From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Dec 10 06:30:20 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 75ACA106566B for ; Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:30:20 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Received: from mx01.qsc.de (mx01.qsc.de [213.148.129.14]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 36AA38FC08 for ; Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:30:19 +0000 (UTC) Received: from r56.edvax.de (port-92-195-49-185.dynamic.qsc.de [92.195.49.185]) by mx01.qsc.de (Postfix) with ESMTP id A63FC3CD03; Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:30:18 +0100 (CET) Received: from r56.edvax.de (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by r56.edvax.de (8.14.5/8.14.5) with SMTP id pBA6UH9M001893; Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:30:17 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:30:17 +0100 From: Polytropon To: Ryan Coleman Message-Id: <20111210073017.7e24a5aa.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: <49B5BAFE-22AE-4AB0-A3FD-51FF9B1722DC@d3photography.com> References: <258382C6-4904-44EE-86D4-1F8F97559983@d3photography.com> <20111209190305.c6bc60cf.freebsd@edvax.de> <49B5BAFE-22AE-4AB0-A3FD-51FF9B1722DC@d3photography.com> Organization: EDVAX X-Mailer: Sylpheed 3.1.1 (GTK+ 2.24.5; i386-portbld-freebsd8.2) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: FreeBSD Questions Subject: Re: OT: C|Net's Download.com adware, spyware, malware hijinkx. X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: Polytropon List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:30:20 -0000 On Fri, 9 Dec 2011 13:05:05 -0600, Ryan Coleman wrote: > > On Dec 9, 2011, at 12:03 PM, Polytropon wrote: > > > On Fri, 9 Dec 2011 09:38:59 -0600, Ryan Coleman wrote: > >> It's still not malware, it's bloatware. Why would you > >> not go to the development website to get the program anyway? > > > > Uninvitedly adding toolbars, changing web browser > > home page and default search engine are - in my > > opinion - malicious acts, so the term "malware" > > may be correct here. Maybe the term "spyware" is > > also appropriate, depending on what the "additions" > > actually do behind the curtain. > > > > Note an important thing: When careless users will > > notice the change, they will maybe blame the authors > > of the original software, not the distributor. > > This could do damage to F/O products, at least > > in "Windows" land. > > > > Luckily, those who build from source or use > > precompiled packages from a trustworthy > > vendor don't have to care for that stuff. :-) > > So, wait, Firefox is Malware? Did you notice that with FF4 > they changed it so that you didn't get prompted on launch > it overrides your default but instead it's a checkbox inside > the installer? I've never installed something in "Windows" so my opinion has limited fact-backup here. I don't even see from your post _what_ they changed in FF4 - the default browser? The home page? Additional toolbars? Some advertising? Hmmm... However, installing proprietary stuff "along with" the desired F/O software and changing user settings without dialog or notification _could_ deserve the term "malware" to apply. It's _not_ that those are a dependency! -- Polytropon Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...