Yes, but since I have never installed that program on any of my 3 PCs, that is why I am asking the question why any plugin that I have would "check back" any information to his server.

don't think it's a 'plugin' but decal itself that is currently incorrectly looking at/for the certificate.


and as merkle is the one that probably did some of the coding, it's looking at his site.

 

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When you installed decal a7, you would have read in the release that it had been signed with the Insanity-Inc root certificate, which it also asked you to install.

You know, for the life of me, I don't quite follow how one question by me in, I believe, the 3rd post in this thread, and fully answered by Hazridi (or was it Paraduck) by the 7th or 8th post, could have turned into into such an absurdly long thread in just a matter of hours.


This is pretty much the reason why for years on this board, under three different user names, I've been a 99% Lurker 1% poster, which my total amount of sent messages plainly shows. I try to stay out of these type of threads.


However, this thread has annoyed me so I'm going to stick my oar in anyway...


Arch-Magi, some comments for you to consider.


I've been using Decal since its first public release and in that time span not once, to my knowledge, has Decal done anything other than its stated purpose, i.e. be a wrapper to run AC plugins.


Given that history, your question about what "else" Decal was sending to the insanity.org web site makes no sense, and was somewhat offensive. Offensive because your question also implied that the developers did something sneaky or underhanded in this Decal release, otherwise why ask that question in the first place.


In my original post I called it a "design flaw" which, again considering the history of Decal, was the reasonable assumption for what happened. Hazridi rather plainly stated that was the case, a mistake on their part, and that it would be promptly fixed. That reply by Hazridi said everything that needed to be said.


You really owe the Decal developers an apology.

<< You do remember that there have been "trojans" that were made for Decal that sent back login names and passwords, and I thought this might possibly be something along those lines. >>


If you are worried about such things then you shold stop using Decal.

 

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<< You do remember that there have been "trojans" that were made for Decal that sent back login names and passwords, and I thought this might possibly be something along those lines. >>


If you are worried about such things then you shold stop using Decal.


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Maddy, that was pretty much the reasoning behind why I sent my second post, the one just above yours.


His original post basically implied that this was exactly what the Decal developers had done, and his last post, the one containing the above quote, seems to be an attempt to put a better face on it. If that was his original thought then he should have plainly stated so in his original post. It would still have been a case of lack of thought on his part, but at least it would have been more forthright and somewhat less offensive.


The history of Decal development and the fact that web site in question was that of a Decal developer meant that, whatever the problem was, it clearly was NOT a trojan. In any case, if ArchMagi really thought this was a possibility, then his question was poorly worded and clearly directed to the wrong people. That much should have been evident to him before he made his post.

I'm worried about being in a car wreck, but that doesn't mean I have to stop driving. There are things you can do to minimize that risk short of stop driving.


My question was simple, and para finally answered it. Apparently something was installed during the Decal install that reported back to a website other than the official Decal site.


If you sit back and remove all the "emotion", you will see that my questions are very logical.


Why, if I installed only the base Decal program, ElTank, and Treestats, is "something" looking back to a website that isn't where any of those programs come from?


Well, after 3 pages, that has finally been answered. Because as part of the basic Decal install, it installed some other "program" from insanity.org and that is the program that is "looking back" to its web site.


To that casual player, who often see's their anti-virus program trigger over such events, this may sound confusing. If I install something from the Decal site, why isn't it reporting back to the Decal site? That is all.


You have to remember, like it or not, because you have an "open alpha", and have been for the better part of a year now, you are going to get people running this software who aren't as versed as the Decal Developers. Further, you have to remember, that there are people like me, who ask questions, not only because I want to know, but because I help run the 3rd largest guild on Harvestgain, people come to me to have questioned answered.


And just to head off your next statement, alot of people don't want to go to a dozen different web sites and go through the hassle of remembering what site is where for what plugin and set up a dozen accounts on various forums just to ask 1 or 2 questions. The come here and "lurk" for the answers, and those answers don't come unless there are people willing to ask questions.


Many of those lukers have learned that there are people out there who think it is below them to answer a question directly, because (rightfully or not) they end of flaming that person for "answering the same question over and over again". Well, to MOST people, they don't see it that way, they see it as their FIRST question, and don't like it when someone jumps down their throats, so they PM people they know who won't jump down their throats to see if they will answer the question or at least ask it, because they have no fear of being "jumped".





Yes, that was my thought, not to accuse the Decal Devs of anything, but rather to just have questions answered. Questions that lead to other questions, which lead to other questions. It is part of my inquisitive nature.


I understand that Decals history is good, but I also understand that the plugins have had a few "questionable" moments (like the one plugin that was actually a phishing tool to get login names and passwords so the author could raid the accounts and sell the stuff on eBay). I was asking my questions because I had seen "something" reporting back to a website that I had not downloaded a utility from.


My question(s) may have been worded poorly, for that I am sorry, I will try to do better.

Quote Arch-Magi:

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Because as part of the basic Decal install, it installed some other "program" from insanity.org and that is the program that is "looking back" to its web site.

========================================


You STILL don't get it. There is no other "program" installed with the Decal install. I'm seriously questioning what kind of developer you are based on thw way you're posting. A developer who's had ANY experience in the field shouldn't be saying such things.


Decal was SIGNED by a certificate.. similar to the way Drivers and other applications are to ensure validity. Microsoft signs most of their applications, and most of the tested drivers are signed by the Microsoft HCL.


There is no program that is part of decal "looking back" to it's website. The Microsoft Cryptographic Service Provider and other Certificate services are checking the certificate which Decal was signed with.


If you seriously don't understand, then stop posting things claiming them as fact.. all you'll do is confuse people as it seems you are confused.

Hence why I used the word "program" in "quotes". I know it is a cert, but a "program" can be set up to have one or not. In this case, it does, and it is this program that is causing the the OS to go out to the web site and check for that cert. Once again, you are missing the point, MOST PEOPLE WHO READ THIS FORUM ARE NOT PROGRAMMERS, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE MINUTIA, THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY A "PROGRAM" IS GOING OUT TO THE WEB, TO A SITE NAMED INSANITY-INC.ORG, AND IF IT IS SOME SORT OF TROJAN OR NOT. You can rant and rave and post code fragments to your hearts content, but that will do little to quell the fears/questions that the COMMON PERSON has.


As for what kind of programmer I am, I could honestly care less what you think of me. As for what I think of you, if you care, I think you are the kind of programmer who is caught up in the details and constantly talk in "geek speak" with other programmers, you forgot how to "interpret" the technical jargon to the average person so that they can understand it. I am sure you are very good at what you do Drak, I am very good at what I do, act as the go between for my people who aren't versed in "geek speak" and just want to know "Why is my anti-virus program going off and why is Decal looking to some web site named insanity-inc.org?"

just download the cert and it wont crash anymore

 

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