Oleg
Bellsouth Fastaccess
Premium
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL
|  Watch a live video, share your PC with CNN
Many people who watched live streaming video of the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama on Jan. 20 may not realize that their PC was used to send the video to other PCs, too.
Clicking "yes" to a CNN.com dialog box installed a peer-to-peer (P2P) application that uses your Internet bandwidth rather than CNN's to send live video to other viewers.
The P2P application is called Octoshape Grid Delivery and is managed by Octoshape ApS, a company based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Web surfers who visit CNN.com and select a live video stream for the first time see in their browsers a dialog box, shown in Figure 1, saying, "This site requires the Octoshape Grid Delivery enhancement for Adobe Flash Player." The dialog box doesn't appear when playing an ordinary video file, only when starting a live feed. (Feeds labeled LIVE typically appear in the upper-right corner of CNN.com's home page during business hours.)
Read more »windowssecrets.com/comp/090205/ |
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anony101
@comcast.net | Thanks |
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Doctor Four
My other vehicle is a TARDIS
Premium
join:2000-09-05
Dallas, TX
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to Oleg
Thanks for that info. I believe I recall allowing this to install when CNN aired live video of the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich a few days ago.
I think I'm going to get rid of it as it comes pretty close to being a browser parasite to me (though not in the sense of most spyware - instead of stealing your privacy, Octoshape shares your bandwidth.)
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"The trouble with computers, of course, is that they are very sophisticated idiots." - Doctor Who (from Robot)
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TheJoker
Premium,VIP,MVM
join:2001-04-26
Alexandria, VA
| reply to Oleg
It installs through an Adobe Flash installer under false pretenses saying it's required to watch the video when it isn't (even though you may get a lower quality video), it doesn't clearly spell out that it's a P2P program using your bandwidth that you may be charged for by your ISP hiding that in legaleese after you have to click to agree, doesn't tell you that it may violate your ISP's terms of service, and also prohibits you from collecting information on it's use.
I would classify this as a potentially unwanted program at best, and possibly even as a trojan due to the way it's installed making it difficult to even determine that it's a P2P application.
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Proud ASAP member since 2005 |
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nwrickert
sand groper
Premium,MVM
join:2004-09-04
Geneva, IL
·AT&T U-Verse
 ·AT&T Midwest
| reply to Oleg
Web surfers who visit CNN.com and select a live video stream for the first time see in their browsers a dialog box, shown in Figure 1, saying, "This site requires the Octoshape Grid Delivery enhancement for Adobe Flash Player." I recall seeing that. I did not agree to the install, and expected the video to not play. But it played anyway. So yes, the "requires" part of that message is bogus.
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AT&T dsl; Westell 327w modem/router; openSuSE 11.0; firefox 3.0.5 |
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Doctor Four
My other vehicle is a TARDIS
Premium
join:2000-09-05
Dallas, TX
·AT&T U-Verse
2 edits | reply to Oleg
The EULA for Octoshape is also pretty draconian. It not only says that CNN is allowed to use your bandwidth and you have to pay for it, but also that you're not allowed to use any type of network monitoring software or hardware such as firewall logs.
Good luck with that, CNN. Considering how abusive the EULA for Octoshape is, I can see this provision as being unenforceable. I'm strongly tempted to post network stats from it while viewing live video from CNN - maybe firing up Fiddler2 (an HTTP proxy) will see just what kind of dirty work is behind this POS.
Maybe someone ought to run it through Eulalyzer.
From that above link on Windows Secrets:
quote:
Ludicrous license terms. Anyone who reads Octoshape's EULA after clicking "yes" to install the app finds that they've agreed to some hilarious prohibitions:
"You may not collect any information about communication in the network of computers that are operating the Software or about the other users of the Software by monitoring, interdicting or intercepting any process of the Software. Octoshape recognizes that firewalls and anti-virus applications can collect such information, in which case you not are allowed to use or distribute such information."
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"The trouble with computers, of course, is that they are very sophisticated idiots." - Doctor Who (from Robot)
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skyroket
join:2001-06-11
Colorado, US
| reply to Oleg
I did accept and install. I noticed my bandwidth graph showing upload and though, "Oh cool they're using my bandwidth to help get it to other people better and cheaper." But after realizing how they were such dicks about it, I really don't like this. I've uninstalled it from the Add/Remove Programs. |
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Blackbird
Built for Speed
Premium
join:2005-01-14
Fort Wayne, IN
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to Oleg
Hmm. I think I'll pass on this "feature". At least, until CNN/Octoshape's EULA figures out how to negotiate acceptably with my own computer's EULA for my hardware-licensing terms and conditions.
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If God wanted us to work with electrons, He'd make them big enough to see... |
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soccerfan
@charter.com | reply to Oleg
Any sites one can put in the hosts file to block installation
in case the wrong button is clicked by accident? |
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nwrickert
sand groper
Premium,MVM
join:2004-09-04
Geneva, IL | If you browse as a limited user, the install attempt will probably fail (not tested). |
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Oleg
Bellsouth Fastaccess
Premium
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL | How can someone clicks the wrong button? |
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Doctor Four
My other vehicle is a TARDIS
Premium
join:2000-09-05
Dallas, TX
·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to Oleg
At least it is not an automatic drive-by download (though potentially it could be if your security settings are too low).
I wonder if CNN has started getting angry/hate emails over this?
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"The trouble with computers, of course, is that they are very sophisticated idiots." - Doctor Who (from Robot)
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Oleg
Bellsouth Fastaccess
Premium
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL | I wonder if they are making any money from ads and popups they have on the site that they are in need of bandwidth so bad. |
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Doctor Four
My other vehicle is a TARDIS
Premium
join:2000-09-05
Dallas, TX
·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to Oleg
Here's what Javacool's EULAlyzer thought of Octoshape's EULA (see above image):
CNN visitors still would do well to steer clear of this (or on any other site where it appears.)
I don't like the idea that you only see the EULA after you have said "yes" to installing it. That's a big strike against them in my book, and is more in line with spyware vendors.
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"The trouble with computers, of course, is that they are very sophisticated idiots." - Doctor Who (from Robot)
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Oleg
Bellsouth Fastaccess
Premium
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL |  Yea.How can you agree with EULA when you can't read it first before install? |
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Doctor Four
My other vehicle is a TARDIS
Premium
join:2000-09-05
Dallas, TX
·AT&T U-Verse
| said by Oleg  :Yea.How can you agree with EULA when you can't read it first before install? And that IMO, renders it unenforceable, or in legal terms, null and void.
If Octoshape tried to sue me over violation of it, I would counter with this very argument. And they would lose.
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"The trouble with computers, of course, is that they are very sophisticated idiots." - Doctor Who (from Robot)
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OZO
Premium
join:2003-01-17
| reply to Doctor Four
said by Doctor Four :The EULA for Octoshape is also pretty draconian. It not only says that CNN is allowed to use your bandwidth and you have to pay for it, but also that you're not allowed to use any type of network monitoring software or hardware such as firewall logs. I'd not say it's draconian. I'd rather say - it's silly. Good luck to enforce that...
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Keep it simple, it'll become complex by itself... |
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Dude111
An Awesome Dude
Premium
join:2003-08-04
USA
1 edit |  reply to Oleg
Im glad i didnt watch that garbage! |
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TheMilkMan
join:2001-05-11
·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to Oleg
octoshapepm |
EDIT:
More info here....
»www.octoshape.com/play/requirements.asp |
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Dude111
An Awesome Dude
Premium
join:2003-08-04
USA
2 edits | reply to Oleg
Interesting how they lie to try and get people NOT TO BLOCK IT.... |
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