AirDC++ is evil

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smaragdus
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AirDC++ is evil

#1 Post by smaragdus »

AirDC++ is evil:

Image

because mandatory updates are evil.

By the way logging in to AirDC++ forum does not work.

I have been using AirDC++ for more than six years since version 2.08 but now I have to find a Direct Connect client which does not deprive me of my freedom to update or not to update.

ozziguy
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#2 Post by ozziguy »

Be very cautious of AirDC++. I block outgoing port 25 (SMTP) in my firewall unless i want to send emails via my email client, which is rarely. Normally i use my isp's webmail service

On a few occasions i have caught AirDC++ trying to send emails to somewhere

You are right, it's evil

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Userfriendly
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#3 Post by Userfriendly »

Out of all the currently actively maintained DC++ clients, FlylinkDC++ seems to be the only which has settings to disable auto update. If you want to keep using your current client without the nag, then just block the update server.

Put this in your hosts file to block update servers for DC++, Apex, Air, and Flylink.
0.0.0.0 dcplusplus.sourceforge.net
0.0.0.0 update.apexdc.net
0.0.0.0 version.airdcpp.net
0.0.0.0 update.fly-server.ru

Here's an answer to why DC++ may be using port 25 https://dcpp.wordpress.com/2006/10/09/w ... end-email/

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smaragdus
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#4 Post by smaragdus »

@Userfriendly

Thank you for the useful information!

I have two questions:
- Can FlylinkDC++ be run in portable mode?
- Have you ever tested EiskaltDC++ and does it allow disabling of auto-update?

ozziguy
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#5 Post by ozziguy »

Thanks for that link UserFriendly

Why on earth would someone use port 25 ? Maybe to annoy everyone else... or maybe they have no idea what they are doing.... who knows

I still don't trust it. Those developers should code their software to not allow the use of certain ports

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Userfriendly
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#6 Post by Userfriendly »

smaragdus wrote:@UserfriendlyI have two questions:
- Can FlylinkDC++ be run in portable mode?
- Have you ever tested EiskaltDC++ and does it allow disabling of auto-update?
I don't like EiskaltDC++, seems pretty bad. Vanilly DC++ looks a lot better compared to it.

FlylinkDC++ creates a registry entry in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FlylinkDC++. But to make it mostly portable, extract installer with UniExtract, rename the folder called {code_fUser} to Settings. Move the Settings folder next to the Executable if not already there. Inside the Settings folder will be the DCPlusPlus.xml file. Edit it to disable URL/magnet handler association, AutoUpdate, set to english, telemetry thing, and auto connecting to their support hub.

like this:

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<DCPlusPlus>
   <Settings>
      <AutoUpdateEnable type="int">0</AutoUpdateEnable>
      <UrlHandler type="int">0</UrlHandler>
      <MagnetRegister type="int">0</MagnetRegister>
      <DCLSRegister type="int">0</DCLSRegister>
      <LanguageFile type="string">en-US.xml</LanguageFile>
      <ConfigVersion type="string">20388</ConfigVersion>
      <CID type="string"></CID>
      <UseStatiscitcsSend type="int">0</UseStatiscitcsSend>
      <ConnectToSupportHub type="int">0</ConnectToSupportHub>
      <ProtectPrivateRnd type="int">0</ProtectPrivateRnd>
   </Settings>
</DCPlusPlus>
ozziguy wrote:Thanks for that link UserFriendly

Why on earth would someone use port 25 ? Maybe to annoy everyone else... or maybe they have no idea what they are doing.... who knows

I still don't trust it. Those developers should code their software to not allow the use of certain ports
My little birds at google tell me it has something to do with the users trying to avoid their ISP or whatever organization their in from throttling or blocking them from file sharing.

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smaragdus
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#7 Post by smaragdus »

@Userfriendly
Thank you very much! I will copy your code as I did with the hosts file information you provided (I quoted your post here because for me it was a treasure trove)!
I see I have tested EiskaltDC++ back in 2014 and then I didn't find it that bad, at least it seemed fully portable.
Some time ago I also briefly tested DC++ but I encountered a problem which discouraged me to go further with the testing- DC++ shows individual tabs preview in the task-bar:

Image

for me this is annoying and I could not find a way to prevent this behaviour (which can be easily disabled in Internet Explorer for example). Do you know whether this individual DC++ tabs preview in the task-bar can be disabled?

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Userfriendly
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#8 Post by Userfriendly »

@smaragdus
That taskbar thumbnails preview is some Windows 7-10 integration thing. I know you can disable it system wide with registry tweaks. But if you want it specifically for just this app, then its best to contact the developers directly and suggest whatever features that you desire. The option to disable auto update is most likely out of the question. I know the devs of ApexDC++ removed the option and suggested blocking update server if you really want it off. They just want every user to be updated for the latest security fixes. That's just how evil they are.

ozziguy
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#9 Post by ozziguy »

Userfriendly wrote:My little birds at google tell me it has something to do with the users trying to avoid their ISP or whatever organization their in from throttling or blocking them from file sharing.
There are lots of ports to choose from. Are they trying to say that some isp's throttle all other ports ?

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Userfriendly
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#10 Post by Userfriendly »

ozziguy wrote:There are lots of ports to choose from. Are they trying to say that some isp's throttle all other ports ?
I dunno. It depends. You can do some reading about it
http://dcplusplus.sourceforge.net/webhe ... rsity.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_shaping

DC++ is open source, someone would know if its randomly sending emails for nefarious reasons. If using those ports was a security risk, I wouldn't know.

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smaragdus
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#11 Post by smaragdus »

@Userfriendly
Userfriendly wrote:@smaragdus
That taskbar thumbnails preview is some Windows 7-10 integration thing. I know you can disable it system wide with registry tweaks. But if you want it specifically for just this app, then its best to contact the developers directly and suggest whatever features that you desire. The option to disable auto update is most likely out of the question. I know the devs of ApexDC++ removed the option and suggested blocking update server if you really want it off. They just want every user to be updated for the latest security fixes. That's just how evil they are.
Thank you for your response. For me grouping of multiple instances of a single program in the task-bar is fine but I do not like the preview of multiple tabs of a single program. I have seen this only in Internet Explorer and I have disabled it. But it seems that the task-bar (Windows 8 here) treats DC++ tabs as separate instances of the program or perhaps this is a DC++ exclusive feature? Perhaps I will ask the developer in the future but I am not sure- I have been testing too many programs and I feel tired and I don't think that I will be able to exhaust my submission list before I retire from the world of software. One more thing- I do believe that the users should have the freedom to choose whether they want to update or not to update a program. If one checks AirDC++ change log one will see that many options were removed and this is one of the reasons I am so unwilling to update AirDC++.

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smaragdus
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Re: AirDC++

#12 Post by smaragdus »

The developer of AirDC++ has removed many options which is one of the reasons I do not want to update, the other one is freedom. What options have been recently removed:

AirDC++ 3.10
Removed:
- Support for moving/renaming bundles
- Support for failover addresses for favorite hubs
- Support for per-profile share excludes
- Support for using a separate directory for unfinished downloads
- Setting for auto away mode on minimize
- Support for sharing subdirectories of other shared directories in other share profiles
- Support for keeping the previous folder date when deleting individual files
AirDC++ 3.21
Removed:
- Support for using custom share profiles in non-favorite hubs
- Slot ratio setting
- A few settings that didn't work correctly
- Option to emulate DC++ in NMDC favorite hubs
AirDC++ 3.30
Removed:
- Support for Windows Vista
- Support for download path auto detection
- Support for "queueing" of 0-byte items
AirDC++ 3.40
Removed:
- Option to hash finished bundle files
- Option to add finished finished bundles in share instantly (always shared instantly from now on when inside a shared directory)
AirDC++ - History

The method for disabling updates suggested by Userfriendly works just fine, an easy way to achieve it is using BlueLife Hosts Editor, screen:

Image
Last edited by smaragdus on Sat Jun 09, 2018 2:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Midas
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Re: AirDC++ is evil

#13 Post by Midas »

AirDC++ v3.50 released (changelog at https://www.airdcpp.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4766).

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