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Microsoft AntiSpyware thinks Firefox is Spyware
brightertimes writes "It seems that microsoft's new AntiSpyware
(beta) is now advising users to remove Firefox on
their computers.. A Zeropaid.com
thread
shows the offending screenshot
in action. Once your scanning has been done, if Firefox is found
on your computer it provides the user with a "high"
threat level and advising removal due to of lack of security
updates." CT Several users have noted that the screenshot is likely fake.
Two months ago.
I just ran a "Deep Scan" with MS Anti-Spyware on a machine with Firefox 1.0 installed. I got 0 results for spyware.
-Photoshop
_JS
There you go. Microsoft doesn't feel threatened by Firefox, now we know why ;)
Any technology distinguishable from magic, is insufficiently advanced.
Google's search for "Microsoft" results in full-frontal-goatity :D
So this was long after it removed Internet Explorer, right?
I have Mozilla and Microsoft Antispyware BETA running on my system. This is simply NOT true.
This really is just great. I really ANAL, but didn't Claria / Gator sue some anti-spyware company about being (rightfully, in my book) listed among the bad software? So couldn't the Mozilla Foundation just fight back like this? Ok, they probably do not have the money, but this just smells like misuse of a monopoly if this is really true...
Later on in the thread they admit it's a fake.
Way to go Editor.
How ironic is it that the screenshot is in PNG format?
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
You wanna make that scan result accurate?
Replace the word "Mozilla" with "Internet Explorer" and the warning will be pretty damn accurate.
"rupert, did you know gullible isn't in the dictionary?"
"what? it really isn't? Oh Touche old chap!"
Aside from the fact anyone with a sane mind would be able to work out it was a fake, here are a few details that might help you:
1) "FireFox is an alternative browser" - you'd never, ever, find Microsoft saying that now. They'd say "FireFox is an internet browser".
2) "May perform operations differently from the default browser" - similarly, you could have Firefox as the default browser. Microsoft would never say these on anything they produce, because it would be seen as insinuating Internet Explorer was the only "official" net browser for Windows.
But hey, when did anything like logical reasoning ever stop Slashdot editors?
Thanks for jumping to conclusions. This "story" is based around a lie. But hey, it's anti-Microsoft, so it must be right, right???
It's a joke. Read the forum in linked to in the summary. Why is this on Slashdot w/out the foot icon?
Editors you really need to look at these stories sometimes.
Thankfully, it automatically uninstalled it and downloaded a copy of FrontPage. Thanks for securing my system MS.
This is clearly a fake, and they even state as much in the forum.
WAY TO GO, TACO!
Looks like Taco didn't even RTFA...
The real question is here - does it make it on puprose or just by mistake?
and then
do I want an anti-spyware tool which intentionally marks non-m$ software with the TO_BE_REMOVED flag?
do I want an anti-spyware tool which is so shit that by mistake marks non-m$ software with the TO_BE_REMOVED flag?
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi
very useful and I have had no issues with it as of yet. I think it was a great move for Microsoft to offer this. I've never seen it recommend removing Firefox and I can't help but think this might be some photoshop trickery used to provoke the Slashdot crowd.
There was an interesting piece on journalism integrity on the internet the other night on some news channel. Maybe it's time we start validating our stories before we post them.
___ Shout Central - Crushes your nuts!
Reminds me of Jasondows from Foxtrot...
Such irE
a place of informed dont jump to conclusions type of people? Oh wait what forum am is this???
It's a fake image.
Hello ... it looks like Photoshop has gotten some riled up again.
-- Rob
What version of Firefox is being detected? (Zeropaid is Slashdotted).
The screenshot says that FF "may be vulnerable to a lack of security updates". The English wording there is very odd, but I think it's saying that FF may be out of date.
Does this mean that he's running an older version of Firefox?
94% of Repubs and 21% of Dems voted to renew the Patriot Act
I completely agree. Mozilla products are not only extremely dangerous software applications, but a threat to nation security. I'll refrain from bothering with the end sarcasm tag.
Do Not Eat iPod Shuffle
Even the poster of the picture in the very same thread says the picture is a fake.
the hottest music podcast on the block
The only way that the editors could have caught this would have been to actually follow every link. Shocking, I know.
In a dupe story posted a few weeks back, I compared the editors of Slashdot jokingly to porn producers, and then asked how I could have made such a connection. Well, here's another one to add to the list: Like porn producers, Slashdot editors shamlessly take other producers' content, and don't bother to look at it.
Hmm..seems kind of fishy to me.
So I fired up VMWare where I have a legit install of XP Pro. I downloaded the latest copy of Microsoft's Anti-Spyware program and updated to the latest signatures.
Here are my results.
I'll admit it, I don't like Microsoft. I've even been modded down into the basement for my anti-Microsoft comments in the past. But even I think this sort of stuff does not belong on Slashdot.
Beat 'em with the truth, not lies.
Ruby on Rails Screencast
PWNED!!11!11!!! LOL!!
What made you think the screenshot was photoshopped (bar the fact you didn't get the same results?)
In the linked forum, the person who posted the image said so?
Could MS not be sued for being a monopoly and abusing it's power to "wipe out" the little guys?
I like muppets.
Um ... the "offensive" screenshot isn't even prompting for the removal of Firefox as the post says. Something seems wrong here.
Although this morning (for the first time) MS Anti-spyware did want to remove Firefox from my Windows startup folder which I was confused about since it's not in there.
After I am done cleaning my machine, MS AntiSpyware wants me to send my results to "SpyNet" (don't know if that includes my choices for removeal too). However could SpyNet be some kind of learning network that is recommending removal of items using some kind of AI? If so, then may Firefox is somehow being targetted indirectly instead of directly by MS. Just a thought.
Here is why: It doesn't make sense. The only thing M$ would accomplish by implementing such a blathant FUD lie, is for a lot of people not to take the results of their anti-spyware tool serious anymore. That'll be like shooting themselves in the foot.
Think anout it for a second, this is most probably a fake screenshot.
Out of date version of Firefox.
I don't know whats funnier, that Slashdot posted this to the front page or the numerous "OUTRAGE!" posts of readers who fell for it.
Slashdot editors are fucking morons...did you check this out? It's a fake douche bag...
You have got to be kidding me.
I have had firefox on my PC since I first installed MS Anti Spyware. It never came up identifying Firefox as a risk.
BTW nice GIMP or Photoshop skillz.
Go ahead Sladhdot lemming start your complaining and bitching without checking facts as usual
This is so far from the truth, it's comical. Don't you think this story might have broken by now if it actually reported Firefox as a threat?
...and I predict the next Slashdot story will be: "Gullible not in dictionary" "Posted by Cmdr Taco"
they know their audiance.
i just thought of something...maybe there's a component/add-on for firefox that the tester was running that others aren't and that's what triggered the spyware alert?
or maybe the testers tweaked the beta product.
or maybe that's why this is still a beta product.
i'm not defending MS
i am merely providing optional theories for the positive result.
Is it 5:30 yet?
1. The blatant inaccuarcy of this charge, of the co computers of my fathers office network that run firefox and microsofts anti spyware(which is just giant with a new label) this has not happened yet.
2. None of my four machines that have windows at my own home.
2. Nor the 1000+workstations at my job that run the combo.
So of the 1024 windows box i am personally responsible for this has not happened.
Not saying it is impossible but it is pretty strange.
Have we as a community gotten better as marketing/rumor spreading than redmond? Than as something as reported we get the torches out and storm the village?
And you know for all those screaming, VNC could be a threat if you do not know it is on the machine, but then again, after first scan, choose to ignore.
I am operating system agnostic but it seems as if some of my fellow users of linux only time to take to know their own OS. I like to know all I can about all OS'es I can. Job security, and it is something I like to do, have for the past 28 some odd years of my life(I am 35).
I am just glad to see some people here stepping up and saying they think it is bogus.
Puto
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
This comment isn't flamebait, TFA is flamebait.
Get out MS Paint and add that text to the picture.
...from this point in time onwards, anyone posting a reply saying "I can't believe they did this" will be laughed at mercilessly...
Slashdot has just jumped the shark with this pathetic, sad posting.
I also have both running and kept up to date with Firefox versions, and I have never run into this issue. So the question is, could it have been an older version of Firefox that was caught? That is a valid security concern. Of course the message should have been to patch it instead of remove it. Let's use a little bit of scientific method here and give stats so we can all reproduce the problem if there is one.
Spyware is a general term used for software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent. You might have spyware or other unwanted software on your computer if:
Oddly enough Internet explorer satisfies all the above, maybe Microsoft AntiSpyware should remove it. :)
It wouldn't surprise me. I mean, we all know how anti-open source Microsoft is, and Firefox is in fact open source. Of course they're going to identify it as a threat.
If that's PR, that goes about insinuating M$, and then let them shine found perfectly unguilty, and just fallen into the filthy trap some bad-bad F/OSS hax0r set up, then...
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi
...but what about VNC? Doesn't Microsoft have VNC-server-like functionality built in to XP? Where is that in their list?
3 of them running Win2k or XP with Firefox installed.
"I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey
A fake screenshot and nobody verified it before posting?
This is precisely why slashdot editors should install Windows!
FUD
DarkMantle I been bored, so I started a blog.
I just ran a deep scan as well, I recieved 0 threats. I'm posting this from Firefox.
Get over it!
This is pure BS. /. has just been trolled, big time. This is the worst editing error I have ever seen. Why is everyone still posting? Has no-one RTFA? Or even TF second post? MS would never take a legal risk like this. Now stop feeding the troll.
That said, I kind off hoped it was true too...
Also Firefox has no catagory in the screenshot, unlike the others (VCN really is picked up BTW, I've seen this happen. Now, there is an example of a cross-platform competitor to a MS product being flagged spyware...)
# cat
Damn, my RAM is full of llamas.
Read that Fine Article, the guy who posted the pic later says it's a fake.
> It classifies MSN SmartTags as Spyware MS is apparently having seconds thoughts about their own software. MSN SmartTags are classified as threats which 'should be removed or quarantined from your computer'. You can see it here
to get the original post updated?
Any takers?
Proud member of the American Non Sequitur Society. We might not make much sense, but boy do we love pizza!
"CT Several users have noted that the screenshot is likely fake."
should read
"CT The article notes that the screenshot is fake."
Firefox was released, what, last November? And they are just now coming out with the 1.0.1 update for bug-fixes and exploits?
I'm sure many Slashdotters will respond, "CVS updates...blah blah blah." Yeah, well, for you and me that might be fine. But the masses don't do CVS, and using someone else's unofficial builds is questionable at best.
With the postings of duplicate stories, lack of editing of submissions for spelling and grammar, and the not actually READING of the submitted material (the original poster of the image joked about it being a fake two hours after the image was posted), has anyone considered that CmdrTaco might just be a functioning illiterate? I mean, seriously. Why would anyone do this kind of stuff to their own website, one which has such a community effect?
If you just don't care anymore Taco, then turn the keys over to someone who does. Someone who doesn't mind putting effort into a quality product.
Gates had this to say "The error was not ours, Ra Ra Ra".
He then went on to add "Microsoft would never make such a move, its underhanded, dirty, and is counter-productive creating a monopolistic market."Bill had to leave soon after when someone mentioned Wine and M$ update.
"I may be full of crap about this game, and I may be wrong, and that's fine." -Jack Thompson
This is a fake image and you can tell so with a liitle bit of analysis.
I'm no fan of Microsoft but can we please do a little more research on an article before slapping it up on the site? There is enough TRUTH on Microsoft to make everyone's point so you don't need to post LIES.
I had to really brace myself before clicking a link to a .jpg file hosted on the .cx TLD
Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. - Mark Twain
I bet somebody in Microsoft is thinking... now why didn't WE think of that?
I don't want to read
My god, dont you guys realize this is a fake!?!?
Later on in the thread, the creator says that this is a "blatantly photoshopped image which was put up for a joke."
The other day at work, I was using a phone near a computer workstation running XP. It seems it had just received the update that installs the spyware scan tool because the final popup was on the screen saying "Windows blah bla tool has scanned your computer and found 0 threats" Oh really? I thought... I had installed SpyBot S&D on this machine a couple months ago. The user wasn't around so I scanned the system with it. It found 37 threats. So much for MS's attempt. As is usually the case, too little too late.
First, there needs to be a media firestorm about this. Then, just as in Rathergate, Slashdot should fire a few low-level scapegoats now, claiming shoddy journalistic standards. Then Commander Taco should be be allowed to resign "for personal reasons" in a few months.
"CT: Several users have noted that the screenshot is likely fake." Likely? I'd love to see what evidence is needed before it's conclusively determined it's fake.
According to today's Slashdot News, MS Anti-Spyware reports Gimp as a security threat and recommends Photoshop or MS Paint instead for safer hoax fabrication.
I just ran the test with the latest definition and with both FF 1.0 and 1.1 and it didn't come up.
Shattered Glass anyone?
cookie for anyone who gets the reference
If you look at the screen shot, MS AntiSpyware marks the browser as a high level risk and the software advises the user to remove the browser immediately but the 'Recommended Action' is to ignore it. I know all of us who have both the browser and antispyware installed performed a scan just to verify for themselves that the alleged screenshot was true.
Did anyone ever consider that MS AntiSpyware detected a pre-1.0 release of Firefox and alerting the user that their running an outdated copy of the browser (which seems highly unlikely but just a thought)?
Even if this were real, it doesn't seem too far off-base. AntiSpyware advertises that it provides protection from "spyware and other POTENTIALLY unwanted software" - So it stands to reason that FF might potentially be in that category. It's not like AntiSpyware just autoremoves everything it finds; it just lists them up there for you to choose. That's hardly sabotage.
My calendar must be off...Is it April 1st already?
Hmm I ran it and it said itunes is spyware. Mentioned something about it's author supporting terrorists and beating kittens and small childern.
There are 11 types of people, those who know unary and those who don't.
...how hard I try, I just can't get Microsoft AntiSpyware installed. It's frustrating! I'd like to know if I have any spyware installed (definitely have Firefox, using it right now).
I guess I'll go "unprotected" for a while, using my dangerous browser. Someone please let me know when this AntiSpyware thing works in Linux?
FLR
You guys are so stupid you can't even admit you were fucking duped. "likely fake"!!!!
Holy shit you are so blind with anti-MS venom you can't even admit you were wrong!
Da.da.da.dummy...
For anyone who hasn't figured it out yet: this was obviously supposed to be a joke but on a serious issue. It is unfortunately not that far fetched. Microsoft is still violating the law in various monopolistic ways, particularly by forcing computer manufacturers to illegally bundle Windows with their systems.
It may be a fake, BUT what's to stop Microsoft from pulling similar things in the future? Maybe OpenOffice is spyware too, or Eudora emailer, or who knows what. Who would the home user trust? If Microsoft says your system is theatened, I bet A Lot of people would follow their advice.
Impossible, conspiracy theory? Maybe - but I really wouldn't put it past them.
So an article about a fake screenshot makes it to the front page? And with such a misleading title?
This is getting irritating, anything Anti-MS gets front page, just for the sake of it.
The following statement is true
The preceding statement is false
What I think is more interesting is that it detected RealVNC as a spyware program, I find it to be a really nice administration tool so I don't have to run all over the place all the time. I thought Microsoft was trying to make our lives easier not harder ;)
Ya lets all blame the mods. Give the guys a break.
I have Microsoft Antispyware installed on several of my machines. All of them also have Firefox and none detect Firefox as spyware.
I think you've been duped by some misguided zealot.
I have been considering leaving Slashdot for a while, but have always been convinced to stay due to the admittedly addictive nature of reading it. Articles like this make me seriously want to reconsider.
This is the kind of thing that makes me wish we had mod points to mod articles down to "-1 Troll".
Maybe if we can mod articles, we won't see dups and things like this anymore.
taco sucks
Thanks for that story, I needed a laugh after watching England lose at rugby *again*.
Oh, wait, there's no foot icon. Whatever they're paying you, it's too much.
I just took that screenshot from the article, and changed it in Photoshop: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/CypherXero3 /mozillaadwarefake.jpg
It's fake, you idiots!
I would like to register my outrage and indignation at this travesty of misinformation. It Slashdot keeps linking to fictitious news, I may just lose my trust in the Internet. Just think of the implications. I may no longer believe in the existence of UFOs, ghosts, leprechauns, fairies, and weapons of mass destruction.
Check out this story from way back when. In the words of one of slashdot's own editors, "Without proper verification, this story would not have run. Period." Hard to believe, isn't it? This place has evolved over time.
didn't they just download this stupid thing and run it to verify the story??? Don't tell me none of the editors have access to an XP box. What else are they running HL2 and WOW on?
Oh! Ok. Nevermind....
I don't want knowledge. I want certainty. - Law, David Bowie
Time and again I find myself reading Slashdot posts from the open-source community which are c0nstantly trying to find ways to bash M$ in order to "show people the light"... The fact of the matter is, BS like this only hurts the community's credibility. If you ever hope to counter M$ arguments against open-source's TCO then you have to stop with this shit and actually devel a better product. Right now, the sad truth is, M$ is simply unrivaled even by *nix in the workstation and corporate/business markets. The software for *nix systems simply isn't there or hasn't evolved enough to make it a financially wise decision for many to make the switch. Sure, open-source has made huge inroads in the server market, and with the Mozilla Foundation - but your baseless bashing serves no purpose other than to discredit the community as a whole.
This site has become a disgrace to itself.
I work in a rural tech shop where 80% of the work we do is removing spyware and viruses because these farmers don't understand how to prevent it even though we explain it time and time again. Been using Spybot, Ad-Aware, and MSAS. I have found that Ad-Aware still finds things that MSAS doesn't. Spybot will find things that neither app finds. It's like rock-scissors-paper. Sometimes you have to use all 3 and even resort to other tools, such as Hijack-This. We have noticed that the spyware war is heating up and some of the new spyware out are behaving more like viri than simple spyware. More than usual that is. Since I work on this crap all day, I don't want to work on it at home... SUSE Linux 9.2 Pro. No problems.
MadOgre.com
Where the fact of the matter is that it has gotten out that a clean MS OS install does indeed include spyware that tracks what and where users go on the internet.
This is a classic and really really should be put up on billboards in exposure of MSs intentional deception. The calling some competition, something it is not, when in fact it is MS that is guilty of the very claim it is making against another.
I coin (heads or tails) the term "Bit flipping" as it applies to such deception.
For proper use of the term -- i.e. Microsoft is a bit flipper regarding truth.
I think that it is not a scam. I used to have the beta for microsoft spyware removal, but when ever I opend FF, It would give me a warning and after every time I scaned using the microsoft's thing, fire fox would start crashing more then usual (which was never) I even had to re-install ff 2 times because it kept crashing.
Microsoft has made so many bad choices in the past, that something like this can have the ring of truth on the outside only because of Microsoft's "we own everything" monopolistic track record.
Still... it was good enough to fool the Taco.
It brought a chuckle to this old Llamakiller.
LK4
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts", Earl Weaver - Legendary Coach of the Baltimore Orioles
for Slashdotting zeropaid.com, now how am I supposed to get my P2P nfo?
All your Sybase are belong to us.
It will only, truly be a shark jumping when Michael dups the post within 24 hours and puts the posting death penalty on a few responders for noticing.
Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.
This is our chance to say it's good software to have installed! Every MS$ user should install it :)
With the Slashdot mindset, this was so guaranteed to end up on the front page, they should have foregone cropping to the AntiSpyware window in the screenshot and put some advertising behind it on their desktop. Millions of impressions cheap!
It's rings pavlovian, this crap.
vk.
outrageous.
I like how VNC is also really dangerous
The war with islam is a war on the beast
The war on terror is a war for peace
MS Anti-Spyware updated its definition files last night. A scan made since then showed no such thing.
Why didn't someone check this out before posting this drivel? Surely there are plenty of valid critisisms of MS! If you want to pick on MS, do it on something where they deserve the hit.
- -
Are you an SF Fan? Are you a Tru-Fan?
The screenshot is FAKE. I have Firefox 1.0.1 installed AND the Microsoft Anti-Spyware package and it does NOT flag Firefox as spyware.
/. and it's not so much about truth as running Microsoft through the mud. IDIOT F**KING LOSERS!!!!
How difficult would it be to actually CHECK YOUR F**KING FACTS?!?!?!?!!
Ah, but then, this is
Because it continues to drive hits by you, you, you, ... and me. The RSS feeds many of us are watching don't include the disclaimer.
Running Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta1 on Wine detects Lynx as spyware! I'd upload a funny picture drawn in MS-Paint but I don't want my server slashdotted. kthxbye
If /. coudln't be considered to have done so before... this markes the moment when we can all agree it happened.
--> Fight tyranny and repression.... read
/. has turned into a rumor site lately.
What gives?
*** For a better tommorow, change your life today ***
Considering how the Windows OS is the biggest piece of the spyware world, I wonder why the scans don't show Windows as "dangerous" spyware. Is it because it is really a VIRUS?
Those img*.exs.cx links are provided by ImageShack. I use them all the time. Saves me eBay fees, and gives me an easy way to store pictures for message boards.
The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.
--Aristotle
Figues, spreading FUD is ok when it is against Microsoft, but it is not ok when it is against something that slashdot loves such as Open Source/Linux/etc.
I find a lot of silliness here too, but I realize, I have to option to look for Britney Spears images on google, if I wish.
It's not like this is a government service mandated by the Constitution(tm).
"Would it kill you to put down the toilet seat?" -- Maya Angelou
Don't jab at us Christmas Island domain holders just because someone once posted a dirty picture on the same CCTLD. It's a fine CC domain--in my case, my company name was available as 'gnosis.cx', but not as 'gnosis.com' at the time I registered.
.cx domains.
And yeah... I have some jpg's there. Mostly screenshots or technical graphs. A few personal snaptshots in other directories. In any case, definitely nothing rated more than PG-13. And I'm sure the same is true of 99% of
Buy Text Processing in Python
MSFT does enough for us to be honestly incensed about that there's no need to make stuff up. Although it's a testament to the character of the company that something like this would come as no surprise to anyone were it real.
Many in the tech world despise MSFT, their business practices and software. And for good reason. And MSFT has a peculiar talent for being near total jerkwads collectively. That's what happens when bean counters get ahold of a tech company.
That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
I just tried it and guess what, I got a different result! Astounding! :P
Any technology distinguishable from magic, is insufficiently advanced.
I spend half my time at my job installing spyware removal tools and anti virus software on computers. Never once has this program picked up firefox or kazaa. Granted, the screenshot is funny, but that's about it.
FuD!!!!!
I think you mis-spelled "devolved", unless "evolving" can mean "getting progressively lazier and crappier as time goes on".
Why the everliving FUCK would anyone pay to read this shittastically-run site?
In case anyone is wondering, it won't pick up Firefox.
MS Anti-Spyware, like "Live Meeting" (formerly PlaceWare) wasn't created by Microsoft, they purchased the company that made the program. It will work just fine.
If you want to gripe about it, wait a year or two for Microsoft to finish bastardizing it. Then it will be crap.
You posted this on /. without a clear release stating this was a joke.
Next up, The Onion will pick up your story and it will make headlines in China.
This is assuming that Slashdot ever really had that as a goal to begin with. Slashdot is simply a bash portal. They gather no news. Nothing new orginates here. This is just a place to plop down something that has caught an
Slashdot, home of supporters of free software, free music, and free speech.Except for Moderators that disagree with you.
And because it would be so much easier to just detect the browser string and return a 'broken' CSS for all Microsoft's websites (hotmail, msnbc, etc..).
:)
I'm surprised they haven't thought of doing that already
455fe10422ca29c4933f95052b792ab2
Clearly false articles like this one leave me begging for a away to report false articles to the poster without whining about it in the discussion forum. While we're at it, can we add a "report duplicate" link as well?
ill love when this gets modded as redundant, but taco is a fucking retard. i swear i lost a few iq points when i read the title. i leave you all with a quote:
"they've warped my fragile little mind..." -eric cartman.
I took this screen shot from FuckedCompany.co, so it must be true! See Here.
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
I add my name to that petition. I consider every Slashdot story the first of many comments, and if they can be pruned on the main page to the most fitting ones only (but still allowing the others to be viewable like comments) that would be teh awesome. CmdrTaco, sir, I hope you're reading the parent.
You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
None of the machines I have with both of these applications at the most current versions are showing this result. /that is all. //move along.
A better idea: a three-strikes policy. Every editor can post three duplicates/articles that are blantantly faje/jokes before they are fired.
I believe it falls under the category of "If you don't recognize this program, it is spyware".
It is useful, but it could absolutely cause problems if installed maliciously.
Figures, a paranoid "well it could happen" FUD which throws in some "MS is an evil monoploy" to justify this anti-MS FUD would get modded up.
Ok lets try it this way. While I like firefox, it isn't that far fetched that it could be a greater sercurity risk then IE. With people forcing FireFox on others and the number of users climbing, this is a serious issue that needs bringing up!
My god, I don't think I've ever seen so many nasty vitriolic comments on Slashdot before. Not even directed against traditional flamewar enemies like Real, RIAA or MS itself.
It's called a "mistake", and they happen to everyone. Lucky for us readers, ours don't happen in front of 4 quadrillion page-views per day.
So okay, all you me-too'ers, chill with the anti-CmdrTaco rants and cheap shots about how it'll be dupe-posted tomorrow. Har har. You're fucking hilarious. Whoo. I'm all tired out from laughing at your cleverness.
Meanwhile, not a single criticism of whatever dumbass with too much time on his or her hands it was that Photoshopped this up in the first place! Allow me to be the first. "Dumbass!"
To whoever said this proved that Slashdot jumped the shark, I'm worried it may be true - only not of the editors; of the readers and commenters.
Cool funny t-shirts for geeks, gamers and everyone else
My boss just sent out a warning memo after reading this post on slashdot, telling all employees to uninstall firefox until the security vulnerabilites can be analyzed. I worked so hard to champion the use of firefox in our company, and one stupid story on slashdot completely set back everything. Way to go idiots, getting them to use firefox again is all but impossible now.
I Just ran it in Interweb mode and look what it discovered.
*delete*
Linux sucks.
We use Linux at work.
And all we do is complain.
Complain to try and get windows.
Linux sucks.
I lasted about a day, and then I thought "oh hell, I've been reading Slashdot for years, I can't stop so I'll just read it once a day or something."
Now this story makes me realize that Slashdot has simply evolved and I've taken too long to catch up. This isn't a new site anymore, it's a comedy site. It's pure comedy to watch the bumbling idiots who run this site post same-day dupes, fake stories, last year's news today, etc. etc.
So while I used to read slashdot as a news site and get exasperated at it's terrible execution as such, now I read it as a comedy show and laugh my ass off. It's like reading the class clown's blog.
Nick
Note the description of Firefox as an "alternative" browser. I know IE has ~ 85% - 90% of the browser market. But that just smacks of presumption on the part of Microsoft. The use of the word alternative implies there is "prefered" browser.
Prefered by who? Why?
And on what/whose authority?
Grrrrrrrrrr!!!
r
From Slyck P2P news get it right /. first you post false 'News' about Lokitorrent now you post crap about Firefox .Who did M$ pay to spread this FUD.
FireFox Spyware Hoax Spreads
February 27, 2005
Thomas Mennecke
On February 16, 2005, Microsoft released their anti-spyware agent name "Microsoft AntiSpyware." The response from the release so far has been generally well received, even if it was not home grown by Microsoft. Microsoft bought the intellectual property rights of Giant AntiSpyware, and marketed it under their own name. The software is free of charge.
Yesterday, a screen shot began circulating across the Internet. The screenshot was of Microsoft's AntiSpyware program identifying Mozilla FireFox as spyware. According to the screen shot, it noted FireFox "vulnerable to a lack of security updates" and "...is a very high risk thread and should be removed immediately."
Admittidly, the screen shot is very well made. Local discussion on IRC also questioned whether the screen shot was authentic or not. However, after downloading, installing and running Microsoft AntiSpyware with Mozilla FireFox installed, it was quickly learned this screen shot was nothing more than an extremely clever hoax.
Despite this, several major news sites have posted this as real news. Please note this is not true; Microsoft AntiSpyware does not recognize FireFox as spyware.
http://www.slyck.com/news.php?story=688
I have used the Microsoft Anti-Spyware program with Firefox installed and it doesnt do that to me. Clearly a clever fake
I am sure at least a good percentage of /.'rs installed MS-AntiSpyware just so they could have more reasons to bitch about it. Me included.
And I'm sure that most of them are using firefox or mozilla.... So why didnt we hear about this earlier? Because its faked. Unless M$ just updated the Spyware defs to include Firefox (which I doubt), then whats a mother to do?
snowulf.com
Scramble to post as much garble as possible to bump that little problem back to the second page of slashdot.
...but you did get trolled! Nice job to whoever made the "screenshot."
...you lousy stupid cunt? This image has been vetted by Jim Jeff Gannon, so we know it's a real scoop because he's a real reporter!!!!! LOLO!!!!!!!111
Using MS Antispyware seems like letting the fox guard the chicken house. Whether or not this FireFox stuff is a hoax, there's an inherent conflict of interest.
Wansu, th' chinese sailor
;)
"It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
http://www.slyck.com/news.php?story=688 it would have been a good case against microsoft for oney though
That's all it is, folks. MS Paint is simply the best paint editor in the world. It has all the system colors and fonts needed to make even the most ridiculous error messages seem real.
Have you seen Maddox's website? He uses mspaint to do his images. So I'm not the only one that thinks MS Paint rules.
I've been using Firefox and AntiSpyware on 3 boxes for some time and nothing like that happened.
This was done (even as a hoax) because it's so easy to believe that Microsoft would pull this kind of stunt. It's much like the real (very recent) incident where they block legitimate users of their software from getting that software (and only that software) updated, simply because it's running on wine under Linux, than on a Mcirsoft operating system. There were some Microsoft fanbois who feigned stupidity and said "oh Microsoft shouldn't have to support wine" ...well it's not wine that has the problem stupid. Microsft is just enforcing lock-in (again). It's a legitimate copy of their application software. There is nothing in the licence that says you must run it on a Microsoft operating system, but Microsoft got its panties all in a bunch, just the same. They are breaking the law by doing it (and they know it). Apparently the administration in the US doesn't want Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to go after them any more. Microsoft has done this sort of stunt so many times before, people just expect it, so when a hoax is pulled like this (much like the DrDos lawsuit "Oh, you are running a non-Microsoft operating system: Application broken" only the error message was more technical, so that it looked like a technical problem, rather than a panties-in-a-bunch/bad-for-business/look-at-us-scr ew-DrDOS-tee-hee
problem.
or is someone just dumb...durrrrrr......
http://img119.exs.cx/img119/2912/xpspyware9yo.png
~~par
so now i need a drm liscence to use firefox?!?
Your skill in reading has increased by one point!
I Have Been to Redmond and Seen IE7
On vit, on code et puis on meurt.
I think that they did a while ago -- made it so that IIS servers would serve MSIE faster than other browsers. Not quite breaking it, but...
(no i don't have a source for this, just some hazed memories)
Subscribers have a "is there a problem with this story?" link they can use before "the mysterious future" arrives. Unfortunately, I've only seen Taco actually fix a story that was fouled up.
Hell, it's probably the biggest one that the internet has seen at this point.
Congrats, Slashdot users. We've hit a milestone that shouldn't really exist. :)
Goo goo g'joob.
Not what I was talking about, but yeah..
IIS leaves connections open when they should be closed. MSIE will try and 'continue' using the existing connection when it fetches subsequent objects, saving itself about three packets of connection overhead each time.
A while back, Microsoft got caught testing for the "Opera" web browser, then sending back a CSS that caused Opera to badly format the page. There was absolutely no sensible reason for doing this; Opera (even older versions) did a perfectly good job using the MSIE stylesheet, and MSIE looked just as broken when presented with the Opera stylesheet.. it was (IMHO) a very deliberate attempt to make Opera look broken.
455fe10422ca29c4933f95052b792ab2
Further proof.
If that is their policy, they don't follow it. Obviously, I'm unable to provide links, but several people here can attest to the fact that articles have disappeared from the main page. Most of them were very embarrassing dupes that for some reason got removed while others remain.
Taco should at least put "[Updated]" in the headline. RSS and other aggregators are going to put "Microsoft AntiSpyware thinks Firefox is Spyware" in thier news lists. It's really annoying how irresponsible Taco and company are with the unwarranted massive readership of Slashdot.
Look fools,
/. editorial staff research all stories, and post only their comments so we can know what to think, and then no one else will have to do any dirty work??
CT, Neal, et. al. post stories collected by other people (ie slashdotters) that are deemed interesting to this community -- in most cases they are being reported on other news sites as well.
They don't need to fact-check every single item do they? or is that what you want? to just have
Damn, but really, get the f--k over it! thats what this comment system is for. you get the best results of hundreds of knowledgeable people simultanously checking and commenting on every story.
I've actually learned some good stuff from the reader comments on the "bogus stories", like the battery-rocks and RNG-future-predictor.
it's these false stories (scams, etc.) where some of the brightest readers come out to debunk the stuff that fools many ordinary people.
Yeah, so maybe theres a forum (ZP) laughing at us, but at least we get the benefit of insightful research and fact checking unlike the vast majority of them out there.
thing is .cx domains are basically free and they don't really habe a nice ring to them (cx sorta resemles sex but its not that close.
so most of the time they just get used as a neater alternative to url shortening services by those who don't plan to put up anything more than a page or two and are cery popular with trolls.
I've said it before and gotten modded down for it, but I'll say it again. Slashdot has become the Ain't-It-Cool-News of the geek tech niche.
If you're familiar with AICN, you know what I mean.
hmm, very strange I use both and no problems so far, all working like a charm.
Quothe "grab_grab_the_haddock", original poster of the screenshot: Apparently, nothing is real on the Internet anymore.
CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
We were testing the beta offically, and it didnt ever complain about Firefox.
....
Though, the blurb about VNC is correct, and annoying.
It also took out a smtp DLL that we used on several applications.
But it was only a beta
---- Booth was a patriot ----
because Microsoft doesn't warn the user. It just deletes critical Firefox components so it does not work anymore.
j/k
Setting his threshold to 5, Sparky eliminated most of the trolls on /.
Notice that it's the comments that show it is a fake, not the editor.
Engineering is the art of compromise.
I did have a problem on my laptop when using it. I ran the Anti-Spyware, and then after it gave a "tcp/ip error" and would not connect to the internet via firefox (or internet explorer). i found a winsock registry cleaner and that cleaned it up just fine. so while it doesn't think firefox is spyware, it did cause more problems than it was worth.
So I created a number of versions of my resume that "self-verify". For example, this one at uses Javascript to check itself. Or the one called resume.txt has the following (abridged):
(it won't verify as abridged, of course... but you can get the full one easily enough).
Some of them start with a #! line so they are actually executable. Most of them use an actual cryptographic hash (MD5 or SHA) of the body of the resume (but not of the whole thing plus its own hash as the parent suggests; but is not feasible minus $20M code breaking machines). The Python one is nice looking (again abridged):
Now obviously, a sufficiently savvy headhunter could change this, and attach new self-verification. But I think I can program better than any headhunter can... so the self-verification trick is also a self-exemplification of my programming skill.
I haven't updated my resume in a long time, actually... but when I do, a script (in REXX, actually) takes the raw text, and attaches the various programming language wrappers around the body... each in a manner that looks quite inconspicuous if you just want to read the text.
Buy Text Processing in Python
On other related news, it appears that the people at slashdot are considering redefining their adjective "slashdotted":
Slashdotted (adjective): To receive information that is based on invented truths or complete speculation.
"Hey, did you hear that the tsunami dug up all sorts of unusual fossils?"
"What about Microsoft's attempt to remove Firefox from unsuspecting victims"
Doh! I just got slashdotted.
uh oh... fud against microsoft... that's a shame (sarcasm).
I've even been modded down into the basement for my anti-Microsoft comments in the past
oh, you courageous subversive rebel! did you have the cajones to advocate linux on slashdot as well? or...dare i ask?...expound the virtues of firefox?!? you're like some sort of modern day che guevara!!!
(in case you haven't notice, slashdot is a giant circlejerk for microsoft-hating pseudo-intellectuals like yourself)
GNAA Served aAHahahAHAHahhAH
He will Not be denied!
This isn't the first time that lots of people have taken a humorous Photoshop and thought it was real.
I propose that FARK, SomethingAwful, and all of the other places that do "Photoshop Contests" ask their users to put a big red THIS IS FAKE watermark across their entries. It's the only way to be sure.
When I made this pic over a week ago, I didn't expect anyone to take it seriously. It seems people did. _
The fact a "joke" like this appears believable to a large number of people only illustrates the growing distrust of Microsoft's business tactics. After all, is it really THAT hard to believe Microsoft would try anything like this?
The origin of the "screenshot" is Pabook.net user MStar.
Come on, it would be very tempting for CmdrTaco to remove trolls about his personal life and anime dolls, his own prediction that iPod will never take off, or embarrassing mistake in taking this screenshot seriously. But who want to read blogs with what slashdot editors want them to say, not with what we or them actually said before? It's bad enough that editors make unlimited use of mod points, but you have to give them credit for leaving some of the stuff readable even at -1 threshold. I don't think I would be able to show so much restraint.
see r Xero3/mozillaadwarefake.jpg>
In Soviet Russia, AntiSpyware cleans you!!
Sometimes at night I imagine the darkness is filled with horrible things with too many teeth, like Julia Roberts.
I have been running this software until last week (left for work) and have not encountered anything like this - but they do run updates -
oh yes, I am running Mozilla & Firefox - complex user requirements - on the same machine.
as spyware remover & security tool, it has been working well, after all, MS should know how these things get into their own code.
I can't believe that this is on Slashdot. This only bolsters outsiders views that Slashdot is a community of extreme left wing Microsoft bashers (don't believe me? Look up slashdot in wikipedia). This article is clearly wrong. How can this be posted without checking it out for real? I wouldn't be surprised if Slashdot gets slapped with a slander suit over this one.
I plead with the editors to stop posting this far left trash on this site. Most of us do not wish to be cast in such a fanatical light. We love Open Source, we love Slashdot, but we don't want to be looked at a sneaking lieing Microsoft haters that will stoop to unbelievable lows to make stuff up.
Here's a mirror for anyone who missed it.