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Opera Max Turns To Nagware, Now Prompts Users To Re-enable It Every 12 Hours (androidpolice.com)
Opera has long advertised its free VPN service Opera Max to customers. But it looks like, the company isn't pleased with users keeping its servers at work at all times. Over the last few days, according to a report on AndroidPolice, Opera Max has introduced ads on its apps, as well as links to sponsored apps. But the company is not done yet. It now requires a user to go back to the app and "add time" to the free VPN service every 12 hours if they wish to continue the service. Adding time doesn't cost anything, but it will subject users to an ad on each occasion.
If you don't like free shit don't use it?
Who cares what they do.
I don't think that's unreasonable. It's a free service. They should've known better than to think they could afford to process that much traffic, but something like this was expected. At least they're not actively charging for it.
If something is free, you're not the customer, you're the product.
What a wealth of personal info.
When it's "free", you're the product.
Seriously, this stuff isn't free. It costs real money to run a VPN service and you get a whole day's worth of browsing for the cost of viewing one ad. You can still use the Opera browser without nagware if you don't use the VPN.
it has to come from somewhere or someone.
-"Vivaldi" ::drops mic::
This is just Appera making their app even appier, unlike LUDDITE software!
Apps!
I used it during and after it emerged from beta and even back then it would bother you to "top up" to continue using it. I uninstalled it soon after. I don't know what it does these days but services like Tunnelbear give you a small-ish amount of data for free per month but you can pay for unlimited use if you want. Maybe Opera should do likewise.
Opera has "long advertised" its what?
#DeleteChrome
Opera browser was ad-supported but also pay-for to remove them before - what? - 3.5?
It was removed because it just discouraged users and made only a pittance. In fact, the browser went free and then produced its best and most popular versions. Oh, and they had Opera Turbo which is basically the same VPN thing for all that time.
It's only when the development team was sacked many years later that they threw the browser away, made a similar-looking (but severely lacking) Chrome-clone, and then wondered why everyone disappeared and made old-Opera-clones that they feel the need to ad-support it again in an era where "ads" = things to annoy users with because who cares about them, so long as we get 1/1000th of a penny?
Glad to see that I made the right decision to not continue with Opera past version 12.
But that will; come. First, someone will analyze the protocol used and develop some plugin or app that automatically calls the "extend my service for 12 hours" every 11 hours. And as a response to that they will be "forced" to make it a payed service.
Just counting the days until Opera returns to its adware browser ways of the old days.
Once a scummy adware company, always a scummy adware company.
Seriously, this stuff isn't free. It costs real money to run a VPN service and you get a whole day's worth of browsing for the cost of viewing one ad. You can still use the Opera browser without nagware if you don't use the VPN.
When useless mobile apps, like Candy Crush, force users to watch an ad every 2 minutes no one cares. When an optional service with real value shows users an ad once every 12 hours it's nagware. /internet logic
TANSTAAFL ... duh!!
Dude, your list can't even block the shit that pops up from thepiratebay and adfly. It is utter crap. Perhaps maintain something of use
Both are properly called adware. Nagware is shareware that nags you to pay to register it.
This space intentionally left blank
Surely there's a standards based way to work around the nagware, although it won't be as simple as 30 seconds of sniffing serial line data.
Everytime that ad pops up, I remember to stretch my legs, get some coffee, take a pee, order some pizza.
Not necessarily in that order, though.
Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
Completely incorrect
Alex, go away before I ring up your mother again.
--Z.
A Chinese company, Qihoo, purchased Opera. More ads are showing up in Opera Mini on Android, even with the built in ad-blocker on. If you use any Qihoo product, ads are now a way of life, slightly annoying, but tolerable. 360 Total Security, a decent free anti-virus program, has had "offers" all along.
No man. The shit ON adfly and thepiratebay and any other unscrupulous site. You may block THOSE *sites*, but they contain references, scripts, popups, and resources that you don't block, that are part of malware ad networks across the internet. Your idea isn't a bad one, but your list is so weak and small and incomplete that it becomes useless. You could just http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/ho... and http://www.malwaredomainlist.c... for instance, merge them together, smack them into your own hosts file and have a MUCH MUCH more complete list than you maintain.
Your lack of success is your own fault
If that's the best you have against apk I wouldn't be surprised if his ma gave you an ass whippin too boy! He's cut you apart at every possible turn.
Seems like this guy goes off his meds every few months. I'm expecting to see him following people around on /. harassing them over some perceived slight for the next couple of weeks and then disappearing for another few months.
Schizophrenia and dissociative personality disorder, where someone believes they're multiple people at the same time, are perfect diagnoses for APK. He posts once, then immediately chimes in using multiple sockpuppet AC comments to promote his HOSTS file junk. His identities are obvious because they all type the same way.
A HOSTS file was a good idea in 1992, but we're in 2016 now and there are far better options. Running a local DNS server is far better than trying to keep up with updates to a text file on every device you own. And downloading an EXE from some random schizoid on the internet is never a good idea.
See subject: You can't validly technically prove me wrong (keep downmodding & I'll run you or your sockpuppets dry of your "downmodpoints" sooner or later, easily - & you KNOW I always win there, lol!)
You fail - completely (it's what "rubber willy" DILDOS like you do!)
* I'm not aware of a hosts file program that's easy to use GUI that does as much as mine does (including speeding you up beyond adblocking via hardcodes @ TOP of hosts for your favorite sites where you spend most time & proofs you vs. DNS security issues increasing reliability as well (or vs. attacks like DynDNS had recently in DDoS)).
APK
P.S.=> I understand you're PROBABLY representing the "inferior competition" (or advertisers trying to sneak ads thru in those crippled inefficient addon hunks of junk) but you're failing no matter HOW you slice it - you can't win - period (& you know it)... apk
I know this is offtopic, but I've noticed that most situations where a VPN would be beneficial there are controls in place to prevent their use. Want to get around annoying content restrictions? You can't because those same restrictions go to great lengths to avoid being circumvented. I know there was a tor related project to obscure tor traffic but it required a proxy, and didn't do a very good job of preventing deep packet inspection attacks.
Is this a problem that vpn providers are really concerned with, and has anyone found any real solutions to this?
I get the difference. Candy Crush puts interstitial ads up when you take certain actions. Opera lets you schedule your ad anytime you want. But that means that the ad isn't incidental to using the product, you have to go out of your way to select it. Which means that Candy Crush feels like it has ads, whereas Opera feels like you have to opt into using it (and also see an ad.) Opera's way is definitely objectively better for the consumer, but can be spun in a worse way.
Your ad here. Ask me how!
Just because you're not paying for it doesn't mean it's free. Ads generate revenue. If you don't like that model pay for a solution. No one develops applications for everyone to use out the goodness of their hearts. They all have bills to pay, living expenses, food, etc. If you think something is valuable pay for it.
So did I like, stumble on a flame war here or something? I'm slightly more than a layman and I'm not satisfied with adblock plus or ublock. Who's advice is better here?
http://i.cubeupload.com/T6cyLu.png
uBlock is fine. Adblock is generally OK, but its author accepts payment in exchange for letting some ads through.
The APK guy has been spamming Slashdot for years trying to get people to download his program that installs a host file on your computer. The problem is, host files are very 20 years ago and are outdated/limited technology.
The file he's spamming about has to have one entry for every single ad server, otherwise it doesn't do any good. Advertising companies are spinning up new servers on a daily basis. For example, Google's DoubleClick is constantly creating new servers with names like this using random numbers:
1016557.fls.doubleclick.net
1412173.fls.doubleclick.net
4331660.fls.doubleclick.net
4338244.fls.doubleclick.net
Now, if you use a host file like APK suggests, you need one line in that file to block each one of those servers. DoubleClick has hundreds of servers and they add more all the time, meaning your file will always be out of date and trying to play catch-up to the advertising companies. Not to mention all the other ad and malware servers out there. That dork's file has hundreds of thousands of lines worth of one-at-a-time attempts to block bad servers.
Ad blocking browser extensions (like Adblock or uBlock) can match on wildcards, meaning they can block entire bad domains like *.doubleclick.net, no matter what new server names they put online today. APK's lame file can't do that because hosts files don't support wildcards. Try as he might, he still can't overcome that deficiency. He'll probably show up and post 10 replies to this comment either attacking me or pretending to be other people who like him.
who think that spending two seconds to watch an advert, for a full day of VPN access, is too much trouble. Stand in front of the mirror, and watch and listen to yourself as you state your complaint about this service.
How much money do they get for one ad impression? Like, one or five or ten cents? Let's go with the high end of the range, ten cents.
Does Opera offer their service for twenty cents per day (two ads)? If not, they're screwing their customers.
I see this all the time: I get to choose between a service with ads that might add up to half a dollar a day, or I can pay $99 a month for the service. That's bull. That's a way of making sure every single one of your customers is a chump -- either a chump willing to look at your stupid ads, or a chump willing to way overpay for your service. I hate it when companies make me feel like a chump.
Someone needs to write a bot to argue with this guy.
Adblock can't do (or do as well) 16 things hosts do 4 speed, security & reliability:
1.) Protect vs. bad sites (past ads)
2.) Protect vs. fastflux botnet C&C servers
3.) Protect vs. dynamic dns botnet C&C servers
4.) Protect vs. DGA botnet C&C servers
5.) Protect vs. downed DNS (reliability)
6.) Protect vs. DNS redirect poisoned/downed dns
7.) Protect vs. trackers
8.) Protect vs. spam payloads
9.) Protect vs. phish payloads
10.) Protect vs. caps
11.) Get past dns blocks
12.) Keep off dns request logs
13.) Speed up 2 ways (adblocks & hardcodes)
14.) Work on anything webbound multiplatform.
15.) Ez data edit
16.) Block ads more efficiently in cpu/ram/I-O use
APK
P.S.=> Ab+ does less vs. hosts less efficiently (a 128-151mb memory hog http://cdn.ghacks.net/wp-conte...)
ClarityRay defeats it
Ab+'s bribed not to work by default http://www.businessinsider.com...
AdBlock's SLOWER: http://superuser.com/questions...
UBlock can't do these as well as (or @ all) hosts do 4 speed, security, & reliability:
1.) Protect vs. bad sites (past ads)
2.) Protect vs. fastflux botnet C&C's
3.) Protect vs. dyndns botnet C&C's
4.) Protect vs. DGA botnet C&C's
5.) Protect vs. downed DNS (reliability)
6.) Protect vs. DNS poisoned dns
7.) Protect vs. trackers
8.) Protect vs. spam payloads
9.) Protect vs. phish payloads
10.) Protect vs. caps
11.) Get past dns blocks
12.) Keep off dns request logs
13.) Speed up 2 ways (adblocks/hardcodes)
14.) Work on anything webbound multiplatform.
15.) Ez data edit
16.) Block ads more efficiently in cpu/ram/I-O use
17.) UBlock now uses hosts (no DNS benefits vs. dns issues) - poor imitation = "sincerest form of flattery"
Hosts = native vs. illogically "Bolting on 'MoAr'" & not ClarityRay blockable like addons.
APK
P.S.=> Hosts (1st resolver) do MORE w/ less in fast kernelmode & before slow usermode addons
Hosts ~3mb vs. UBlock = 64MB -> http://cdn.ghacks.net/wp-conte...
Advertisers add more? I block more
Yeah, whenever you get around to noticing the new server(s). Maybe days or weeks after they get put online. And how many more days or weeks before someone using your software gets around to downloading your latest file? Every time Google or Facebook or Taboola adds a hostname to their network, your software is immediately out of date, and stays that way.
Ad blocking browser extensions don't need manual intervention like your supposed solution does.
hosts ... inefficient ... limited ... crippled
Right you are! That's the best description for it I've seen in awhile.
Not so sure if he posts when he's off his meds, or just when his dealer manages to hook him up.
There's an obsessive, compulsive and aggressiveness to his posts that seems amphetamine fuelled.
SPH. You know the drill.
APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-4 32/64-bit https://www.google.com/search?...
Ads rob speed, security (malvertising) & privacy (tracking).
Hosts add speed (hardcodes/adblocks), security (bad sites/poisoned dns), reliability (dns down), & anonymity (dns requestlogs/trackers) natively.
Works vs. caps & PUSH ads.
Avg. page = big as Doom http://www.theregister.co.uk/2... & ads = 40% of it.
Hosts != ClarityRay blockable (vs. souled-out to admen inferior wasteful redundant slow usermode addons)
Less power/cpu/ram + IO use vs. DNS/routers/addons/antivirus (slows you) + less security issues/complexity.
Compliments firewalls (blocking less used IP addys vs. hosts blocking more used domains) & DNS (lightens dns load).
Gets data via 10 security sites.
APK
P.S. - Safe https://www.virustotal.com/en/... (Verified by Malwarebytes' S. Burn "seen the code & it's safe" http://forum.hosts-file.net/vi... )
APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-4 32/64-bit https://www.google.com/search?...
Ads rob speed, security (malvertising) & privacy (tracking).
Hosts add speed (hardcodes/adblocks), security (bad sites/poisoned dns), reliability (dns down), & anonymity (dns requestlogs/trackers) natively.
Works vs. caps & PUSH ads.
Avg. page = big as Doom http://www.theregister.co.uk/2... & ads = 40% of it.
Hosts != ClarityRay blockable (vs. souled-out to admen inferior wasteful redundant slow usermode addons)
Less power/cpu/ram + IO use vs. DNS/routers/addons/antivirus (slows you) + less security issues/complexity.
Compliments firewalls (blocking less used IP addys vs. hosts blocking more used domains) & DNS (lightens dns load).
Gets data via 10 security sites.
APK
P.S. - Safe https://www.virustotal.com/en/... (Verified by Malwarebytes' S. Burn "seen the code & it's safe" http://forum.hosts-file.net/vi... )
Do you realise that the way you write and post creates a strong, negative impression?
Using homonyms or misspelled words to create insulting versions (eg 'opensores') is childish. Your use of insulting language is inflammatory.
You use multiple methods to link different ideas - an asterisk, parenthesis and then a post-script message. If you must use something to signify an aside, please pick one. It makes your posts hard to read and very disjointed.
In other posts you follow users to other topics and threads and post links to arguments you have had with them. You seem to want to have the last word, perhaps believing that 'proves' you the winner. It doesn't. Again, it's an immature behaviour and makes you look petty and incapable of understanding social cues and signals. That's a pretty damning statement on a site that has a high proportion of people who aren't exactly social masters.
Finally, while it is possible that people are down-modding you because they disagree with you, many, many others (mods included I would say) are modding you down because of your manner. You post off-topic, you are insulting and inflammatory, you seem incapable of following simple forum etiquette and your posts are borderline incomprehensible because of your abbreviations, 'creative' spelling and abuse of emphasis.
Being right is not defence or excuse. More, few will care if you are right or wrong if you aren't able to express yourself in a way that people are going to want to read.
You've done a good job of proving apk correct here
You seem to be mistaking volume for proof.
and projecting your inadequacies also
Really? Care to elaborate? Because your 'reply' looks like a cut and paste job.
Your down moderation abuse
Aw. Did you get down modded? But you are so perfect! Your cause so right and just. Surely the only reason that you, of all people, could be down modded is if someone is abusing the system. Abusing it, I say!
off topic
Ahem. Pot .. kettle ...
Stfu milksop! I realize apk's silenced you all here https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... and realize all you have is down mods of his posts or harassing him by unidentified anonymous posts yet you never prove him wrong. Go away milksop. You obviously care he's swept the floor with the lot of you quite easily.
WRONG.
Why can't you validly technically prove apk wrong here
Sorry, that's not how it works. The burden is on APK. Proof by assertion doesn't count, nor does proof by crapflood.
We know why
Appeal to the people. Logical fallacy. Fail.
rotten down moderation abuse
Prove that the down moderation is abusive. You imply that APK's incoherent rants should be let alone. I contend that the moderation is just and normal. In fact, wherever and whenever APK has had an account, his behaviour has eventually seen him banned. There is no site or forum where APK is a valued member; where his posts are treated as anything other than noise. This moderation is a continuation of a long history of people reacting to APK's behaviour negatively.
You have failed badly
More assertion.
You're dull. Troll better.
Answer my question! Why can't you validly technically prove apk incorrect here https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... ? His simple native method is proven better than what you opensores trolls produce! That is what your avoidance of proving him conclusively totally technically wrong achieves. Apk should thank you I feel for making him look great at your expense.
APK has a 20-year history of begging to have his ass whipped----and getting what he asked for
Stay tuned for our next instalment, when we'll show you how he got his ass handed back to him right here on Slashdot just a couple of years back.
Y'all enjoy.
Wait, what? You say your host file is ~3Mb. So instead of blocking an entire tld with a wildcard, I should be downloading a 3Mb (and growing every day apparently) every day instead of performing a single query? You've been struck down many times before, by myself and others, and you still spew this crap. Ahh, good times.
"Freedom in the USA is not the ability to do what you want. It is the ability to stop others from doing what THEY want"
# "If you don't like it, don't use it"
Hobson's Choice is not a choice.
# "a whole'nother dayzwerth
twelve hours is not a day, Hobson
See subject: Don't put words in my mouth I never said about myself. Initially hosts will be around that mark TO START for users of my program (may vary a bit but it'd be around that size).
* THE BIG DNS FAN = YOU right?
DNS ISSUES GALORE BY THE 100's idiot-> https://news.slashdot.org/comm...
(Chew on that & STFU, lol...)
APK
P.S.=> Strike this down & prove it totally wrong PUNK-> https://slashdot.org/comments.... WHICH YOU RAN FROM BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T DONE SQUAT TO SHOW FOR YOURSELF IN THE PAST or CURRENTLY IN CODE or my points here now https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... - YOU CAN'T PROVE ME WRONG THERE EITHER WEASEL & you know it... go for it (I'll bust you up again)... apk
I can add domains galore to hosts & hosts aren't as bloated inefficient & slow as addons https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... & you had to DOWNMOD "HIDE" THAT which says it all for me, lol!
* Advertisers add more? I block more - they lose. Just like you ALWAYS do vs. facts I put out.
APK
P.S.=> Downmod hiding YOUR BLUNDERS I POINT OUT like https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... doesn't work - everyone surfs below -1 here anyhow so you lose again, lol... apk
How's your IRC server Dr. Pizza? LOL - did someone kick you out of your own rooms there? Yes (gosh I wonder who). How's living in Brooklyn, a REAL SHITHOLE too?? LMAO - still trying to be a "writer" and still poor working for your money too (my money works for me & I haven't had to work for ANYONE if I don't want to for a decade++ now).
Ask Jeremy Reimer & Jay Little how it felt to have their servers removed by BOTH crystaltech.com & Shaw, lol (gosh I wonder who made THAT happen for making death threats my way & proving them BOTH wrong, along w/ Dr. Mark Russinovich of Microsoft no less, a former "co-worker" of mine @ sunbelt software on how memory optimization tech unstalled halted exchange servers (which Jay Little the obese moron said he was EXPERT on - some expert when I used MICROSOFT'S OWN DOCUMENTATION to prove them all wrong on that much no less).
* You arstechnica losers are STILL "stinging" over that, lol... hilarious & priceless... & for 20 yrs. too no less!
APK
P.S.=> Talk your pack of LOW brows & non-achievers/underachievers in 1 spot... that's ARSHOLETECHNICA to a tee (nobodies & do nothing "ne'er-do-well" losers)... apk
See subject: Via my sources getting 'em daily & addons fail on efficiency + speed vs. hosts no questions asked https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... (hosts dust inefficient limited crippled addons, period, on so many levels it's not even funny... so much so, you can't argue it as I back what I put out from reputable sources)
* All those downmods of my posts you & your sockpuppets apply to my posts can't prove me wrong, lol...
(Thanks for making ME look GOOD & yourselves (whipslash & his band of "rubber willy" dildo sockpuppets rotflmao) look, well... "not so good"!)
You tried "downmod hiding" this earlier too - which tells me I am SO RIGHT you can't handle it.
APK
P.S.=> Lil' ole' me wrote something more efficient, faster, & way, Way, WAY BETTER than the wannabe "open sourcerors"? Say it ain't so - too bad, it's true, lol... you lose & can't hide that fact! apk
See subject: Addons can't do 1/17th of what hosts do & use 21++ times more & you say addons = better? LOL!
* That's a laugh & more "/. unidentifiable troll 'illogic-logic'"!
(By the way - hosts DO block those sites - piratebay = piracy & adfly https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... , liar!)
APK
P.S.=> TRY "hide this" via "downmodpoints" 2x again as you did here failing https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... - I'll just post it again humiliating you & running you + your sockpuppets DRY of those modpoints easily fool... apk
See subject: You got the drill from me so FAR up your ass it shut you up vs. this set of facts you can't disprove https://tech.slashdot.org/comm...
* You & the rest of your "rubber willy" (lol) anonymous dildos are just that - useless dildos trolling me by ac posts (can't use your "registered 'luser'" account or I'd show I've destroyed you before, lol)...
All you can try do?
Is to unjustifiably downmod my posts, as it's "the best you've got" which ain't squat!
I toss the CRAP you Opensores WANNABES made that's blatantly inferior on nearly every level there is into the shitter easily!
APK
P.S.=> Your inability to prove me wrong on hosts SUPERIORITY to UBlock the INFERIOR IMITATION proves it all for me above, lol - You lose & you KNOW it when you're reduced to your puny trolling bullshit... apk
his hosts program is actually pretty good by xenotransplant
his hosts tool is actually useful for those cases in which one does indeed want to locally block stuff outright while consuming minimum system resources by alexgieg
I've never tried to belittle (APK's) work, I've flat out said it's good by BronsCon
take a look at the APK hosts file engine by SuperKendall
APK is kinda right. I've tried his hosts file generating software. It works by bmo
APK is totally right on this count. Adblock Plus on Firefox mobile is a dog on older, or lower end, phones. A hostfile based adblocker makes for a much better experience by chihowa
I like your host file system by Karmashock
I find your hosts file admirable by vel-ex-tech
* My code's also recommended & hosted by Malwarebytes' hpHosts - Argue w/ the /.'ers above.
APK
P.S.=> See subject - my success is above & I use the lists you note stupid, lol... apk
See subject: My program doesn't & sorts + filters for false positives - your crude method won't producing inefficiency!
My program also converts the larger SLOWER 127.0.0.1 blocking address to the smaller faster 0.0.0.0 automagically!
* Your cut & paste of data method is more than potentially INEFFICIENT!
APK
P.S.=> Had to add in the obvious above ONTOP OF THE FACT I USE THE SETS OF DATA YOU MENTION IN MY PROGRAM TOO which you blundered in overlooking that fact & YOU TRIED TO DOWNMOD HIDE YOUR BLUNDER TOO, lol - weak!
My successes with others on /. PLUS malwarebytes hosting & RECOMMENDING my ware is successful https://tech.slashdot.org/comm...
HAVE YOU DONE BETTER, trolling unidentifiable WEASEL?
(Obviously not, lmao! YOUR STUPIDITY & LACK OF ABILITY TO DO BETTER THAN I IS YOUR OWN FAULT... lol)... apk
Where's your success? Apk showed examples of his and you said he has none. You don't have any posting unidentifiably.