Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]


Groups > comp.sys.mac.apps > #20515 > unrolled thread

.exe files on a Mac

Started bypsr2001 <psr2001@hotmail.com>
First post2014-01-19 12:36 -0500
Last post2014-01-19 19:19 -0500
Articles 20 on this page of 28 — 13 participants

Back to article view | Back to comp.sys.mac.apps


Contents

  .exe files on a Mac psr2001 <psr2001@hotmail.com> - 2014-01-19 12:36 -0500
    Re: .exe files on a Mac Michelle Steiner <michelle@michelle.org> - 2014-01-19 10:39 -0700
      Re: .exe files on a Mac philo  <philo@privacy.net> - 2014-01-19 14:30 -0600
      Re: .exe files on a Mac PhillipJones <pjonescet@comcast.net> - 2014-01-19 17:45 -0500
    Re: .exe files on a Mac Beli <baiheli.pip@xs4all.nl> - 2014-01-19 18:40 +0100
    Re: .exe files on a Mac Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2014-01-19 13:15 -0500
    Re: .exe files on a Mac nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-01-19 15:47 -0500
      Re: .exe files on a Mac dorayme <do_ray_me@bigpond.com> - 2014-01-20 09:07 +1100
        Re: .exe files on a Mac nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-01-19 17:43 -0500
          Re: .exe files on a Mac dorayme <do_ray_me@bigpond.com> - 2014-01-20 11:45 +1100
            Re: .exe files on a Mac Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2014-01-19 19:55 -0500
              Re: .exe files on a Mac dorayme <do_ray_me@bigpond.com> - 2014-01-20 13:21 +1100
              Re: .exe files on a Mac philo  <philo@privacy.net> - 2014-01-20 07:23 -0600
                Re: .exe files on a Mac nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-01-20 10:45 -0500
                  Re: .exe files on a Mac philo  <philo@privacy.net> - 2014-01-20 11:49 -0600
                    Re: .exe files on a Mac nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-01-20 13:35 -0500
                      Re: .exe files on a Mac John <Man@the.keyboard> - 2014-01-24 03:27 +0000
                    Re: .exe files on a Mac John <Man@the.keyboard> - 2014-01-24 03:24 +0000
                Re: .exe files on a Mac John <Man@the.keyboard> - 2014-01-24 03:19 +0000
                  Re: .exe files on a Mac PhillipJones <pjonescet@comcast.net> - 2014-01-24 15:38 -0500
              Re: .exe files on a Mac PhillipJones <pjonescet@comcast.net> - 2014-01-20 16:56 -0500
                Re: .exe files on a Mac John <Man@the.keyboard> - 2014-01-24 03:39 +0000
                  Re: .exe files on a Mac Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2014-02-04 23:37 -0500
              Re: .exe files on a Mac super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> - 2014-01-22 22:32 -0600
                Re: .exe files on a Mac Michael Vilain <vilain@NOspamcop.net> - 2014-01-22 21:41 -0800
                Re: .exe files on a Mac John <Man@the.keyboard> - 2014-01-24 03:48 +0000
              Re: .exe files on a Mac Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2014-01-27 17:17 +0100
      Re: .exe files on a Mac Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2014-01-19 19:19 -0500

Page 1 of 2  [1] 2  Next page →


#20515 — .exe files on a Mac

Frompsr2001 <psr2001@hotmail.com>
Date2014-01-19 12:36 -0500
Subject.exe files on a Mac
Message-ID<0001HW.CF01773A00048117B02919BF@news.giganews.com>
	I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a loss 
as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't seem to 
work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, please? TIA

[toc] | [next] | [standalone]


#20516

FromMichelle Steiner <michelle@michelle.org>
Date2014-01-19 10:39 -0700
Message-ID<190120141039589820%michelle@michelle.org>
In reply to#20515
In article <0001HW.CF01773A00048117B02919BF@news.giganews.com>, psr2001
<psr2001@hotmail.com> wrote:

>  I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a loss 
> as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't seem to 
> work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, please? TIA
> 
You may have downloaded Windows malware masquerading as movies.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20524

Fromphilo  <philo@privacy.net>
Date2014-01-19 14:30 -0600
Message-ID<lbhcl6$b6e$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#20516
On 01/19/2014 11:39 AM, Michelle Steiner wrote:
> In article <0001HW.CF01773A00048117B02919BF@news.giganews.com>, psr2001
> <psr2001@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>   I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a loss
>> as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't seem to
>> work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, please? TIA
>>
> You may have downloaded Windows malware masquerading as movies.
>


Correct. It it's a movie it will not have an "exe" extension.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20533

FromPhillipJones <pjonescet@comcast.net>
Date2014-01-19 17:45 -0500
Message-ID<lbhkio$6oh$1@news.albasani.net>
In reply to#20516
Michelle Steiner wrote:
> In article <0001HW.CF01773A00048117B02919BF@news.giganews.com>, psr2001
> <psr2001@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>   I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a loss
>> as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't seem to
>> work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, please? TIA
>>
> You may have downloaded Windows malware masquerading as movies.
>

If so thank goodness exe files are ignored and treated as malware anyway 
even if they are legit applications.
Now if you install a version of windows through Bootcamp, Parallels or 
equivalent. Then you could run those, but as said if items are billed as 
movies and end up being exe files chances are very high they are malware.

-- 
Phillip M. Jones, C.E.T.      "If it's Fixed, Don't Break it"
http://www.phillipmjones.net    mailto:pjonescet@comcast.net

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20517

FromBeli <baiheli.pip@xs4all.nl>
Date2014-01-19 18:40 +0100
Message-ID<190120141840085686%baiheli.pip@xs4all.nl>
In reply to#20515
In article <0001HW.CF01773A00048117B02919BF@news.giganews.com>, psr2001
<psr2001@hotmail.com> wrote:

>  I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a loss 
> as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't seem to 
> work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, please? TIA
> 
Be happy they don't work, these are Windows files. Just remove them.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20518

FromAlan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
Date2014-01-19 13:15 -0500
Message-ID<Sv6dncWlR8y2i0HPnZ2dnUVZ_hKdnZ2d@giganews.com>
In reply to#20515
On 2014.01.19, 12:36 , psr2001 wrote:
> 	I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a loss
> as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't seem to
> work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, please? TIA

What the others said (and most often malware).

However, they might also (or just) contain data files which would be 
extractable using "The Unarchiver".

-- 
“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
                                                   - Mike Tyson

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20525

Fromnospam <nospam@nospam.invalid>
Date2014-01-19 15:47 -0500
Message-ID<190120141547042329%nospam@nospam.invalid>
In reply to#20515
In article <0001HW.CF01773A00048117B02919BF@news.giganews.com>, psr2001
<psr2001@hotmail.com> wrote:

>  I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a loss 
> as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't seem to 
> work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, please? TIA

what you have is malware.

movies have a .mp4, .mpg, .mov, .wmv or other media extension.

they are not movies. what you have is an .exe pretending to be a movie.
it's actually an app that will do something you don't want. you may
notice that they're quite a bit smaller than what a movie should be.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20530

Fromdorayme <do_ray_me@bigpond.com>
Date2014-01-20 09:07 +1100
Message-ID<do_ray_me-1D2095.09072420012014@news.albasani.net>
In reply to#20525
In article <190120141547042329%nospam@nospam.invalid>,
 nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:

> In article <0001HW.CF01773A00048117B02919BF@news.giganews.com>, psr2001
> <psr2001@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> >  I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a loss 
> > as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't seem to 
> > work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, please? 
> > TIA
> 
> what you have is malware.
> 
> movies have a .mp4, .mpg, .mov, .wmv or other media extension.
> 
> they are not movies. what you have is an .exe pretending to be a movie.
> it's actually an app that will do something you don't want. you may
> notice that they're quite a bit smaller than what a movie should be.

If the OP has downloads that *contain* exe files, not necessarily 
pretending to be movies (OP does not give enough info to decide this), 
the best thing to do is throw them out. It may be that there are other 
files that are not exe and work moviely perfectly well.

-- 
dorayme

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20532

Fromnospam <nospam@nospam.invalid>
Date2014-01-19 17:43 -0500
Message-ID<190120141743019699%nospam@nospam.invalid>
In reply to#20530
In article <do_ray_me-1D2095.09072420012014@news.albasani.net>, dorayme
<do_ray_me@bigpond.com> wrote:

> > >  I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a loss 
> > > as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't seem to 
> > > work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, please? 
> > > TIA
> > 
> > what you have is malware.
> > 
> > movies have a .mp4, .mpg, .mov, .wmv or other media extension.
> > 
> > they are not movies. what you have is an .exe pretending to be a movie.
> > it's actually an app that will do something you don't want. you may
> > notice that they're quite a bit smaller than what a movie should be.
> 
> If the OP has downloads that *contain* exe files, not necessarily 
> pretending to be movies (OP does not give enough info to decide this), 
> the best thing to do is throw them out. It may be that there are other 
> files that are not exe and work moviely perfectly well.

movies don't contain .exe files. they are just movies.

another point to be made is he's pirating. legitimate sources of media,
whether it's movies or music, don't include .exe files in any form.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20537

Fromdorayme <do_ray_me@bigpond.com>
Date2014-01-20 11:45 +1100
Message-ID<do_ray_me-3F6518.11451020012014@news.albasani.net>
In reply to#20532
In article <190120141743019699%nospam@nospam.invalid>,
 nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:

> In article <do_ray_me-1D2095.09072420012014@news.albasani.net>, dorayme
> <do_ray_me@bigpond.com> wrote:
> 
> > > >  I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a 
> > > >  loss 
> > > > as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't 
> > > > seem to 
> > > > work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this, 
> > > > please? 
> > > > TIA
> > > 
> > > what you have is malware.
> > > 
> > > movies have a .mp4, .mpg, .mov, .wmv or other media extension.
> > > 
> > > they are not movies. what you have is an .exe pretending to be a movie.
> > > it's actually an app that will do something you don't want. you may
> > > notice that they're quite a bit smaller than what a movie should be.
> > 
> > If the OP has downloads that *contain* exe files, not necessarily 
> > pretending to be movies (OP does not give enough info to decide this), 
> > the best thing to do is throw them out. It may be that there are other 
> > files that are not exe and work moviely perfectly well.
> 
> movies don't contain .exe files. they are just movies

You have that right. A movie file can hardly *contain* an exe file, at 
least not on the face of it. So OP might have meant he downloaded a 
folder that contained a few files some of which are exe ones. This 
would explain his use of the word "contain" best. The other 
possibility just sounds unlikely. Why would he not say he tried to 
download movies but got exe files instead? Or he tried but got exe and 
are these movies or what should he do? See the point? No? I thought 
not. Nobody understands anything I say. I rather like that. <g>

-- 
dorayme

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20538

FromAlan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
Date2014-01-19 19:55 -0500
Message-ID<t5udnTEdrLWe6UHPnZ2dnUVZ_q-dnZ2d@giganews.com>
In reply to#20537
On 2014.01.19, 19:45 , dorayme wrote:
> In article <190120141743019699%nospam@nospam.invalid>,
>   nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:
>
>> In article <do_ray_me-1D2095.09072420012014@news.albasani.net>, dorayme
>> <do_ray_me@bigpond.com> wrote:
>>
>>>>>   I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a
>>>>>   loss
>>>>> as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't
>>>>> seem to
>>>>> work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this,
>>>>> please?
>>>>> TIA
>>>>
>>>> what you have is malware.
>>>>
>>>> movies have a .mp4, .mpg, .mov, .wmv or other media extension.
>>>>
>>>> they are not movies. what you have is an .exe pretending to be a movie.
>>>> it's actually an app that will do something you don't want. you may
>>>> notice that they're quite a bit smaller than what a movie should be.
>>>
>>> If the OP has downloads that *contain* exe files, not necessarily
>>> pretending to be movies (OP does not give enough info to decide this),
>>> the best thing to do is throw them out. It may be that there are other
>>> files that are not exe and work moviely perfectly well.
>>
>> movies don't contain .exe files. they are just movies
>
> You have that right. A movie file can hardly *contain* an exe file, at
> least not on the face of it. So OP might have meant he downloaded a
> folder that contained a few files some of which are exe ones. This
> would explain his use of the word "contain" best. The other
> possibility just sounds unlikely. Why would he not say he tried to
> download movies but got exe files instead? Or he tried but got exe and
> are these movies or what should he do? See the point? No? I thought
> not. Nobody understands anything I say. I rather like that. <g>


To be accurate, it used to be common (in PC land) for "self extracting" 
distributions to be a .exe file which also contained the "media" or 
other content as well.  That could be anything including other programs 
(.exe), audio, pdf's, video, etc.; compressed/encrypted or not.

On a Mac, running "the Unarchiver" will often, safely, extract the media 
and the .exe. as well.  But the exe is no threat on a Mac as the OS 
doesn't know what to make of it.


-- 
“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
                                                   - Mike Tyson

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20539

Fromdorayme <do_ray_me@bigpond.com>
Date2014-01-20 13:21 +1100
Message-ID<do_ray_me-E89AF9.13211820012014@news.albasani.net>
In reply to#20538
In article <t5udnTEdrLWe6UHPnZ2dnUVZ_q-dnZ2d@giganews.com>,
 Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> wrote:

> On 2014.01.19, 19:45 , dorayme wrote:
> > In article <190120141743019699%nospam@nospam.invalid>,
> >   nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> >
> >> In article <do_ray_me-1D2095.09072420012014@news.albasani.net>, dorayme
> >> <do_ray_me@bigpond.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>>>>   I have downloaded several movies that contain .exe files and I'm at a
> >>>>>   loss
> >>>>> as to what to do with them. I've tried Wine and Keko but they don't
> >>>>> seem to
> >>>>> work (unless I'm just screwing up). Can anyone advise me on this,
> >>>>> please?
> >>>>> TIA
> >>>>
> >>>> what you have is malware.
> >>>>
> >>>> movies have a .mp4, .mpg, .mov, .wmv or other media extension.
> >>>>
> >>>> they are not movies. what you have is an .exe pretending to be a movie.
> >>>> it's actually an app that will do something you don't want. you may
> >>>> notice that they're quite a bit smaller than what a movie should be.
> >>>
> >>> If the OP has downloads that *contain* exe files, not necessarily
> >>> pretending to be movies (OP does not give enough info to decide this),
> >>> the best thing to do is throw them out. It may be that there are other
> >>> files that are not exe and work moviely perfectly well.
> >>
> >> movies don't contain .exe files. they are just movies
> >
> > You have that right. A movie file can hardly *contain* an exe file, at
> > least not on the face of it. So OP might have meant he downloaded a
> > folder that contained a few files some of which are exe ones. This
> > would explain his use of the word "contain" best. The other
> > possibility just sounds unlikely. Why would he not say he tried to
> > download movies but got exe files instead? Or he tried but got exe and
> > are these movies or what should he do? See the point? No? I thought
> > not. Nobody understands anything I say. I rather like that. <g>
> 
> 
> To be accurate, it used to be common (in PC land) for "self extracting" 
> distributions to be a .exe file which also contained the "media" or 
> other content as well.  That could be anything including other programs 
> (.exe), audio, pdf's, video, etc.; compressed/encrypted or not.
> 

Sure, that would make the expression "exe files that contain movies" a 
natural, rather than the other way around.


> On a Mac, running "the Unarchiver" will often, safely, extract the media 
> and the .exe. as well.  But the exe is no threat on a Mac as the OS 
> doesn't know what to make of it.

-- 
dorayme

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20544

Fromphilo  <philo@privacy.net>
Date2014-01-20 07:23 -0600
Message-ID<lbj7vp$mq9$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#20538
On 01/19/2014 06:55 PM, Alan Browne wrote:
>


<snip>
>
> To be accurate, it used to be common (in PC land) for "self extracting"
> distributions to be a .exe file which also contained the "media" or
> other content as well.  That could be anything including other programs
> (.exe), audio, pdf's, video, etc.; compressed/encrypted or not.
>
> On a Mac, running "the Unarchiver" will often, safely, extract the media
> and the .exe. as well.  But the exe is no threat on a Mac as the OS
> doesn't know what to make of it.
>
>



That is absolutely correct. In windows it is very common for a device 
driver to be packaged in the form of a self-extracting executable.


OTOH: Though of course any type of file could be contained within 
such...I don't know of any situations where I've ever come across it 
with a media file.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20547

Fromnospam <nospam@nospam.invalid>
Date2014-01-20 10:45 -0500
Message-ID<200120141045425092%nospam@nospam.invalid>
In reply to#20544
In article <lbj7vp$mq9$1@dont-email.me>, philoÝ <philo@privacy.net>
wrote:

> > To be accurate, it used to be common (in PC land) for "self extracting"
> > distributions to be a .exe file which also contained the "media" or
> > other content as well.  That could be anything including other programs
> > (.exe), audio, pdf's, video, etc.; compressed/encrypted or not.
> >
> > On a Mac, running "the Unarchiver" will often, safely, extract the media
> > and the .exe. as well.  But the exe is no threat on a Mac as the OS
> > doesn't know what to make of it.
> 
> That is absolutely correct. In windows it is very common for a device 
> driver to be packaged in the form of a self-extracting executable.

this isn't about device drivers. 

a lot of stuff is distributed in self extracting archives, namely
installers for apps, drivers, etc.

however, movies are not. when a 'movie' is distributed as an .exe, it
is malware, not a movie. it's also quite a bit smaller than it should
be, which is another clue that it isn't what it claims to be.

> OTOH: Though of course any type of file could be contained within 
> such...I don't know of any situations where I've ever come across it 
> with a media file.

exactly. media files are distributed just as they are. there's no need
to make it self-extracting since there's no need to compress them, as
they are already compressed.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20549

Fromphilo  <philo@privacy.net>
Date2014-01-20 11:49 -0600
Message-ID<lbjnj0$upu$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#20547
On 01/20/2014 09:45 AM, nospam wrote:
> In article <lbj7vp$mq9$1@dont-email.me>, philoÝ <philo@privacy.net>
hat it isn't what it claims to be.
>
>> OTOH: Though of course any type of file could be contained within
>> such...I don't know of any situations where I've ever come across it
>> with a media file.
>
> exactly. media files are distributed just as they are. there's no need
> to make it self-extracting since there's no need to compress them, as
> they are already compressed.
>



It's also possible the the exe is some sort of a "downloader" 
application that installs tons of crapware onto a Windows system.

If the user is careful there is usually an option to opt out that has to 
be clicked each time the next piece of junk appears. It seems most 
people just click "yes" and fill their machine with so much junk
it hardly runs.


[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20552

Fromnospam <nospam@nospam.invalid>
Date2014-01-20 13:35 -0500
Message-ID<200120141335386604%nospam@nospam.invalid>
In reply to#20549
In article <lbjnj0$upu$1@dont-email.me>, philo  <philo@privacy.net>
wrote:

> >> OTOH: Though of course any type of file could be contained within
> >> such...I don't know of any situations where I've ever come across it
> >> with a media file.
> >
> > exactly. media files are distributed just as they are. there's no need
> > to make it self-extracting since there's no need to compress them, as
> > they are already compressed.
> 
> It's also possible the the exe is some sort of a "downloader" 
> application that installs tons of crapware onto a Windows system.

in other words, malware.

movies aren't distributed that way. 

> If the user is careful there is usually an option to opt out that has to 
> be clicked each time the next piece of junk appears. It seems most 
> people just click "yes" and fill their machine with so much junk
> it hardly runs.

nobody reads that stuff.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20656

FromJohn <Man@the.keyboard>
Date2014-01-24 03:27 +0000
Message-ID<o7n3e9t8as9029a3g5imtfbqtggcvn4vm7@4ax.com>
In reply to#20552
On Mon, 20 Jan 2014 13:35:38 -0500, nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid>
wrote:

>In article <lbjnj0$upu$1@dont-email.me>, philo  <philo@privacy.net>
>wrote:
>
>> >> OTOH: Though of course any type of file could be contained within
>> >> such...I don't know of any situations where I've ever come across it
>> >> with a media file.
>> >
>> > exactly. media files are distributed just as they are. there's no need
>> > to make it self-extracting since there's no need to compress them, as
>> > they are already compressed.
>> 
>> It's also possible the the exe is some sort of a "downloader" 
>> application that installs tons of crapware onto a Windows system.
>
>in other words, malware.
>
>movies aren't distributed that way. 
>
>> If the user is careful there is usually an option to opt out that has to 
>> be clicked each time the next piece of junk appears. It seems most 
>> people just click "yes" and fill their machine with so much junk
>> it hardly runs.
>
>nobody reads that stuff.

 *I* do. 
 It takes me longer to download anything than it does my sister but I
don't have Ask.com toolbars, Google toolbars and a host of other shite
preventing my machine from working.
 The difference is a few seconds and I save *days* in not having to
clear up my machines. I think a little caution is worth the effort.
                                                 J. 

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20655

FromJohn <Man@the.keyboard>
Date2014-01-24 03:24 +0000
Message-ID<uvm3e9hu666nitbs4sgj6kr4c2ml5lom2a@4ax.com>
In reply to#20549
On Mon, 20 Jan 2014 11:49:19 -0600, philo  <philo@privacy.net> wrote:

>On 01/20/2014 09:45 AM, nospam wrote:
>> In article <lbj7vp$mq9$1@dont-email.me>, philoÝ <philo@privacy.net>
>hat it isn't what it claims to be.
>>
>>> OTOH: Though of course any type of file could be contained within
>>> such...I don't know of any situations where I've ever come across it
>>> with a media file.
>>
>> exactly. media files are distributed just as they are. there's no need
>> to make it self-extracting since there's no need to compress them, as
>> they are already compressed.
>>
>
>
>
>It's also possible the the exe is some sort of a "downloader" 
>application that installs tons of crapware onto a Windows system.

 Those may work inside a WINE like CrossOver but they'll usually be
stuck inside the "bottle" or emulated Windows environment. Killing
that will generally bin them. 
 Mostly. 
 

>
>If the user is careful there is usually an option to opt out that has to 
>be clicked each time the next piece of junk appears. It seems most 
>people just click "yes" and fill their machine with so much junk
>it hardly runs.

 My sister does this so I know for a fact that it is true that it
happens. I've had 30-odd years of telling her to practice safe
computing but she never listens. 
 Yet she was employed to teach people how to use the things.
 At least that explains where many of the bad habits come from.
 Sisters. 
                                                     J. 

>
>

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20654

FromJohn <Man@the.keyboard>
Date2014-01-24 03:19 +0000
Message-ID<4gm3e95213nu2rvhcnlpqoqm5r8tepgdbq@4ax.com>
In reply to#20544
On Mon, 20 Jan 2014 07:23:04 -0600, philo  <philo@privacy.net> wrote:

>On 01/19/2014 06:55 PM, Alan Browne wrote:
>>
>
>
><snip>
>>
>> To be accurate, it used to be common (in PC land) for "self extracting"
>> distributions to be a .exe file which also contained the "media" or
>> other content as well.  That could be anything including other programs
>> (.exe), audio, pdf's, video, etc.; compressed/encrypted or not.
>>
>> On a Mac, running "the Unarchiver" will often, safely, extract the media
>> and the .exe. as well.  But the exe is no threat on a Mac as the OS
>> doesn't know what to make of it.
>>
>>
>
>
>
>That is absolutely correct. In windows it is very common for a device 
>driver to be packaged in the form of a self-extracting executable.
>
>
>OTOH: Though of course any type of file could be contained within 
>such...I don't know of any situations where I've ever come across it 
>with a media file.

 PKZip and Winzip both can compress files into self-extracting
archives, like .tar files only ending in .zip or .exe, but those
mostly only work in Windows. 
 And compressing a movie isn't very useful, anyway, unless it's to
gather all the .nfo and other gubbins together for a single download,
movies tend to be about as compressed as they'll get. 
 OTOH, some movie DVD/BD's have extras like screensavers and linkies
to webbed-up material and games. Some of those could be zipped or
tarred and a few may be Windows versions with .exe extensions. On
discs like those there could be Maccy versions, too. 
 
 If the OP tries CrossOver from CodeWeavers.com he may get the Windows
files to run.
 CrossOver is virtually a WINE and probably won't let a virus run
rampant on a Mac. Usually. 
                                     J.  

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


#20671

FromPhillipJones <pjonescet@comcast.net>
Date2014-01-24 15:38 -0500
Message-ID<lbuivr$to1$1@news.albasani.net>
In reply to#20654
John wrote:
> On Mon, 20 Jan 2014 07:23:04 -0600, philo  <philo@privacy.net> wrote:
>
>> On 01/19/2014 06:55 PM, Alan Browne wrote:
>>>
>>
>>
>> <snip>
>>>
>>> To be accurate, it used to be common (in PC land) for "self extracting"
>>> distributions to be a .exe file which also contained the "media" or
>>> other content as well.  That could be anything including other programs
>>> (.exe), audio, pdf's, video, etc.; compressed/encrypted or not.
>>>
>>> On a Mac, running "the Unarchiver" will often, safely, extract the media
>>> and the .exe. as well.  But the exe is no threat on a Mac as the OS
>>> doesn't know what to make of it.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> That is absolutely correct. In windows it is very common for a device
>> driver to be packaged in the form of a self-extracting executable.
>>
>>
>> OTOH: Though of course any type of file could be contained within
>> such...I don't know of any situations where I've ever come across it
>> with a media file.
>
>   PKZip and Winzip both can compress files into self-extracting
> archives, like .tar files only ending in .zip or .exe, but those
> mostly only work in Windows.
>   And compressing a movie isn't very useful, anyway, unless it's to
> gather all the .nfo and other gubbins together for a single download,
> movies tend to be about as compressed as they'll get.
>   OTOH, some movie DVD/BD's have extras like screensavers and linkies
> to webbed-up material and games. Some of those could be zipped or
> tarred and a few may be Windows versions with .exe extensions. On
> discs like those there could be Maccy versions, too.
>
>   If the OP tries CrossOver from CodeWeavers.com he may get the Windows
> files to run.
>   CrossOver is virtually a WINE and probably won't let a virus run
> rampant on a Mac. Usually.
>                                       J.
>
Since at least OSX.5 Apple had add zip as native compression method for 
creating archives.  They can be opened by WinZip Mac, the Built I Zip 
engine in Mac OSX, PKzip/unzip The best Bar none zip Compressor ever 
created by man is PKware's Zip/unzip.
  The win zip windows zip started out as a Licensed from Pkware. As with 
most things MS it wrestled away from PKware. Most Original Software 
Microsoft had was stolen, or bought at unfair ridiculous, low prices, 
Strong arm tactics. I am not sure MS has ever with exception of 
operating system ever wrote an original piece of software.

-- 
Phillip M. Jones, C.E.T.      "If it's Fixed, Don't Break it"
http://www.phillipmjones.net    mailto:pjonescet@comcast.net

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]


Page 1 of 2  [1] 2  Next page →

Back to top | Article view | comp.sys.mac.apps


csiph-web