OT: C|Net's Download.com adware, spyware, malware hijinkx.

Polytropon freebsd at edvax.de
Sat Dec 10 06:30:20 UTC 2011


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, ...


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