dl65 -- hey -- it continues...
Okay..first off, from RealVNC:
"The VNC binaries we distributed are virus-checked before release, and are also signed on platforms that support signed binaries. VNC does not include nor install adware nor spyware of any kind.
The most likely cause of VNC being detected as a virus, adware or spyware is that your computer has become infected with a virus that attaches itself to existing files. Once you have used your virus checker to clean up your machine, you should be able to download and re-install VNC without further problems.
Some virus checkers do, however, wrongly report that VNC is a virus. In most cases this is caused by "heuristic" virus detection methods, while in others the virus checker's database is simply wrong!
Some virus checkers detect VNC correctly and classify it as a "Remote Access Tool" or similar, but present the information in such a way as to suggest that it is viral. This is not the case. If you were already aware of the presence of VNC on your system, you can usually ignore recommendations to remove it.
If in doubt, we recommend contacting your virus checker software vendor to verify that their software is not reporting a "false positive", and for advice on how to remove genuine viruses from your system."
It is NOT adware/spyware/virus. The seeming intention of "mainstream" computing is that if it is non-MS it must be a virus (is it possible the opposite is true?). Okay -- I'm streatching it a bit, but RealVNC is great and comes preinstalled on MacOS (why would they preinstall a virus) and other platforms as well.
Google "remove MSN Explorer" or "remove Windows Messenger" and you'll the problems doing so. It is possible, though. (Reportedly Windows Messenger brings in pop-up ads, but I've not seen this).
To the core of the debate: Yes, Microsoft has some incredible hardware and software. I just disagree with their corporate policies b/c they equate to gradually worse software. Granted, theyve exposed many to computers who might not have ever felt they could venture forth, but look what has happened with those users: their computers are coming to screaching halts b/c of the very software which is supposed to be good for them and this Microsoft AntiSpyware is just one more layer on an increasingly complicated, fouled-up OS.
MS is not evil as some might say. Bill Gates is certainly wise but he is a business man, not a programmer. To that end, if you see any licenses for MS Server 2003 you'll see you need licenses for running a web site. Every anonymous user who may come to read a page of yours sitting on IIS on MS2003 Server will need a license. If MS has their way, you'll be paying MS for every click of your mouse. As it stands, anyone can put out a web site, anyone can visit any website w/o paying license fees. MS abhors this b/c they see it as a chance to make money. So they will lure unsuspecting persons to easily build web sites / pages and then charge them for each visitor they get then hold them liable if they don't pay.
Okay -- how did I get to this from MS AntiSpyware? I dunno. I'm ranting. And I do love a good discussion. But how can you trust MS AntiSpyware software? The ides itself sounds...frightening....
I've hardware/software firewalls as well and packet sniffers, thread watchers, streams watchers, etc. and all sorts of fun things to really see what's going on.
You mentioned why have something installed if it's not running? I won't reply to this because I think the answer is within the question -- but do you only have things installed that you run 100% of the time? I doubt it. It should be up to you when you wish to run it, when you wish to use it. It's freedom of choice. Granted, for most users (you not included, obviously) they wouldn't know when they needed it or not. But still...
Okay...that's all for now. we can agree to disagree. Thanks for the discussion....
(I could go one step further and say that WinXP is a virus, backdoor, trojan, adware,spwyare but I won't)...
I guess what it boils down to is that too many users just don't know enough to make up their own minds. Hence the reason for this great website; most important is users need to educate themselves to make up their own minds and make their own decisions. Hopefully they can do that here.
