 throwdown
You Drink, You Drive, You Spill
Premium
join:2002-06-15
Shelton, CT | bull what a bunch of baloney | |
|
mrchris
We don't miss you Bush
Premium
join:2002-10-01
North Babylon, NY | Security experts.. Are always right! Stop the garbage bundling in AIM 5.5, AOL! | |
|
 | hotshot13
join:2000-07-20
Webster, NY
| Re: Security experts.. I uninstalled AIM5.5 and ran Spybot Search and Destroy to remove WildTangent from my system. I'm back to a previous version of AIM. 5.5 does have some nice features like the invisible mode but the bundling of this garbage should not be in there. They should offer two versions of aim. | |
|
| | 
JustTim
@dytnoh.ameritech
| Re: Security experts.. Hello,
If all you did was uninstall AIM and then run Spybot Search & Destroy, you still have a bunch of files and registry entry's you need to remove. Try a free program called Bazooka Spyware Scanner (which you can find the free download at downoad.com) and that will tell you all the spyware files and registry entry's which are left behind by Spybot Search and Destroy. Just thought you might want to know.
JustTim | |
|
| 
Ant718
join:2002-01-30
Bronx, NY | AIM is Garbage, AOL is the worst thing you could put on any pc! Now its worse that they actually have Spayware built in!
F*** AOL | |
|
| |
Rhett Thanas
@verizon.net
| Re: Security experts.. I'd rather have AIM with so-called "data mining" software installed than MSN/Messenger Service running and being a giant blinking gaping security hole. 
Personally, I dumped them all and started using the Windows port of GAIM. Takes up next to no CPU, sure it's lacking features (On the plus side it's got a nice minimalist interface, take that bloated Buddylist!) but for someone who doesn't use IM much, it's a great and unobtrusive solution | |
|
| | |
HoleyMSNBatman
@comcast.n
| Re: Security experts.. Fill us in, oh knowledgable security expert. What is this big, blinking, gaping security hole that you are referring to and how does one exploit it?
...
Yeah, that's what I thought. It's easy to make claims but it's not so easy to back them up. | |
|
| | |
HoleyMSNBatman
@comcast.n | You also didn't specify which Messenger you meant. You said MSN/Messenger -- so which is it? MSN Messenger or that annoying pop-up app simply known as the Messenger service? | |
|
| | 
TheHelpful1
Premium
join:2002-01-11
Upper Marlboro, MD | dude, calm down. Its called "deadAIM" + spybot
Either that or go Trillian.
--
"Not that you would, but you could" | |
|
djousma
join:2000-04-18
Hudsonville, MI
clubs: 
| Wildtangent I agree, I upgraded a few weeks ago, and ran adaware yesterday and was shocked at how many hits I had from wildtangent. I was not aware that it came along as part of AIM, and was wondering how I got it. Of course I promptly cleaned it out, but something is not right when this junk gets installed. | |
|
| 
Corvus
Flaming Tards Since 2003
Premium,VIP
join:2003-11-26 | Re: Wildtangent Did someone just sniffed what wildtangent is doing? | |
|
| | 
Combat Chuck
Too Many Cannibals
Premium
join:2001-11-29
Erie, PA
| Re: Wildtangent Yes many people have, and I think the consensus is that it isn't doing anything other than sending usage statistics that are pertinent to their games. Which is listed in their licensing agreement
However, I think what keeps WT listed as spyware is that:
1. a long time ago they hid a text file deep in it's directory structure (somewhere where most people wouldn't look) that explained what it collected. While it seemed honest, people wondered why it was hidden. It was a dumb decision on WT's part.
and
2. It apparently is installed with AIM, without telling anyone or allowing them to view the licensing agreement. Another dumb decision on both WT's and AOL's part.
Finally I think that over the past few years the label of spyware has been expanded to mean Adware as well. Spyware originally meant software that sent back statistics that wasn't up front about what they were doing, meaning that as long as they told you they were going to do it and gave you the option to not install the software, then it wasn't spyware. Now it seems any software that sends back statistics at all is considered spyware. Hell, even software that has the audacity to include an autoupdate feature is considered spyware now.
--
Japan-- Now with 30% more climbable telephone poles!! | |
|
| | | 
Jason Levine
Premium
join:2001-07-13
USA
| Re: Wildtangent I think #2 is the biggest issue here. AIM should have included it as an option in the installer. ("Do you want the ability to play cool games in AOL Instant Messenger? If so, click yes to install WildTangent.") Instead, it gets installed silently with no option to the user. Sure, you can remove it from your PC, but it's much better to be able to keep it off in the first place.
--
-Jason Levine
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/
http://www.PCQandA.com/
http://www.urateit.com/ | |
|
| | | |
Goldengamego
Premium
join:2004-02-22
Okemos, MI
|  removeing WT
1. Close AIM
2. Open my computer and navigate to the folder \Program Files\AIM
3. Delete the file AIMWDInstall
4. Navigate to the folder \Program Files\AIM\Sysfiles
5. Delete the file AIMWDInstall (do not delete AIMWDUninstall)
6. Open add/remove programs in the control panel
7. Uninstall WildTangent multiplayer library
8. Uninstall WildTangent Web Driver
9. Uninstall WildTangent Updater
10. Restart the computer
11. Navigate to the folder C:\Program Files
12. Delete the WildTangent folder
13. Navigate to the folder C:\WINDOWS
14. Delete the wt folder
15. Open start/run and type regedit
16. Delete the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WildTangent
17. Add the domain wildtangent.com to the IE restricted sites zone (even if you don’t use IE)
18. If this is the only user account on this PC you’re done, if not keep reading
19. Open regedit again
20. Navigate to the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ZoneMap\Domains
21. Right click on it and hit export
22. Type a name for the file and save it to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents or any other place that all accounts can access
23. Log into each account, double click on the file, and hit yes in the box that appears
24. You’re done
It must be done in that exact order or it won’t work.
It worked if clicking on games in AIM brings up a blank box
This is for Windows XP (but might work on other versions of Windows)
--
Because Goldengamegod won't fit:p | |
|
| 
DSL_Steve
Premium
join:2003-11-28
Woodbury, CT
| Re: removeing WT Um, try using the WildTangent uninstaller in Add/Remove Programs control panel *first*. There are three WT entries in Add/Remove Programs.
Then run Ad-aware with current defs to remove the rest. If you want a second opinion, run SpyBot S&D after Ad-aware.
Done
Lets not get off on a *Tangent* here  | |
|
| | Goldengamego
Premium
join:2004-02-22
Okemos, MI
1 edit | Re: removeing WT spybot and AAW don't detect the installers in the AIM directory and thus do not stop AIM from reinstalling WT, which is why you remove the installers first;) | |
|
crashemupn
join:2002-01-28
Kansas City, MO
| WildTangent: program 'not doing anything sneaky'?? Frankly, it doesn't matter what the CEO's have to say....did the people at REAL say that their product was doing anything wrong?....how about Gator??....JUst how many games do any of you know of that needs a TSR to be able to operate?...Any program that installs itself in stealth, leaves services running(even after disabling), is very suspect of being adware/malware.
I've seen the other threads where "designers" have stated that there is nothing improper about the way WT runs, but haven't been able to address the concerns of 100% cpu usage on certain computers. And just what does WT send back about the user and his/her habits? Does this mean we are all paranoid? HELL yes it does....nothing goes out of my network without the "who, what, how big" question being put to it | |
|
|
Combat Chuck
Too Many Cannibals
Premium
join:2001-11-29
Erie, PA
| Re: WildTangent: program 'not doing anything sneak said by crashemupn  :
JUst how many games do any of you know of that needs a TSR to be able to operate?
I used to have WT on another computer, and when you turned off the autoupdate feature the TSR process went away.
--
Japan-- Now with 30% more climbable telephone poles!! | |
|
neftv
join:2000-10-01
Broomall, PA
 ·Broadvox Direct
| go away spyware I found wildtangent on a computer used for graphics creation at my work. For a while was trying to figure out what was crashing the graphics software involved. I decided to do a spyware bot s & d and found wildtangent. When I removed wildtangent the application crashing stopped too. | |
|
| 
HappyBunny
Hi. Cram It.
Premium
join:2001-06-23
Long Beach, CA | Re: go away spyware Hm I just use Apple's iChat and dispense with AIM all together.  | |
|
| | 
Cougar311
join:2002-07-18
USA | Re: go away spyware Amen Brother! | |
|
| | 
Happyrat
Google Is Your Best Friend
Premium
join:2002-07-01
Disneyland | There's only one chat application worth a damn IMHO...
IRC... | |
|
| | | |
indysz
Premium
join:2003-07-26
Valparaiso, IN | AOL's Detection I' m definately interested in seeing what AOL's Spyware detection finds. If it finds this software it will be hilarious as hell... However AOL does hold the marketshare for IM, Dial-up, etc... | |
|
| sk33lz
join:2002-07-31
Parker Ford, PA
| Re: AOL's Detection I wondered where the heck that came from.... Just ran adaware and had my 1st hits ever....91 from Wildtangent....Installed the new AIM client 2 weeks ago had no clue....Thats shady AOL...you are going to lose even more customers now...even ones that arent even real customers...but use your software...possibly promoting your name....Not anymore...I will be finding an alternative...less intruding client without your name on it Here I was about ready to write an email to someone from the America's Army development team...since it was the only software Ive installed since my last Adaware scan. I am pretty sure the government likes to spy on people, but I was hoping they werent doing it through video games Haha!!! Shame on you AOL. Boo Hiss! | |
|
| | indysz
Premium
join:2003-07-26
Valparaiso, IN | Re: AOL's Detection LOL | |
|
jsmithxxx
join:2002-10-04 | "lite" version? aim should take a lesson from winamp and offer a "lite" version of the installer with just im support and no addons. | |
|
| OhMiseryMe
join:2003-10-01
| Re: "lite" version? There's a simple way to avoid WT altogether, simple don't allow the AIMWDInstall internet access when installing. I just installed AIM and didn't allow it access to the internet until it was fully installed. No WT on my system at all. Easy fix.
--
~Misery is the river of the world~ | |
|
| | OhMiseryMe
join:2003-10-01 | Re: "lite" version? P.S. Don't forget to delete the AIMWDInstall.exe from your AIM directory or it will try to install on next boot.
--
~Misery is the river of the world~ | |
|
| | | tschus
join:2003-12-25
Reston, VA | Re: AIMWDInstall.exe It appears that the latest Adaware reference file already removes this after detection. I scanned my entire pc for AIMWDInstall.exe and couldn't locate this particular file. | |
|
Tomek
Premium
join:2002-01-30
Brooklyn, NY
·Packet8
| Irony
? |
| |
|
Bytezboy
join:2001-05-17
New York, NY | faster after uninstalling Uninstalled this garbage and now my comptuer is running noticeable faster. It's useless. | |
|
Gentle1969
join:2000-05-29
Saint Louis, MO
| DirectX creator also created WildTangent Alex St. John, cofounder and CEO of WildTangent created Direct X.
So if you're truly the "cautious" type, go ahead and remove DirectX from your machine as well.
I mean, what's to have stopped the "Evil" Alex St. John from doing dastardly things to your DirectX as well!
Paranoia certainly is fun, isn't it?
Gentle1969 | |
|
TeMerc
join:2004-01-22
Phoenix, AZ
| AOL to track spyware? LOL How are they gonna do that? First they have to add the HUGE list of adware they have built into its regular products!!! OMG, how hilarious is that??? Should be interesting to say the least.
--
Remember............You can NEVER be OVERPROTECTED!! | |
|
Cyberwere
join:2004-03-21
Littleton, CO
|  Wild Tangent on New PCs
Cyber | |
|
TomGab
@popsite.net
| AOL's ICQ Now Infected As Well? Okay.. I have never had WildTangent or AOL IM on my PC. But I did recently install the latest version of ICQ. Now I have had to Google around to find message boards like this in order to properly remove this spyware.
Is AOL now gifting us with WildTangent through their ICQ client? | |
|
|
aarony
@netvigator.com | Re: AOL's ICQ Now Infected As Well? MSN are also bundled with WildTangent. I tried to remove it from the Control Panel but it said it couldn't be removed as MSN is being used. Any ideas about that? | |
|
hello
@centurytel.net
| hello i don't know if sk33lz was being sarcastic but americas army really does have spyware...sounds quite intrusive too, in the eula it tells you that it is bundled with software that takes snapshots of any part of your computer........ ANY PART!! not just stuff to do with the game it wants a copy of your whole harddrive ..thats just crazy. i haven't heard anything about msn messenger having spyware where did you hear that ....nothing comes up in adaware or S&D | |
|
|
Help
| Re: hello I just ran a scan on our HP computer and there were so many hits on Wild Tangent as spyware. I wasn't so alarmed about some of the functions, but it appears that there are capabilities of mining information that I don't necessarily want as part of the public domain. It says that we can't remove it for MSN-which is one of the ways I track my college kids-but I am wondering what the ultimate cost is. Surely there must be some other way to do this without the liability of spyware/adware. The final question I have, is should I remove it? I am so confused. | |
|
mbyter
@rr.com
| spyware any app that collects any info and sends that data anywhere
without explicit upfront knowledge of the user is malicious
and should be considered as illegal and the perpetrators should be prosecuted and severely punished. An hour listening to GW Bush or target practice with the VP is not harsh enough. | |
|
|
|
|
AIM Spyware Debate Continues
·