I may be joining my first Tradewars game shortly, and SWATH looked attractive to me because of the mapping feature. However, the guy who is running the game informed me that SWATH is spyware, because he "once tried to install the new version, and it kept trying to phone home. Clearly a sign of spyware." Could anyone shed any light on this?

- Gus

Heh!
SWATH authenticates each time you start it against a server. If you call that phone home then dont use it.
earth.

SWATH isn't spyware, it authenticates itself against the server of the creators so to be validated and let the full functions be used by the owner of the program. You will find now days a lot of programs will do that now, mainly, both for your protection and the protection of the programs creators, as to keep illegal usage down to a minimum, TWX Proxy is another program that done this, well the 2.02 is still suposed to, but my copy hasn't been able to do that, but the 2.03 is free now and open source now, and is a good helper to use with ATTAC, and SWATH, as well as ZOC and other helper and Telnet type programs out there.

Spyware, not...
See Vulcan's description above. I have run lot's of anti-spyware software and SWATH has never been an issue.

If you have specific concerns, support@swath.net or visit the support forum on the site http://www.swath.net.[8]

Spyware is software that records and reports demographics and tracking data regarding your online activities. Swath doesn't do that. It simply verifies whether the software is legitimately registered or not.

And people really should start getting used to this approach. W/ small software
developers at a disproportional risk for software piracy and increased internet
reliability... it's a reasonable move that helps reduce cost for legitimate
users.

quote:Originally posted by Chainer DM IRC

Actually, SWATH 1.3.2 reports the connected server, username, and password with authentication request. I am unsure if 1.8.x does this but I know 1.3.2 does. I found out one day checking my log files. So technically it is (or atleast was) spyware/malware.

-Chainer


Not really it only reported what it needed in its database to the authentication server for validation, basically to proove you are the owner of the program and not someone hacking it. SWATH still uses the routine to validate, and has never set off my spyware programs, and I have some of the best, like Pest Patrol and a few others.Even my 3 A/V progs don't register it as a spyware/malware threat. Although they try to say my TWGS are, from time to time. Hehe. Go figure.

I don't know if it verifies the connecting server or not, as it
verifies before it has actually connected... I'd have to look at
the packet sent out. Still that does not constitute spyware. If it
was reporting your system contents, if it was sending web site
activity or email activity, then it would be spyware. It just reports
back enough information to verify your identity to prevent software
piracy.

Never-the-less if you aren't comfortable w/ this really basic
approach then you can always change software. Attac limits you to
(IIRC) 5 usernames. The newest version of Zoc is pretty expensive,
the older version(s) I think can be had for free if you put up w/
the nag screens.

While you're at it make sure your windows update is off since it
reports your system activation hash when it connects, nevermind
the vulnerabilites...

quote:Originally posted by Singularity
The newest version of Zoc is pretty expensive,the older version(s) I think can be had for free if you put up w/the nag screens.


Newest version of ZOC is incompatible with the code that The Reverend wrote and if going with ZOC get the version that is available at Grimy Trader...it is the latest version supporting Rev's code. Dunno if it is time limited before nagware appears but that is simple problem to fix every 30 days if that happens.