RealPlayer and Internet Explorer

[#1]

My pc runs on XP so I have Internet Explorer. Yesterday, I installed Real Player. Now, whenever I close Internet Explorer, I get a warning from Zone Alarm that RealDownloader is trying to access the web.
Now, I want to keep Internet Explorer, I want to keep Real Player, and I want to keep Zone Alarm. However, I want to control when RealDownloader accessing the web, so I dont want to tick the "remember my answer" box then either say Yes or No.
My question to you good chaps and chapesses is:-
How do I stop this warning from Zone Alarm from coming up at the end of Internet Explorer, without setting the No answer for all cases of RealDownloader accessing the web?
Thanks

[#2]

Quote from: penneck

How do I stop this warning from Zone Alarm from coming up at the end of Internet Explorer, without setting the No answer for all cases of RealDownloader accessing the web?

You don't!
Zonealarm has 3 settings for outbound programs trying to access the internet: Yes (Allow), No (Deny), Ask. Thats it.
To be honest, it sounds like realplayer are up to their old tricks of trying to report your usage data. 10 years back (or so) they were caught doing the same thing and there was a massive hooha online about it all. If memory serves they decided not to bother with it anymore but you know what people are like.. they can't turn their back on their sneaky tricks for long..

[#3]

You could disable the RealDownloader add-on when you don't want to use it. Go to something like Tools -> Manage Add-ons in Internet Explorer.

[#4]

Thanks Sprite and ejs. Disabling the RealDownloader add-on seems to have done the trick

[#5]

A prime example of the best and worst aspects of ZoneAlarm. 
Good:  It alerts you to something trying to access the internet that you otherwise would not have known about.
Bad:  That's all it does and it does it again and again without providing any further information, tempting the unwary to say 'Yes (allow)' just to get rid of the irritating message.  Or possibly to say 'No (disallow)' to processes that should be allowed.

[#6]

Well it's all very well and good to slag off something that protects millions of people online ReedRichards but how would you have it operate? - If you think there is a better way please do tell us all!
Most people like it simple and easy to understand. From the sounds of it you'd give them a scheduler, a ruleset and all sorts of other complex options.

[#7]

+1
For once I actually agree with 'Sprite' 
In the past I have chosen to use the ZoneAlarm firewall BECAUSE of the way that it works, as I want to see exactly what is going on (particularly in controlling unexpected outbound traffic) and then be able to choose what I wish to allow or not, a fundamental feature which other firewalls hide from the user.
Unfortunately recent releases of ZoneAlarm have forced the installation of ZoneAlarm toolbars and search, which I have found causes stability issues with Internet Explorer, so regrettably I no longer use ZoneAlarm.

[#8]

Quote from: purleigh

For once I actually agree with 'Sprite'

Thanks.. not quite sure how to take it but thanks lol.
See thing is I'm always right. Folks might not like the ugly rotten truth and try to dress things up to look differently but I call a spade a spade.

[#9]

Quote from: Sprite

See thing is I'm always right.

 

[#10]

Quote from: Sprite

Well it's all very well and good to slag off something that protects millions of people online ReedRichards but how would you have it operate?

I would say informs rather than protects.  It doesn't give you a value judgement about anything it stops so the protection aspect is up to the individual user to decide.  If you say Yes (allow) and you make the wrong judgement then you have no protection whatsoever.
I would have ZoneAlarm tell you what it thinks the process is.  In this instance the name is a give-away but that is often not the case.  In an ideal world it would tell you what it thinks the process is trying to accomplish, but that is probably too much to ask.

[#11]

Quote from: ReedRichards

I would have ZoneAlarm tell you what it thinks the process is.

Which would require that they literally have a copy of every .dll and .exe file on the planet to test. It's just not practical.
Computer users have to learn to use common sense. If a program wants internet access and they don't know what it ir or why, say NO! What I would say they could improve on is the right click tool bar menu. It should contain a history menu with previous programs wanting access so that you can change the setting quickly if you need to.

Quote from: Oldjim

Quote from: Sprite See thing is I'm always right.

You're wrong! (and I'm right about that :P)

[#12]

Quote from: Sprite

Which would require that they literally have a copy of every .dll and .exe file on the planet to test. It's just not practical.

Of course it isn't practical in every case but it is in the vast majority of instances because they pertain to a small number of files.  Penneck cannot be the only person running Zone Alarm to encounter RealDownloader, for example.  The Norton firewall, as I recall, tells you what percentage of other users permitted access, so if you get it wrong you will at least know if you went with the crowd or not.