Q.   How do I register this fine tester?
A.   Registration in the traditional sense is not required. However, if you
     really wish to do something for the author, The following is what I
     would like to see. Make the file FREE on your BBS (No Points/No Ratio).
     Make it FREQ'able if you are part of a net. If you are on a BBS that
     doesn't have it available, upload it there (ESPECIALLY foreign
     countries). If you have comments or suggestions, send them to me
     through Telenet Canada. If you're really ambitious, send them through
     Fido Net at 1:259/423 (attention David Muir). And above all, encourage
     people to use it.

Q.   Why don't you ask for money?
A.   I have been asked this question many times. I have two reasons for this
     apparent lack of logic. First how many worthwhile things will a
     complete stranger do for you absolutely free? (I am not a sysop and
     have almost no use for the majority of the things which THD ProScan is
     capable of doing.) Also since it has yet to be "perfect", it is not
     worthy of cash donations. I wouldn't ask you for money for something
     that is less than perfect. So when it does become "perfect", it will
     have been so close to perfect in the release prior, that it won't be
     worth paying for the minor differences.

Q.   When and why does THD Move/Rename files?
A.   THD ProScan was initially intended for and designed around TELEGARD. In
     so doing it's main purpose was to test files and it's secondary purpose
     was to save all files in the case where the file may have failed for a
     reason unknown or a bad configuration. In that respect THD was designed
     not only to not delete files but to avoid letting TG delete them for
     any reason except for the CRC failure. THD will attempt to move any
     file that fails for a reason OTHER than a CRC error. Where that file
     exists already, it will move and rename the file. If that name already
     exists, it will rename the file where it is and leave it there. While
     this may seem like a lot of trouble to some, You might not think so if
     you set up this wonderful new tester incorrectly and suddenly found
     your BBS deleting all uploads because of a bad path in your THD
     configuration.

Q.   Can I stop THD from Moving/Renaming files?
A.   YES. With version 6 and all future versions, THDINSTL will accept a
     parameter of "/NOMOVE" and alter the THDPRO.EXE file to not perform
     the move/rename operation. The default is to reset the move/rename
     option each time THDINSTL.EXE is run and failure to supply the /NOMOVE
     on each running will result in the move option being restored. No sign
     will be given that this option is active or inactive, so use it
     cautiously.

Q.   Why are the version numbers always ".0"?
A.   I have decided to stick with whole numbers for each new release. The
     "." is reserved for use in patch files as was the case with version
     5.1. At least this way, when you see version 7 you will know that there
     have not been 100 "point" versions before it. Also each version number
     used is accounted for in the HISTORY.DOC, as are all the bugs found and
     fixed to date.

Q.   Can I change the options used by SCAN.EXE or the archivers?
A.   NO!

Q.   Why not?
A.   The reason for making this tester in the first place was because of the
     way (literally all) other upload testers handled the options. Those
     who left them configurable, handed the BBS user keys to your system, as
     did most of those who did not let you configure them. The options I use
     in THD Proscan are the ones I would use IF I ran a BBS. THD is the ONLY
     tester I could not find a simple way to break into a BBS. If I allow
     the options to be modified, Then I allow people who do not know the
     methods used to break into BBSes a chance to turn my tester into a back
     door.

Q.   You always emphasize the "SAFE" aspect of this tester, Is it really
     that safe?
A.   I cannot say that there is no way to get past it. However, I can say
     that I have not been able to do so and have never heard of anyone doing
     so. I have however tested a number of other upload testers and been
     successful in EVERY attempt at getting past them. I am not saying that
     it is impenetrable, only that I don't know any way. But be warned...
     "Locks are for honest people. Real thieves can break into almost
     anything."

Q.   Why do I even need an upload tester?
A.   You don't... It is simply a convenient way to test files while the user
     is online. If you wish to test all files manually that is your option.
     If you wish to trust another tester, that too is your option. But if
     you are at all unsure as to the security offered by other testers, use
     this one. If you find a back door in my tester, tell me. I will fix it.
     If I can't, I will stop programming it.

Q.   What options DOES this tester use for the archives?
A.   Basically it uses those options required to recreate all subdirectory
     structures without allowing the use of the root directory. It does not
     allow any overwrites.

Q.   Why no overwrites?
A.   Many testers allow overwrites as a way to stop archivers from prompting
     the sysop, I simply create an environment where this will never occur.
     Allowing overwrites could let a virus get past the tester by having two
     files with the same name, My tester will expand both those files and
     test both those files, while some other testers will let the virus free
     file overwrite the infected file and lose the ability to detect the
     virus in the first one.

Q.   So no viruses get past this tester?
A.   No viruses that can be detected by your version of McAfee's Viruscan.
     Unknown viruses or viruses not yet detectable by your version of
     SCAN.EXE may still get by, but they are few and far between. Also in
     this version the heuristic testing can aid in detecting unknown
     viruses.

Q.   Why do you insist on McAfee's SCAN.EXE?
A.   While no scanner is perfect, None is so widely available and frequently
     updated as is SCAN.EXE by McAfee. Others may be prettier and have some
     nice goodies with them, but I would trust McAfee on my system above all
     others and therefore am only giving you what "I" would use.

Q.   Why are TBSCAN and F-PROT not used for the standard virus scanning?
A.   At this point in time, I am not comfortable enough with the use of
     those two testers to use them in this capacity. However, in future,
     they may be an alternative. This will have to wait until I know the
     testers a little better.

Q.   The Ansi screen takes too long. Can it be aborted?
A.   No. It is interactive and must complete in order for the indictors to
     make any sense. Users not wishing to see it could disable their own
     ansi, thus causing the ASCII output to occur.

Q.   Sometimes my users don't get the ansi screen. Why?
A.   The program allots a given amount of time to detect ansi on the remote
     system. If the remote does not respond in that time, it is assumed that
     they have no ansi capability. This detection time has been revised a
     number of times but will never guarantee that the remote does or does
     not have ansi active. If a user shells to use a protocol, then the
     terminal cannot answer the detection sequence until it is again active.
     In the meantime THD could timeout on the detection and send ASCII
     instead. Work is still ongoing to optimize that time span to allow most
     terminals to regain control.

Q.   My multinode BBS can pass the NODE number but not the port number.
     How do I get THD ProScan to understand which "PORT" to use?
A.   The easiest way to do this is to run THDPRO.EXE from a batch file.
     Have your BBS pass the "NODE" to the batch file and then have the batch
     file call THDPRO.EXE with the appropriate PORT number for that node.
     The following example would work for a BBS with node 1 using com2 and
     node2 using com3.

     @echo off
     CTTY CON
     IF "%2"=="1" C:\THD\THDPRO.EXE %1 2
     IF "%2"=="2" C:\THD\THDPRO.EXE %1 3

               ^node number use comport^


Q.   Why does Version 6 "look" the same as Version 1?
A.   My main concern is and always has been the functionality of the tester.
     As such, the appearance of the tester has always been of little
     concern. Aside from that though, I like the way it looks.

Q.   Why can't the sysop see the user's view?
A.   The sysop's view is (and always will be) the view of the various
     utilities. While the user view may be nicer to look at, it reveals
     nothing about what is happening on the system. The information
     displayed to the sysop can reveal errors or other things which may be
     helpful in explaining errors. I have found it to be extremely helpful
     when answering questions if the sysop can see exactly where the error
     occurred.
