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Please stop promulgating out of date and distorted information.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 |
|
Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| My apologies. I've corrected that paragraph. I thought there was a reversal.
I do find this curious:
quote:
Dell does not endorse any specific freeware or shareware utilities designed to remove spyware applications because we cannot test these utilities reliably.
Why can't they test these utilities reliably? |
|
Marten2
join:2004-04-14
Cupertino, CA
| Freeware reliability (was: Re: Get Current!)
Quote:
Why can't they test these utilities reliably? That is a very good question! The good folks at SpywareInfo asked that too in their December 10th newsletter.
See: »www.spywareinfo.com/newsletter/a···3/10.php
The author of that piece cogently observed, "Dell should be honest and state simply that they chose not to test them, not state that they cannot. To say that free software cannot be tested reliably is dishonest and an insult to the consumers' intelligence." I agree completely.
I suppose it is possible that Dell's contract to push Pest Patrol could prohibit them from testing other utilities, but if that were the reason, it would not explain the alleged reliability issue. Dell does not seem to be completely honest about the situation, though at least they have shown they can learn from and respond semi-favorably to a public uproar.
Thanks for updating the news post. |
|
