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Thread ID: 17885	2002-04-13 14:26:00	Server software on local PC	Guest (0)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
43651	2002-04-13 14:26:00	Hi. I run the ZoneAlarm firewall program and consider it one of the best downloads I could have done. ZoneAlarm has however given me much food for thought with the increasing number of requests for server software sitting on my PC that wants to access the net. Does anyone know of a good website or two that A) gives a rundown on the difference between client/server software that resides on an individuals home (or perhaps work) PC and B)a website that gives a blow by blow account of programs that when installed require access to the net in a server capacity and what that means firstly in the way of providing others with info you may want kept private and secondly the impact on your PC operation most importantly the bandwidth. Just a couple of examples (of many) I downloaded Hotbar from Hotbar.com a few days ago. I then ran AdAware as I do after most installations and it found 19 occurrences of (alleged) spyware in files and the registry. Not only that when I connected to the net two Hotbar programs wanted to connect AS SERVERS (hbsvr and hbinst modules). I have sent a response to both Hotbar.com and lavasoft.de about this but so far with no response. I denied access to those modules as I have absolutely no idea what information those servers would have provided back to Hotbar OR ANY ASSOCIATED COMPANY webserver. Example 2 is to do with the Bearshare file-sharing (usually music) program wanting to act as a server. What I understand this means is that anybody out there on the net can access my computer (when I'm online of course :), set up a session to browse the directory specified for available files that user can download, then start downloading any of the available files in that directory all without the need for me to intervene. Fine, thats what it's supposed to do but how many people fully realise the impact this MAY have on their own capacity to have multiple downloads running, perhaps an IM chat via ICQ or Messenger going and say a couple of browsing windows open all say on the all too common 56K connection? An outgoing 'download' to another PC srtill eats into the available bandwidth in a big way. To summarise (hope I haven't been too longwinded) What info is available to the ordinary user on saying yes to their firewall that the asking program may act as a server on their local PC and what is the consequence on the private information flow and/or system resources. Perhaps PCWorld might like to consider this as a suitable topic for an article (or two) in the magazine.	Guest (0)
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