Gates started his DOS, everybody said he was challenging the impossible which was IBM. IBM had its own OS as wel as manufacturer of computers, how has Bill Gates done so far, even when he introduced his Windows GUI, most people were skeptical because Apple was years ahead on GUI

    Even when TCP/IP was started most industry geniuses did not believe it could match DECnet, but TCP/IP even did better and more. TCP/IP brought the internet which we are enjoying now.

    Tawanda remain focused and do not let these people distract you!

    1. Samurai

      Most of your comments are false man. DOS sis not outcompete IBM. Thats shows you don’t understand what took place. Gates was a beneficiary of the IBM PC. IBM did not want to develop its own OS, so they outsourced it to Microsoft, which in turn bought the OS from somewhere else in Silicon Valley.

  33. Macd

    ocyber, l like your second point sooo much! Kabweza take note purizi.

  34. Tawanda Katsaruware

    Hi Ocyber,To be honest, i am not aware of the Viral Suppressor giving any file change notifications. Infact i know it doesnt. Well at least you’ve admitted you have better things to do than test the product, perhaps you will get the time and read exactly what the alerts are saying.
    As for critique, you may have noticed that i have been responding mainly to your stereotyped critique, although i can accept all other criticism, zvekuita shoot down fellow Zimbabweans because you may worship foreign technology is not easily acceptable. Not all of us want to wait on other countries to solve our problems.

    Now the second half of your comment is more like it (though i see the “kushora” spirit is still there). You are now contributing. Thats good. I havent done everything on my own. The credits do say the interface concept was done by InCreation Design. I however did most of the myself, to be honest you know how some people (friends incl) are unable or unwilling to help.

    You also cannot go get any Tom, Dick and Harry to jump on your project (for obvious reasons). I am however in talks with a couple of organisations. And i have made the plans and provisions for additional members to the development team. I had to make sure this thing works first before i go making resources for further development.
    Suggestion number 2 is brilliant. I believe everyone needs it. It would go a long way.

    If i had the resources, i would hold live demos and explanations like i did at the Research and Technology Expo. Till then, when the site is finished you will get ‘clearer’ info.

  35. ocyber

    Dont get me wrong. I do not look down upon Zim inventions. Infact, I am a venture capitalist and I once bankrolled a young developer in Harare with money and latest computers but he failed to take the project to a higher level, infact with the amount of resources I gave him which included laptops people dumped at my collection depot in Canada he decided to setup an internet cafe instead and forgot about the software.
    However I would like to emphasise teamwork in your efforts, thats the only way you can go far. Under my fulltime job I am working with UNICEF to develop and deploy RapidSMS using python and django, which is an sms system for data collection .I can tell you that this system is being worked with over a thousand people and we dont know each other and the software is getting stronger by the passing of the day. In your case an additional four or five coders might be the way to go. if people in Zimbabwe cant help if you go on some leading world universities websites and search for their IT clubs you can find people there to more than willing to assist.

    @MacD You should understand that the dot com boom is over. Have you seen an new notable web or IT inventions over the past two or so years. Infact trying to come up with a service that outdo facebook is no simply task the same with “antiviral” The best we can do is to contextulize the already existing technologies so that they can resonate with our circumstances and aspirations inorder to avoid wasting coding power. This is why you see popular websites like facebook, oracle have developer pages and this is where we ought to go and look into ways we can intergrate some already existing technologies to bring about social change. This one reason I salute the etxt guys. The future is much more to do with intergration.

  36. kepekepebhora

    @Tawanda I have been running your Viral suppressor for some days now,It looks like a step in the right direction but I wouldn’t want people to go around calling that software an Antivirus.It looks to me like an AIO(all in one) tool ,a registry tweaker,file restorer,and a limited rootkit revealer and blocker.I am worried with its ability to effectively deal with rootkits,especially the ones that reside in the operating system kernel.I like the fact that you can add suspicious programs to sort of a blacklist.My r question is how does this protect a user from internet based malicious viral activity?The solution has to be global not local , a huge percentage of modern computing activity happens online and it is here where OS vulnerabilities are exploited.Any computer security program has to deal with this fact and provide counter measures.There is more to it than meets the eye,as you know viruses are not only designed to disrupt your normal computing operations.What about dialers,keyloggers e.t.c that come packaged in viruses.
    You got me wrong when you said I am criticizing you because its a Zimbabwean project..I have been out of Zim for some years now and years of experience have taught me not to criticise people based on where they come from.I can tell you that the best brains I know in IT out here are from Zim,they are brilliant because they had ideas they developed patiently and pitched to the right people and took criticism and accepted some advice that led to perfection.Good luck with VS. the ocean is huge and guppies get swallowed by bigger fish..what other project are you working on?

  37. Illuminatti

    people you all seem like computer buffs….but there is nothing called COMPUTER VIROLOGY its COMPUTER SECURITY.

  38. Michael

    Pretty useful for the 3 days i have had it on my machine, guys don’t take any negative feedback badly, just look to the positive side of the negative feedback and aim for the sky! You have our full support here at Motion Raw Solutions!

    I will also publish this story on Ngoda Business Blog, http://www.ngoda.wordpress.com to spread the word!

  39. Nerudo Curtis Mregi

    Well guys I dont want to unleash any form of critique. As of now. I will be infesting two VM on a Linux distro of my choice.

    After that I would like the start-up owners to give me their details and their website so I can do some pen testing.

    I will then unleash some hell to both the Anti Virus then their site and lastyly I will be back with a feed back. Please do give me a week and a weekened. I am a certified ethical hacker and from what this guys is talking I highly doubt he understands how a malicious piece of software is meant to compromise the state and function of a machine.

    I have been involved in software exploitation and I have workd withj the guys at sitepoint.co.za . IT DOESNT TAKE KNOWLEDGE OF PACKAGING A PIECE OF SOFTWARE tp create and antivirus.

    Who of the guys and who from that under funded university is capable enough to understand Virii heuristics and create logic that can scan and identify a malicous piece of software.

    Im known to be hard of such start-up but due to concerns from guys like Nhava and many other I have Kritiqued I will reserve my words for now till I prove how useless this idea is.

    Just to politely say this is a dumb idea. Virus definations (vdi) files are updated to the fraction of the minute how then can a company that clearly does not have an Internet presence and forefront be able to inhibit the rath of a malicious script.

    Im coming to Zimbabwe in a few months to come. I will try and help you guys understand what it is you shouldnt be doing or starting. TechZim thans for bringing this guys to the scene.

    I think I personally feel it could have been good that he kept that “school” project in the closet. The real world of business security and Info Sec calls for Pen Testers and not Antivirus development. Thats a blant Idea guys. Go and Study Info Sec and become Pen Testers not this nonsense guys.

  40. Unstoppable

    All great people, great inventions, great monuments, great success stories, start from here. Concentrate your energizes more advise on how you can improve it further not on those who say it’s crap. Be glad also that you have such, because tommorrow (those who say it’s crap) they will make part of your inspirational success story. (when finally you’ll have proved the wrong) Check all the great guys you know google, microsoft, facebook, appple mac, infosystems, tata etc at some point they were told it’s crap, its impassible, their mental capacity is on the wrong side, ngavaende kumusha vandorima and so on. henry ford was told his mechanical junk would never beat the horse,would not last 2years and the horse will be used till forever, but look now how somebody’s dream changed the world (feel sorry for the horses though, all they do is horse racing in one course everyday can’t explore the world like cars do) Get people to test the product, work on improvements and build around that. If you use windows version 3.1 you will know what some of these guys are saying its just un-ne-se-sa-ri negativity. Windows is now very robust, functional and aesthetic but it had to start there! Well done guys, let this be a founding block for bigger things to come. Work on various other applications that can complement your software development business. I don’t see why young Zimbabweans entrepreneurs, with such great ideas should not make it. Build a team of serious business people around you who are prepared to support you, I am one of those, if you need some investment. kudzai@emultimediabox.com, http://www.emultimediabox.com

  41. achitate

    first and for most, i prefer to sample the coffee before i spit it out, but guess what tryd to access the vs website and their web bandwidth is exceeded had set up a virtual machine just to give them a fighting chance, am now more skeptical, viruses have been there for ages and updates are synonymous with antivirus software as these virus coders become more ingenious at exploiting loop holes in operating systems, education aside common sense being first, situation 1 how do you protect a pc from a virus that may come next week, that exploits a loophole in internet explorer 9 auto-update feature, food for thought, situation 2, the virus is in the computer its corrupting your word files how does vs repair such damage food for thought,

  42. Greg Chiponda

    u’re sentiments are the antithesis of innovation
    entrepreneurship. its basically an inferiority complex afraid of the big
    guys mentality. if any of u evaluated the software and indicated the
    flaws , i would have said there is substance in ur assertations but alas
    u’re just consumed with an inferiority complex. 

  43. Greg Chiponda

    as they say New ideas pass through three periods: 1) It can’t be done. 2) It probably can be done, but it’s not worth doing. 3) I knew it was a good idea all along! this has happened to all new ideas (those that have succeeded and those that have not) 

  44. Oscar Manduku

    You guys are heroes, keep it up hey!

  45. Bryantondie

    please lets just stick to the main issue here hey hey hey!!!!!!!!

    anyway tawaz i send my opinion soon…
     

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