[Petrarch of the VBB]

Why should that stop me?

I'm only trying to bring a little diversity to an otherwise dull and cyclical topic.

[jdjtcagle]

Originally posted by Carl
graphitti isn't destructive, but it's still vandalsim, because it's nearly impossible to get rid of. i've got a few adware programs that i cannot uninstall, i've tried using their uninstall utilities, but it never uninstalls them. i've tried the add/remove programs menu, but either they aren't even listed, or they are listed, but clicking the remove button does nothing. i've tried deleting the files in the program files folder, but they are write incrypted, so i can't. and they do, in fact, do damage to my computer. they cause crashes and errors all the time.

Me to...
I have a adware problem that runs in memory and I can't get rid of, it's silly

[jdjtcagle]

Originally posted by Petrarch of the VBB


I'm only trying to bring a little diversity to an otherwise dull and cyclical topic.

Instead you're being obnoxious, start your own dull and cyclical thread and spam it...

[Ford Prefect]

Adware sneaks onto my computer without my knowledge, takes up space on my hard drive, slows down my machine, ****s with my web browser so using the internet is more difficult, and makes itself nigh on impossible to get rid of even though I didn't want it there in the first place. If that isn't screwing with my property I don't know what is.

Damn you HotSnoJ, way to use my pictures!

[Tiara]

Originally posted by ionia23


As Shakespear would say with irony, I say with conviction:

"Bull****".

Come over to my house sometime and I'll show you what adware did to my last computer.  Electronic data can be, and is considered "property" and I've already had one machine destroyed to the point of a full rebuild because some ****head in Nigeria wanted to sell me Viagra.

As I would say with conviction;

"Shove it where the sun don't shine."

Anything that disrupts or damages your system ISN'T[/b] adware. It's called MALWARE.

(mal´wãr) (n.) Short for malicious software, software designed specifically to damage or disrupt a system

Adware doesn't destroy a damned thing. It just plants ads and unwanted material on your computer but DOESN'T do **** besides annoy the crap out of ya.

People need to get their facts straight around here. Specifically these kind of terms. It's easy to switch them around but it's so very wrong.

Malware is illigal since it indeed damages private property. Adware doesn't. Period.

[jdjtcagle]

So what if is it classified, when you got a program that displays ads on your computer and runs in memory?

[Ford Prefect]

It doesn't have to be intentionally destructive to be destructive. The adware on my hard drive is slowing down my computer and it's taking up a ****load of space. Other people taking up space on my god damn drive with their useless advertisements-- call it what you want, but it should be illegal.

[HotSnoJ]

Originally posted by Ford Prefect
Damn you HotSnoJ, way to use my pictures!

Then I'd say you are a man of impeccable tastes.

[Tiara]

Ok, people.

STOP VISITING THOSE DAMNED FREE PORN SITES!

That'll take care of your adware problems You horny buggers...

[Stealth]

Originally posted by Tiara
Anything that disrupts or damages your system ISN'T adware. It's called MALWARE.


[/B]

negative.  malware is something that's designed intentionally to damage a system.  a lot of stuff's done unintentionally that ends up damaging a system.  for example, let's look at multiple popups.  on a slow computer, multiple popups = CPU and RAM consumption, which can lead to a computer freeze.  information can be lost that you were busy with, since you have to reboot.  and no, it's not just porn sites that have lots of popups (although granted they're by far the majority )...

although overall i agree with you...  i'd say as a whole, adware is just annoying as hell, not vandalism.

[aldo_14]

If adware is user-installed (manually, not by being shown a 'install this program' prompt and a ream of small print), makes it obvious to the user when it is running (via a startup window, tray icon, etc), and is easily uninstallable (i.e. has a start menu group with a clearly visible uninstall), then I wouldn't consider it malware / vandalism.

Otherwise, it's the technological equivalent of someone stalking you in order to phone you up every 10 minutes to shout an advertising slogan at you.

NB: Tiara - adware can be considered malware in that it usually disrupts both the running of a system (gathering user browsing habits and sending it, for example), and the use of it by a user.  This is an intentional disruption - adware intentionally intterrupts your system use to make you look at adverts, for example.

If you consider adware which also acts as spyware, that disruption also applies to potential effects of uploading data (i.e. bandwidth usage when sending your personal information to advertisers).

[Martinus]

[color=66ff00]Ummm, question:

How do you guys pick up adware?

I don't run IE, it isn't even a part of my win2k install actually which is strange because M$ claims they can't remove it from the OS otherwise windows just wouldn't work.

I have Zone alarm running so if in the event that any program did manage to install itself it couldn't access the net in any case as Zone Alarm allows access on a program basis and not on a port usage basis (much better IMHO).

I never install anything I don't need.
[/color]

[jdjtcagle]

Wake up one morning and it's there...

I don't get it anymore though, but I can't get rid of it

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Maeglamor
[color=66ff00]Ummm, question:

How do you guys pick up adware?

I don't run IE, it isn't even a part of my win2k install actually which is strange because M$ claims they can't remove it from the OS otherwise windows just wouldn't work.

I have Zone alarm running so if in the event that any program did manage to install itself it couldn't access the net in any case as Zone Alarm allows access on a program basis and not on a port usage basis (much better IMHO).

I never install anything I don't need.
[/color]

I've not had adware since I switched to Firefox (and not for a while before that).  Did have it once, though - a program called 'savenow' which popped up adverts regularly.  It took me a while to realise what it was, because I assumed the 'savenow' process was some backer-upper process that I needed.

[MatthewPapa]

I have rarely ever seen adware/spyware that wasnt malware at the same time. Those little programs run so inefficiently, take up so much internet bandwidth (which is absolutely killer for 56k modem users) and hard drive space that its hard to not cause harm to the users computer. In addition to that about 99% of them cant even be unistalled without a 3rd party software. I think eventually this will discourage many internet users.

[Ghostavo]

so... why not get some really anoying firewall that will ***** you for any connection you or any other program in or out of your pc atempts to make?

Maeglamor, are you sure you don't have IE? Try opening the windows explorer and putting in a web address.

[Carl]

right now the major adware players on my puter are messagebroadcaster.net and searchassistant.net, both from Odysseus Marketing, a spam company owned by the infamous Walt Rines.

[Flipside]

I really just get DSO exploits plonked into my recent Internet files, I think they are cookies

[SadisticSid]

Graffiti IS destructive you plonkers! Think about it, if you graffiti an historic building you're damaging its image, you're lowering its value and making it undesirable to people. It has much the same effect as smashing a hole in the wall. Of course a bit of nasty spraypaint can be fixed a tad easier than the latter but the destruction is obvious; it takes time and effort to put right.

Adware is similar to this. In 99% of cases its installation is not explicitly given consent. It takes time and effort (in some cases a great deal, because some programs can re-install themselves if a user tries to remove them forcefully) to get rid of and lessens the value of the computer by slowing it down, aggravating users by spewing up advertising garbage and lessens the overall appeal of using the PC. It's a fairly accurate analogy.

[vyper]

I _never_ had adware on my PC. However, University is crawling with it meaning some bastard's been looking up porn...