CNET - Spyware Free
This policy is long overdue, but CNET has finally announced a zero-tolerance policy for “adware” (spyware). The old policy was to prohibit spyware bundling unless it was “disclosed” (buried in a EULA you had to pretend to read while installing it). The new policy: if it has bundled “adware,” it’s not available at DOWNLOAD.COM. Good.
Suzi gives CNET three cheers. I’ll give them 2 1/2, as they are not a dollar short, but they are more than a day late. Still, better late than never.
April 30th, 2005 at 6:10 pm
Not quite Spyware related, but I recently installed Itunes, (because I had to do something with the few Lexus points that I had). I hate the freaking thing. It changes all my file definations and doesn’t even let me tell it not to do that (or not in a way that’s reasonably easy to find, and I like to think I tend to be good at that stuff). So I have to keep changing the definations back. I can’t understand for the life of me why one would prefer that to WMP (Which tends to allow me to have complete control, go figure what a thought). I can’t stand you Steve Jobs. This kind of file type control has me as irritated as a variety of browser hijackers. IRK! Oh well
May 1st, 2005 at 6:57 pm
My objection to spyware is the privacy intrusion. With adware, not only is there some of that but it also uses my bandwidth - really bad if flash (or other) movies are involved. At least CNet always tried to indicate it, and now drops them. Now, if CNet would just realize that when I search for “free” (I am on Social Security, having lost all investments, house, etc to illness) I do NOT mean “free to try for a few weeks…
Not that I “get it” about adware or tracking cookies like doubleclick’s anyway. A visit to, say, Ford to look at their hybrid does not mean I want ads for car loans, insurance, “bumper nuts”, and whatever - and certainly not if it means missing more diverse adverts.
To Joel: almost all media players used to do that, the most infamous being RealPlayer. The others now let you choose up-front, ITunes hasn’t caught up yet.
May 2nd, 2005 at 6:47 am
John-
I’m aware of that, but I remember being able to control Realplayer, and telling it to what definitions it got to control. Everytime I open Itunes it changes my definitions back. It’s a pain (it messes with some programs too, because it thinks it can play some files it can’t.)