Greenlife viewer - Security question

Once I started the thread with Cryo and VLife Viewer (Secret viewers) and we were almost surprised about the results in this thread. So were others, right?

Anyway: Greenlife seems to be THE viewer. Nowadays, there are a lot more people using this as their main viewer already. SL has become green. The latest version "advises" to download and install the " proprietary files" for performance boosts - which are "closed source" or "non-open-source" compiled. Which means nobody can control the "software" and it could include everything.

[Modular System Download Info]
For windows, it is advised, although not required to download and install both of these files to the same location. The propriatary files provide performance boosts, as well as voice capabilities. Unfortunatly, we are not legally allowed to package non-open-source stuff with gpl stuff.. so thats why it is how it is.




[Installation routine]
By accepting and installing this package you agree to understand that the files suplied in here are not open source or GPL and may not be redistributed directly with Green Life. They are subject to their own licenseing terms provided inside.
http://www.vivox.com
http://www.fmod.org
http://www.kakadusoftware.com




Lets see what's inside those 3 packages

http://www.kakadusoftware.com/

Kakadu Software option

Version S6.0 Speed Pack

Version S6.0 Speed Pack option provides an entirely new implementation strategy for the core block decoding algorithm, as well as a new implementation structure for the wavelet transform.

These features allow licensees of the speed-pack version to provide end-to-end speedups of 40% to 50% in decompression/rendering applications and speedups of 45% to 65% in compression applications, relative to earlier versions of Kakadu.

--------------------------

http://www.fmod.org/

The FMOD Ex sound system is a revolutionary new audio engine for game developers, multimedia developers, sound designers, musicians and audio engineers. Based on the years of experience from Firelight Technologies' previous products, FMOD Ex aims to push the capabilities of audio for games, whilst at the same time using minimal resources and remaining fully scalable.

---------------------------

http://www.vivox.com/

The Voice of Virtual Worlds
Integrated Voice Chat for MMOGs and Online Communities

Vivox provides online games, virtual worlds and other online communities with robust, integrated voice chat. Vivox delivers superior quality voice chat, video, Instant Messaging (IM) and presence – all of which greatly improve gameplay and social interaction. Today, Vivox is bringing voice to over one million subscribers in more than 180 countries.
...

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Typical question:

There could be another package or any single file inside this bundle which is not listed and because it's "closed source" nobody really knows what is inside.

Whats your opinion?


..

My opinion is that whether I trust someone is completely independent of whether their software is open source or proprietary.

Open Source is wonderful, great stuff for the software development community. It is not a magic bullet.

.

Ummm, no... I use Emerald and it shows who is using what viewer. The majority I see are not using Emerald. The one's using Emerald show up in green with "Emerald" next to their name. However I have noticed more people using it lately. Why wouldn't they? It has very useful options (not including the backup options).


As for security I have no worries with it. There is nothing showing on network monitors with any info going to anywhere it should not. Nothing in my firewalls warning me, no viruses...

i was also uneasy about this, so i elected to skip it, esp since i never have voice activated anyway.
ironically, on ubuntu hardy

Looking at your profile pic in the forums....I'm not surprised you have no use for voice

Robby, your opinion is similar to the saying;

Trust instinct to the end, even though you can give no reason.

Briana, I thought U are on a diet?

Whats is your opinion with the non-open-source files?

100% secure! We just need a firewall, a good virus scanner, and a network monitor?

So why don't you open it up and look inside?

If you're worried that the proprietary libraries might be funny, you could copy them from LL's viewer. Then you can worry about if LL has planted evil things in them or not.

Yes I do also use Linux.

However, my mom plays on a Windows system. And the latest Greenlife viewer is really a lot slower without this performance bundle. A self made bug by Modular Systems?

Can you open it up and tell us it is save?

Since we're talking Emerald here I hope you don't mind if I ask another question unrelated to the OP's question but still Emerald Green Life related...

I use Emerald as my only viewer now, but for some reason my name bubble does NOT show Green and say Emerald next to it when others who use Emerald look at me in world.

I've checked all the settings I can find and no one can figure out why.

Anyone have any ideas?

Handy

Did you turn off the "clothing layer protection" in the preferences, Emerald->Shields tab?

hehe. Diets are good - lifestyles are better!

Honestly, i do not know anything about "open-source files".

I am just happy to have a great viewer.

What can they do? There is nothing they can do on a mass scale that LL cannot fix/rectify and then perma ban the creators for.

I have absolutely no worries when it comes to Green Life viewer.


ETA: Popcorn is a great low-cal snack!! and i don't drink soda/soft drinks - yeck.

Look, those libraries are already there in the SL viewer. You can download the files and unzip them and compare them with the ones that come with the SL viewer. If that's "save", then they're "save".

I agree; Those 3 bundles are under control of LL even they are not open-source, they are no reason to be concerned. The installation routine does not install any other files.

Everything seems a bit confusing with the attribute >> "non-open" <<.
And there would be already any other ongoing warning from other coders (especially competitors) if there would be any reason. Right?

And no - I am not from Modular Systems

Just be sure you get them from the right website.

There are scummy guys out there who manipulate viewers to offer extra features. This happened already. There is no Firewall, no virus scanner and no other warning if you install them.

Trying to remove the dust inside the package. The package includes 3 proprietaries and the installation routine. Its a repackage and could include anything or everything ;P

Apparently you need a lesson in what a "trusted" application can do. I only hope you don't have financial data on your system.

SO maybe you want to OPEN IT UP AND COMPARE IT WITH WHAT THE ORIGINAL PACKAGES AS USED BY LINDEN LABS INCLUDE?

You don't get it, do you?

Apparently I don't as in the 15 years I have used the internet I have yet to have one issue with ID theft or money loss.. All my bills are paid over the net, I do considerable shopping over the net and have used SL and various other online games and still have zero issues.


Dude, you need those just for surfing the net. Emerald is a far less concern than many viruses running about the web, especially the one's hidden in ads.

As it has been well pointed out the files are available to look into. If you don't trust it or like it then don't use it. As you said there is plenty of people using it and I don't see the uproar of people screaming they are losing money anywhere.

This thread seems like another cheap shot attempt at Emerald.

Apparently not. I was under the impression that you were concerned about a potential problem and wanted to find out how to resolve your concern one way or another. Obviously I was mistaken.