Responsible Journalism?

[Guest]

[panic]

Bravo RejZoR!

Well written, to the point and just plain right. Those who think they know what they're talking about are really starting to annoy the crap out of those of us that do.

To all the "expert" reviewers out there :

It is much better to say nothing and be thought a fool, than to speak up and remove all doubt.

 

Ewen :-)
 (WCF3)

[Júštiñ™]

RejZoR,

You are 110% correct. And it really upsets me when so called "expert" writes a review that has information that people who use the app know are not true but gives the app a bad name for people who don't know about the company.

[mike6688]

Well said RejZoR,

People really should research products and at least try them themselves or speak to users to get an accurate picture of what the software really is and how it performs.

Mike

[steadyguy]

Hi All,
         quite, there is something new that works and those so-called established critics just won't like that. There is a difference in advertising something you pay for and something that is offered free of charge. When it is free it is just information. You have choice. Comodo is much less intrusive than many I could mention. How long have we had to put up with false positives telling you that danger lurkes if you don't install a particular program. Even some of the so-called Best programs have been guilty of this at some time or other.
             My experience of Comodo is that it has a very good start and can only get better.I was amazed at the quality being offered for free. As for uninstalling it is no worse than some, CA wasn't easy, nor was Fsecure. They all have little quirks somewhere. Just take a little think if something has gone awry. You can always delete with a clean-up tool if things have gone wrong.XP gives you System Restore. It's there to use. The number of times I've heard of people grumbling after they shut System Restore off. Usually to make space for games and music etc.
                That's my 2 cents worth anyway.
              Regards to All,
                                      George.

[JolietJake]

My claim was not that LaunchPad is adware.  LaunchPad is an advertising vehicle -- a method of carrying advertising material from one place to another.  Comodo does not beat around the bush...it is no secret that LaunchPad advertises other Comodo products.

The word "informing" can be subsituted with technical correctness.  However, advertising is generally seen as intrusive in some way.  The intrusion can be seen as welcome or unwelcome.

Average consumers may not care.  This is why Google's G-Mail is popular.  Most people won't care that advertising appears around their e-mail after Google's servers have scanned and parsed the messages for potential hit words.  I would not allow business communication to travel and be stored by G-mail.  Free, yes.  Advertising, yes.  Suitable for all users, no.

I am happy that the latest version of LaunchPad no longer pushes the installers.  The information is rolled up by default, and less intrusive.  But, still intrusive.  If you leave LaunchPad running for a while, areas of it will start flashing with alternative graphics.  Yes, we're still awake, Comodo.  Thank you for the info...please disappear into a tray somewhere.

I cannot say bad things about i-Vault.  It has features not found in SSO and password management software.  And, it's free.  Google sells it ads for cash.  Comodo's advertising is only self-serving.  No money, no exchanging or aggregating of data for further mining.

Also, I cannot say bad things about Comodo's publicized reasons for advertising their free software.  Every computer user should have access to basic security software at a price they can reasonably afford.  For home users, students, first-timers, and SOHO users, "free" definitely falls into that magic price range.  But, there aren't many free lunches.  Too many hooks or disclaimers or bundles or adware.  Nice to see that a company with Comodo's position in the SSL market (trust is everything), is willing to spend time and effort to help the everyman.

I'm in it for the long haul...let's see how Comodo's products mature.  Based on the first 3 iterations of 1.0, version 2 should turn some heads in the security market.

Regards,
Alan Leghart

How can you say launch pad is 'intrusive' when you have to click it to open it and then it only tells you what Comodo products you have installed?
To find out about other Comodo products you have to click the button 'other free Comodo products' to find out that information.

You should perhaps look up the dictionary definition of the word...

in‧tru‧sive
–adjective
1.   tending or apt to intrude; coming without invitation or welcome.

Now to see what other products Comodo have you have to deliberately make the choice and click on the button therefore your discription of it being 'intrusive' is completely erroneous.

Have you made similar claims about the big companies like McAfee and Norton who have pop ups (intrusive) which tell you what you have not purchased from them, obviously seeking sales?

[Júštiñ™]

in‧tru‧sive
–adjective
1.   tending or apt to intrude; coming without invitation or welcome.

This only proves that the writers of the articles claiming Comodo is intrusive don't know what they are talking about.

Have you made similar claims about the big companies like McAfee and Norton who have pop ups (intrusive) which tell you what you have not purchased from them, obviously seeking sales?

In all honesty, the not free McAfee and Norton products all do this, and all they are doing is trying to get more money out of the consumer. I have yet to see Comodo ask for money in their Launch Pad.

[Melih]

How can you say launch pad is 'intrusive' when you have to click it to open it and then it only tells you what Comodo products you have installed?
To find out about other Comodo products you have to click the button 'other free Comodo products' to find out that information.

You should perhaps look up the dictionary definition of the word...

in‧tru‧sive
–adjective
1.   tending or apt to intrude; coming without invitation or welcome.

Now to see what other products Comodo have you have to deliberately make the choice and click on the button therefore your discription of it being 'intrusive' is completely erroneous.

Have you made similar claims about the big companies like McAfee and Norton who have pop ups (intrusive) which tell you what you have not purchased from them, obviously seeking sales?

This is an excellent point made by JolietJake !

thanks

Melih

[kuba]

In all fairness they have their opinions which they are entitled to.

That said, you have to keep in mind if they don't get any money from the big name corporations like Norton, McAffee, etc...afterall they claim to be a source for internet security.
I personally haven't used a antivirus in awhile.
Comodo firewall, plus spywarguard, firefox (noscript extension), plus relatively smart surfing, I'm pretty happy...

[LUSHER]

And for christs sake, Comodo products DON'T show ANY popups.

Adware is not just restricted to popups.

[LUSHER]

My claim was not that LaunchPad is adware.  LaunchPad is an advertising vehicle -- a method of carrying advertising material from one place to another.  Comodo does not beat around the bush...it is no secret that LaunchPad advertises other Comodo products.

Actually the original definition of adware was exactly has you state, software that is used as an advertising vehicle, and Launchpad is that.

Today of course, most people even those self styled security experts who don't go back that far, think adware must mean popups. 

[Melih]

Actually the original definition of adware was exactly has you state, software that is used as an advertising vehicle, and Launchpad is that.

Today of course, most people even those self styled security experts who don't go back that far, think adware must mean popups. 

Perhaps you can enlighten us by showing us a credible reference to a definition that would classify Launchpad (An application that allows users to install all free desktop products from one application) as an Adware.
also, perhaps you can show us where Launchpad "advertises" we would love to see a screenshot of it please

Melih

[LUSHER]

Perhaps you can enlighten us by showing us a credible reference to a definition that would classify Launchpad (An application that allows users to install all free desktop products from one application) as an Adware.
also, perhaps you can show us where Launchpad "advertises" we would love to see a screenshot of it please

Melih

Already answered in the other thread.

[Melih]

Already answered in the other thread.

But you haven't provided any evidence which is what we asked!

You cannot back pedal and expect to get away with it, did you?

Melih

[mike6688]

Lusher,

If Launchpad was adware, then why did no anti spyware applications ever detect launchpad as adware?

Mike

[LUSHER]

Lusher,

If Launchpad was adware, then why did no anti spyware applications ever detect launchpad as adware?

Mike

The same reason why they typically didn't detect Opera which displayed ads (before it went freeware) as adware... Sigh...

I know these days there is practically no distinction between spyware and adware, and when you guys say "adware" you actually think spyware. And most noobs don't remember the days where there was ad supported software, that displayed maybe one click through  static ads when starting. The problem is today adware is not so benign...
 
There is nothing essentially "evil" about ad supported software (which perhaps is a better term now that adware is such a emotive term) when tastefully done, but the problem was the early guys who seized on adware idea, started including spyware, extremely intrusive ads (popups to be exact), spying on user behavior, even installing unwanted software via social enginnering etc.

At one point vendors tried to distinguish between adware and spyware, claiming that theirs was the former and should not be targetted , but the battle was lost really, since people didn't make the distinction.

This makes software as a medium for transmitting messages dead, which is why launchpad was unbundled due to the hue and cry even though all it did was to inform users about their other products.

All this is not so long time ago, and anyone who wants to verify the history can easily find it.

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