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AVG Backs Down From Flooding the Internet
Simon Wright writes "As a website that is featured heavily in many Google Australia search results, Whirlpool (Australia's largest technology forum) has been particularly affected by AVG's LinkScanner. We've seen a traffic increase as much as 12 hits per second from these bots. So we've actively and loudly campaigned against this move by AVG, encouraging all users of AVG 8.0 to uninstall the product. The discussion starts here. And AVG's backing down is posted here."
From that URL:"'As promised, I am letting you know that the latest update for AVG Free edition has addressed and rectified the issue that [Whirlpool] have brought to our attention. This update has now been released to users and has also been built into the latest installation package for AVG Free.' — Peter Cameron, Managing Director, AVG Australia."
Well, I'm not sure how efficient Coldfusion is for handling large web forums,
Piss poor
Here are my responses:
... it's just safER. And since many "informed users" are satisfied with security of Windows, how could I be not satisfied with GNU/Linux? Besides, what will they infect? Stuff stored in my home directory? Stuff that I can _easily_ clean up with Knoppix? (Unlike with Windows, I am reasonably sure I can find and solve any problem on my installation that originates in my home directory.)
1. I don't browse (usually) for pr0n or for cracks, so I don't worry. And I use Opera on GNU/Linux.
2. Why worry about autoplay if you don't use Windows?
3. I trust everything my friends or family send me to Gmail, since Gmail has virus detection. Oh, did I mention I don't run Windows?
GNU/Linux is not safe
Don't give me "this doesn't work under Linux" crap. If GNU/Linux doesn't have the answer, you're giving the wrong question. Or do my last year and a half of active use of GNU/Linux say otherwise? (Not to mention I used it before, but only occasionally; in last year and a half, it's Windows that's being used only occasionally.)
Lesson of the day? Don't use Windows.
Naggy isn't the word!!.. I used to love the quiet unobtrusive daily updates that the 7-series version had... No more.. This blasted 8-series version is a real pest on its daily update.. It pops up several dialog boxes each requiring an ok before it finally updates.. Plus if you run it on a laptop thats only used for wifi and you're on an access point that requires a login before you're connected (think ATT/Starbucks), the stupid updater *tries* to connect for the update, then "fails", as far as I can see, to get that daily update, I have to manually re-run the update, apparently because this bloated pig can't figure out that the internet wasn't there a min ago, but IS now, and automatically retry.. Which 7.X did quite nicely, thank you..
THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
1) I use Firefox + Noscript & Flashblock, never IE. I've been to plenty of dodgy websites, but I don't let them run scripts and there haven't been any 0-days that could get through this combination. That said, it *IS* a pain to temporarily allow scripts all the time (permanent allow is _rare_ for me).
2) I disabled autoplay ages ago.
3) I don't open the crap family & friends send to me. They're all jokes and crap, anyhow. And yes, I use OO.o anyhow, so Office based macro exploits are unlikely to work.
In other words, the only virus I ever had was that one I downloaded deliberately to examine. I still run AV anyhow, but I haven't really needed it. A better argument would be that the rest of the family occasionally uses this computer and they might need it. But even then...