New XP-AntiSpy

[Lee]

Some people(s) don't like this application I do and some of you may use it and find it works fine, so I will tell you now there is a new version of XP antispy, now 3.91 @ http://www.xp-antispy.org/ German and English languages and older versions also.

This one has been optimised for sp2 btw.

Thanks, and keep Mum!

 

[NetRyder]

You really made it a point to draw my attention to this, didn't you?

Ok, let's look into what this app actually does, some of what it considers "suspicious" Windows activity, and why it worries me:

- Disable Automatic Update: Ok, number one: Automatic Update does not send any personal information to Microsoft servers. Number two: If you're really paranoid, there's an option to turn it off in your system properties box. Number three: don't go bitching at Microsoft the next time something like MSBlast takes your system down before you can blink an eyelid. You chose not to receive security patches, you get to face the consequences.

- Patches TCPIP.sys: Ooh, my favorite one lately. This is almost as bad as the QoS "tweak" that used to float around back in the day. Nothing more misleading, and unfortunately, more dangerous than the QoS tweak. Read the TCPIP.sys thread in the Windows Networking section to find out why patching this file is counterproductive more than anything else. Don't shoot yourself in the foot.

- The possibility to turn of error reporting for MS Office: Brilliant. First people bitch about Microsoft creating buggy software. Then when they decide to include an error reporting system so that they can see what problems are especially frequent and under what circumstances they occur, you go ahead and disable it. How about Mozilla's TalkBack system for error reporting? Does anyone turn that off too? Or is the paranoia only because this is Microsoft, "t3h 3vil empire!!"?

- "Added misc. functions (too tired to list them all, sorry but it's 3:00am)" - Ok? I think I'm too tired to explain to you why what you consider "suspicious" in Windows is only a result of excessive paranoia and nothing more than that. Do you also believe that the U.S. government is out to get you? The FBI watching every move you make?

 

[Grandmaster]

I believe an "0wned" pic will do well here

 

[Lee]

You're so sexy when you are angry. I use it because I am lazy, can't be bothered to manually turn off certain functions i don't want to use. As for the FEDS, yep they are after us all.

 

[gonaads]

Do we really need to go through this again?

 

[Electronic Punk]

[edit]OH, you said owned[/edit]

 

[NetRyder]

You're so sexy when you are angry.

Aww, thanks.

I use it because I am lazy, can't be bothered to manually turn off certain functions i don't want to use.

Mind if I ask you what functions you turn off using this utility?

 

[gonaads]

Hahahahaha

 

[Lee]

Well I believe it's a choice, if you wanna use it, then use it if you don't then don't. I would post it on front page but....I saw a big moan about it, so jokingly posted it here, so to let people have a choice, without a frontpage team debate.

NetRyder you need to simmer down and not get so stressed about it.

I do mind telling you, I don't know you, you might be a FBI spy, or working for some organisation waiting to milk my grey matter for futire use to create the perfect man.

Nice eyes EP. OVO

 

[gonaads]

Happy now?

 

[Electronic Punk]

yeah, we decided not to post it on the frontpage cos of this controversy, but some people do choose to use it. I used it in the past quite a while ago.

 

[Grandmaster]

Happy now?

Yes

 

[NetRyder]

Well I believe it's a choice, if you wanna use it, then use it if you don't then don't. I would post it on front page but....I saw a big moan about it, so jokingly posted it here, so to let people have a choice, without a frontpage team debate.

NetRyder you need to simmer down and not get so stressed about it.

Well, I'd hope most members here at OSNN would be a little more informed than the average computer user when it comes to things like this.

But you have to remember that there are also people new to these things who visit this site. They would instantly believe that Windows is one big piece of spyware if somebody told them so. Disabling things like error reporting, although counterproductive, is their choice, I agree, and it doesn't concern me in the least bit.

But when they disable AU or patch the TCPIP.sys file, they're not only asking for trouble, but also very generously spreading trouble out to everyone else. That's my concern. Not receiving patches in time makes your system much more vulnerable to worms that spread (very rapidly, I should add) to other machines on the public internet, leading to inconveniences for everyone in the long-run. As a tech-site, I feel it should be our job to dispel such myths rather than promoting them.

 

[Geffy]

Thread Title Changed

 

[gonaads]

Paranoiaaaa will destroy yaaaaa...

 

[Perris Calderon]

lee, netryders concerns are pretty valid.

if you'd like to post about this program, do us a favor and cut and paste netryders issues with the application as a disclaimer.

then we'll all be happy