ramones74
Rock The Proverbial Casbah
join:2002-01-24
Mckeesport, PA | Jeez!
I'm being serious here. Is this actually legal? I can't even see how it's legal to change your registry, much less this.
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I'm not from Philly, but some say I'm blunt. |
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OrigZaphod042
Didn't You Hear? I Come In Six Packs Now
Premium
join:2001-07-22
Round Lake, IL
clubs:  
| Getting Old...
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According to the document, "You are not allowed to use any third party program (e.g., Ad-aware) to uninstall application bundled with RadLight. Such programs will be removed."
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Since when does a software company have the right to tell me what or how I am allowed to remove programs from MY computer? And what gives them the right to tamper with my files? I know we've been down this path before, but this is getting old.
The lengths some company’s take to try and market their programs is out of hand.
To Me personally, any program that takes it upon itself to remove any other program without getting permission from me directly, not thru some lengthy worded license agreement, is malicious programming.
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RAM: Window's drug of choice since 1986 |
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MortySnerd
join:2001-07-26
Mclean, VA
| sigh.... dot bomb already!
When will all these stupid "Companions" like SaveNow and Gator go bankrupt? Even if morons are clicking on their "Special" offers, is anyone really buying the products that are advertised?? If not, then I hope that it is only a matter of time until they are out of cash. Seriuosly, how do these programs stay around? |
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shamrin
join:2001-01-08
Lexington, KY
clubs:
 ·Insight Communicat..
| No contrition from the author...
There's a pretty interesting (but bizarre) explanation of all this at the radlight sight (»www.radlight.com). The author is quite unrepentant. "I as the author of RadLight am sorry for users being scared of word "spyware" but I don't feel sorry for any uninstalled copy of
program whose point is TO KILL." (referring to adaware).
sch |
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WildGod
God Is Dead
Premium
join:2002-01-30
NYC
| Getting out of Hand!
What happened to our rights? These companies have no right to come into my pc and remove what I willingly and knowingly installed on my pc. Simple solution : Goodbye Radlight! While congress continues to discuss filesharing with the big media conglomerates they wont take a minute of their time to pass laws banning spam and the type of behavior discussed in this article.
I have said this numerous times in these forums and I'll say it again
Keep your money hungry hands off my PC.
IT'S MY PC, MY AD-AWARE
This is the same as a company coming into my house and disabling the security system I installed.
I smell class action lawsuit here.
Can you imagine if Microsoft where to uninstall any non-Microsoft products off your PC simply because they hampered the functionality of their own software?
When will it end?
I understand companies have to get revenue in order to stay in business but I think it's time they found a new unintrusive way to advertise to us. What ever happened to banner ads? Unintrusive and I didnt really mind them. These companies wont listen to the consumer.
WE DONT WANT POP-UPS OR POP-UNDERS, FLASH ADVERTISING, BACK BUTTON HIJACKING OR FAKE SYSTEM MESSAGES!!!
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AOL DSL SUCKS
[text was edited by author 2002-04-24 10:02:20]
[text was edited by author 2002-04-24 10:10:02] |
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ramones74
Rock The Proverbial Casbah
join:2002-01-24
Mckeesport, PA
| reply to shamrin
Re: No contrition from the author...
checked out that article...man, is that guy a jerkoff. I love how he refers to spyware as "helpware" and insists it helps you shop. Just one more useless turd that says people shouldn't think for themselves. I'd like to stab him with a dull spoon.
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I'm not from Philly, but some say I'm blunt. |
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ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Bridgeport, WV
clubs: |  Was that a lawyer I just saw??
I can see the lawyers starting to get their paperwork started over this one... |
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bgraham
join:2001-03-15
Smithtown, NY
 ·Verizon FIOS
| Virtual War is coming to your computer SOON!!
This whole thing about spyware is getting ridiculous. Now the spyware and removal proggys are fighting each other to the death.
Soon, every time you boot your computer it is going to go into battle mode for a few moments with adaware doing a battle mode update then taking on 3 or 4 spyware / malware proggys that are on your machine. You might even get to view the events with play by play.
Soon Microsoft will want to get involved in the war because there are a few bucks to be made and they will of course come out as the winner. |
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CyberSchnook$
C B D T P A Outlaw
Premium
join:2001-12-31
Terra Firma | Take 'em down!
If ever, anywhere, anyone was just begging to be cracked to oblivion...
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Scientific facts invented while-u-wait. |
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PatientGuy
I'M Way Deep Into Nothing Special
Premium
join:2000-12-11
Arlington, VA
clubs:
| reply to ramones74
Re: Jeez!
I've been searching for download sites looking for Radlight v3.03R5 (rl3r52.exe). I then have been E-mailing the sites asking them to remove Radlight from their servers. I urge others to do the same. If you find other sites that offer Radlight for download publish them here so I and others can E-mail them too. Let's start a peoples revolt against scumware!
webmaster@pcworld.com
kirschd@simtel.net |
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Flagger
Premium
join:2001-08-10
Weimville
| I see it now.
Yes there are advantages to not upgrading to the latest and greatest when it first comes out. Let all the suckers first on the block folks get burned while I sit back and wait to see the full ramifications of upgrading a program that I rarely use that works just fine for the WAY I USE IT when I do.
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Why is it that we don't always recognize the moment when love begins, but we always know when it ends? - Steve Martin |
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PatientGuy
I'M Way Deep Into Nothing Special
Premium
join:2000-12-11
Arlington, VA
clubs:
| reply to PatientGuy
Negative Response from Simtel
Complete text of an E-mail recieved from Simtel:
I suggest you read the email at our web site's forum area related to this.
RadLight is acting no differently than Ad-Aware is acting. Ad-Aware
removes Adware components with the user's permission. RadLight removes
Ad-Aware with the user's permission.
Seems fair to me.
Once RadLight added VERY clear announcements to their install process, the
decision here at Simtel.Net was to let their product stay.
When you can explain how RadLight's actions are more heinous than
Ad-Aware's, we'll rethink our position.
We believe in an informed user. Let the user decide: does he want
RadLight? Or Ad-Aware?
I for one am getting irritated at the publicity campaign being drummed up
by the Ad-Aware publishers, fighting back at a threat to their commercial
interests, and trying to force US into doing what they want. That could
be a far uglier trend than the piddling tempest in a teakettle between
RadLight and Ad-Aware.
Regards,
David
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David Kirschbaum, Archivist for Simtel(tm)
Internet: kirschd@Simtel.Net »www.simtel.net/
On Wed, 24 Apr 2002, F C. wrote:
> A program available for download from your service (rl3r52.exe) contains
> code that is malicious in nature.
> " Radlight v3.03R5 have included code that not only looks to
> see if the user has Ad-Aware or Ad-Aware Plus installed on their
> systems, but
> also will uninstall and delete every trace of Ad-Aware;"
>
> »www.technews.com/news/02/176075.html
> »www.lsfileserv.com/latest.html
>
> Distributing software that deletes other programs could set a bad
> precedent that could lead to a general deterioration of share/free ware.
> C-NET has removed it from there servers. I urge you to please do the
> same. Let's put a stop to this ugly trend before it gets started.
[text was edited by author 2002-04-24 11:32:04] |
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gej
join:2001-12-01
Takoma Park, MD
| Everyone's A Comedian...
Just looked at the author's defense for his actions. Does he have a big red nose and floppy shoes? Can't say I laughed harder in my life.
He has every legitimate right to generate income by bundling SaveNow. But there's no excuse for trying to bamboozle us with half-baked logic, or taking the lazy way out by sabotaging Ad-Aware. His take on anti-spyware is as pathetic as it is dumb.
I usually read the fine print before installing software, so this media viewer would've never seen action on my machine. With perpware like RadLight and Kazaa around, deciphering EULAs might be the next unwelcome chore for all of us.
I can't wait to see Lavasoft serve up some payback. Until then, let's hope RadLight's author takes his one-man comedy show out on the road...where the speeding eighteen-wheelers are.
[text was edited by author 2002-04-24 12:29:13] |
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Mospaw
New is good. Old owes me 7k
Hawaiian Jellyfish
join:2001-01-08
The Pacific
·Cox HSI
Host:
Road Warriors, Not..
All Things Macintosh
Automotive
| Still no free lunch
Many moons ago, software development was a painstaking, slow process. Ever since the Web appeared as a communications force, development times as well as innovations in software have increased exponentially in frequency.
Many consumers have been caught up in the hype and must have the latest greatest version of every piece of software out there. For "mainstream" software such as Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop, you have to pay for a license to use the software.
Many other titles are "freeware" or "shareware" or "bundleware" as I call it. Bundleware installs (either overtly or covertly) additional software that's typically designed to provide information to a third party. The software author usually gets paid for bundling this software.
Bundleware titles, as useful or useless as they may be, are not free. They might even pose as freeware, but there is some sort of revenue being generated through them, and the authors get paid.
I absolutely do not condone such tactics as deleting other software on a machine, no matter its intent. A piece of software (including the odious bundleware) should install itself quietly without disrupting other software. Period. Anything else is an abuse of the user's machine, whether or not it's in the EULA legaleese.
With that said, what do people expect? Software might be free, but it's not without its costs.
I actually enjoy paying for good software, simply because I know I'm supporting the developer's efforts, and newer versions might be even better than the one I have. Shareware is a great concept. Piracy issues aside, the market determines the program's worth. I'm not forced to have nefarious code installed on my machine and who knows what information either shared with the universe or ads popped up on my screen.
I avoid freeware like the plague. Having Kazaa or a Divx player on my machine might be just short of the Second Coming in importance, but I'll be damned if I'm going to risk my private information, my data, and installed software to have it. I'd much rather pay $20 or $30 for a piece of software that I know isn't going to pollute my system.
I'm not defending the actions of developers who make bundleware, but they do deserve payment for their efforts, as we all do. They've simply chosen a really poor method of getting paid. Perhaps letting the market determine what your software is worth is a better way to go. Who here wouldn't pay $5 or even $10, $20, or $30 for a really well written piece of software that you use daily, especially if doing so would eliminate these data leeches and the code wars.
Free software is great. I even have some installed on my machines. But if having certain "free" programs requires putting my stuff at risk, I'll wait for a commercial version comes out. The cost is too high otherwise.
It all boils down to this: watch what you install on your machine and read those user agreements. You tend to get what you pay for.
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Couldn't you use a little Zaffix today?
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[text was edited by author 2002-04-24 11:50:22] |
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nanofever
Liberal Democrats, You Know We're Right
join:2001-08-19
Modesto, CA
|  That site will be DoS by Saturday!
When you make a program that takes and hi-jacks peoples Pc's it has a habit of making those people very, VERY angry. Now when you make this malware target a program that a LOT of knowledgeable IT people use ,you are most certainly playing with fire.
Somebody made a big mistake messing with ad-aware and they are most certainly going to pay big. |
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dale88
join:2001-01-26
Alexandria, VA
| Tool
What a 'tard this guy is. Goes to show you that the international community thinks they can do whatever they want. Wonder what this guy would think if his website was brought down to a crawl by a DoS. Sorry Igor, I was just trying to "contact" you about an exciting offer I thought you would be interested in. |
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JYoung
G L 2814
join:2000-06-13
Sherman Oaks, CA
| reply to PatientGuy
Re: Negative Response from Simtel
said by David Kirschbaum, Archivist for Simtel:
I for one am getting irritated at the publicity campaign being drummed up
by the Ad-Aware publishers, fighting back at a threat to their commercial
interests, and trying to force US into doing what they want. That could
be a far uglier trend than the piddling tempest in a teakettle between
RadLight and Ad-Aware.
Say what?????
I didn't have a problem with Simtel's response until I got to that bit.
Hello????
Lavasoft provides basic Adaware for free which gives you control over what programs you want installed on your pc and what information you want sent out. Adaware doesn't make you get rid of any software unless you tell it to remove it. Radlight doesn't allow you to use it's software unless Adaware is removed (isn't this the attitude that got Microsoft in court?).
It's obvious that Simtel doesn't get it. I checked and the latest version of Adaware that they have on their site is 3.6!
Add Simtel to my list of banned sites......
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If you're wondering how he eats and breathes and other science facts, then repeat to yourself "it's just a show, I should really just relax" |
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Brent24
@130.14.x.x
| Big Mistake
I DO NOT condone or in any way agree with what this guy is doing BUT, you must realize, his software is free. Thus, if he tells you in BIG BOLD BLACK print that you cannot run a certain software on the same machine as his software or he will remove it, it is your conscious decision to install his software and give your permission for him to remove other software.
I really think this approach is a BIG MISTAKE and he will regret it later.
However, legally and ethically, unless your paying for it, you don't have a right to complain about the rules of the software.
Just my opinion, take it or leave it 
Thanks for listening. |
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looser
join:2001-02-04
La Mesa, CA | reply to OrigZaphod042
Re: Getting Old...
They do tell you.....it's all in the legal disclaimer they have, just read the few thousand words and it's in there. So if you install it you cant sue them, because you agreed to the terms of the disclaimer. |
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OrigZaphod042
Didn't You Hear? I Come In Six Packs Now
Premium
join:2001-07-22
Round Lake, IL
clubs:
| That is my point. and Actually thru contract law, that is unenforceable. You can NOT, give a blanket assumption on what programs it may tamper with and expect it to hold up.
No software, should be allowed to, just because they buried the wording somewhere in 2point font tell you they are going to do it, remove anyother peice of software without MY EXPLICATE permission. That is why adware, first shows you the programs then you have to actually tell it to remove them, it doesnt do it automaticly.
I would love to take the time to take them to court on this one, first year contract law would prevail with no problem
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RAM: Window's drug of choice since 1986 |
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