dg2
Premium
join:2004-01-22
Lowell, AR
1 edit | What would you find?
Last time I ran a spyware check on two Dell computers straight out of the box (pretty close to straight off the factory floor) I found two porn dialers (two on each machine.) Somehow I doubt that was part of a co-marketing arrangement... |
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mnemonicj
join:2002-03-03
Fishers, IN | Norton Antivirus 2004
The second to last link on this news post is supposed to be "Ad-Aware" not "Adware". Adware is what Ad-Aware gets rid of.
I have a spyware finder on my Norton Antivirus 2004. I wonder if it does the same thing as the Earthlink software... |
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paintref
TrainPlane Simulation Addict
join:2003-02-21
Houston, TX
clubs:
| reply to dg2
Re: What would you find?
said by dg2  :
Last time I ran a spyware check on two Dell computers straight out of the box (pretty close to straight off the factory floor) I found two porn dialers (two on each machine.) Somehow I doubt that was part of a co-marketing arrangement...
Now it makes me wonder what are they doing at dell to have porn dialers on your machines & makes me wonder if mine had any when I got mine a year or so ago. |
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StuartMW
Who Is John Galt?
Premium
join:2000-08-06
Austin, TX
|  Erase the HD and start anew
I'm not an average computer user or purchaser so I've always erased the HD of any new machine I've bought and reinstalled the stuff I want from the supplied CD's (if any). With a few exceptions the "free" software provided with most new machines is pretty useless IMO (crippled, time-limited, not upgradable).
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Don't feed trolls--it only makes them grow! |
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bartruji
join:2003-04-27
Tempe, AZ
clubs:
|  SpyBot
I've been using SpyBot Search and Destroy (»www.safer-networking.org/) with SpywareBlaster 3.1 (»www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html). This is by far the best solution to malware & spyware I have come across. Ad-Aware didn't work as well. |
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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
 ·Comcast
| Spyware/Adware = Bad
[rant] If you remove spyware or adware, and it kills the "parent" software, get different software. What we do, where we go, is OUR business and no one else's. Most software that comes bundled with crapware, will still work without it. D*vX Player comes with Gator/Gain/whatever, after removal, it works just fine. If a company needs to make money from their product, they need to charge money for it... not get paid to put this crap on our computers.
All of this adware/spyware/malware needs to stop! I couldn't care less about the people that make a living off this sh!t. They need to get a job doing something constructive, not creating BS that I have to keep cleaning off my/other's systems. [/rant] |
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Minister
join:2002-01-02
Fleeting
| Press Release
That press release is funny as hell. It's just jam packed with dire warnings about how horrible spyware is, but nowhere does it indicate what the hell users are supposed to do once they've discovered their PC is a cesspool of marketing parasites.
»www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stori···3&EDATE= |
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jtudor
Xm 60's On 6 Freak
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-07
Morganton, NC
|  Spyware / Adware - I don't care!
I really don't care what it is called, spyware or adware. I don't want any of it on my system. All of it seems to install itself with no interaction from me, then it consumes system resources trying to do something in the background.
I think that we internet users should boycott any business that supports spyware, and let them know why we are boycotting them. Hit them where it hurts most, in the wallet, and they will eventually go away. Legislation will not help, only taking away their income source will.
--
Best of luck
"Do, or Do not, there is no try!" Yoda |
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Varangian
join:2002-12-08
Collinsville, IL
| reply to paintref
Re: What would you find?
well these cookie cutter machines all get the same drive iimage. So your new porn dialers will have been shared by the masses.
Some suit no doubt made a side deal to have this cr*p infiltrated onto Dell machines.
Or Dell is just another infinitely greedy and amoral corporation corroding our society with their grasping. (But who would ever suggest that?  )
Buy your own full os and build your machine . That way YOU control the action. |
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AnonProxy
Proxy of Anon
Premium
join:2001-05-12
ß | reply to dg2
Well then millions of people must have it. They image those machines from basically the same image...gee I wonder why none of the Dell's I've bought have it... |
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Varangian
join:2002-12-08
Collinsville, IL | reply to jtudor
Re: Spyware / Adware - I don't care!
Bravo- Capital idea
The trouble is they ALL do it.
So we need to focus on one and make an example of them. |
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Varangian
join:2002-12-08
Collinsville, IL | reply to StuartMW
Re: Erase the HD and start anew
Format C...oh I love it when they talk dirty like that |
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dg2
Premium
join:2004-01-22
Lowell, AR
·Cox HSI
| reply to AnonProxy
Re: What would you find?
said by AnonProxy :
Well then millions of people must have it. They image those machines from basically the same image...gee I wonder why none of the Dell's I've bought have it...
Maybe it's an added-value feature...
Can't speak for the millions, just the two I received.
--
[X] - my vague acquaintance in the digital age... |
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Varangian
join:2002-12-08
Collinsville, IL
| reply to dg2
If you didn't have dialers that's good. Maybe your model used a different image.
Maybe the other fellows computer spent a little time being used by Dell suits for entertainment.
THe point is that - if YOU SET UP YOUR OWN MACHINE - YOU WON'T HAVE PORN DIALERS.
unless you want some |
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Varangian
join:2002-12-08
Collinsville, IL | reply to bartruji
Re: SpyBot
Use several spykillers for multiple Defense rings. |
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mrchris
We don't miss you Bush
Premium
join:2002-10-01
North Babylon, NY | They need a new name
Not Spyware or Adware/Mal/Scumware, but Garbageware! |
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pleekmo
Triptoe Through The Tulips
Premium
join:2001-09-14
Manchester, CT
clubs: | I've taken to calling it Evilware. |
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richk_1957
If ..Then..Else
Premium
join:2001-04-11
Minas Tirith
| reply to Varangian
Re: Erase the HD and start anew
We all know formatting doesn't remove everything [in this case it might not make a difference]. One of them, boots & runs off a CD or Floppy and really erases everything [of course, this can take a couple hours], so that when you go to install windows, you get the message 'Setup has detected you are using a factory fresh hard drive.....':) |
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brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Miami, FL | reply to dg2
Re: What would you find?
You think Earthlink has the cure for everything? It's just a marketing scheme just like their anti-spam program. I bet the people that pay them to spam all of Earthlink emails gets removed from their list. |
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Marten2
join:2004-04-14
Cupertino, CA
| Get Current! Dell reversed that spyware policy...
Please stop promulgating out of date and distorted information. Dell does not currently have a policy preventing support from recommending that users use utilities to remove spyware.
Quote:
Last year Dell decided to implement a company wide support policy to never recommend the use of spyware removal tools. Even if a user's PC can clearly by repaired by the removal of some dubious software, Dell employees are not allowed to raise a finger to assist.
The first sentence is correct - Dell did have such a policy, for about two weeks. The policy was instituted in late November, 2003. In response to the outcry from the community, that policy was reversed on December 10, 2003. At that time, Dell partnered with Pest Patrol (as announced here: »www.spywareinfo.com/newsletter/a···php#Dell ), and soon after extended their FAQs to again mention alternative solutions.
Dell's current FAQ on Spyware is dated March 16 2004, and it mentions many solutions (including Ad-Aware and Spybot). That article can be found here: »support.dell.com/us/en/kb/docume···=1077228 |
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