Talk:Pando (application)

Bias Disclosure

Pando recently injected itself into the current-events controversy involving P2P and Comcast. I am a key figure in that controversy (I'm Robb Topolski). I tried to keep my edits completely free of any controversy by restricting my comments to what Pando does and linking 3rd party reviews only. I steered completely clear of any of the recent events regarding Pando+Comcast and Pando+P4PWG.

If I felt less conflicted, I would add several company events -- all that I think are non-biased.

1. Pando's VC funding - very successful and notable -- along with a corporate description.

2. Pando+Skype announcement a while back -- quite a notable design win

3. Pando's developer platform (which is probably responsible for a lot of addons and toolbars)

4. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080421-study-bittorren-sees-big-growth-limewire-still-1-p2p-app.html establishes that despite 2 years, Pando has less than 1% of the P2P market (as shown by traffic) -- see also http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/8002/p2p.html.

I think the following are dangerous controversies - especially for me:

5. Pando+P4P results -- these are not presented by the company in a repeatable, reviewable manner and some of their claims defy common sense. (e.g. 1 million people and 3000 ISPs involved -- that doesn't match any P2P event in history and none of these 1 million people or 3000 ISPs thought enough to blog about their involvement!)

6. Pando+Comcast -- Both of these companies have a conflict of interests that casts doubt on the very motivations of their relationship -- not to mention that Comcast has a credibility problem these days.

7. Pando's involvement with the DCIA and a P2P Users' Bill of Rights (very current events, and I'm very biased)

So, please review my changes today -- hopefully you'll find them both literate, factual, and free of controversy -- but because of my standing, I felt compelled to disclose this. Robb Topolski Funchords (talk) 21:46, 4 May 2008 (UTC)

??

What other information about the Pando service should be included in the Wikipedia?

...Everything?

This article merely skims the surface of what pando is. I don't think it works the way it says it works in the article, so we can change that, add that it's in public beta, it's owned by Pando Networks, the connection is encrypted everywhere the file goes. I'll go ahead with it then.--Mac Lover 04:29, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

You're being really vague here. Can you say why you don't think it works like it says? It's documented. What do you propose we change? We take out all there is and put what? --195.27.20.2 11:28, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

added the licence and bussines model of pando. I think it's something basic with any article about any piece of software. At least the license part.

license section added

Not an exepert of pando myself... i just was searching the license of pando and it was "difficult" (i.e. it wasn't in the wikipedia) for me to find it.

Hanoc, 22:46, 13 October 2006 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Pando logo.PNG

Image:Pando logo.PNG is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.BetacommandBot 04:58, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

Security Issues?

Pando, as I understand it, is not a new compression tool. A large file is transferred outside an email system. Very neat but the default install leaves the application always running and a hole is created in the firewall so you always have a shared P2P folder on your PC open to the Pando network.

This architecture appears dangerous to me. Someone who knows more about network security than I do could improve this article with a detailed technical discussion of Pando's inherent security issues. For the home this may work great; for corporate networks the security issues may be serious. Pando clearly fills a need since most ISP’s have an email file attachment limit and file transfers, esp. with video, are only getting larger. I would personally not leave it turned on all the time and would only open the firewall for the app when transferring a file from a known sender. While this works at home, it is likely not feasible in the corporate world. Corporations will need some time to digest and study Pando's security issues in depth. Frankatca 19:14, 21 July 2007 (UTC)

Encryption flaw

someone has reverted my nice paragraph about an encryption flaw in pando. this flaw being a described fact doesn't need external source. any brain can do the job. Just analyse what I've said, find out that it is correct and put it back.

can you provide any point that invalid what I have said ?

"Before uploading the user file on the pando server, pando try to recognize if the file is not already on the pando server by comparing the hash value. If the hash value is the same, the file is not uploaded and pando uses the one already on their server. As it is a regular .torrent file, anyone connected to the same torrent can obtain the IP addresses of the downloaders and the seeders of the file.

A copyright owner could download its own pirated material from another peer to peer system (edonkey, bittorrent or else) and wonder if the same file is on the pando server. Sending this pirated file to himself via pando, he would then discover how many people are sharing his file via pando. Then, using the .pando file in a regular bittorrent software (azureus, utorrent) he will find the IP addresses of the people uploading and dowloading his copyrighted material. A judge could force the ISP's to reveal the names and addresses linked to the IP adresses.

Knowing who sends what to who, one can say the 256-bit end-to-end encryption has a catastrophic flaw.

Having been informed about this flaw, the people behind pando, refused to address it."

Without an independent source, this would count as original research. Oli Filth 14:54, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

but this is an undenied fact, pando doesn't deny it. they certainly do not advertize it. what I describe is just the logic of the pando system. if you are a pando user yourself, can't you see how exact it is ? isn't there around any pando advanced user to confirm this fact ?

What Wikipedia needs is a link to someone saying this. A link to post in a user forum might be suitable. --Gronky 09:15, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Any free software for getting pando files?

If someone sends you a .pando file, is there anyway to download the target file using only free software? ("free" as in no restrictions on modifying and redistributing the software) This information would be interesting in the article. --Gronky 09:20, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Ad-supported freeware

This is a contradiction in terms. Freeware is software that has no strings attached, other than copyright. Software that compels the user to accept advertisements is adware. Pando is adware.
—überRegenbogen (talk) 04:11, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

drm

how come this article doesn't mention drm? it is mentioned as a "feature" here. --187.40.214.44 (talk) 08:51, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

i mean here --187.40.214.44 (talk) 08:52, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

Questioning article accuracy

Specifically about the adware. I recently saw a discussion thread on a forum which was expressing concern over the use of Pando in an online game that I play. I did some research and I have no reason to believe that said game installs any adware, though it does use Pando for data distribution. I looked at Pando's website, and they do not mention a free version as far as I can tell.

So as far as I can tell, this article significantly damages Pando's reputation when they provide a very useful service for publishers that doesn't harm their customers. Maybe I missed it, and there really is an ad-supported version, but if so, the article implies that this is the most common version of Pando. All of my research leads me to believe that most publishers use a paid service for their distribution needs. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.204.168.131 (talk) 03:46, 13 October 2011 (UTC)

I liked Pando very much but I have stopped using it after it installed adware and/or spyware on my computer. I did have a "free" version, and it is still available for download at Softpedia.com. I have never used the paid version. According to Softpedia:

Reasons why this program is marked as ad-supported:

· Displays ad banners or other types of advertising material during its runtime

· Offers to download or install software or components that the program does not require to fully function

Quoted from [1]. So, the idea is that the information about adware/spyware is both accurate and verifiable. So, it does not constitute any kind of libel, since it is true. Tgeorgescu (talk) 19:13, 13 October 2011 (UTC)

The "free" version is also available from its official site: [2]. Tgeorgescu (talk) 19:22, 13 October 2011 (UTC)

Here is an official acknowledgment that it seeks to install third-party software, which are unrelated to its functions: [3]. Tgeorgescu (talk) 19:24, 13 October 2011 (UTC)

Malware accusations

This software is installed by the most popular game: League of legends.

It devours your bandwith as you sleep. It seeded for 250gb in a month. When I checked, it was at 12mbps for a straight hour. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Vincentbhg (talk • contribs) 21:18, 7 November 2013 (UTC)

This program is suddenly on my computer when it is not supposed to be, and is trying to force me to do an "update" on it. Over, and over this "updater" is popping up. I'm going to have to search this out, and get rid of it. It installed itself, and with me downloading a damn thing. So, this has to be some kind of malware. It's supposed to be to download games from other people to use their bandwidth, and their copies of game files... Seems to me like someone is trying to rig my system to download games for them without my consent, or knowledge. Or, like they want to steal copies of my games. (& I have a history of someone hacking my Steam to steal video game copies. So, it would likely be the same person, whomever TF it is. (No. I don't know the person. I didn't share Steam info, or anything else like that that could trigger this, and people I know wouldn't do that, would get caught doing it, and already have more games, and game content than me. It's a stranger who stumbled across my login by something like just typing things in, or some similar such alternative means, and who apparently won't leave me TF alone since finding I exist, despite they've not much to gain by it... I think it's part of a big operation of hacking accounts to steal games. This program maybe is the person's next idea for how to steal, and distribute game copies... (Whenever this person hacks my Steam, they hack Steam itself in the process in ways suggesting it's a massive hack situation, getting into numerous accounts. (f.e. On one occasion, he rigged Steam to not allow me to go through proper processes to regain my account, and made things VERY difficult, so I couldn't disrupt a download.) They don't do anything of a money nature, or add games, so it's a case of downloading video game copies, which probably then get redistributed. It's a video game pirate.)))) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.19.247.182 (talk) 15:20, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

Further... Whomever has put Pando on my computer, and is trying to make me update has screwed with files to be used in removing malware, spyware, viruses, and trojans. There's suddenly dollar signs in front of folder names, such as in the case of my AVG folder. If that disrupts usage of those folders in some way, then they don't want me removing their operation from my computer. I also didn't go anywhere weird, or do anything weird to trigger this. Whatever the case, I'm declaring Pando as some kind of malware, virus, trojan, or cetera. I'm not sure which specific terminology it falls under, but I guarantee it gets used to use people's bandwidth, and/or game copies without consent. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.19.247.182 (talk) 15:35, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

They did corrupt files to get rid of their tamperings. But, I found workarounds. They tries to make it so I couldn't clear out folders like cookie folders. Jokes on them, I don't use the programs they programmed to get disabled to begin with, and they failed to completely disable those program features, and programs, too. Yes, so, definitely, Pando is bad news on your computer. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.19.247.182 (talk) 15:43, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

Apparently this was installed on my computer as part of Star Trek Online back in january of 2013 and has been sitting dorment until today when it tried to get me to update it... I googled it and found many articles listing it as spyware... Please see: http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/24/pando-media-booster-update-is-actually-a-browser-hijack/ Many game devs that used to distribute this as part of their game are scrambling to tell players to remove it as the software appears to have been hijacked. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.114.94.76 (talk) 13:18, 27 February 2014 (UTC)

Pando is malware, plain and simple; I am having the exact same problems as above. I am requesting this article be deleted. ~ PonyToast...§ 14:07, 5 March 2014 (UTC)

That isn't a valid deletion reason. If you have reliable sources which tell that it is malware, you may add such information to the article. Tgeorgescu (talk) 23:08, 5 March 2014 (UTC)

Advertising article?

This article looks like pure advertising to me. The advertised software is known as malware: It comes unwanted and nobody knows what it *actually* does. --84.74.16.104 (talk) 13:48, 23 November 2015 (UTC)