Is C-Dilla a spyware ?
Soomo
Lets see, is C-dilla hidden ? Yes !
Does C-dilla transmit user infor ? Well who knows ? Nobody is going
to come right out and say they are collecting user info. Didn't Real
Audio or some other fairly big and legit nternet company collected
user infor through spyware before?
Extract from FAQ
Q5. What is "spyware"?
"Spyware" is jargon for hidden programs that transmit user information
to others (usually advertisers) without the user's knowledge.
Q6. Did C-Dilla produce "spyware"?
No. All of the above statements concerning Macrovision technology
apply equally to C-Dilla and its products.
Ernie Klein
Soomo <soomo@fake_email.com> wrote:
> Intuit don't think so. see section off FAQ below.
>
> Lets see, is C-dilla hidden ? Yes !
>
> Does C-dilla transmit user infor ? Well who knows ? Nobody is going
> to come right out and say they are collecting user info. Didn't Real
> Audio or some other fairly big and legit nternet company collected
> user infor through spyware before?
>
Their FAQ's and spokesmen have been very careful to say that no personal
data or any other information of any kind that is stored on your
computer is sent from your computer and collected by Intuit. What they
have not addressed is does their software, while running on *your* PC,
access selected computer data and use that data, along with the internal
serial number of the CD, to generate an encrypted number, that by itself
contains no identifiable information about you or your computer, and
send that number to Intuit? Intuit can then assoicate that number with
you and your computer in their database based on other information you
voluntarily gave them during the activation procedure.
Technically they would be correct that no identifiable data is sent from
your computer. However, their FAQ says that a "random" number is
generated in your PC and sent to Intuit. If, in fact that number is
generated as I am guessing above, then the number is unique to your
PC/CD combination and is far from "random".
http://www.turbotaxsupport.com/default.asp?platform=1&formName=&pd=&fs=&v
er=&sku=&id=&DocID=815
-Ernie-
Jim and Peg Nugent
<eckleinspammenot-0E...@news.newsguy.com> Ernie Klein
<eckleins...@pacbell.net> wrotm:
>
>Technically they would be correct that no identifiable data is sent from
>your computer. However, their FAQ says that a "random" number is
>generated in your PC and sent to Intuit. If, in fact that number is
>generated as I am guessing above, then the number is unique to your
>PC/CD combination and is far from "random".
>
>http://www.turbotaxsupport.com/default.asp?platform=1&formName=&pd=&fs=&v
>er=&sku=&id=&DocID=815
I believe the FAQ also claims that "No information about your computer is
collected."
--
Jim
Barry Watzman
implmented by Intuit in TurboTax (note, I'm not disturbed by the
PRINCIPLE of product activation), from everything that I can determine,
the product activation software is not "spyware".
Ernie Klein
Well, thinking more about this more; they may well be doing this by
using a 'random' number like they say, using private key - public key
security encryption methods, simular to electronic signatures or PGP.
The number they give you to activate is the 'public key'. Only their
encryption software knows the 'private key', and together they activate
the software. Do they maintain any data about you? I don't know. When
you activate do they ask your name? If not, then they may just be
maintaining a data base of the serial number of the product and the
activation code, so they can know if any given product has been
activated, without knowing anything about who purchased it.
That being the case, when you call then after your hard drive has
crashed, they can know nothing more about you than your software had
been previously activated, based on the serial number of the CD. So
what. You are telling them that it was previously activated - your hard
drive crashed. There reluctance to issue a new activation is because
they have not way of knowing that you are you at all, and that you
aren't just trying to activate on another computer.
They may give you a hard time, but in the end they have to reactivate to
be in accords with the license agreement. No matter how they interrupt
'single computer', a repaired 'single computer' is still the same
'single computer'.
-Ernie-
Dave Brandman
Dell for my Birthday - a 4550. Saved reinstallation of TT for
last - even did Office XP without any problem at all. Here's
transcript of my conversation with Intuit. End result was
good, but definitely more frustrating than it should have
been.
You have been connected to G. Elgin.
G. Elgin: Hello?David ,?how?may?I?help?you?today?
David Brandman: Hi - Purchased TT Deluxe about a month ago and
activated it on my Dell T500
David Brandman: Wife just got me a new Dell 4550
David Brandman: Giving the old one away
David Brandman: Need to re-activate the software on the new
dell
G. Elgin: David please let me check the database.
David Brandman: ok
G. Elgin: David Can I ask when you actually installed it ?
David Brandman: On December 17th
David Brandman: That was on the T500
G. Elgin: David checking with our technical gurus and they
state that if it is installed on the previous machine (T500)
you should complete your return on it. The License agreement
does not permit the move between the machines
David Brandman: You must be joking. Once installed, you can
not get a new machine
David Brandman: I didn't have this problem with Microsoft with
office activation
David Brandman: I am supposed to keep an old machine to
satisfy your rules?
G. Elgin: This is part of the license agreement - I have been
told this after checking with a couple of sources.
David Brandman: Let me speak to a supervisor
David Brandman: This is ridiculous
G. Elgin: Dabv
David Brandman: I have been a customer of Intuit for over 10
years
David Brandman: I expect better service than this
G. Elgin: David, a supervisor will tell you what I have told
you as they have to follow the same business rules that I
have. If you wish to speak to a supervisor, at the end of this
chat a survey will be provided and you will be given a chance
then to escalate this issue.
David Brandman: may as well end it now then, because I need to
speak to one
G. Elgin: I would like to take this opportunity to thank you
for visiting our TurboTax Support Chat.
David Brandman: yeah, right. likewise
David Brandman: It states right on your site: "If you need to
reinstall an activated copy of TurboTax on another computer
because of a hard disk failure, or if you are reinstalling an
activated copy of TurboTax on a newly purchased computer or
hard disk, please contact a live agent to obtain a second
activation code."
G. Elgin: David Let me clarify with another member of my team
please
David Brandman: ok
G. Elgin: David Can I have your product Id please?
David Brandman: The Key?
G. Elgin: Yes please. Can I ask where you purchased it also?
David Brandman: xxxxx-xxxx-xxxxx-xxxx
David Brandman: Purchased it through Amazon.com
G. Elgin: Please let me check my resources
David Brandman: ok
[long wait]
David Brandman: are you still there?
G. Elgin: David - good news - the rules have just been updated
and I've been issued with a new key for your product. Sorry
for the confusion - it seems to be a work in progress here
David Brandman: ok - thank you
G. Elgin: Product Key yyyyy-yyyy-yyyy-yyyy
G. Elgin: Is there anything else I can help you with?
David Brandman: no - that's it, thank you
G. Elgin: I would like to take this opportunity to thank you
for visiting our TurboTax Support Chat.
David Brandman: good bye.
Dave
Ernie Klein <eckleins...@pacbell.net> wrote in
news:eckleinspammenot-8B...@news.newsguy.com:
> In article <eqoo1vgfpvuguc54h...@4ax.com>,
> Jim and Peg Nugent <nu...@execpc.com> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 08 Jan 2003 08:24:33 -0800, in
>> <eckleinspammenot-0E...@news.newsguy.com>
>> Ernie Klein <eckleins...@pacbell.net> wrotm:
>> >
>> >Technically they would be correct that no identifiable
>> >data is sent from your computer. However, their FAQ says
>> >that a "random" number is generated in your PC and sent
>> >to Intuit. If, in fact that number is generated as I am
>> >guessing above, then the number is unique to your PC/CD
>> >combination and is far from "random".
>> >
>> >http://www.turbotaxsupport.com/default.asp?platform=1&form
>> >Name=&pd=&fs=&v er=&sku=&id=&DocID=815
Dannie
"Dave Brandman" <Da...@no.spam.Brandman.org> wrote in message
news:Xns92FDB200EDEF0da...@204.127.199.17...
all - hope your return shows getting money back from our favorite Uncle.
Dannie
Dave Brandman
discussion with Intuit to get a new code, I had installed TT
on the new Dell. Needless to say, it wouldn't activate. I
then un-installed TT on the new Dell. It uninstalled just
fine and I did a reboot, but c-dilla hung around like a bad
penney.
Dave
"Dannie" <sloopok...@nospam.optonline.net> wrote in
news:d_1T9.17403$FT6.3...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net:
>> >> >orm Name=&pd=&fs=&v er=&sku=&id=&DocID=815
djebens
<snip>
> G. Elgin: David - good news - the rules have just been updated
>
> and I've been issued with a new key for your product. Sorry
> for the confusion - it seems to be a work in progress here
> David Brandman: ok - thank you
> G. Elgin: Product Key yyyyy-yyyy-yyyy-yyyy
> G. Elgin: Is there anything else I can help you with?
> David Brandman: no - that's it, thank you
> G. Elgin: I would like to take this opportunity to thank you
> for visiting our TurboTax Support Chat.
> David Brandman: good bye.
>
> Dave
"a work in progress" That is what is probably what is most frustrating &
irritating about this whole activation scheme. Intuit did not bother to
establish appropriate tech support or ponder the possibility of consumer
revolt. To have to spend any length of time receiving bad information is
inexcusable. I have made sure that everyone I know who does their own
taxes not buy TTax & at least 10 family members & friends have already
moved to TaxCut.
Soomo
Thanks for your post, it was a good read, though it must very
frustrating. I am sure you have heard many time before, but here
goes:
"Dude.. You're getting a Dell "
It would appear there's quite a bit of information they have collected
including where you bought you TT from. I am usually not the easily
freak out about people collecting info about me, but when it comes to
tax and other financial info, its another story.
Soomo
<Da...@no.spam.Brandman.org> wrotf:
>One other interesting observation from all this. Before my
>discussion with Intuit to get a new code, I had installed TT
>on the new Dell. Needless to say, it wouldn't activate. I
>then un-installed TT on the new Dell. It uninstalled just
>fine and I did a reboot, but c-dilla hung around like a bad
>penney.
>
>Dave
>
Did you try uninstalling Safecast, or did that not work ?
Soomo
Amazon, I only had to ask them to read the reviews without having to
explain to them what the whole hoo haa is all about.
On Thu, 09 Jan 2003 00:59:18 GMT, djebens <dje...@earthlink.net>
wrotf:
Tom Goodhart
news:eckleinspammenot-0E...@news.newsguy.com...
Just wondering if anyone has tried the following:
1) Say you've ZoneAlarm running for a firewall:
After installation of TT you reboot immediately.
If C-Dilla is going to try to access/send some data wouldn't ZA pop up
and ask you if this was okay?
Q1) You reply NO as in don't ever allow C-Dilla access, what would
happen?
2) You have Ad-aware from Lavasoft (for hunting down and removing spyware).
Does/Would Ad-aware find C-Dilla? If so, and you have it remove C-Dilla
would this solve the problem
--
Tom
For replies, change "invalid" to "charter"
olc-ca...@home.com
wrote:
>While I'm disturbed my many aspects of the activation process as
>implmented by Intuit in TurboTax (note, I'm not disturbed by the
>PRINCIPLE of product activation), from everything that I can determine,
>the product activation software is not "spyware".
>
I'm not either, but there's a big gap here between priciple and
implementation. They obviously thought very little about this before
they released it.
Liam Devlin
I have read elsewhere that C-Dilla maintains usage statistics. I can't
imagine any software house developing this software if the info was
never to be seen or used. I assume the data is sent back to
Intuit/Safecast. Draw your own conclusions.
Liam Devlin
I don't know that Ad-Aware is a good example in this case because
they've stopped updating their database of spyware. Does anyone know if
their database already includes Safecast/C-Dilla?
olc-ca...@home.com
SpyBot S&D finds C-Dilla and checks it for removal. Removing it
doesn't get all of it but it does remove enough so you are asked to
activate TT when you re-open it.
olc-ca...@home.com
wrote:
>While I'm disturbed my many aspects of the activation process as
>implmented by Intuit in TurboTax (note, I'm not disturbed by the
>PRINCIPLE of product activation), from everything that I can determine,
>the product activation software is not "spyware".
>
I'm not either, but there's a big gap here between priciple and
implementation. They obviously thought very little about this before
they released it.
>
Dave Brandman
news:17rp1v8qvqjcv10tc...@4ax.com:
No - maybe that was too obvious for me, but I didn't even check
that. I would have expected that TT would uninstall all
components that it had installed in the first place. Of course,
most programs that use spyware aren't doing that either.
Dave