Is this software trustworthy?

doubledee · Jul 31, 2013

There is software called "DeltaWalker" which helps you do File & Folder comparisons.

A friend of mine bought it online last night, and was supposed to receive a confirmation e-mail with the software key.

Well, the e-mail never came, and today my friend received an e-mail from some guy's Gmail account - with a Russian name - saying that the e-mail was bounced back, and to place the company's e-mail (i.e. Deltopia) on the "Email White List"?!

Apparently this e-mail included a copy of the bounced back e-mail which included the order details.

Should my friend be suspicious of using the key and installing the software??

Personally, I have tried the trial version of Deltopia in the past, and it works wonders for doing File Comparisons and Folder Comparisons, and was really handy when I wanted to compare data between disks. (I was just too cheap to buy it!)

To me, the software seems legitimate, but I agree with my friend that - at best - it seems unprofessional for a company to have to forward your Order Receipt/Software Key from someone's Gmail account?!

Seems awfully "fishy"...

(Also, why would a "legitimate" company end up on a "Spam List" by a major ISP unless they were up to no good?!)

What would you do in this situation??

Sincerely,

Debbie

benwiggy · Jul 31, 2013

From a quick Google, it seems like the software is what it claims to be.

ISP Spam black lists do sometimes contain false positives.

I would try to use the key.

But I thought you were suspicious of everything? Surely you're using LittleSnitch as well, so you can stop any outward communications?

Personally, I wouldn't pay for such software, as it's perfectly possible to do comparisons with free software or with unix scripts.

doubledee · Jul 31, 2013

benwiggy said:
From a quick Google, it seems like the software is what it claims to be.

ISP Spam black lists do sometimes contain false positives.

So how does a company get that corrected?

(Is this company going to make their IT guy use his personal Gmail e-mail for the rest of his time at the company???)

I would try to use the key.

But I thought you were suspicious of everything?

I am!! (But this isn't on my computer... It was a friend...)

Surely you're using LittleSnitch as well, so you can stop any outward communications?

Nope. I claim "ignorance" again!!

What is LittleSnitch??

Personally, I wouldn't pay for such software, as it's perfectly possible to do comparisons with free software or with unix scripts.

So what would you use?

Like I said, I never broke down and bought it, but when I was migrating data from my PC to my first MacBook, and then when I was moving data around between my MacBook and External HDD's, I was really impressed with the demo copy I used about 5 years ago.

But since I am all for open-source, if you know of something comparable - and free - then I would be interested in learning more for my own needs! (Especially since getting Software Keys from Russian dudes is *scary* to Miss Paranoid here!!!)

Sincerely,

Debbie

doubledee · Jul 31, 2013

Anyone else have any thoughts?

Sincerely,

Debbie

ChrisA · Jul 31, 2013

benwiggy said:
Personally, I wouldn't pay for such software, as it's perfectly possible to do comparisons with free software or with unix scripts.

Yes. Just use "diff" in a terminal window. You already have it. It comes with every Mac. I'd not be surprised at all if the program isn't just a GUI wrapper for diff. Kind of a tax on people who can't remember which four letters type type.

doubledee · Jul 31, 2013

ChrisA said:
Yes. Just use "diff" in a terminal window. You already have it. It comes with every Mac. I'd not be surprised at all if the program isn't just a GUI wrapper for diff. Kind of a tax on people who can't remember which four letters type type.

And to my larger question...

Would you trust the Software/Software Key based on what I described in my OP?

Sincerely,

Debbie

benwiggy · Aug 1, 2013

doubledee said:
What is LittleSnitch??

LittleSnitch is a program that tells you about every outgoing network connection from your computer. So if an application wants to send data from somewhere on the internet, you have the option to allow it or deny it.

It's guaranteed to make you to worry about all sorts of innocuous processes.

As for this software: if you don't trust it, then don't buy it. They will have lost a customer because of how they operate. As said, it's a fairly unnecessary purchase anyway.

doubledee · Aug 1, 2013

benwiggy said:
LittleSnitch is a program that tells you about every outgoing network connection from your computer. So if an application wants to send data from somewhere on the internet, you have the option to allow it or deny it.

So LittleSnitch sounds like a "firewall"??

It's guaranteed to make you to worry about all sorts of innocuous processes.

Great! More paranoia for Debbie!!

As for this software: if you don't trust it, then don't buy it. They will have lost a customer because of how they operate. As said, it's a fairly unnecessary purchase anyway.

Well, it's not my decision, but my friend's.

If it was me, I'd be sorta suspicious, but since my friend isn't a super paranoid techno-geek like me, maybe she doesn't need to be as concerned...

Sincerely,

Debbie

Mr Rabbit · Aug 1, 2013

doubledee said:
So LittleSnitch sounds like a "firewall"??

More or less, yes. It acts as a notification for outgoing network traffic, tells you what application/process is requesting the network traffic, etc.

In regards to the odd email exchange and whatnot. I used to work at a large Apple Authorized Service Provider who had six locations across two states, serviced hundreds of Apple computers each week, had roughly $200k in sales each week, sent out loads of email (not just promotional blasts), etc. Their domain name was blacklisted by AOL a couple years ago for some odd unknown reason and as far as I know anytime an AOL customer needs to be emailed they have to do it from a secondary Gmail or Yahoo account setup just for that purpose. Fortunately it wasn't that often that we had to email someone with an AOL address, but it did happen from time to time. We'd usually forget, get the bounce back notice, then send from the secondary account. Probably not the exact same as your situation but my point is "it happens" from time to time.

The Russian connection would typically raise a red flag for me but for whatever reason it seems like a lot of automation (help with repetitive tasks) software comes from Russia. At work we use a small program called Outlook Exchange Account Optimizer (OEAO) that is developed by Softhings, based out of Russia. I was skeptical at first since there weren't lots of "About us" info available but it's turned out to be good. Another person in our office uses some plugin for Excel that automates some long process that comes from a different Russian developer.

doubledee · Aug 1, 2013

Mr Rabbit said:
More or less, yes. It acts as a notification for outgoing network traffic, tells you what application/process is requesting the network traffic, etc.

How much does it cost?

Me, being "Miss Paranoid", should I add this to my arsenal?!

Mr Rabbit said:
The Russian connection would typically raise a red flag for me but for whatever reason it seems like a lot of automation (help with repetitive tasks) software comes from Russia. At work we use a small program called Outlook Exchange Account Optimizer (OEAO) that is developed by Softhings, based out of Russia. I was skeptical at first since there weren't lots of "About us" info available but it's turned out to be good. Another person in our office uses some plugin for Excel that automates some long process that comes from a different Russian developer.

Well, to be correct, the e-mail was NOT from Russian - the person just had a Russian sounding name (e.g. Dmitry.Urlashov@gmail.com)

And I believe Deltopia - the maker or DeltaWalker - is in California.

It seems that the foreign sound name combined with Gmail is what set her off.

Not sure if that changes your response?

Sincerely,

Debbie

P.S. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Russian programmers are some of the best in the world - along with Israelis?!

Mr Rabbit · Aug 1, 2013

doubledee said:
How much does it cost?

Me, being "Miss Paranoid", should I add this to my arsenal?!
_____________________

P.S. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Russian programmers are some of the best in the world - along with Israelis?!

I think it's $20-30. It can be useful but honestly in my experience it just raises more questions than anything.

I think you're right. The developer/emailer is more than likely just one of those great russian programmers that migrated to California to work.

benwiggy · Aug 1, 2013

doubledee said:
How much does it cost?
Me, being "Miss Paranoid", should I add this to my arsenal?!

If you want to spend time worrying about all the perfectly harmless normal things that your computer is doing, rather than actually using it, then Little Snitch is ideal. Same goes for iStat.

doubledee · Aug 2, 2013

benwiggy said:
If you want to spend time worrying about all the perfectly harmless normal things that your computer is doing, rather than actually using it, then Little Snitch is ideal. Same goes for iStat.

So is there an easy way to look at what LittleSnitch spits out and say, "Hey, that shouldn't be going on. I better investigate that!" or would you have had to write the kernel for OS-X to know what is good and bad?

Debbie

benwiggy · Aug 2, 2013

It provides info like:
Process ntpd wants to access 129.67.1.164. Deny/Allow.

So you then have to spend time reading up on what ntpd does (it's the process that checks the time) and what the IP address is (it's a network time server).

Sometimes the address is a URL, not an IP address, so you mgiht hope to get something like:

com.apple.secretDataCollectiond wants to access evilplot.apple.com. Deny/Allow?

doubledee · Aug 2, 2013

benwiggy said:
It provides info like:
Process ntpd wants to access 129.67.1.164. Deny/Allow.

So you then have to spend time reading up on what ntpd does (it's the process that checks the time) and what the IP address is (it's a network time server).

Point made.

Sometimes the address is a URL, not an IP address, so you mgiht hope to get something like:

com.apple.secretDataCollectiond wants to access evilplot.apple.com. Deny/Allow?

I already know Corporate America is trying to manipulate my soul along with sharing the table-scraps with the Feds!!!

Lucky for me, I have my very own tin-foil hat!!

Sincerely,

Debbie

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