Multimedia Player With Spyware Deletes Anti-Spyware

from the spy-vs-anti-spy dept

The battle continues. As more and more free software programs include annoying spyware and adware, they're starting to battle back against the anti-spyware programs designed to stop them. The latest is a multimedia application called RadLight, that includes some spyware applications. On installation of RadLight, not only does it install the spyware programs - it looks for and deletes anti-spyware software that the user may have installed. It's getting to the point that it's not worth installing any software any more. I'm still amazed that companies that bundle spyware think that this is a reasonable business model. Business models that consist of pissing off your users generally don't last very long.
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  • identicon
    LordSlakyr, 23 Apr 2002 @ 12:16pm

    Real Dumb considering...

    ...that I'd think people who install anti-spyware programs are pretty savy technically and won't stand for this type of deal.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Oliver Wendell Jones, 23 Apr 2002 @ 1:02pm

    I hate EULAs

    It looks like I'm going to have to actually start reading all those license agreements before I just stupidly click the 'Yes' button.
    Would it be too much to ask that they display them in an easier format, perhaps something wider than 60 characters, 8 lines at a time?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Sprechen, 23 Apr 2002 @ 2:19pm

      Re: I hate EULAs

      You shouldn't have to read an EULA to find out what is being installed. You should be able to select "custom install" and see all the components that are bundled.

      Since that's not the case, I rely on download.com's user reviews to tell me when something contains spyware.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        thecaptain, 24 Apr 2002 @ 6:38am

        Re: I hate EULAs

        I tried doing that, but have you noticed how full of c**p some of those reviews are? I mean c'mon.

        Unfortunately, even WITH the license agreements, there are no sure ways to tell if you're going to be installing spyware. UGh.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    1234567, 23 Apr 2002 @ 7:34pm

    No Subject Given

    THIS IS JUST GETTING TO BE TOO MUCH! I CAN'T STAND THESE SPYWARE COMPANIES ANYMORE!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 24 Apr 2002 @ 5:29am

    Spyware

    It seems to me that if they delete anything I previously installed, no matter how trivial, would be a matter suitable for the courts to settle.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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