Zango (180Solutions) Closes Up Shop A raise of hands: who'll miss them? We've spent many years following the exploits of spyware outfit 180Solutions, from their breakup of anti-spyware coalitions to their endless production of malicious adware. If you recall, they changed their name to Zango, and enjoyed bullying any website or spyware vendor that dared call their products spyware. They were even forced to pay the FTC $3 million for bombarding users with pop-ups. Of course despite the fine and constant claims of reform by Zango, the outfit never really changed their stripes. Zango tried to stay relevant with new tricks (their latest exploits involved promising users access to a non-existent Batman MMORPG in exchange for installing their client), but the carrier still couldn't survive. In a bit of news that will sadden nobody but their investors, Zango co-founder and CTO Ken Smith blogged this week that the company is closing up shop. In his post, Smith hoists the lion's share of the blame upon outsourced third party distributors: Back in 2003-2005, we partnered with some people that we should never have partnered with. We almost completely outsourced our distribution to them, and we let them promote and install our software without adequate oversight or supervision. During that time period, my best estimate is that something like 4% of our installs during that time period were completely silent, i.e., were the result of affiliates using browser security holes to install Zango's software with no knowledge or consent by the user. Of course Zango's ethical lapses went considerably deeper, though Smith suggests that the company was targeted unfairly amongst some of the even sleazier business practices of deceased scumware vendors WhenU, Claria and Direct Revenue. I Guess it's ok to call them all spyware now without threat of a lawsuit?
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 | | Finally Can anyone say finally? | |
|  | | |  Re: Finally
said by inferno:Can anyone say finally? You would hope so. But they may just reappear with a new name and new funding to start up all over again. Some company has to provide an ad platform for all those products legitimate ad companies won't touch with a ten foot pole.
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| | |  koitsuPremium,MVM
join:2002-07-16
Mountain View, CA
kudos:14 | Re: Finally said by fAcEtIOUs:said by inferno:Can anyone say finally? You would hope so. But they may just reappear with a new name and new funding to start up all over again. Some company has to provide an ad platform for all those products legitimate ad companies won't touch with a ten foot pole. What fAcEtIOUs  says is correct. This happens over and over and over in this country. Best thing to do is note who all the key players are (CEO, CFO, CTO, COO, etc.) and track what the hell they're up to over the next couple of years.
There's a certain mentality that's required to run this sort of business model -- that is to say, a mentality that stems from parents not teaching them "treat others how you wish to be treated", and/or a lack of overall morals.
Thank you, capitalist America. | |
| | | |  Noah VailSon made my AvatarPremium
join:2004-12-10
Lorton, VA
kudos:1
 ·Bright House
 ·Sprint Mobile Br..
| Re: Finally said by koitsu:Thank you, capitalist America. Bashing capitalism AND America in one sentence. That's efficiency.
And such a unique and courageous statement of my country. It's not at all like parroting the endless indoctrinate rantings of the vast intelligentsia. No siree.
For a moment, I thought you were actually holding men accountable for their own actions. You really had me worried. But you came through in the end. Whew!
NV
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In my perfect religion, a giant hole appears and sucks up all the lousy people.
I call it the Crapture. | |
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| | | Good for them. Scumbag, they deserve to be beaten with mouses and keyboards. | |
| | KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | im sure the execs will start another scumware firm whose "products" cost users and their ISPs lots of money.
i say their ISPs because when they get the popup saying their computer is infected from say antivirus2009, they arent calling Dell or HP they call their ISP. then they get sent to Geeksquad who charges them 250 bucks.
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports | |
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 HpowerRoflmao
join:2000-06-08
Glendale, CA
2 edits | CYA!!! FINALLY! DIE!!!!! | |
| Pv8man
join:2008-07-24
Hammond, IN | noooo nooo, now my PC repair job will be in jeopardy due to people not getting infected so easily...
LOL, just kidding, I'm glad they are gone | |
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1 edit | Re: noooo Oh hell no.
Exploitware is keeping my shop busy as all get out.
I got a link from a Facebook friend who's account had been compromised last night to a fake A/V install.
I feel so sorry for the folks getting hit I only charge $25 to remove the fake A/V infections. I am still making money and many friends. 
Zango was a bunch of scum sucking bottom feeders.
What will their job skills qualify them for now? | |
| | | | | Re: noooo said by Voyager2K2:Oh hell no. Exploitware is keeping my shop busy as all get out. I got a link from a Facebook friend who's account had been compromised last night to a fake A/V install. I feel so sorry for the folks getting hit I only charge $25 to remove the fake A/V infections. I am still making money and many friends. Zango was a bunch of scum sucking bottom feeders. What will their job skills qualify them for now? Hey,
I'm in EXACTLY the same boat here!! There are plenty of scumbag programs floating around to keep a lot of people busy still.
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The Firefox alternative.
»www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/ | |
| | | | | | Re: noooo said by cork1958: There are plenty of scumbag programs floating around to keep a lot of people busy still. True. My son has been getting a lot of business lately, mainly due to Antivirus2009 and the like. The one I saw him working on had all kinds of junk on it, some of which I'd never even seen before. | |
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| | Good... When bad things happen to them then they only need to look in the mirror for a reason....karma baby karma... | |
|  dadkinsCan you do Blu?Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
kudos:18 | LOL! Is anyone going to lose sleep over this? 
Good Riddance! | |
| |  44402812Hack The PlanetPremium
join:2006-08-28
Plattsburgh, NY | Re: LOL! said by dadkins:Is anyone going to lose sleep over this? Good Riddance! I am, I'm going to loose money repairing infected PCs | |
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 KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK |  Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out....
One can hope. | |
|  DavidNow accepting new patientsPremium,VIP
join:2002-05-30
Granite City, IL
kudos:70
 ·AT&T Southwest
 ·DIRECTV
·AT&T Midwest
 ·Google Voice
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If you have a topic in the direct forum please reply to it or a post of mine, I get a notification when you do this.
Koetting Ford, Granite City, illinois... YOU'RE FIRED!!
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|  DataDocMy avatar looks like me, if I was 2D.Premium
join:2000-05-14
Greenville, NC | What a relief! I thought they meant »www.zombo.com/ | |
| |  Trub
join:2002-12-25
Plano, TX
1 edit | Re: What a relief! I thought they meant The unattainable is unknown at Zombocom. | |
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|  trparkyApple... YUMPremium,MVM
join:2000-05-24
Cleveland, OH
kudos:1 | Another one bites the dust... Wonder if anyone will miss them?
Nope. I for one won't. Good riddance to bad rubbish!
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Tom | |
|  viperpa33sWhy Me?Premium
join:2002-12-20
Bradenton, FL | Zango who? Zango who? They are already gone and I didn't get a chance to give them the boot myself. | |
|  signmeuptooLove those still alivePremium
join:2001-11-22
NanoParticle
kudos:4 | Thank goodness. I'm glad they are gone too, I've had to clear their crap from friend's computers. | |
| | | | Re: Thank goodness. Odd they seem to be alive and kicking to me: »adservices.zango.com/
Heck they were in contact with me for ads on my site just last month. Rejected them because they suck but they aren't dead imo. | |
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Reviews:
 ·Verizon FiOS
| "was targeted unfairly" ??? Who the f--k is this Smith guy and they didn't deserve fairness as they exploited internet users (some deserving, but most clueless).
If you don't know what your contractor, let alone sub, is doing, you deserve the kick in the arse.
Ah...coffee.....sigh..
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Weeeeeeee! | |
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