MS blocking free software web sites.

[MadmanRB]

Microsoft Block Access to Free Software Charity Site, Dub it ‘Gambling’:

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/06/microsoft-block-free-software-site-dub-it-gambling

[sffvba[e0rt]

New thread title... lets not go there...


404

[Dr. C]

... and it has made the mainstream press. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18577046

The real question is how long it will take Microsoft to fix this as that will determine the usefulness of the Microsoft security product for its intended purpose.

[CharlesA]

New thread title... lets not go there...


404
Indeed.

I checked the rep thing and all it listed was:


Technical Information
Shareware/Freeware

In any case, there is a dispute form to fill in if your site has been categorized incorrectly.

I'm sure Norton/McAfee have the same thing for their web filtering products.

[rai4shu2]

Yeah...

http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/dear-microsoft-fsf.org-is-not-a-gambling-site

[KiwiNZ]

Conspiracy theories in 5.4.3...............

[sffvba[e0rt]

Conspiracy theories in 5.4.3...............

...2...1... Obviously the FSF made this happen on purpose to make MS look bad and to get lots of free press...

Next...


404

[KiwiNZ]

...2...1... Obviously the FSF made this happen on purpose to make MS look bad and to get lots of free press...

Next...


404

No no no Microsoft, Apple, Oracle, Novell and Sony had a secret meeting on Larry's island.

[CharlesA]

No no no Microsoft, Apple, Oracle, Novell and Sony had a secret meeting on Larry's island.
You forgot Google!

[bodhi.zazen]

...2...1... Obviously the FSF made this happen on purpose to make MS look bad and to get lots of free press...

Next...


404

Blatant attempt to goad me into the melee ...

[s.fox]

You forgot Google!

Lawrence "Larry" Page & Sergey Brin are the co-founders of Google.

[CharlesA]

Lawrence "Larry" Page & Sergey Brin are the co-founders of Google.

Oooh burn. :lolflag:

[Dr. C]

Conspiracy theories in 5.4.3...............

Well it is starting to look that way. A lot more sites than the FSF are being blocked starting with Ubuntu.com. Here is the link to the Microsoft "reputation" site: https://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/mrs/default.aspx

and some of my results:

Blocked:

fsf.org (well we knew that!)
ubuntu.com
mozilla.org
openoffice.org
libreoffice.org

Dubious:

fedora.org

Allowed:

Opera.com
freebsd.org
stallman.org
gnu.org

So lets see Opera is ok but Firefox is not. Is this because Opera is propriety? FreeBsd is ok but Ubuntu is not. Is this because Free Software is ok only if it is not copylefted?

... however there can be another explanation

Finally why block fsf.org and not block gnu.org or for that matter stallman.org? Is this a conspiracy or just incompetence?

Edit: fedora.org is not the site of the fedora GNU/Linux project the correct site is http://fedoraproject.org/ which is not blocked.

[rai4shu2]

No conspiracy to see here. Just the usual Microsoft incompetence. They *wish* we thought it was a conspiracy. Like John Sullivan so eloquently puts it:


If Microsoft's "reputation" database can't tell the difference between a gambling site and an independently audited registered nonprofit public-interest charity founded almost 30 years ago, it is certainly doing you and your business more harm than good.

[CharlesA]

How do you determine if a site is blocked or not?

[Paqman]

Finally why block fsf.org and not block gnu.org

Especially since gnu.org isn't even about Gnus! Blatantly misleading! Block it!

[Dr. C]

How do you determine if a site is blocked or not?

Go to https://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/mrs/default.aspx and check if the site flags one of the blocked categories in red.

[CharlesA]

Go to https://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/mrs/default.aspx and check if the site flags one of the blocked categories in red.
Does that mean they even block sourceforge, cuz it has a red thing next to "Shareware/Freeware"

[Dr. C]

Does that mean they even block sourceforge, cuz it has a red thing next to "Shareware/Freeware"

Yes

[ExSuSEusr]

Did I ever mention I hate Microsoft? ):P

[CharlesA]

You know what the best part is?

The omgubuntu only said the product was "...company’s Security Networking programme..." but didn't specifically say it was called "Microsoft Threat Management Gateway" Reddit mentioned that.

In any case, fsf is unblocked for "gambling."

[KiwiNZ]

Well it is starting to look that way. A lot more sites than the FSF are being blocked starting with Ubuntu.com. Here is the link to the Microsoft "reputation" site: https://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/mrs/default.aspx

and some of my results:

Blocked:

fsf.org (well we knew that!)
ubuntu.com
mozilla.org
openoffice.org
libreoffice.org

Dubious:

fedora.org

Allowed:

Opera.com
freebsd.org
stallman.org
gnu.org

So lets see Opera is ok but Firefox is not. Is this because Opera is propriety? FreeBsd is ok but Ubuntu is not. Is this because Free Software is ok only if it is not copylefted?

... however there can be another explanation

Finally why block fsf.org and not block gnu.org or for that matter stallman.org? Is this a conspiracy or just incompetence?

That's right the GNU and FSF folks are infallible, I forgot that but I just a fallible mortal.:rolleyes:

[mörgæs]

Changed the thread title - again. 'Mistake' is hardly a good description.

[Dr. C]

That's right the GNU and FSF folks are infallible, I forgot that but I just a fallible mortal.:rolleyes:

We are all fallible, fedora.org is not the site of the fedora GNU/Linux project the correct site is http://fedoraproject.org/ which is not blocked. :oops:

[sffvba[e0rt]

If you fail at failing... does that make you a success?


404

[cprofitt]

Given the level of trust I have in the security of Microsoft products...

This all seems like 'opposite day'.

[fatality_uk]

Interestingly www.fsf.org is rated as "Shareware/Freeware" with a BIG OL cross next to it. Not much to download from that domain, GNU yes but FSF!!

[Dr. C]

Interestingly www.fsf.org is rated as "Shareware/Freeware" with a BIG OL cross next to it. Not much to download from that domain, GNU yes but FSF!!

Yes Microsoft got this all wrong even after they tried to "fix" it. All the software downloads are at gnu.org not fsf.org.

[vasa1]

That's right the GNU and FSF folks are infallible, I forgot that but I just a fallible mortal.:rolleyes:

I don't get it. Could you please explain?

[alexfish]

I don't get it. Could you please explain?

http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html

read to bottom of page ;)