Comments on: Adware maker tries image makeover

180solutions is informing PC users that its ad-serving software is installed and is offering tips on removing it.

[My-Self]

A popup alert from an adware maker ...

an adware maker displaying a popup with a link to something called an 'uninstaller' ... Looks just like another driveby download attempt.

Only the dumbest user will ever click on such a link (even if the new trick is ... it's a real uninstaller).

Users who have this spyware on their machine are obviously not aware about the source, so they won't know who this '180Solution' is.

The only goal for this is to allow 180Solutions to claim the people it bombarded with that popup and who did not click on the so called 'uninstall' link are 'willingly' keeping their spyware and are no more entitled to claim they were not notified ...

Another clever trick around 'consent' ...

[Earl Benser]

Yeah, sure......

If 180solutions had any concept of ethics at all, they wouldn't
have come up with their sneaky program. Now that they have
come up with it, a current acquistionof ethics would require that
180solutions unibstall any of their spyware whenever and
wherever found without bothering the user. Then, if
180solutions still wants to snoop, that's the time to ask for
install permission.

But of course, 180solutions doesn't understand ethics, just
income. So the installs continue, and the 'uninstall link'
continues to look like SPAM fraud, and 180solutions heeps
counting their cash.

It's too bad that there isn't a way to screw up 180solutions's
computers in retaliation.

....but maybe there is....

Pathetic!

I love that they make it seem as if they are doing users a favor by letting them know their software is installed, and giving removal instructions.

You want to do people a favor...?
DON'T INSTALL YOUR JUNK ON A SYSTEM IN THE FIRST PLACE!

[202578300049013666264380294439]

What value?

The problem with 180 Solutions is that their software adds absolutely no value whatsoever, much less covers the cost of the additional overhead they steal from your computer and communications infrastructure.

They'll claim that by providing advertisements you'll get opportunities to find deals you wouldn't otherwise learn about but the truth is that the web is already mainly supported by advertising revenues using legitimate delivery methods while their software actually detracts from the legitimate advertisements and weakens the true support for the internet.

Their company model is based on being parasites.

[aabcdefghij987654321]

Makeover attempt disingenuous at best

I find the attempt of an adware pusher to makeover its image disingenuous at best. A good way for them to start the makeover process would be to stop pushing adware in the first place, however, I doubt that this is what they have in mind. The problem with these adware companies is that the owners and investors seem to think that they have a legitimate business model when they in fact do not. I also find it particularly amusing that many of these adware programs often hitch a ride with file sharing software that has been promoted as a way to illegally obtain copyrighted material (not sure if 180solutions has done this, but others have).

It is interesting to note that they blame rogue distributors for these installs of its software. Many adware companies are making the same claim. My question is where did these rogue distributors come from and why were they allowed to be distributors in the first place? It seems to me that the distributors make an easy scapegoat for a more fundamental problem (that problem being an illegitimate business model). Part of the solution would be to go after the companies that advertise on these networks. Once a GM or Circuit City is sued (or at least publicly embarassed) for advertising in this manner, much of the adware revenue will dry up and the adware companies will cease to exist.

It also seems that all adware companies claim to provide valuable services in exchange for viewing the ads generated by their software. For zango.com to claim that it provides over $500 worth of content per year is laughable. For the average consumer, there is nothing on the web that is worth $500 or even $5. One example is meetup.com. Since announcing a plan to charge they have lost most of their members and are continuing to hemorrage as people jump to other services that are still free.

Also to blame is the current lack of diversity in computer hardware/software. Since the vast majority of computers are based on the same architecture and run the same operating system with the same integrated web browser, it is only too easy to exploit holes in this one system to guarantee that one's adware has a large install base. I am not advocating that people switch en masse to Linux (not pratical for most people at this time) or even to using Firefox in Windows (somewhat more practical), but there needs to be a number of different operating systems (both open-source and proprietary) and web browsers from different companies with differing philosophies that have significant market share to make it more difficult to guarantee that the software can be installed on a particular computer.

Finally, the fact that these companies seem to be targeting children is particularly troubling. Naive parents may be partly to blame (why any parent would allow a child to run as a privileged user on a computer is incomprehensible), but the idea that any company, legitimate or not, would aggresively target children with insidious advertising is beyond the pale. This alone should be enough of a reason for these companies to be put out of business.

[Nino Nice]

180SOLUTIONS ARE THE VERY WORST

Hello my fellow computer user's.
I'm 42 years old and have been using the Internet for mass
communication back in the day when the internet was in DOS
only.
The user's back then were really cool and followed a serious
code of helping one another. Like if you needed some bit of
information, you would have at least 100 user's reply with what
ever information you needed and it was all for free,
But today is just like a massive ocean of filth where almost
everyone and every company is trying to get your money by any
means. and i am here to tell you that 180SOLUTIONS are the
biggest lowlifes on the Net.

I spend 60 to 80% of my time searching and removing spyware
and adware from every single person I know and don't.
Those programs are coded to stop an antispyware programs
from removing the spyware but crashing your system, openning
hundreds of internet explorer windows until the system crashes,
changes everything about a person's computer.
I HATE ANYBODY THAT WRITE'S ANY KIND OF SPYWARE/ADWARE
PROGRAMS.
GOD HELP THEM IF I EVER CATCH ONE OF THEM.

I'm not your average computer user.
I just really love the technology since I first saw the movie
WarGames which was the newest thing back in the day.
Everything I do with computers is self taught, just like my
awesome fighting skills.
I only beat the crap out of bad guys and wonna-be bullies.

Sorry for jumping off subject but I really HATE these nerds that
write those f#@king programs.

Later.

Nino
Born In Brooklyn, Raised in The Bronx.

[newerawisp]

ADWARES have no place in Business

There is nothing an ADWARE can do to improve its image. It has no right to install itself into the systems of other people. They have to be on the guard all the time. I have antivirus software, antispy software. Yet one adware found a way to get past all this anteverything software and set up its search Engine right at the bottom of my laptop. Every sec my software keeps asking me for my approval for the change in my applications or for addition of new software. Is this what the Adware trying to do? I don't need its alerts. what are my anti-everything software for?

The time has come to ditch this system of doing business. The time has come to adopt a new method of delivering the internet service that is server based rather than client based. This client based interne service has caused agony for everybody. It should be put out of business.

A case is made for this new way to deliver the Internet service at

http://wirelessera.rediffblogs.com