"Verified virus free" Topic is solved

[access2godzilla]

Users are now faced with a "verified virus free" banner on the pm4linux SF listing. Why was this put up?

This is a card that one would rather not play, since desktop Linux users are very much unaccustomed facing malware and such a banner would only generate doubts regarding the legitimacy of the project.

Generally speaking, there is no need for such banners for legitimate products, since when I run your code with the trust that you're not harming me. It is something that open-source software projects should NOT harp upon; most don't either, and for the others, at least not so emphatically as you have chosen to.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

I wish SourceForge wasn't used for PM4L...

[access2godzilla]

The blame for using SF lies squarely on me. The reason I chose SF was due to the sheer number of features they provide for their projects, but I should have known better...

Inspecting the URL shows it to be a part of their notorious "DevShare" program, but AFAIK it was opt-in. Are they arbitrarily selecting random projects and opting them in? If so, that's legally actionable.

Off-topic:
It seems that we are going to get a port of Ask toolbar on Linux anytime now

[Night Wing]

Just depends on what link a person uses.

I don't see that banner because I use the link below when I want to get the newest linux Pale Moon version.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/pm4linux/files/

[Moonchild]

I didn't put it up, and there doesn't seem to be an option in the Admin panel to do anything with it.
I didn't ask SF to check the binaries, but it may be something they are rolling out automatically now, performing a basic virus check on uploaded binaries.
Also, keep in mind that SF is also used for plenty of other operating systems and a wide range of applications, some of which more likely to have malware included than a security-savvy Linux user might encounter on a Linux-only project page.

All in all, I don't mind, and I don't think it harms Pale Moon in any way. Just keep in mind it's something SF does, apparently automatically, and possibly more likely for more popular projects than others.

[access2godzilla]

I recently checked SF and every project out there seems to be getting the "verified virus free" badge, even those that with "installer enabled".

[trava90]

I also don't see any harm being done. Although I realize that many Linux users may be unaccustomed so seeing "verified virus fee" on programs they download, I don't believe it casts any doubts as to the legitimacy of the project. Most people who use Linux used to (or still do) use Windows, and still have that mindset that if a program has been verified from a reputable source, it is probably safe to download and use on their computer.

Not to mention that viruses and malware do exist for Linux (although not necessarily to the same extent as in Windows), so it is possible that a malicious program could be downloaded and installed on a Linux OS if downloaded from a malicious site. So I personally don't see any harm in having a banner stating that the files you are going to download from us have been scanned and cleared as virus free.