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AVG Fakes User Agent, Floods the Internet
Slimy anti-virus provider AVG is spamming the internet with deceptive traffic pretending to be Internet Explorer. Essentially, users of the software automatically pre-crawl search results, which is bad, but they do so with an intentionally generic user agent. This is flooding websites with meaningless traffic (on Slashdot, we're seeing them as like 6% of our page traffic now). Best of all, they change their UA to avoid being filtered by websites who are seeing massive increases in bandwidth from worthless robots.
Can anyone please tell me why we need to support IE6?
Actually, I am sorry for the webmasters. They have to deal with this. OTOH it IS part of the job.
I don't know what you folks expected. The web is infested with all sorts of malicious code. Are users not supposed to protect themselves in the interests of the website? After we manage to make the browsing experience safe for "teh n00b" then this won't be a problem. So all we have to do is get all webpages standardized, sanitized, and secured. That includes all the people using IE.
Another option is that we could stop promoting the Internet as a good tool for consumer level financial transactions. Then there won't be ANY need for privacy and security. Then we might not have jobs either.
It is yellow journalism to report this story in this way. Another way to put it would be "AVG forces issue of PC Security versus bandwidth usage." Then they look like heroes instead of villains. You're just putting spin on the issue because this is affecting your cost/income ratio.
Since AVG is producing something that helps end-users do you really want to be seen as a promoter of the problem? Since the problem of malware sites is not going to go away and since AVG is effective more antivirus software will start using these techniques. Unless you have something better to suggest?
Frankly, as an end user, I don't give a damn about your costs and stats. I don't care about it for amazon, ebay, myspace, or paypal. I do care that if I follow a link to an unsavory site that I am protected.
Here is another question. Do you want a userbase that is populated by malware infected computers? Is that preferable to figuring out a way to work with AVG new technique?
Dont throw your users under the train. They have a right to their security and peace of mind.
Are you really so strapped for cash that you can't fork over $60 for top of the line AV? Renewals are $40. This is pretty basic, absolutely essential stuff we're talking about, here, and $60 really isn't too much to ask if you're employed. (I understand if you're still a student.)
ACs are modded -6. I don't read you, I don't mod you, I don't see you. Don't like it? Don't be a coward.
AVG spambots got mod points!
mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
No, that is not the complaint, and you are being disingenuous. The complaint is that users of their software are "spamming the internet with deceptive traffic" which is easily correctable with a change in the default install.
The company should be on the hook for providing a default install that is problematic, but your questions are kind of silly and inapplicable. For example
This question makes no sense, clearly they already don't use it. I have to ask though, aren't there professionals who administrate these websites? Why aren't they dealing with this problem, as it is their job?
Again, they're already not using it, I see what you're trying to do, but it's not working. The websites involved are responsible for managing their traffic, they need to do it.
Honestly, your post was kind of stupid and reactionary, and wasn't really worth replying to, but since it was also hyperbolic and wrong I decided I'd tell you.
While I agree that this spoofing is potentially problematic, I do think there is a reason they're doing it. Obviously their intention is to increase their users' security, by including the LinkScanner option, and perhaps spoofing IE is just a means to that end. Assuming this to be true, ultimately the aim of this extra measure is with good intent (better security = good). Besides, as many people have pointed out (including me, in another reply), you can omit these features during installation by some command line usage. Additionally, I might point out that the TweakGuides Tweaking Companion http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html offers additional hints at backing down some of AVG 8.0's resource hogging aspects that other commenters have complained about.
Ok. It's run by Jews in a secret conspiracy to take over the World using sharks with frickin' lasers and gorgeous fembots with a penchant for evil.
"Score 5, Informative"!?! Seriously? Something is VERY wrong in slashdotland.
Geeks like to think that they can ignore politics, you can leave politics alone, but politics won't leave you alone.-rms
Comment removed based on user account deletion
No, idiots, this is trolling:
You windows lusers are so stupid you will squander points modding me down just for telling the truth you can't stand to hear!!!
Caveat Utilitor
No can't say that I am :) But apparently now I'm a troll. At least the AC comment that got modded 5 pts is marked "Funny" instead of "Informative" now...
Geeks like to think that they can ignore politics, you can leave politics alone, but politics won't leave you alone.-rms