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#115 Privoxy is malware
I have a serious problem with the fact that privoxy is
changing the word "microsoft" to "microsuck" when I
use it.
Regardless of what any of us think of Bill Gates, this
behavior is intolerable. I am in the process of reporting
this package as malware all around the net.
Next stop, slashdot.
My email address is jiml@erinet.com, since apparently I
can't provide it anyplace else in this report.
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Whoah, relax there, jiml! You've triggered the advanced
filtering, which includes the following lines in default.filter:
FILTER: fun Text replacements for subversive browsing fun!
s/microsoft(?!.com)/MicroSuck/ig
All you need to do is add a pound sign in front of the rule,
like this:
#s/microsoft(?!.com)/MicroSuck/ig
There has been much discussion about this filter - it's
quite controversial, so we understand your reaction. I'm in
favor of removing it, myself.
- David
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You have to be a registered SF user, then your email address
is automatically available (assuming you logged in). Its
probably in their FAQ.
You are seeing this because you have altered privoxy's
default configuration. I would suggest undoing what you did,
if the results of your changes bother you. (Read
default.filter, or just reset back to the default
configuration.)
If you would like editorial control over what gets included
in Privoxy, you can always join the project, contribute
something, then what you think is good/bad will have more
weight. As it is, your *opinion* contrasts sharply with the
person who probably has contributed the most time and code
to Privoxy.
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Actually, I registered at SF some time ago. They were
supposed to send me a confirmation email, which never
arrived. Consequently, my log in has never worked. I
followed up once and asked for a duplicate confirmation
email, but it too never arrived. Either I mis-typed my
email address when trying to register (not impossible) or
there is a problem with the confirmation emails.
No, I did not change any default settings in privproxy.
What I did do was switch to the default provided "Advanced"
settings. Following the advice in the docs, I made the
configuration changes that I wanted to the "User" section.
None of these changes have anything to do with changing text
on websites.
WRT my wanting "editorial control", I really don't. What I
do want is a piece of software that doesn't make
unauthorized changes. A piece of software that does make
unauthorized changes is malware, by definition. Changing
"microsoft" to "microsuck" clearly qualifies.
In the past, I have done a fair amount of programming for
the public domain, and in the future I probably will again.
I also have published a number of magazine articles telling
other people "how to". At the present, I don't program PD
for reasons that are good and sufficient, and having to do
with family, work, and available time. You being on your
"high horse" about "why don't you contribute" is, therefore,
of no interest to me. Been there, done that. Have the
T-shirt.
See, for instance,
http://www.back2roots.org/Aminet/Tree/Dev/Moni/StackWatch.lh
a/us/
and
http://www.munitions.com/rory/amiga/FF/listings/400-499/cat_
499.txt
At the present time I spend time on a couple of chat boards
helping other people with their computer problems, and that
is my contribution.
Now, the message from David does explain what happened. I
did do a search for the word "microsuck" in one of the
config files, but evidently it was the wrong one. Having a
feature that enables the changing of text in a web page is
OK, but you shouldn't provide the package with that feature
enabled. Had the pound sign been in front of that string,
the problem would not have occurred. I would have
discovered the feature when I took the time to study the
config files in detail.
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Actually, I was being rhetorical when I suggested you join
the project. The point I was trying to make is that whatever
features privoxy has, and which of those are
enabled/disabled in default settings are decided by those
actively working on the project. Since this is all volunteer
type work, and the contributors do it for *fun* and personal
satisfaction, it is only fair that they do it in what *they
think* is an approprite manner. If we were selling Privoxy,
our perspective would surely be different. In fact, the
person who wrote all the filtering code, had the original
idea for this kind of "fun" thing (IIRC). And it led to one
some of the best ad blocking features in Privoxy. I guess we
can thank MS for that :)
The fun filter is not enabled in a default installation. It
has to be turned on, which is what happens when the
'Advanced' profile is selected. This filter is really
provided as a demonstration of some of the "fun" things one
might want to do. It is intentionally an attention grabber.
I don't guess you hit any buzzwords ;-)
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While I suppose the argument of unauthorized changes being a form of malware might be supportable, I personally
like reading "MicroSuck" where references are made to the most predatory firm in the world -- in any industry.
Since you admittedly implemented Privoxy before taking time to read the doc & examine the files that drive it, you
have no justification for whining, to say nothing of spewing your opinion all over the web.
Paying attention is optional. You increase the chances of stepping on your dick by not doing so, but it *is*
optional. Maybe you should pull that tshirt over your head & crawl back under your rock.
Dilly
dilly-privoxy@dilly.net