AOL Censorship

AOL Censorship

When Adolf Hitler rose to power in the 1930's, one of the ways he controlled the masses was to institute a policy of censorship which masqueraded -- for a time -- as protection. His giant, well-oiled propaganda machine paved the way for censorship, most often portraying it as necessary for the security of the country or the safety of the individual. By allowing the German people to hear, see and read only what the government wanted them to hear, see, and read, they assured their control was absolute. They created an atmosphere in which censorship was not only acceptable but sometimes even desirable. Did the German people think they were being treated unfairly by this regime of censorship? No, not really. At least not at first. They believed it was for their own good. For their own safety. A "benefit" of sorts.

While the above paragraph is an extreme over-simplification of a very complex issue, the point we want to make is that no group of people are going to buy into censorship if it is presented as censorship. And we are, by no means comparing AOL with Hitler. But censorship in any form must never be allowed. Whether it's a government or an ISP -- it doesn't matter.

In order to sell the masses on the benefits of censorship it must be marketed delicately - via propaganda or "marketing" (see AOL's TV commercials). They convince their audience they're unsafe without AOL and proceed to pound on the same theme over and over and over. Apparently they assume their audience is about as smart as a lagoon carp -- as their commercial with the bug-eyed lady and the cake clearly demonstrates.

Adolf Hitler wrote in Mein Kampf --
"The chief function of propaganda is to convince the masses, who slowness of understanding needs to be given time in order that they may absorb information; and only constant repetition will finally succeed in imprinting an idea on their mind.........the slogan must of course be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula. The one will be rewarded by the surprising and almost incredible results that such a personal policy secures."

In AOL's case, its propaganda machine describes its ubiquitous, multi-tentacled approach to "security" and censorship (spam filtering) as a benefit to its users. They're going to protect you from yourself because they know for a fact that you are not capable of protecting yourself -- as if you're some kind of mindless, slow-witted oaf that needs to be constantly led around the Internet by the hand or worse -- on a set of wobbly training wheels. And, it appears that the protection provided, at least in part, consists of spam filtering (censorship) -- the underpinnings of which are a set of crazy, mysterious and arbitrary rules. Cake anyone?

If you think we're exaggerating we're going to tell you details of a true story and it just happened last week. And we were the target of AOL's censorship. It's not funny and it should alarm all of you - AOL subscriber or not. Because the trend is frightening and it's going to get a lot worse if you stand idly by and let it happen. And you will have no one else to blame but yourselves.

Here's what happened in a nutshell: on Friday, July 29, 2005 we sent both our InfoAve Premium Edition and InfoAve Free Edition in the morning as we normally do. By mid-afternoon on that day, it became very apparent that a great many subscribers had not received their newsletters. After discussions with our mail list hosting service we began to see a troubling picture being painted. None of our 20,000+ AOL subscribers received their newsletters. Other ISPs were not receiving the email either due to a problem with our mail server or with their ISP censoring email.

AOL cannot deny their policy of arbitrary digital censorship. Upon further investigation we traced it back to one single link in Issue #183 (Free Edition) and Issue #93 (Premium Edition). What was this dastardly link that AOL decided that was too dangerous for you to see? What were they trying to protect you from? Alien beings? Bird Flu? West Nile Virus? Nope. It was a link to a site we were trying to warn you about. Well, it's easier to show you than to tell you - so here is the article with the link that AOL used as the basis for its censorship:



Dave Wants To Know About "Internet Opinion Group"
What do you know about Internet Opinion Group? They offer free software in exchange for information about ones self, etc. Wondered if they were a spyware type company?

Our Answer
We think the old adage "there's no such thing as a free lunch" applies. This company offers "free" software in exchange for information about yourself all right. PERSONAL information. Very personal. Like your home address, your phone number, your credit card information, and more. Who are these people? Why would you trust them in the first place?
This is really scary! It is basically a way to get as much personal info as they possibly can and make you apply (and be accepted for) credit cards. I don't know about you, but it would not be worth a piece of software to give up so much personal info and AGREE they can share with anyone they want regardless of what software they want to "give" me free. I am sure the price in the end would be much higher than I'd want to pay!

Look at the following information from their "Privacy Policy" :

"...What does "complete" exactly mean?
By "completing" an offer, you are fulfilling the requirements outlined on the pop-up window that comes up when you click on an offer. For credit card offers, you must be approved for and activate that credit card to "complete" the offer.*
When our sponsors report to us that you completed their offers, your Account will be updated accordingly. This will generally take 6 to 8 weeks.

Use of Personal Information
InternetOpinionGroup.com may always use and share with others your personal information:

InternetOpinionGroup.com may also use personal information for any marketing and survey purpose on behalf of itself and its affiliates and subsidiaries. InternetOpinionGroup.com may disclose personal information to third party agents and independent contractors that help us conduct our marketing and survey efforts. Further, InternetOpinionGroup.com may disclose personal information to other companies in connection with marketing efforts including but not limited to direct marketing, which may have no relationship to InternetOpinionGroup.com. Finally, if InternetOpinionGroup.com or any of its assets are acquired by or merged with another entity, member information will be one of the transferred assets. ..."
NEXT and probably the worse of all (since other countries have different laws regarding privacy and personal info):

"...Location of Data and Security
Your information may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which InternetOpinionGroup.com or its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents maintain facilities, and by using this Site, you consent to any such transfer of information outside of your country. ..."

I think you should RUN away from this site as fast as you can. Hopefully you have not given up any personal information to these people. It appears anyone who signs up for this receives "free software" in exchange for personal information and promises to sign-up for "credit cards". We can imagine the quantities of email that one might have to endure by surrendering personal information to this company and ALLOWING them to share it with anyone they like.
 

If you look at that article you'll see that we used the link to Internet Opinion Group (Red Link) as Dave included it in his question. We were not, obviously promoting that site at all, in fact, we were warning all our readers about it. AOL censored over 20,000 of our newsletters because of this one link and prevented or tried to prevent you from learning about something that could seriously endanger your privacy. AOL's censorship, disguised as protection, prevented paying subscribers (Premium) from receiving something they paid for and free subscribers from getting something they asked for.
We can learn from history that censorship almost always begins as a benign attempt to "protect" citizens from something. At least that is how it is presented. AOL's protectionism is nothing more than cloaked censorship and it is getting worse all the time. You don't believe that AOL is big on protectionism? Just take a look at their puerile television advertising. These advertisements are obviously geared to those with a fifth-grade education. Their condescending approach to customers and potential customers is obvious. Their commercials are ridiculous. If AOL wanted to better serve their customers they would improve their infrastructure, hire more forward-looking management, and provide better, faster Internet service to customers -- rather than piling on more and more censorship disguised as protection and providing them with arguably the worst support in the industry.

This censorship by AOL ended up costing us quite a bit of money as we had to re-send supplemental newsletters to 20,000+ AOL users on Friday and Saturday. Money we should not have had to spend; money we could ill-afford to spend -- but were forced to spend because of AOL's censorship policy
We have an obligation to our subscribers and therefore made the decision to re-send a supplemental newsletter. We wanted to do all we could to make sure that those who paid for InfoAve Premium received it and those who signed-up for and presumably wanted their copy of InfoAve Free Edition got it as well. We could ill-afford to spend the extra money but we are committed to providing our subscribers with that they paid and/or what they asked for.
To be fair we had some mail server problems last Friday. That combined with other ISPs adding more censorship (spam filters) wreaked havoc with last Friday's newsletters. AOL isn't the only ISP that censors its customers email under the guise of protection. But, AOL's ridiculous and arbitrary censorship of our newsletter because of one URL (link) is look into the future and how things will be for all of us if censorship is not stopped and stopped now.
One of these days, an ISP is going to censor an email addressed to someone very wealthy and very important and that someone is going to file a huge class-action lawsuit (AOL is lucky we're not the litigious type). When a big ISP gets hammered with a multi-billion dollar class action suit and loses, that will be the end of forced Internet censorship.
In my opinion, AOL should be more concerned with its lagging technology and poor public image than it is with obfuscating the fact that AOL continues to rank near the bottom of Internet Service Providers. They should spend money upgrading technology, giving customers better service, and giving customers their money's worth rather than dumping millions into running ridiculous television commercials and censoring its customers private email - disguising it as "protection". Indeed AOL demonstrates again and again its complete disregard for its customers by charging fees well-above the national average, while providing Internet service well below the national average.
Over 20,000 AOL customers didn't get our newsletter last Friday because AOL censored it. And why did they censor it? Because of a link to a site we wanted you to be aware of and wanted you to avoid. Censorship disguised as protection is still censorship and the only good censorship is none at all. Your email is your email. It does NOT belong to your ISP. You may have to deal with spam on your own terms but at least you'll be getting all your mail not just the mail that your ISP decides you can have.
You are all adults. You don't need another big brother. You should be telling your ISP -- in no uncertain terms -- that if they continue to censor your email in any way you are going to switch to an ISP who respects your right to make your own decisions and who respects your intelligence. That you're switching to an ISP who recognizes that email addressed to you is your property and that filtering unwanted email is your responsibility and not the ISP's.

Censorship in any form is not a service or a benefit even though it may be cleverly marketed as such. History is replete with governments who successfully "marketed" censorship to the masses as a benefit or a service necessary for the security and safety of the individual or society. One thing you can be sure of: where censorship is allowed to grow, freedom will wither.
Are you ready to take the responsibility for your own email and tell your ISP you don't want them censoring your email? Or are you going to let this new digital censorship grow out of control? It's your call. Only you can change it.

The Pharmer in The Dell

Just when we thought that Dell was returning to a more consumer-oriented mode and being responsive to its customers like it once was, we discovered something new about Dell. Those of you who read and responded to Dell based on our "Rant" of a few months ago, will be pleased to learn that Dell withdrew its advertisements from adware and spyware programs. The public outcry from you and many others forced their hand. I suppose it was embarrassing to whomever made the asinine decision to subsidize the scourges of the Internet by paying to advertise with them, but it was probably the very bad P.R. that forced Dell to end its substantial patronage of adware and spyware programs. As far as we know, Dell no longer buys advertising from adware or spyware companies.

But, before you break out the champagne and caviar and prepare to celebrate another blow to spyware and adware, you'd better read what follows. For, if you thought placing advertisements and Dell subsidizing the miscreants who pander adware and spyware was bad, wait until you read what Dell is doing now.

We have learned from numerous sources that Dell is pre-installing MyWay Speedbar or MyWebSearch on its new computers. Worse, it's trying to make customers believe that this is an "enhancement". In this case the term "enhancement" is a not a euphemism, it's flat-out prevarication. A search bar that shows you one and a half screens of advertisements disguised as relevant search results is no "enhancement". If you want to see how far Dell has gone with this, you'll want to visit http://dell.myway.com/ (MyWay, MyWay Speedbar, MyWebSearch, MySearch, FunWebProducts, SmileyCentral, et. al. are all owned by Ask Jeeves). And, trust me, this is not just me blowing in the wind. If you remember we did a pretty good workup on Ask Jeeves and its questionable marketing methods and products. You can read this exposé at http://thundercloud.net/infoave/askjeeves-rant.htm

Additionally, we understand that Dell is now setting the new computer's home page to http://dell.myway.com/ or some variation thereof and make it very difficult for the purchaser to change it by using a registry hook (more about that later). Now we like you people a whole bunch but we weren't prepared to call up Dell and order a $1200.00 PC just to see what else Dell installs. But, given the MyWebSearch, MySearch and MyWay fiasco, it's a good bet that some of Ask Jeeves other goodies (FunWebProducts) are finding their way onto new PCs.

Now whether or not these products qualify as adware or spyware is arguable. We've clearly shown that SmileyCentral is, at best, adware. Ben Edelman has clearly shown that Ask Jeeves and its FunWebProducts are not above sneaky installations (let me point out that Ask Jeeves denies this and blames it on errant, affiliates, uh huh). We've shown as well as Ben Edelman that Ask Jeeves targets kids and provides some very juicy content (if one were a pre-pubescent boy) which most agree would not be good general fare for the young children. I'm talking about the infamous "PopularScreenSaver's Bikini Babes" (PopularScreenSavers is yet another arm of Ask Jeeves' FunWebProducts). Not only is the term "Babes" offensive to women who would rather not be thought of as sexual object, but young woman displaying their wares in bikinis with no tops is not the kind of thing that should be pandered to children via kids sites. Ya think?

Be that as it may, there are other things wrong with Dell installing questionable software like MyWebSearch, MyWay on new computers. It's unnecessary for one thing. It's not an enhancement, if anything it is problematic. Here's why:

1. It's a fact that MyWebSearch, MySearch (and all its other incarnations) are detected and removed by most good anti-spyware software. We know that Spybot Search and Destroy and SpySweeper (Webroot) detect and remove MyWebSearch. The last time we used Microsoft's Windows Anti-Spyware (which we no longer recommend) it detected and removed MyWebSearch. Many other anti-spyware programs we've tried also detect and remove it.
2. There are numerous reports on the Internet about problems uninstalling MyWebSearch (etc.) via the Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs applet. In fact some of these are on Dell's own forum. This article by John Leydon of The Register makes several good points. And, Dell's defense of its latest marketing blunder seems rather illogical. Basically, their defense is: "If you don't like it turn it off". Comments from a Webmaster forum, give you some insight into how legitimate Webmasters feel about MyWay/MyWebSearch and some of the nasty tricks they use.
3. There are many references on the Web of people having problems with or uninstalling MyWebSearch as a quick search using Google shows . Ben Edelman exposes Ask Jeeves/FunWebProducts/MyWebSearch in one of his typical, flawlessly researched articles. This is a must read.
4. Dell apparently installs a what's called a "hook" into the Registry so if you try to uninstall MyWebSearch (or MyWay, MySearch) it comes back when you reboot. For references and examples of this read the information here.

It doesn't take long to learn that Ask Jeeves' MyWebSearch, MySearch, FunWebProducts, and MyWay are certainly not enhancements. But, Dell wants you to think it is. And you know why, course. Money, Money, Money. Ask Jeeves, still limping along on its once good reputation sold Dell a bill of goods - in other words they paid Dell a lot of money to look the other way. Ask Jeeves, will do anything to try to catch Google. But, Google didn't buy their way to the top by installing questionable products on your computer. And, Google's toolbar is not recognized by anyone that we know of as spyware/adware/hijacker or worse. But, Ask Jeeves' MyWay Speedbar, MyWebSearch (MySearch) tool bar sure is. Just do a search for MyWay Speedbar + spyware or MyWebSearch + spyware and see what happens. And most good anti-spyware programs will detect and remove these items but not Google's toolbar. Google toolbar does no harm. Ask Jeeves' MyWay Speedbar, MyWebSearch and FunWebProducts? Well just read our rant .

Dell has often stated that spyware generates the most calls to its Support Center. So, either Dell has some very greedy but stupid executives or they were sold a complete bill-of-goods by Ask Jeeves' executives. One thing is for sure. Ask Jeeves must have paid Dell a huge sum of money to get Dell to make this brainless move. Now, Ask Jeeves has its MyWay, (or MyWebSearch, MySearch) on every new Dell Dimension and Inspiron that Dell ships. I noticed too, that Dell puts this stuff on the low-end models which are the most likely to be adversely affected by unnecessary start-up programs - but which, I imagine, because of price, are the biggest sellers.

Now all this is bad enough - but an announcement made recently by Dell really makes sad commentary on a once consumer-responsive American company. Just read this article. When I did, knowing what I know about Dell sleeping with Ask Jeeves, I swore I'll never buy another Dell again. Between the two of us and our kids we've purchased seven new Dells in the past 4 years. This might be just a drop-in-the-bucket to Dell, but if enough of you are as outraged as we are, Dell is going to wish it would have Asked Jeeves a few more questions before taking their money.

Dell is installing MyWay, MyWebSearch on its new computers and calling it an enhancement. Most anti-spyware removes what Dell calls an "enhancement". Dell decides to start a "Geek Squad" of its own, using remote computer access and contracted employees, to bring Dell support to consumers' homes. Some of the issues they address as causing a lot of computer woes are adware, spyware and virus. Now, for a fee, Dell will assist you in removing adware, spyware, junkware, viruses, etc.. Huh? They put some junk on your new computer before you ever fired it up and want you to pay them to take it off. That's what it seems like to me.

It's time to let Dell know what you think. A few months ago they were advertising with spyware and adware companies until someone caught them with their little digital fingers in the pie. They quickly changed directions. A few month later they're back at it again. Only this time, they are trying to pull one over on their customers. Dell is actually calling something an "enhancement" that most good anti-spyware programs remove. And, if you buy a new Dell Dimension or Inspiron, it's going to affect you too.

Write to Dell and tell them what you think. Let them know that as long as they are going to pump your computer full of questionable "enhancements" you're not going to buy a Dell. Period. It may come as surprise to Dell, but there are some pretty good computers being built that don't have the name "Dell" on them. Click here to let them know you don't want want a pharmer in your Dell. You don't want MyWay, MyWebSearch, or any of its other clones on pharming on your new computer. If buying a Dell means having a pharmer in your Dell, you don't want one.

Dell does seem to respond quickly to bad press and user dissatisfaction. When they moved their Dell Support Center to India and outsourced the jobs, they quickly retreated back to the good, old USA, after being soundly criticized for this dumb move. (Read more about this here.)

All this makes me wonder just what kind of greedy ignorance is driving Dell these days? Don't they care anymore or are their executives really this stupid? Don't these people do any research? Don't they do their homework before they go and make such ludicrous decisions?

It scares me to think that we have supposedly well-educated executives running major corporations who make decisions like these. Terrible, ill-conceived, flat-out dumb decisions. It's what happens when money is the only consideration. Now, Dell will have to fumble around and figure out how to keep the fallout from their latest blunder from further discrediting their already declining image. Maybe they ought to Ask Jeeves for the answer. Ya think?

Once again Dell proves it is the bottom line that drives their company above all else. It appears to me that Dell thinks its customers are mindless and wouldn't know a rainforest from a Pop Tart Do they really think their customers are that naive? They aren't going to buy the pitch that MyWay, MyWebSearch, etc. are "enhancements". No, not when so many well-respected anti-spyware programs remove these items, umm, I mean "enhancements".

As long as they think that way they show that they care more about money than the do about customers. I have news for Dell. Computer consumers are getting more savvy by the day. If Dell keeps thinking that way, they won't have either customers or money. And, then Dell might have to Ask Jeeves for help. I hope so. It would serve them right. You know, maybe those two deserve each other.

I for one will never buy another Dell computer. Our company won't buy another Dell computer, and maybe now, you'll think twice before buying one too.

I simply don't trust Dell anymore.

Nitrogen Blue Skies

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree." (Emily Bronte)

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." (John Lennon)

I woke before dawn this morning. It was chilly and very quiet; my favorite time of day to work. As I always do, I made a cup of coffee, sat down at my computer and began to answer the business email that had come while I slept. A few hours later I noticed that first brightening of the eastern sky; dawn was approaching.

I continued to answer email and browse the Web. As always, I was looking for news and ideas for Cloudeight and Information Avenue. I should have spent more time browsing and reading but just then morning broke and shattered the bonds of night, I glanced out my window at the brand new day; I was captivated. To my surprise autumn had suddenly arrived. What happened to summer? Was it autumn already? It must have crept in on cat's paws. That serene autumn scene had probably been there for days but I had not stopped long enough to notice.

The new day dawned beautifully; a picture-perfect autumn day. A dazzling, nitrogen-blue sky and leaves of gold, red, and orange, brilliant and resplendent beneath it, captured my thoughts and my heart. The scene compelled me to reflection. And, at once my reflections made me happy and sad.

All the things that seemed so important just moments before: The spyware, the spam, the email that had yet to be answered, the bills, the cynicism, and the Internet, dissolved in the bright October sun. This bucolic autumn morning took my breath away and its tranquility transformed me in an instant.

For the first time this morning I realized that summer was gone. It had come and gone on gossamer wings and I barely took notice. And, thinking back, I cannot remember spring either. It too had swept silently past me.

I became melancholy as I thought of those wonderful spring and summer days that I had missed. All the spring flowers, the greening of the trees, the smell of fresh-cut grass, and the sound of children playing outside reveling in spring's warmth after a dark, cold winter. I thought too of something that novelist Dean Koontz wrote: "Everything I do I rush through so I can do something else". The more we rush though life the more life rushes past us.

I can remember only one memorable summer day. It wasn’t even a summer-like day. It was cold and rainy. It was a day, though, that was special because I shared it with a dear friend. He had traveled nearly a thousand miles just to say hello. We sat here in my garage, with the door open, shelling peanuts and watching it rain. It was one of those simple times that mean so much. A storybook day that now seems so far away.

This autumn, the beauty of the season will not escape me. I will slow down and take time to enjoy all the things that make this season memorable. The simple things like high school and college football, the sound of dry leaves crunching underfoot, the apple cider, the big, fat, cake donuts, the musky smell of the autumn woods, the crisp, clean, October air, the pumpkins, the ghouls and goblins who come knocking on my door, the trees adorned in a splendid mosaic of color, and the quiet, solitary walks down a favorite trail that winds serenely through the colors and smells of fall under the canopy of nitrogen-blue skies.

So, I will take a some time away from the spam, the spyware, the Internet, the computer problems, the software problems, the updates, the upgrades, the downgrades, the phishing, the subscriptions, the bounced newsletters, the complaints, the scoundrels, the "blogs", the tips, tricks, geeks, gurus and all the rest in the "cyber world", and I will appreciate the gift of a beautifully real autumn. I will take time to experience the joy and reflection that this season brings. Autumn looks exactly the way it should. It is perfectly painted for all to enjoy and all we have to do is take the time to look.

I hope each of you will take the time to slow down and enjoy the change of seasons. Take the time to enjoy all the beauty that surrounds you. Each of us has been granted but a short stay upon this Earth and we have only a limited number of seasons to enjoy. In the blink of an eye, autumn will be gone.

I am reminded once again that the smallest pleasures make the greatest treasures. I wonder how many more of these small pleasures I would have had if only I had taken the time to look.

Color of the Wind
By Thundercloud & Eightball

Breaking hills, horizon sings.
Mixing night and hazy dawn.
All across the land a breeze
Rustles restless through the trees.

What color is the wind, I wonder?
I look upon the lake's soft swells.
What color is the wind that blows?
It seems to me that no one knows.

We cannot see the wind that curls
Around the forest trees in swirls;
Yet we know the wind is real
For its effects we see and feel. 

So it is with God: The Hand of God
We cannot see, touches you
And touches me.

The New Politically Correct Internet

I was just thinking that now that the elections are over and I'm able to actually watch television without seeing those awful political advertisements (which have now convinced me that all politicians are liars) we must be back in our "politically correct" mode. Right? You know the mode where we call fat people "big" and short people "vertically challenged" and that sort of thing.

Well, folks, political correctness has now spilled over into the Internet. Now, the Internet is the last place you'd expect to see political correctness. Am I right? But, I swear it's true. I just read an article where a famous software maker (McAfee) is afraid to call spyware "spyware". They call spyware "potentially unwanted programs" PUP. Hmmm, now that's interesting. Next time I take out the garbage I'll call it "potentially unwanted waste" (PUW)? Or, should I call spoiled food "potentially unwanted cuisine" (PUC)?

Anyway, here's the paragraph from the article that got my mind-wheels spinning:
"McAfee prefers to not even use the word spyware because some online marketing firms, including Claria, which makes the Gator eWallet and other software for targeted ad presentation, bristle at the term. McAfee uses the term "potentially unwanted programs" instead." (For the full article see http://www.ebcvg.com/articles.php?id=332 ).

Did you notice that even the author of the article calls "Claria" an online marketing firm? That's like calling a burglar a "night-time salvage operator". Why can't we just call a spade a spade? Why not say "online adware (and suspected spyware) publisher Claria"? Well you could, but you see Claria has reaped heap big profits from its activities and has plenty of money to throw at lawyers. We don't, that's for sure. So, we'll just safely call their products "adware" and let you draw your own conclusions. Oh, in case you need more information about Claria/Gator/GAIN please read the information here.

Now that sounds like potentially unwanted software to me! Are we now to refer to "viruses" as "Potentially Undesirable Self-replicating Software"? Actually, I think, political correctness has arrived on the 'Net and we're bound to see it more and more. Once it was OK to refer to new computer users as "lamerz" (get it? Lame? Lamer? Lamest?). That's what they called me when I was new to computers. And you know what? I sure didn't like being a lamerz! It motivated me. I learned everything I could about computers so I wouldn't be a lowly lamerz. A little while later the term "Lamerz" softened to "Newbie". I think "Newbie" has a bad sound to it, though, don't you? I have coined a new more politically correct term for this new era of Internet political correctness. I will call them "time-challenged users". Or how about "Embryonic Computer Geeks"? Not much motivation there. Nothing to ruffle any feathers either. So if you're an embryonic computer geek, you'll most likely remain one. Heaven forbid anyone call someone a "lamerz" these days.

The term "hacker" comes to mind too. "Hacker" conjures up all sorts of nasty things! We should call them "Online Security Testers" or "Private Security Investigators". And "software pirates"? That brings visions of billowing sails and eye-patches. People who use unlicensed software should not be called "software pirates". That's a no-no in our new politically correct Internet. We'll call them "Potentially Unlicensed Software Users". And, Hormel (the company that makes "Spam" the Undiscovered Meat) is up in arms about the Internet use of its trademark as a term for unsolicited commercial email (spam). So, we'll call spam "Potentially Unwanted Email".

Even the United States Senate is probably not going to pass either of the two spyware acts passed by the House of Representatives. It appears the spyware (excuse me the "Potentially Unwanted Software") makers have lobbyists (Influence Purveyors) at work. According to the Federal Trade Commission we don't need new laws anyway; we just need to enforce the ones we already have. Seems the "Potentially Unwanted Software" makers have their fingers in many pies.

And can you imagine the acronyms we'll all have to get used to on the new politically correct Internet? PUP (Potentially Unwanted Programs)PUSS (Potentially Unwanted Self-replicating Software)TCU (Time Challenged User)ECG (Embryonic Computer Geek)OST (Online Security Tester)PSI (Private Security Investigator)PUSU (Potentially Unlicensed Software Operators)PUE (Potentially Unwanted Email)

After reviewing those acronyms I think I'll call a spade a spade and take my chances with the politically correct crowd. I'd prefer to hear it straight too. Heck, if I'm fat I want someone to say "Hey, you're fat!". If I have spyware on my computer, I want McAfee to tell me "You have spyware on your computer!"

Well, you'll have to excuse me. I'm going to eat a Spam sandwich while I delete all the PUE in my email.

Hotbar- The Saga Continues

Notes: 15 June 2005 - Hotbar continues to display the "Microsoft® Certified Partner" logo in violation of Microsoft® policies. Additionally Hotbar continues to display the Verisign® "Secure Site" seal even though it has expired. SunBelt Software (developer of the anti-spyware program "CounterSpy") will soon be upgrading Hotbar from "low-risk adware" to "moderate-risk adware" in part, according to Sunbelt's Alex Eckelberry, because of Hotbar's "...randomly named resuscitator program to resist removal by anti-spyware software..." . You can read Sunbelt's article here.

Hotbar- The Saga Continues
Many of you are aware that Hotbar has sent threatening letters to Cloudeight, which we in turn posted on the web in a previous rant. Many others have come forward and publicly posted threatening letters they have received from Hotbar and other companies, who are largely regarded by the anti-spyware community as "adware and/or spyware" developers. We recently received a reply to our response to Hotbar's "Cease and Desist" letter, in which Hotbar and its CEO Oren Dobronsky, demanded that we publish his (Hotbar's) rebuttal. Therefore, we accede to Mr. Dobronsky's "demands" and publish his reply (rebuttal). It should be noted that both letters we received came by courier from Hotbar.com, Inc., Tel Aviv, Israel. The rebuttal (reply) from Hotbar was also transmitted to us via email from Hotbar's nospy@hotbar.com address.

NOTE: Hotbar's letter (direct quotes and in order) are in blue italic text followed by our responses. For the sake of continuity quotes from Hotbar's letter preface our responses. Here, therefore, as demanded by Hotbar, we publish Hotbar's rebuttal letter in its entirety. And, publicly post our comments and rebuttal response to Hotbar's April 2005 letter below:
(Quoted from letter received from Hotbar): "We received your letter of March 11, 2005. We also note that you have published our correspondence with you on your website. Since your response distorts and misrepresents the facts in a manner which only causes Hotbar more damages, you are hereby demanded to publish the following reply on our behalf in order to present the complete facts:

First, we recently approached you since you did not comply with our letter of March 2004 and kept publishing your web page (under the name “Hotbar is spyware”) accusing Hobtar (sic) of being spyware. This page has only been removed recently subsequent to our recent letter. Therefore, we do not “have the wrong company” but rather have the “right” company, which just keeps causing us damages as part of its unfair practices, as detailed below.

As indicated in our first letter, many leading anti-spyware/adware companies DO NOT detect Hotbar as spyware or any other kind of an undesirable software (in addition, to the large companies mentioned in our first letter, here are some additional examples: spywareguide.com and their X-Cleaner/X-Block scanner, NoAdware, simplythebest.net, free-web-browsers.com, XofstSpy, Spyware Stormer, Bazooka, PcOrion, Spyware Nuker, Adwarespy and AlertSpy). Also, contrary to the false contentions in your letter, McAfee and Doxdesk DO NOT detect Hotbar or refer to it as spyware or adware. This is an objective fact that can easily be checked by anyone, but for some reason you keep choosing to ignore the facts and tell your user half truths or lies...."

First, we removed any Cloudeight content from the page "Hotbar Is Spyware" in April 2004. What we did with that page, then, was provide a list of links to sites which detected Hotbar as spyware. This was done as a service to our readers to help them make an informed decision about Hotbar. We published no content after April 2004 describing Hotbar as spyware, although we did list many links to other major sites which did. There were no resources on that page that couldn't have been found easily by anyone doing a search on Google simply for the word "Hotbar" or "Hotbar + Spyware". Since it remains our prerogative, and indeed our right, to publish links to other sites on our site and since we do not control the content of these other sites, we are not responsible for any statements or content displayed on third-party sites. The fact that we may agree with their assessment of Hotbar does not make us liable for the content on those sites. For as you state in your own Hotbar "Privacy Policy" "We are not responsible for the content of third-party sites that we link to"; neither are we. Indeed we tell our readers well-documented truth, not "half-truths" or outright lies as you represent. We removed the page "Hotbar Is Spyware" because we had no intention of wasting our time becoming embroiled in a ludicrous, petty, and childish debate with you. The page was not intrinsic or important to our site.

In reference to your statement that "many leading anti-spyware/adware companies DO NOT detect Hotbar as spyware or any other kind of undesirable software..." you have several incorrect statements. In our opinion, the sites and software programs you list (with the exception of McAfee) are not recognized as "leading anti-spyware/adware companies". In fact, most are small independent companies and certainly not "leading" companies with which most people are familiar. McAfee, for instance, despite what you say, does detect Hotbar as "undesirable" as it does refer to Hotbar as "adware". This is not opinion; it is fact."...Also, contrary to the false contentions in your letter, McAfee and Doxdesk DO NOT detect Hotbar or refer to it as spyware or adware. This is an objective fact that can easily be checked by anyone, but for some reason you keep choosing to ignore the facts and tell your user half truths or lies...."

We are not "liars" Mr. Dobronsky. Each statement we have made is well-documented. And, contrary, to what you wish to believe this McAfee page refers to Hotbar as Adware. McAfee also includes information on how to remove Hotbar. And again, you present misleading information about DoxDesk. While DoxDesk lists you as "reformed" it does not give the reader a favorable impression of your software. This is a quote from DoxDesk (reference: http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/Hotbar.html ).
What it (Hotbar) does
AdvertisingYes. Opens frequent targeted pop-ups (often from net-offers.net) during browser use as directed by the server adopt.hotbar.com. The oldest Hotbar versions do not open pop-ups. The newest version adds a disclaimer to the bottom of the pop-up window clarifying that the pop-up was originated by Hotbar. Privacy violationYes. Periodic contact with adopt.hotbar.com and tooltips.hotbar.com, as well as contact with dynamic.hotbar.com on every new web page access, passes the full URL being viewed for targeting, including data entered into HTTP GET forms. In older Hotbar versions a unique ID was also passed, allowing one’s long-term browsing habits to be tracked across sites. In the latest version, only the ‘tooltips’ accesses still pass this ID. However, a different trackable ID is set in a cookie at install-time, allowing web usage to be tracked for as long as the browser cookies are not deleted.
We also have knowledge that you have been in contact with one or more of the smaller independent companies you list and that you have threatened them with legal action and/or sent them "Cease and Desist" letters, then you cite them as not detecting Hotbar as adware or spyware. The only conclusions one can draw is that theses companies simply do not list Hotbar in its database. We cannot know the real reason they don't list Hotbar. People can and will draw their own conclusions about Hotbar based on information freely available to them on the Web..

The following leading companies who produce anti-spyware programs do recognize Hotbar as spyware and/or adware.

Trend Micro (PC-Cillin)Symantec (Norton)Panda Software (Panda)
Pest Patrol (Computer Associates)CounterSpy (Sunbelt)SpySweeper (WebRoot)AOL Anti-Spyware (AOL) SpyBot Search & Destroy

Some smaller, yet popular, anti-spyware tools, such as JavaCool's Spyware Blaster (yet another company you have threatened), detect Hotbar as "potentially unwanted software" and will attempt to warn the user before installing Hotbar. Bill P Studio's WinPatrol, still detects Hotbar as adware and/or potentially unwanted software.

In your April letter you (Hotbar) claim: "In this regard, your accusation that Hotbar’s software interferes with the operation of Outlook Express (which is simply unfounded) is false."

There is no question that Hotbar changes the default settings of Outlook Express from "Send pictures with message" (Default setting in Outlook Express 6). You assert in your rebuttal letter of April 2005, that you do not make any settings changes on the target computer. The changes that Hotbar makes to Outlook and Outlook Express, prevent users from sending pictures or stationery from their local hard drive(s) in their email. This indeed interferes with the normal (default) operation of Outlook Express. The setting changes that Hotbar makes interfere with our stationery as well stationery offered by Microsoft, which it provides, free of charge, with the Outlook Express email program.

The user, can of course, use Hotbar's content since all of it is stored on various Hotbar Web servers. Therefore the ability to send pictures from their hard drive in email does not work unless they figure out how to manually change the settings back themselves.

Additionally, when Hotbar is uninstalled, it does not return Outlook Express to its default settings. Therefore, when one installs Hotbar it changes Outlook Express's default settings and when it is uninstalled, it does not return Outlook Express to its default mode. These findings are based on our tests of Hotbar done in March 2005. Therefore your statement that Hotbar does not interfere with the operation of Outlook Express is untrue.

"...You also conveniently chose to ignore in your letter the fact that you consider Hotbar a business rival of yours (in the field of e-mail enhancement tools), which is the explanation for the harsh unjustified libelous statements you distribute about us...."

We are not a "business rival" of yours. This is blatantly misleading and clearly untrue. It appears, once again, you have mistaken us for someone else. FunWebProducts (AKA SmileyCentral, Ask Jeeves, MyWay, MyWebSearch, MySearch, SpeedBar, MyEmailStationery, et. al.) is your competitor, not Cloudeight. Their products mirror yours much more closely than ours. And, in our opinion, it is the success of FunWebProducts that has sent you off in a tizzy. It seems to us, that as a businessman, you should certainly be able to more accurately determine who your real competitors are and do whatever is necessary to compete with them. You should be aware also, that your rival, FunWebProducts, has also been examined by Ben Edelman.

Wasting your time and resources on a small "mom & pop" shop like Cloudeight, is futile. You are well aware that Cloudeight does not produce any sort of BHO (Browser Helper Objects) or Internet Explorer or Outlook Express toolbars. And, you should know that we (Cloudeight) do not have any facility in our products or on our Web servers to track the Web sites our users visit or to display "relevant" advertising based on their Web browsing history or search terms. Hotbar clearly does this, and you (Hotbar) so state, regardless of how deeply you have chosen bury this very important information within your privacy policy and license agreement. We don't bury things deep in nearly incomprehensible license agreements or privacy policies. Our privacy policy is quite simple: 1209 words of plain English, which you or anyone may review at any time. We are not a business rival or competitor of Hotbar or your biggest rival, FunWebProducts (SmileyCentral, Ask Jeeves, MyWay, Iwon, MySearch, MyWebSearch, MyEmailStationery, et.al.).

Our stationery is completely free and contains no adware, spyware, grayware, or malware. In fact a search for Cloudeight + Spyware in Google does not turn up a single negative statement about Cloudeight or Cloudeight Stationery. We have earned our reputation as a site you can trust. We didn't attempt to buy respect, we don't threaten or coerce others in an attempt to make them respect us. Our readers, our guests, and those who download our software can be certain, beyond a doubt, that we care about their privacy and their right to download unadulterated software, free from tracking devices, adware, spyware, hijackers, malware, grayware or any other questionable software. We believe that our guests, subscribers, and those who choose to download our software deserve the same respect and the same privacy as we ourselves demand. We are the number one site on the Internet for Free Email Stationery, yet we have spent less than $500.00 total on advertising in over 6 years on the Web. We are not a multi-million dollar company, and probably never will be. But, we are trusted and respected, and that is how we measure our success.

We digress: Another claim you (Hotbar) make: "...Millions of users download and use Hotbar’s software only for its great features. Thus, for the sake of illustration, you “forgot” to tell your readers that a search on Google for Hotbar + Emoticons turns up 47,800 results, more than the results you relate to in Google search for Hotbar + spyware - there are much more websites and users which praise the great features of Hotbar’s software rather than distribute false libelous statements about it...."

Actually, a search on Google for Hotbar+Emoticons turns up 130,000 "hits" (Search Conducted on June 9, 2005) and many of these "hits" are not complimentary to Hotbar. In fact, some of the few sites praising Hotbar are Hotbar itself (and sites owned by Hotbar such as www.spamfree.com which is registered to Oren Dobronsky / Hotbar).
A search for "Hotbar+Spyware" today (9 June 2005) yields 214,000 results (click here to see results of the search conducted on June 9, 2005). A simple search for "Hotbar" yields over 1.1 million "hits" and a majority of those results are not favorable to Hotbar.

You use the term "libelous" quite freely. Your letters are peppered with the term. "Libel" is defined (in the USA) as "An untruthful statement about a person (company, organization), published in writing or through broadcast media, that injures the person's reputation or standing in the community." Statements of fact cannot, therefore, be libelous. Truth can never be libel.

You continue to display the "Microsoft Certified Partner" logo on your pages. This might lead your visitors to believe that Hotbar has been "certified" by, endorsed by, or is in some way connected with Microsoft. This is simply not true. Yet, it seems to us, that in an apparent attempt to lure people to download your product and to lend Hotbar an aura of respectability and credibility, you continue to use Microsoft's Certified Partner logo in violation of Microsoft's own terms. (Screen shot taken 6/09/05).The Microsoft Certified Partner logo does NOT mean the program is certified by Microsoft, endorsed by Microsoft, or recommended by Microsoft. This is what Microsoft says: "The partners listed in the Microsoft Resource Directory are part of the Microsoft Partner Program, however Microsoft does not endorse any of the partners or their software, solutions, services and training listed on this site. Microsoft disclaims any and all liability arising out of your use of the partners, software, solutions, services and training listed on the site. All software, solutions, services and training are provided “as is” and without warranty unless provided by the authoring partner."

And, once again, your document arrived at our offices from Tel Aviv, Israel and your email was sent from Israel, yet you continue to use the New York address as if Hotbar is actually "based in New York". It appears you like to give that impression. We have photographs of your New York office, which you list as the International Sales Headquarters of Hotbar.com, Inc. along with statements you made to the press (after receiving millions of dollars in capitalization) that you were going to "take Manhattan by storm".
There is nothing wrong with being located in Israel, Canada, Australia, Germany, or anywhere else. Why you feel the need to be a U.S. based company is beyond our understanding. Indeed a search of corporate filings shows Hotbar.com, Inc. registered in in the United States (Delaware) as a foreign corporation.

As for your conclusion that we are jealous because you are "more successful" than us, we remind you that "success" is a subjective term. The loyalty and trust of our guests and subscribers is the measure of our success, and by our definition, we have been very successful. As far as your statement that we are "jealous" of Hotbar we have no comment; your own words speak for themselves.

You may continue to deny you are adware or spyware, but clearly, your product uses an individual's computer resources to display advertising (buttons, sidebars, and popups) in, around, and over Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer, and Outlook and Outlook Express. You continually obfuscate the fact that you track a person's web browsing and typed search entries and display advertising based on an individual's Web browsing and typed search entries. You do this in several ways: Buried deep in a 4500+ word License Agreement, and a 3500+ word Privacy Policy; documents so full of euphemisms and legalese that you can reasonably assume almost no one is ever going to read them. And, on this page, you state that "Hotbar does monitor the websites you visit for the sole purpose of presenting contextually related information." You refer to advertisements as "contextually related information." One might think that Hotbar was somehow going to educate them with "contextually related information", because in the English dictionary "information" is defined as "Knowledge derived from study, experience, or instruction". What knowledge will the use of Hotbar provide its users? You claim you monitor the websites that people visit for the "SOLE" purpose of providing contextually related "information". We were not aware that information is a synonym for advertising.

Apparently Hotbar has corrected its Truste Problems - therefore see our TRUSTe Rant. Again, it appears you use the TRUSTe seal to give your program(s) an aura of trust. Ben Edelman clearly shows what your product does and how you target children. Apparently, you have no problem with targeting children and inducing them any way you can to install your product.

Ben Edelman states: "...What's the big deal about offering software via methods that tend to reach children? For one, children generally cannot enter into contracts -- so even if a child clicks the "Yes" button Hotbar subsequently presents, Hotbar's license terms may not be binding. Also, children may be less able to assess the merits of an Hotbar offer -- less able to determine whether Hotbar software is a good value, less likely to realize the privacy and other consequences of installing such software, less inclined to examine a lengthy license agreement. ..."

But, today we are acceding to your demands and are publishing your entire letter of April 2005. We have, to the best of our ability, factually answered your claims and. we have, when necessary, clearly documented our responses.

We believe that respect is earned, not bought or won with threats, intimidation, or coercion. If you had chosen a different and more forthright approach with people then perhaps your products would have earned the trust and respect for which you now so desperately yearn.

We will not accept any further communication with you or Hotbar.com, Inc.. We do not have the time to waste engaging in a fruitless and petty war of words with you. In the final analysis, the Internet community, not us, will decide the fate of Hotbar. Its reputation is now well known. The reputation Hotbar has earned among the Internet community is your responsibility, not ours. Your attacks on us and others and letters such as one we respond to here do nothing to enhance Hotbar's reputation, image, or credibility on the World Wide Web.
Please click here to read the entire letter sent to us by Hotbar, Inc.

Further reading:Hotbar Threatens CloudeightThreats to Spyware Critics
Bed Edelman: What's So Hot About Hotbar"Sunbelt Software's Response to Hotbar (PDF)Hotbar Sued By Symantec
Truste Revokes Hotbar's Right To Display Its SealOur Readers' Comments About Hotbar
Sunbelt Software (CounterSpy) upgrades Hotbar from low-risk to moderate-risk adware
Thundercloud & Eightball's Truth Rant - Hotbar Attacks Cloudeight

What's Up With Microsoft

We've always been supportive of Microsoft. This irks some people because the cool thing to do is be anti-Microsoft. If you don't believe this, look at similar newsletters and you'll see a decidedly anti-Microsoft bent running through them. It is not our mission to be "cool" but to be honest. Our honest opinion has been that Microsoft doesn't deserve all the bad press and attacks it receives from many techno-writers and the press in general. However, it has become popular to take an anti-Microsoft stance and because it (they think) increases readership (and makes them more money). It's almost a certainty that anti-Microsoftism will continue to be popular horse to ride. After all most of us learn in life, it's easier to criticize than to praise. It's easier to find faults than solutions. These days it's cool to be negative. Heaven forbid we ever say something nice about someone. Well, I guess we all become cynics if we live long enough.

Anyway...

I like to think that Microsoft is the company that brought computing to the masses. Arguably, Windows is a "borrowed" idea. (Apple came out with a graphical user interface long before Microsoft.) But, Bill Gates and associates took Apple's idea of a GUI and made it run on IBM and IBM compatible computers - and the rest is history. Microsoft has tried very hard to improve its products even though it is claimed that Microsoft is a monopoly and has no "real" competition. Still, Microsoft has made great strides since Windows 3.1 was introduced. Every operating system they've introduced since then, with the exception of Windows ME, has been a huge improvement over the previous version. Now, Windows XP is vastly superior to any prior version of Windows. And, Microsoft deserves to be commended. Their commitment to security in the past two years has been exemplary. Windows XP-SP2 is a huge step forward to a more secure Windows. Sure, there's a way to go, but it was a giant leap, spurred on by consumer demand and a strong commitment by Microsoft to give the consumer a more secure computing environment.

We've always stood behind Microsoft. In fact, we stood behind Windows XP Service Pack 2 and recommended that everyone using XP install it, despite the fact most every other "tech" site was telling their readers NOT to install it. Today, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone with any credibility not recommending the installation of Windows XP Service Pack 2. But, in the beginning, we stood as one of few who advised everyone to install it.

Almost without exception, until now, we have always supported Microsoft. But today we're scratching our heads and wondering exactly where Microsoft is headed. The things going on at Microsoft today are not the kind of things we would have seen a few years ago. And we don't much care for what we think we see.

Let's take their Microsoft AntiSpyware Program and their rumored buyout of Claria (makers of such wonderful things as Gator, WeatherScope, and Dashbar - spyware/adware all) for example. Claria, long recognized as a leader in the spyware/adware field, is most noted for its "Gator" program, which is arguably the most well known adware/spyware unit on the Net. Claria's products are in the cross-hairs of most anti-spyware programs, with the notable exception of Ad-Aware and Microsoft's Windows Anti-Spyware.

While Windows Anti-Spyware recognizes Claria's products, strangely, Microsoft has changed its recommendation from "quarantine" to "ignore". In other words, leave the garbage on your computer and let it continue collecting data from you and gobbling up your system resources faster than uncle George gobbles up food at your family picnic. This change came about recently - about the same time as the Claria buyout talks were rumored to be taking place. And, there is no question that Claria's products collect tons of information from its users' computers. If you don't think Claria's infamous products collect data from users, how about this:

Microsoft does not need the technology that drives Claria's adware/spyware products. Microsoft has tons of top-notch programmers. If they wanted to make adware, or spyware for that matter, they could easily do so. But, what is the one thing that Microsoft can't easily get? That's right! Terabytes of information about people's Web browsing habits. A terabyte is a lot of information. A terabye is a little over 1000 gigabytes.

Could it be that the only reason why Microsoft would want to buy Claria is because it possesses tens of terabytes of data collected from and about its users? If so, then Microsoft must want this information very badly. Rumor has it they are offering $500,000,000.00 for Claria. That's a half a BILLION dollars. What does Microsoft want terabytes of user-data for? What will they do with it? This deal, if it goes through, will cast a shadow over Microsoft longer than Bill Gate's bank account statements, which if stretched end-to-end would reach from Redmond to the moon and back, six times.

Whether the information that is collected on the sly by Claria's products is "personal" or not; I think there is something ethically wrong with software that follows people around the Web, snoops on their activities and rams advertisements (based on what they're viewing or what they're searching for) down their throats. I'm sorry, it's just plain wrong. Especially when most users don't have a clue all this is going on. Not many of them, you see, ever bothered to read the 20 to 30 page license agreements, terms of use, or privacy policies of Claria. Claria claims the user gave consent. Hmmm, how can one give consent to something one does not understand? Consent, by its nature, requires understanding. We doubt most users of spyware and adware gave any cognizant consent for these types of software to harvest information about them and send it silently and secretly off into cyberspace. To be collated, analyzed and stored on servers owned and the greedy developers.

OK. I'm guessing. I am guessing that Microsoft is willing to pay a half a billion dollars for terabytes and terabytes of surreptitiously gathered user-data which, for now, remains tucked away on Claria servers. And every byte of that data was gathered from people like you and me and anyone else who might have gotten snookered into downloading Claria's questionable products. Most all of it gathered without the knowledge or cognizant consent of the user. Apparently, according to Ben Edelman, some 40 million people have at least one of Claria's products installed. That's a lot of data.

I've always believed if you want to avoid looking like a crook you don't hang around with crooks. And, if you don't want to look like a drug dealer you don't act, dress like and hang around with drug dealers. Why Microsoft would ever get involved with Claria, even if they wanted all that user information quite badly, is beyond me. If Microsoft does indeed buy Claria, I, for one, will be very suspicious of them. And, I've always trusted Microsoft.

What's up with Microsoft? I don't know, but something isn't right if these rumors about Microsoft are true. And most everyone in-the-know seems to think they are. We don't recommend Microsoft's Windows Anti-Spyware (Beta). We had high hopes for it in the beginning. After learning all we have, we have lost all faith that it will ever be a viable and important weapon in the war on spyware and its crony adware. And the big loser is not Microsoft. The big losers are those of us who trusted Microsoft to make the best software. Software that works better than any other. Microsoft, you've let us all down this time. And we ask: "What's up with Microsoft?"

Things We'd Like To Ask Jeeves

We're confused at what exactly is going on at Ask Jeeves. Did Interactive buy Ask Jeeves or did Ask Jeeves buy Interactive. One follower of such goings-on, Danny Sullivan of www.searchenginewatch.com wrote to us to clarify this very confusing acquisitioning: "Last year, Ask Jeeves purchased Interactive Search Holdings (ISH), which owns FunWebProducts. That's what this story,http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/3337511 was about. This year, InterActiveCorp (completely different company, acronym IAC)is buying Ask Jeeves. That's what this article, http://news.com.com/2061-10803_3-5628106.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=newsis about. That deal is still pending."

I guess I'm wondering why the shell game with the names? Is it coincidence that these companies have such similar names? All we know is, one day FunWebProducts was owned by Focus Interactive (apparently part of Interactive something or other :-) ) and the next day it was owned by Ask Jeeves.

In any case, Ask Jeeves bought into a questionable group (our opinion of course) of programs known collectively as FunWebProducts. Of course, now, apparently, anytime Ask Jeeves gets caught with its pants down it will always be someone else's fault. Heck, they must be steeped hardy in the American way! Nothing's ever someone's fault, it's always someone else's fault, right? When popped by Ben Edelman for targeting kid's sites, Ask Jeeves spokesperson Heather Staples said: "One of our partners was loading the software. It's something our company does not condone." She said Ask Jeeves ended its relationship with the partner. Uh huh. So, in other words, Ask Jeeves is innocent! Of course!

So, what does noted spyware-researcher Ben Edelman have to say concerning Ask Jeeves? "...I offer two separate examples of Google partners who break Google's Software Principles rules. First, Ask Jeeves. AJ's (Ask Jeeves) toolbars are sometimes installed without any consent at all. But even when users supposedly consent, installation procedures are often seriously deficient. For example, users who download iMesh get an AJ toolbar too -- though the only way to find out is by scrolling to page 27 of iMesh's license. These practices notwithstanding, Google's payments to AJ (Ask Jeeves) apparently total hundreds of millions of dollars per year. ..."
But, but, but..."it was our partners doing this" says Ask Jeeves. Well, Jeeves, we have a few things to ask you, if you don't mind.

1. Why not just say we're going to install a dozen or so programs on my computer when I click "Download SmileyCentral"? Do I want these other programs? Why don't you call a toolbar a toolbar?
   
2. Why do you need a 6700+ word (full)license agreement? Google's Toolbar has a 533 word license agreement.
   
3. Why do you say you're not "adware"? You are clearly adware.
   
4. Why when I search with your toolbar (even when I choose Google) do I have to scroll down a page and a half before I get the search results I asked for? They don't look anything like Google's search results. And, why do you put "Related Searches" and "Popular Searches" on the right side of the page. These are just more "sponsored links" which you are disguising as "searches". Well, I guess, Mr. Jeeves, I if were searching for advertisements they'd be related or popular. But, I wasn't. I was searching for "cats and kittens". And, what does sexual health have to do with cats and kittens anyway? My cat is perfectly healthy.
   
5. Why do you target children's sites and then have "babes" for the kids to download? Gee, when I was a kid all I had was National Geographic. Was I born too soon?
   
6. My Outlook Express program has never frozen since I can remember. Today, every time I clicked "My Email Signature" Outlook Express crashed. Why?
   
7. You claim you can disable any of the features you install, yet I clicked the links to disable your features and nothing happened. Why?
   
8. Why do you make all these changes to my Windows registry?
   
9. Can you explain this Spybot Search & Destroy log? You say you're not spyware or adware. If that is so then why does an anti-spyware, anti-adware program, deliver these results?
   
10. Why don't you tell people up front how they REALLY pay for all this "free" software? Why don't you tell them the potential consequences that installing this many programs, all at once on a computer may have and the amount of system resources these applications use? And, why don't you make it clear that you will continue to install more and more programs on the user's computer as quickly as your (apparently) harried software programmers can dream them up? Yes, I'm sure, you'll obfuscate these installations - cloaked under the guise of "enhancements" or "upgrades". Gotta keep those programs of yours updated, right Mr. Jeeves?

Heck, after my experience with your stuff today, I think you really need to start from the ground up - or at least give your programmers more time to sleep. Some of this software is pretty bad, Mr. Jeeves. Your programmers must be busy day and night dreaming up new ways to entice new users into downloading your "software" on their computers. You already have a gazillion dollars - do you really need to resort to these sleazy tactics to get your stuff installed? Or do you need to get this stuff installed on millions of computers just to just to pay the advertising bills for the gazillion banners, popups, popunders, which you inundate the Web with these days? I imagine all that advertising is really expensive. I wouldn't know. We can't afford to advertise. How much do you spend a month ramming your "free" stuff down people's throats, Mr. Jeeves? You're either the world's largest and most generous philanthropic organization or you're pretty darn shrewd. I'd bet on the latter.

Your name is Ask Jeeves. You're a publicly traded company with a ten-digit valuation. You don't need to play these kinds of games. You were once an outstanding company that everyone, including me, trusted. Now, we're asking you Jeeves: What's up with FunWebProducts?

PS: Those Ask Jeeves -err I mean PopularScreenSavers - babes are pretty hot - but do you really think you should be advertising that sort of thing on kid's sites?