Microsoft rumored to be buying creator of Gator adware

[LTR]

(NOTE: I originally posted this in GD, but figured it would last longer here. A must read!)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4035074&mesg_id=4035074


If this doesn't scare you, it definitely should:

http://blogs.pcworld.com/techlog/archives/000754.html

The New York Times and other sources are reporting that Microsoft has been in talks to acquire Claria, the adware company that's probably best known for its Gator software, which gives you an electronic wallet but also displays ads based on your surfing habits. Claria is also behind DashBar, Precision Time, SearchScout, Date Manager, and other applications that display advertising on your system.

The Times report says that there's opposition within Microsoft to such a deal, and that talks were tottering on the edge of failure. But it's still startling (at least to me) that Microsoft would consider snapping up Claria, a company that carries a lot of baggage.

Today, Claria likes to play good guy: The site includes a "Privacy Center" and a section on its "Anti-Spyware Commitment." But they've been responsible for so many Internet aggravations that a lot of people seem to flinch the moment the company's products come up. (I still wince when I think of the period when the Web was rife with Gator-related ads that simply launched the Windows installation process in hopes of getting the company's software onto users' systems--I never, ever want an ad to dig that deeply into my operating system, and I'm still annoyed that Claria products were presumptuous enough to do so.)

Want to learn more about Claria (Gator)? This is a good source from a company that was sued by Claria for calling their product 'spyware':

http://www.pcpitstop.com/gator/default.asp

Also interesting to note that Windows' anti-spyware application has quietly stopped flagging intrusions by Claria adware products.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1834607,00.asp

Personally, I didn't even know that Microsoft HAD an anti-spyware program, particularly since AdAware and Spybot are better and widely known. I definitely wouldn't use their product now.

[hobbit709]

1. most anything

done by other people than microshaft works better.