Comments on: Phishing for Free Software http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/ Channel News, Reseller News and Channel Partner Programs Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:59:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dave Simpson http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-116803 Dave Simpson Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:47:48 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/#comment-116803 Yep, i agree you cant beat fre software... you just need to find it <a href="http://freeofficedownload.freetools4u.com/" rel="nofollow">Free Office Download</a> Open Office… The <a href="http://freeofficedownload.freetools4u.com" rel="nofollow">FREE Office Suite</a> The Open Office suite that looks similar to the well known Microsoft Office Suite. Open Office is compatible with Microsoft Office documents (e.g. Word, Excel, Access) Try It, Use Open Office For FREE! Yep, i agree you cant beat fre software… you just need to find it

Free Office Download
Open Office… The FREE Office Suite
The Open Office suite that looks similar to the well known Microsoft Office Suite.
Open Office is compatible with Microsoft Office documents (e.g. Word, Excel, Access)
Try It, Use Open Office For FREE!

]]> By: Christopher Tozzi http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-116802 Christopher Tozzi Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:04:21 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/#comment-116802 aikiwolfie, mpt, Dan: although I think it does qualify as phishing, I suspect that this kind of stuff is not actually illegal--selling OpenOffice or collecting information from people downloading it doesn't violate the GPL as far as I understand it. With enough money and lawyers, you could probably find some legal basis for forcing Google to shut these people down, but unfortunately the free-software community is short on both cash and legal counsel. I think that the only real response available is to increase public awareness of OpenOffice, etc. so that people would not fall for this stuff. aikiwolfie, mpt, Dan: although I think it does qualify as phishing, I suspect that this kind of stuff is not actually illegal–selling OpenOffice or collecting information from people downloading it doesn’t violate the GPL as far as I understand it.

With enough money and lawyers, you could probably find some legal basis for forcing Google to shut these people down, but unfortunately the free-software community is short on both cash and legal counsel.

I think that the only real response available is to increase public awareness of OpenOffice, etc. so that people would not fall for this stuff.

]]> By: aikiwolfie http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-116801 aikiwolfie Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:48:43 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/#comment-116801 Doesn't Google have a phising black list? Report it. Doesn’t Google have a phising black list? Report it.

]]> By: Steve http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-116800 Steve Sun, 08 Feb 2009 23:09:06 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/#comment-116800 There are now 3 "Sponsored Links". Each has a different homepage, but all take you through the same process of paying for support before you can download OpenOffice. There are now 3 “Sponsored Links”. Each has a different homepage, but all take you through the same process of paying for support before you can download OpenOffice.

]]> By: mpt http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-116799 mpt Sun, 08 Feb 2009 22:51:33 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/#comment-116799 This is one case where Mozilla’s trademarks do come in handy. Trademark violations can be reported in Bugzilla. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?component=Trademark+Violations This is one case where Mozilla’s trademarks do come in handy. Trademark violations can be reported in Bugzilla.
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?component=Trademark+Violations

]]> By: Dan http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-116798 Dan Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:07:41 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/#comment-116798 Some underhanded junk to be sure, but it is to be expected. I would think that Google could watch their paid ads a little more closely though. Some underhanded junk to be sure, but it is to be expected. I would think that Google could watch their paid ads a little more closely though.

]]> By: InfoSec812 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-116797 InfoSec812 Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:13:23 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/#comment-116797 Very scary! To think that there are probably people out there who went through those sites to get OpenOffice, and are now cursing the open source developers for their underhanded tricks. I wonder if a certain Redmond, WA based business may be using this as a method of stacking the deck? Very scary! To think that there are probably people out there who went through those sites to get OpenOffice, and are now cursing the open source developers for their underhanded tricks. I wonder if a certain Redmond, WA based business may be using this as a method of stacking the deck?

]]> By: Steve http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-116796 Steve Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:58:44 +0000 http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/07/phishing-for-free-software/#comment-116796 I googled too, and both take you to the same website. The only way I could download these FREE suites, was to pay for a membership which gives me support. Can you imagine giving out credit card information to these guys? Bottom line, Google should remove these types of so-called sponsors! I googled too, and both take you to the same website. The only way I could download these FREE suites, was to pay for a membership which gives me support. Can you imagine giving out credit card information to these guys? Bottom line, Google should remove these types of so-called sponsors!

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