Firewalls are wonderful things except when they aren’t.

[nevf]

Firewall users can unwittingly block applications that use local web servers to serve up content to the application, which in turn prevents them from working correctly. I have written an article about this titled Firewalls are wonderful things except when they aren’t. about this issue which I hope some find useful.

The article also touches on malware and viruses and refers to Surfulater issues with regard to Firewall blocks.

[cyberdiva]

Your article makes some good points.  I'm surprised, though, that the user you mention (Peter) didn't tell his firewall to permit Surfulater, since he was installing the program.  Perhaps it might be a good idea for you to include a very brief note at the start of Surfulater's download instructions suggesting that the user make sure his/her firewall permits Surfulater to have full access to the Internet.

[nevf]

My guess is some folks read some article suggesting they install a Firewall and really don't understand what it does, other than to help protect them from badness. Then when they install an application like Surfulater they have no idea how to respond to the many prompts the Firewall pops up. The easiest thing and in there eyes safest is to simply block access. In the particular case of Peter it took an exchange of around 5 e-mails before I worked out what was causing the problem. Further he never one mentioned his Firewall.

With regard to a brief note, yes good idea. However most people won't see or read it. I go to a lot of time and effort writing comprehensive documentation and very few people every read it.

[cyberdiva]

With regard to a brief note, yes good idea. However most people won't see or read it. I go to a lot of time and effort writing comprehensive documentation and very few people every read it.

Yes, I'm sure most people skip the comprehensive documentation, at least at the start.  But if you just have a brief, eye-catching note at the start of the installation that says "Important!" or "Before you begin" or something like that, perhaps people will read it.  Maybe a note wherever people download Surfulater as well.

[J-Mac]

Heck, the Windows 7 UAC pop ups are more than enough to scare a lot of inexperienced folks. If I recommend software to someone I find I now get calls saying things like, " Hey! What the heck did you do to me?! I tried to install that program you told me about but every time I try to run it I get warning pop ups saying that the program might be dangerous and could harm my computer! Why would you suggest I use this?"

Doesn’t take much for some!

Jim