Warning to Users of PKZIP Explorer and Microsoft Outlook 2000

28 February 2002

[PatrioticAmerican]

FYI...

[isthisnickcool]

A recent version of the shareware 32 bit PKZIP from PKWare has an ad server built in. Installing it installs software on your system that downloads advertisements to your workstation and uploads click counts back to Conducent.

Those with packet sniffers will see the outbound connects on TCP port 17027. PKWare is a sneaky bunch:)

[Publius6961]

PKZIP is a popular program, but is becoming less common, such that not many people

Wrong!
PKZip has become more popular since worms and viruses became universal.
Many web sites routinely reject any file with the .doc extension; making it a zip file is the only way Word documents can be sent in that case.

[Lokibob]

Does this apply to outlook express? Anytime I receive a file from an AOL user that is over 1 meg, it is zipped. I have wondered about it.

[Mr170IQ]

My suggestion; use PowerArchiver 6.1. It's better than PKZIP and freeware to boot. Don't bother with version 7, they messed it up.

BTW, does anyone else here remember reading of the death of the founder of PKWARE in the news a couple of years ago? It sounded like a trashier remake of "Leaving Las Vegas"

[SoothingDave]

Real men unzip from a command line.

SD

[Voltage]

Power Archiver isn't freeware anymore. Used to be however.

[Mr170IQ]

Power Archiver isn't freeware anymore

That's why I said find version 6.1, the last totally free release. You can still find it in many online download spots. Like here

[PatrioticAmerican]

web sites might reject docs, but they are onto the zip thing now as well, refusing any attachment.

[PatrioticAmerican]

ooooh, ya make me tingle all over! (just kidding!)

[PatrioticAmerican]

I don't know about AOL as I try to stay away from them, and so do my fiends, because they are so anti-American and anti-gun. AOL may be zipping anything over 1 meg. You might be able to check their FAQ or simply ask them about that.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Hey, Harr! Here's a freebie for ya!

[Redcloak]

Does anyone know if PKZIP still comes with the embedded Timesink spyware?

[rohry]

web sites might reject docs, but they are onto the zip thing now as well, refusing any attachment.

I delete all e-mails with zip attachments...

[SeeRushToldU_So]

Winzip is a better zip program, and Ad-aware will find spyware on your computer. And finally Zone Alarm will stop unauthorized access to and from your computer.

All of these are free to download and use. Winzip is shareware, and yes I did buy a License. The other two are freeware.

[KC Burke]

You know, it took only a few years for the free-form internet to develope it widespread ability and it appears that MS, Software Greedmongers and the government will kill its functionality in approximately the same amount of time. Will we even surf in any form of free manner in four years time or will only the really computer junkies be able to do so while the rest of the public is driven away by costs, subsciptions and problems built-in?

[Dominic Harr]

Here's a freebie for ya!

I rarely post in to a thread where I agree with everyone. Usually I just lurk.

For what it's worth, I do think this is a hideous software practice.

I like the functionality, but would insist on more user information be put up front. This is going to be a great problem as time goes on, with software being able to change subtle things under the covers that 90% of the computer users don't even know exist.

[PatrioticAmerican]

I agree. Software, especially MS software, seems to do things without asking or being told to. My biggest pet peeve is when I try to open the My Computer so I can move to my Development directory and Windows wants to try every FReeping device to ensure that it is available when it presents the list of devices. This means that the CD has to spin up, the network has to respond, and the Zip drive is tested for a disc, etc. All I wanted to do was open up My 'C' drive! Yes, I also have a shortcut to 'c', but I don't always use it. I guess developers don't want to write excellent code, but, instead, just think of newer "cool" features to add without thinking if they provide any benefit.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Bill Gates made a speech several years ago, in 2000, I think, on that very subject. He said that Windows was far too difficult to use for the average person and that the Internet was following the same path. Windows XP was a step in the right direction, but Microsoft still has its "feature junkies" at the helm as Program Managers.

I do not support Linux for my own use, but I very much welcome it and any other program that can give MS a run for its money. MS needs competition to show that people want software that works and is easy to use all of its feastures. I don't want to have to get a PhD in order to use a shrink wrap product. I have a 2.0Ghz machine with 512MB RAM. It runs like a pig compared to my "old" Pentium Pro-200 Mhz running older software. This machine is ten times as fast in many respects, and, yet, it runs today's bloated, "feature junky" software half as fast.