Category : Utilities for DOS and Windows Machines
Archive   : CIPHER15.ZIP
Filename : README.DOC

Shareware Information
Mike Albert
November 1992

1 Introduction

This file describes the shareware programs I currently publish, how
to contact me, and how to get current copies of the programs.

The programs currently available are:

Program Ver. Function
------- ---- --------

CIPHER 1.5 Encrypt/decrypt files

FC 2.7 Compare ASCII files

FCDOC 2.4 Compare English documents

FCBIN 1.2 Compare files byte by byte

ASCIIZE 1.2 Convert binary files to/from ASCII

ZEROFREE 1.0 Clear disk free space so unerase utilities
can't recover your data

ZIPFIND 1.2 Search ARC and ZIP files for text strings

D 1.0 Manage files, directories, and archives

SQUISH 1.0 Compress/decompress files



2 Program descriptions:

Program: Cipher

Version: 1.5

Files: CIPHER.COM Program
CIPHER.DOC Documentation

Purpose:

Cipher scrambles files so that no one can use them - unless they
have the correct key. Cipher is designed to protect files on your
computer from misuse by others who may have access to your PC.
(The ZEROFREE program described below is also useful for this.)
Cipher provides the following benefits:

Features:

o Cipher is easy to use - it protects you from mistakes and helps
you to remember keys.

o Cipher is much faster than other programs that provide
comparable security.




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o Protection is provided by a reliable, documented method that is
highly resistant to attack - even by expert programmers and
cryptographic analysts.

o Cipher can encrypt files in place, so unerase utilities can't
recreate them.

o Cipher can also make a new encrypted file and leave the
original file untouched - this is useful when sending an
encrypted file to someone else.

o Cipher checks when decrypting a file to ensure that the file
hasn't been corrupted.

o Cipher can be used from batch files to provide security
automatically.

o Cipher guards against changes to itself - you can be sure you
have an unmodified Cipher and also detect any subsequent
tampering.



Program: FC

Version: 2.7

Files: FC.EXE Program
FC.DOC Documentation

Purpose:

FC compares two text files and lists the differences between them
line by line. FC provides the following benefits:

Features:

o FC shows word by word differences between lines that have
changed.

o FC can ignore white space changes. This is useful when you
want to ignore format changes in "C" programs or other text.

o FC never gets confused or "unsynchronized" (as some comparison
programs can).

o FC always finds the smallest set of differences between files,
and never misses matching lines.

o FC helps "C" programmers merge program changes. FC can compare
two "C" programs containing separate sets of changes, and
combine them automatically to make a single program.

o FC lets you do multiple comparisons in one run.

o FC lets you list changes in ways that make sense to you by
providing multiple display options. You can also customize FC
to use your favorite options automatically.





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Program: FCDOC

Version: 2.4

Files: FC.EXE Program
FC.DOC Documentation

Purpose:

FCDOC compares two text English files and lists the differences
between them sentence by sentence. FCDOC works with any ASCII
text file containing English text.

Features:

o FCDOC ignores format differences, so changes in margins,
indentation, and white space are not shown. This allows you to
look at content changes without being distracted by unimportant
details.

o FCDOC can show word by word differences between sentences that
have changed.

o FCDOC never gets confused or "unsynchronized" (as some
comparison programs can).

o FCDOC always finds the smallest set of differences between
files, and never misses matching sentences.

o FCDOC lets you do multiple comparisons in one run.

o FCDOC lets you list changes in ways that make sense to you by
providing multiple display options. You can also customize
FCDOC to use your favorite options automatically.



Program: FCBIN

Version: 1.2

Files: FCBIN.EXE Program
FCBIN.DOC Documentation

Purpose:

FCBIN compares two files and lists the differences between them
byte by byte.

Features:

o FCBIN shows PER BYTE differences between files. Line endings
are treated just like other characters.

o Any type of file - ASCII, executable, data base, etc. - can be
compared.

o FCBIN never gets confused or "unsynchronized" (as some
comparison programs can).




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o FCBIN always finds the smallest set of differences between
files, and never misses matching bytes.

o FCBIN lets you do multiple comparisons in one run.

o FCBIN can be customized to use your favorite options
automatically.



Program: ASCIIZE

Version: 1.2

Files: ASCIIZE.EXE Program

Purpose:

ASCIIZE transforms any file to or from an ASCII-encoded form.
This is useful when transferring a binary file via an ASCII-only
medium (e.g. an EMAIL message).

Features:

o You can add an explanation to the front of the ASCII-encoded
file.

o Any changes made to the ASCII-encoded text are detected when
the text is converted back to binary.



Program: ZEROFREE

Version: 1.0

Files: ZEROFREE.EXE Program
ZEROFREE.DOC Documentation

Purpose:

ZEROFREE protects your deleted files from access by others who
have access to your machine. Without ZEROFREE, undelete utilities
and disk editors can recover data that is left in unused data
areas of your disk.

Features:

o ZEROFREE zeroes the complete unallocated data area of a disk,
so undelete utilities, disk editors, and data recovery programs
cannot access data from deleted files.

o ZEROFREE zeroes the directory entries of deleted files, so that
the names, sizes, or dates of deleted files are erased too.

o ZEROFREE zeroes the unused space at the end of files, so that
disk editors can't recover data that may remain there.






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Program: ZIPFIND

Version: 1.2

Files: ZIPFIND.EXE Program
ZIPFIND.DOC Documentation

Purpose:

ZIPFIND searches ZIP or ARC files for text strings, and displays
each line of each archived file that contains the desired string.

Features:

o Any type of file stored in an ARC or ZIP file can be searched
for any text string.

o You can use your own text search program to provide more
powerful search options. Many programs (e.g. GREP variants)
provide pattern searches and special output options not
otherwise available.

o You can use MS-DOS wildcards to search multiple ARC and ZIP
files.



Program: D

Version: 1.0

Files: D.EXE Program
D.DOC Documentation

Purpose:

D lets you manipulate directories, files, and archives in an
intuitive and direct way.

Features:

o D provides all standard file operations (e.g. view, delete,
copy) plus more obscure operations (e.g. setting file date).

o D provides all standard directory operations (e.g. make
directory) plus more obscure operations (e.g. delete a
directory and all files within it).

o D handles ARC and ZIP files as if they were directories.

o D provides many other features.



Program: SQUISH

Version: 1.0

Files: SQUISH.EXE Program




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Purpose:

SQUISH compresses or decompresses files.

Features:

o Squish uses standard input and output, so that file redirection
and pipes can be used.



3 Support, Ordering, and Licensing:

I support all programs via CompuServe mail. Messages should
carefully describe your problem or question, and be sure to note the
version of the program you're using. I support all registered users,
and usually reply to those who haven't yet decided whether or not to
register. I'll also respond to queries via regular U.S. Mail. My
CompuServe userid is [70325,1134], and my mailing address is:

Mike Albert
P. O. Box 535
Bedford, MA 01730


I welcome all comments and suggestions concerning my programs. I'd
like to know how you are using them, where you got them, and what
problems, bugs, or weaknesses you find. If you tell me about
enhancements or changes you're interested in, I'll make an effort to
provide them.

Anyone can order the latest version of my shareware programs directly
from me for a fee of $5.00. Just send the order (make sure it
contains your mailing address) with your check to the above address.
You'll receive a 5 1/4 inch 360Kb floppy disk containing the latest
version of all my shareware products. If you need other formats (5
1/4 inch 1.2Mb or 3 1/2 inch 720Kb or 1.44Mb) I can provide them. If
you live outside North America, please send extra money for the
increased postage.

All my programs are distributed as shareware. Registration payments
are donated to Oxfam America, an international development and
disaster relief agency. It's a worthy charity that I've been
supporting for many years. As stated in Oxfam literature,

"Oxfam America is an international agency that funds self-help
development projects and disaster relief in poor countries in
Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and also prepares and distributes
educational materials for people in the United States on the
issues of development and hunger. The name "Oxfam" comes from the
Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in England in 1942.
Oxfam America, based in Boston, was formed in 1970, and is one of
seven autonomous Oxfams around the world (Great Britain,
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Quebec, Hong Kong and the United
States). Oxfam is a nonsectarian, nonprofit agency that neither
seeks or accepts U.S. government funds. All contributions are
tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law."






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For more information, you can phone Oxfam at 617-482-1211, or write
to them at:

Oxfam America
26 West Street
Boston, MA 02111-1206

























































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