AmeritecTech
Change we can believe in, 1922
Premium
join:2002-09-06
Houston, TX | Could Be Useful
This could be of some use, but most spyware does seem to disclose what it does. Unfortunately, few read EULA's anymore. |
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mrchris
We don't miss you Bush
Premium
join:2002-10-01
North Babylon, NY |  Hah
Like this will be any useful...look at the Can Spam act...ineffective!
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Firefox |
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djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
 ·PHONE POWER
 ·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T CallVantage
·Time Warner VOIP
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| I think the spyware is a much bigger problem, and I also think that legislation might be able to more effectively deal with it than they could spam. The companies that produce and propagate this crap are a lot easier to track down. They've almost all got digital signatures in order to be able to be installable from Internet Explorer.
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\\ROB - a part of the SCB local network |
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dyehard510
join:2003-04-25
Phoenixville, PA | Spyware
I hope they can stop spyware because it slows your pc down.. |
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CPM
join:2001-08-24
Miami, FL | Can the spyware
The problem is not making a law but enforcing the law. |
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Burpinator
join:2004-02-23
Winston Salem, NC
| reply to AmeritecTech
Re: Could Be Useful
There's a government workshop on Spyware April 19th, open to the public. I saw the link on the FTC website last night when I went there for something unrelated.
»www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/spyware/index.htm
It sounds like a public forum for "defining" spyware. Maybe its a chance to do something. Maybe the link is worth a more prominent place on BBR? I mean, we are always complaining about it on this board, now here's a chance to potentially do something. |
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Piobaireachd
Happy Halloween
Premium
join:2000-09-21
Port Orchard, WA | More useless legislation
Wyden has always been pretty much an idiot. |
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moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD |  Sue the government......
....there is no such thing as spyware. It's adware and it is a service for our customers.  |
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Omega
Displaced Ohioan
Premium
join:2002-07-30
Cheyenne, WY
clubs: 
·Bresnan Online
 ·Verizon Wireless B..
·Comcast
 ·AT&T Midwest
| reply to dyehard510
Re: Spyware
said by dyehard510  :
I hope they can stop spyware because it slows your pc down..
It does more than that...if you get enough of it, your PC is not usable anymore.
I think spyware is more harmful to computers than virus's. One you get a little bit of spyware, more and more keeps coming. I have to to fix so many computers because of it.
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"166Mhz of Raw Processing Power!"
My site -- SBC DSL 1500/256 |
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clowny
Premium
join:2003-09-09
Crystal Lake, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| Another worthless law
Spyware should be banned. Hell, I don't have advertising execs & marketing firms tracking my every move in my house(yet), so why would I want this CRAP on my PC.
said by Piobaireachd :
Wyden has always been pretty much an idiot.
I agree with you there. |
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CrazyJr
join:2003-02-27
Oakland, CA
| reply to Omega
Re: Spyware
said by Omega :
I hope they can stop spyware because it slows your pc down..
I have a friend who called me because his computer slowed down to a crawl. I got a little concerned thinking it was a virus. I downloaded Spybot and Ad-aware, running one after the other. In about 30 minutes, viola!!, his computer is back up to speed. I recommend to him to resubscribe to Symantec.
All in all, I think the spyware business is getting more and more invasive. I'm not sure if legislation is the answer, especially since everyone (lawmakers) wants to legislate everything. |
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Combat Chuck
Too Many Cannibals
Premium
join:2001-11-29
Erie, PA
| reply to AmeritecTech
Re: Could Be Useful
said by AmeritecTech :
This could be of some use, but most spyware does seem to disclose what it does.
But then, if it discloses what it does, is it really spyware?
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Japan-- Now with 30% more climbable telephone poles!! |
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mr_slick
join:2003-05-22
Lynnwood, WA
| reply to AmeritecTech
i admit that i do not read EULA's because it takes me a week or more to read the thing (they are like 50 pages long now!). i do try to scan through them, but you almost have to be an attorney to understand it all. that is why i do not use new software. i have all the software i need and i just keep using the old versions (with the exception of windows, browser, and av/firewall updates). the older versions of most software works better anyways  |
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AmeritecTech
Change we can believe in, 1922
Premium
join:2002-09-06
Houston, TX | This might help. www.oldversion.com
Love that site. |
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Sat_Man
Monotonous Isn't It
Premium
join:2001-09-14
Gray Court, SC
| reply to clowny
Re: Another worthless law
said by clowny :
Spyware should be banned. Hell, I don't have advertising execs & marketing firms tracking my every move in my house(yet), so why would I want this CRAP on my PC.
said by Piobaireachd :
Wyden has always been pretty much an idiot.
I agree with you there.
Yep! He's an idiot! It looks like after the "Can Spam Act" he would have learned his lesson. |
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kutk
@200.75.x.x | this is bad news for the peeps at ad-aware like companies :P
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DivineDark
join:2001-08-30
Oklahoma City, OK
clubs:
| said by kutk:
this is bad news for the peeps at ad-aware like companies :P
![]()
Yep. They remove detection of spyware if the company states its install in the eula. Adaware bad, Spy bot s&d good. |
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salahx
join:2001-12-03
Saint Louis, MO
| Nice idea but needs work
As one of the "helpdesk monkeys" behind the phones, I applaud the effort that someone is (or at least, making the appearance of) taking action again the scum that give my customer so much grief.
For one, i really hate hate the term "spyware" when applied to most of these programs (as many of them do no spying). "Predatory software" better describers this class of malware - maybe even "Trojan horse" as they say they do one thing, (and may actually do it) but they also have "side effects" - popups, redirects, etc. This is like giving away candy to children tainted with a new experimental drug your testing (of course, you made them sign a 50-page document in 2-point type explaining what was in the stuff, right?).
Full disclosure is not enough, because the person on the end has no clue what it means. The end user has no clue, and is unlikely to get one however much you try (if you don't believe me, get a job at your local ISP helpdesk). The people that make this software - and those whom bundle it - are predators of the ignorant, because if they DID understand what this "shiny piece of software" did, they wouldn't install it. Of course, some users DO find out - usually after their machine has been trashed - and of course, there (usually) is either no uninstaller, it doesn't work, of course have to download off their website (after your winsock has been trashed, of course) - and unless you know how to apply an Winsock Rip or has a utility like LSPFix, time to grab that restore CD. Naturally the end user has no backups, or any clue what they are, much less how to do it.
I'd love to be able to help those who's computer have been fouled up such "spy/scum/parasite/preditorware" - and send the bill to the company who wrote the thing. (Usually my alarm goes off shortly after the idea).
The tough part will be defining on constitutes "predatory software" - lest we wind up with DMCA-like act (or worse); ;something with more perforations that the (You) Can Spam Act; or something that make distributors of badly written but legit software (like Windows!) have legit fears of getting sued-enjoined.. If a good definition can be found, the predators who distribute that software should be open to lawsuits, damages and injunctions to the people whom are victimized by their software, with punitive and treble damages for deliberate malicious activity (like some of the versions of CWS that go out their way to ensure "removal" of the program will render you machine unbootable, or automatically close and redirect all resources for removing them). Ideally, there would be a mandatory death penalty on the first offense for the executives of the companies whom distribute such software. Future offenses could carry even harsher penalties. |
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dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
| reply to clowny
Re: Another worthless law
said by clowny :
Spyware should be banned. Hell, I don't have advertising execs & marketing firms tracking my every move in my house(yet), so why would I want this CRAP on my PC.
If you got cable or satellite television you DO have someone tracking your every move(on the remote)
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You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth |
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Skippy25
join:2000-09-13
Hazelwood, MO
| reply to salahx
Re: Nice idea but needs work
Ideally, there would be a mandatory death penalty on the first offense for the executives of the companies whom distribute such software. Future offenses could carry even harsher penalties. |
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