MikeStammer
No prison can hold me
Premium
join:2002-12-26
Aurora, IL
1 edit | One giant slays another Giant
Now that MS has/will gut Giant, what other app like it can replace it? Spysweeper? seems they are watering it down quite a bit! =( |
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David
No,there is another.
Premium,VIP
join:2002-05-30
Granite City, IL
clubs:
 ·DIRECTV
 ·magicjack.com
 ·AT&T Midwest
| Well in the beginning..
Weatherbug WAS spyware..
depending on which version you install, and of course thier uninstaller states that "they are not spyware" well if they are not spyware why does adaware pop them up all over the place when I scan a hard disk drive with it installed??
Inquiring minds want to know
for everything else there is mastercard 
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If you have a topic I have not responded to in the direct forum please be sure to reply to me... I get an e-mail when you do that so I know you updated your thread... Thanks David.. |
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joebear29
join:2003-07-20
Alabaster, AL
4 edits | This is asinine
To put it bluntly - Since Microsoft never agreed to Claria's EULA, Microsoft can't violate it. And there is no law saying Microsoft (or anyone else) can't make a program to remove the adware/spyware.
Whether or not someone using the spyware removal application violates the EULA they agreed to with Claria (even assuming it is enforcable) is not Microsoft's concern. Did the guy who wrote this article ever read anything about contract law? |
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sabrex15
join:2002-09-12
Toney, AL | very well put. |
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the W
@dslextreme.com
| reply to joebear29
That is true, but the person who agreed to install the "spyware" software in the first place would be violating the EULA by using Microsoft's removal software to rid themselves of the spyware. Of course we know that government agencies wont be busting down your door if you do so. |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| reply to joebear29
Foster notes that's Microsoft's stance:
quote:
Silly me - I should have guessed. Of course, Microsoft isn't violating anyone else's EULA. It's you, the Windows AntiSpyware customer, who is solely responsible for violating your solemn contractual agreement with Claria, DirectRevenue, or whomever. You have a solemn contractual agreement with Microsoft that says so.
Personally the EULA issue doesn't interest me.
What interests me is Microsoft facing a choice: Improve their security standing by sticking to their definitions of ad/spyware, or morphing those definitions like Aluria did at the behest of adware vendors, after being offered lucrative marketing deals..... |
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joebear29
join:2003-07-20
Alabaster, AL
| reply to the W
said by the W:
That is true, but the person who agreed to install the "spyware" software in the first place would be violating the EULA by using Microsoft's removal software to rid themselves of the spyware. Of course we know that government agencies wont be busting down your door if you do so. Of course they would. What does that have to do with Microsoft? |
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joebear29
join:2003-07-20
Alabaster, AL
| reply to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode  :Foster notes that's Microsoft's stance: quote:
Silly me - I should have guessed. Of course, Microsoft isn't violating anyone else's EULA. It's you, the Windows AntiSpyware customer, who is solely responsible for violating your solemn contractual agreement with Claria, DirectRevenue, or whomever. You have a solemn contractual agreement with Microsoft that says so.
Personally the EULA issue doesn't interest me. What interests me is Microsoft facing a choice: Improve their security standing by sticking to their definitions of ad/spyware, or morphing those definitions like Aluria did at the behest of adware vendors, after being offered lucrative marketing deals..... Yeah, I read that bit. He still seems to think the only reason Microsoft is not violating Claria's EULA is because a sentence in Microsoft's EULA shifts that burden to the user, as opposed to the real reason, which is no one (not even Microsoft) can violate a contract they did not agree to.
But that silliness aside, I do agree the main issues is whether Microsoft can maintain the integrity of the spyware removal product. I agree with you, in that I doubt they can, even if they had the best intentions; Microsoft is simply too large and vulnerable to bad press and lawsuits that adware types can bring to bear if they feel their software is unfairly listed.
Spyware removal is a game for small businesses or non-profits, not corporate behemoths. |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| They're Microsoft, they could do pretty much anything they like, but they won't.
Shame too, because it's a good shot for them to dig in their heels and establish themselves as serious about PC security.
Of course if they were serious about PC security they'd update non XP2 versions of IE, so I suppose that's a moot point.  |
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GercekSeytan
Rockin' with Raki
Premium
join:2001-10-19
Turkey
·TTNet
| reply to Karl Bode
Considering the size of Microsoft (financially or otherwise) and the relative pittance they might be offered by Claria, et al, versus the immediate and gleefully inflicted harm the company would receive from one and all, it seems highly unlikely they would cave in.
Much to lose, little to nothing to be gained.
--
"Be careful. Journalism is more addictive than crack cocaine. Your life can get out of balance." Dan Rather |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| quote:
Considering the size of Microsoft (financially or otherwise) and the relative pittance they might be offered by Claria, et al, versus the immediate and gleefully inflicted harm the company would receive from one and all, it seems highly unlikely they would cave in.
I don't know, Claria, WhenU, 180Solutions and their ilk are getting very wealthy - and in turn very powerful, very quickly. Full support of the direct Marketing Association too, who knows this is a mega-monster profit source over the next decade. |
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GercekSeytan
Rockin' with Raki
Premium
join:2001-10-19
Turkey
·TTNet
| I admit anything is possible. It just that I would think the folks at Redmond would realize that a significant part of what contributes to the MS bashing and keeps the folks in the Security Forum hopping is caused by these marketing-above-all lowlifes.
On the other hand, there's always hubris.
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"Be careful. Journalism is more addictive than crack cocaine. Your life can get out of balance." Dan Rather |
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oroper
Patriots Rule
join:2004-06-01
Beverly, MA
1 edit |  The Fix-for all "questionable" apps
MS and all "ware" removing vendors should add an option for the user to choose wether or not to add the "questionable" apps to their spyware list.
MS should then only provide a downloadable patch/tool that gets integrated into the main app.
This will remove (i hope) any friction between the companies, laying the decision on the user, wether or not they want to class (as an example=>weatherbug) as spyware.
Then, MS should just add/update the definitions on their servers as needed.
I wouldn't mind it the definitions take another 30 secs to dl/update.
Of course, it may take a little more leg work, but in the end, it should all work out........i hope:D
EDIT I claim copyright/patents on this idea 1.12.05 3:06pm ET |
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raythompsontn
join:2001-01-11
Oliver Springs, TN
| Removing Spyware
I doubt the EULA that says you cannot remove software from your computer would be enforceable in any court in the U.S.
And what is considered removal by other software? If I use FDISK to bare-metal my system is that considered removal by another program?
The Spyware companies have no legal standing to say what I put on my computer or how I remove what is on my computer. It is my computer and until the Spyware companies start buying my computers they have no legal standing.
Using Microsoft or any other Spyware removal tool is perfectly within the computer owners rights.
Ed Foster is just trying to be his usual quirky self. |
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daljon
Ramirez500
Premium
join:2003-01-05
Kingwood, TX | Weatherbug
Weatherbug is an intrusive piece of crap and should not have been let off the hook. I have to remove it from many many puters. to bad ms did not stick by its guns. |
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KeepOnRockin
Music Lover Forever
Premium
join:2002-11-08
Beaverton, OR
 ·Comcast
| Enough Already!
EULAs, Spyware, Microsoft, Weatherbug. Enough already!
The world of PC computing seems to be getting more complicated every day. lol
I don't really give a damn about the EULAs of spyware companies' spyware.
Forget all this spyware and legal mumbo-jumbo having to do with licence agreements.
I think I'll just use linux.
said by from article:
"in fact they've already backed down after Weatherbug complained about how their software was categorized"
lol, that's taking a "hard line" on spyware removal. |
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underscore
join:2004-04-20
Fairfax, VA
| reply to joebear29
Re: This is asinine
said by joebear29 : said by the W:
That is true, but the person who agreed to install the "spyware" software in the first place would be violating the EULA by using Microsoft's removal software to rid themselves of the spyware. Of course we know that government agencies wont be busting down your door if you do so. Of course they would. What does that have to do with Microsoft? How can I be violating an EULA that I never agreed to? Claria installs their software secretly. Using external software to remove another program just proves I never agreed to anything. |
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Anonymous Coward Cau
@cybergnostic.com
| reply to the W
Yes the gov would bust down your door. The corp that used the EULA would cry and complaine while passing the cash to the DOJ, next thing you know, you have some special elite squad kicking your door in. Best way around it all? Buy a Mac. Duh. No spyware.. yet. |
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inteller
Sociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK | reply to the W
Claria's EULA isn't worth the paper its printed on. It would be like Ford telling me I can't take my car to a mechanic to work on the car they built and I agreed to buy. |
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3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs:
| said by inteller :Claria's EULA isn't worth the paper its printed on. It would be like Ford telling me I can't take my car to a mechanic to work on the car they built and I agreed to buy. Acutally you don't own the car....
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The preceeding post may contain dry humor. Insert intelligent text here. |
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