Date: Thu Jan 19 15:51:27 2006
From: stan.bubrouski at gmail.com (Stan Bubrouski)
Subject: Re: PC Firewall Choices

On 1/19/06, Dave Korn <davek_throwaway@...mail.com> wrote:
>  I'd like to second what Greg says.
>
>  I've used ZA for years, through many changes of version.
>
>  It's never forgotten its settings for me.
>  It's never blocked anything it shouldn't or not blocked anything it
> should.

Really?  Do you just run notepad?  I've had to remove it on several
machines because it blocked the launch of certain applications despite
there being no rules to do so.  This includes (to my recollection this
was some months ago) some popular tax software updating features,
adobe acrobat plugin stoppped working within IE even though it was
configured to, and numerous other problems that couldn't be tracked to
any rules.

>  It's not remotely bloated compared to similar packages like anything
> Norton/Symantec/McAfee[*]

Symantec is hugely bloated, but on a 1.2 GHz machine I have here, when
ZA is installed web browsing with IE is slowed down very noticably,
far more than average Norton System Works install causes.

>  Nor do I find a dialog such as "Should internet explorer be allowed to
> connect to the internet" at all confusing.
>

Neither does anyone else in this thread, you just presume we're all
lusers who can't read english or configure simple software.

>  So I'm convinced the problem exists between chair and keyboard.
>

Your wild assumptions that because you've never had a problem that
anyone who does must be an idiot is astounding...do you teach?  Try
using google you'll found thousands of ZA problems, not all imagined.

>  Can you actually back up your claims?  For example, can you describe a
> simple procedure, that anyone with ZA installed could try out, that shows it
> to misbehave?  Or do you have detailed notes that you took at the time one
> of these problems occurred that shows the symptoms you observed and the
> steps you took to attempt to diagnose and solve the problem?
>

Having uninstalled it, deleted the executable, and wiped my free space.  No.

>  Or can we just expect to hear "No, I didn't know what was going on, I
> didn't keep proper notes, I was in a rush and just needed to get things
> working so I didn't investigate"?  In which case it would be false to claim

It's clearly the problem if it degrades system performance, some apps
fail to load, and all this goes away when is disabled.  And who the
hell takes notes on every piece of software they install and remove
because its buggy?  Please we'd all have a set of encyclopedia-sized
notes for Windows problems alone.

> that you knew ZA to be the cause of the problem, rather than either pilot
> error or a faulty PC or any number of other confounding factors that could
> arise?
>

It's easy to know, because when you uninstall it suddenly things are
much smoother and your heart rates go back down.

>  I hear people slagging off ZA quite often, but not one of them has ever
> been able to actually demonstrate a real problem or even explain what the
> problem is in terms any more precise then "Uh I dunno it just went wrong".
>

Just because someone doesn't take notes every time some piece of shit
software doesn't work as advertised and uninstall it, doesn't make
what they say any less true.  Why would I install something just to
prove it causes problems to satisfy the ego of someone who thinks
because something works for them it must be perfect for everyone.  It
would be fruitless.  If you can't find anyone reporting real problems
with ZA then maybe you should browse your way over to www.google.com
and do a search.

>    cheers,
>      DaveK
>
> [*] which I consider to be the gold standard for lousy, bloated, buggy,
> faulty software.
> --
> Can't think of a witty .sigline today....

I have a sigline for you:  ZA is in my mouth.
Stop sucking.


Why isn't it friday yet,
-sb

>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
> Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
> Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/
>

Powered by blists - more mailing lists