Shoutbox

I can understand your frustration but even if the program's name looks strange, do you actually think that Messenger Plus! installs somethign that format your hard disk when the computer starts? . Wipe Drive could simply be the name of a software that ensures all the temporary files generated by the ads are properly removed everytime you start your computer, which would be a very good thing. You don't always have to assume the worse you know.

The sponsor program is only designed to generate money, through advertisement. It is absolutely not interested in deleting any of your files .

Patchou, I'm an amateur developer myself and I respect your right to generate revenue for yourself.

WIPEDRIVE is a highly suspicious name for something that doesn't do anything nasty to your hard drive.  You probably wouldn't install anything that would format a users hard drive but did you even notice the WIPEDRIVE file?  You don't even know what it does so how do you know whether it's harmless or not?  I bet you don't even use the search thing yourself because it slows your connection down, pops up ads all the time and it takes between 10 and 20 seconds to navigate between pages when it's running.  I've had a previous version of this scumware which installs itself silently using exploits and uses similar methods to avoid deletion.  Any "helper" application that restores itself when you delete it is scumware by my definition and pretty much everyone elses I should imagine.  There are 2 classes of software that have a legitimate reason to do this and that is security/antivirus software and system software.  This search thing is neither and you know as well as I do that it is a parasite.  You are condoning software that has the ability to illegally install itself on computers using browser exploits and security loopholes.  This, to me, doesn't send out a very good message about how trustworthy your product is.  Message Plus is a fantastic piece of software and I love it bits but all this is overshadowed by the scumware that you are promoting.

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
I'll take this as the official response

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It wasn't an official response.

I've never heard of the program "wipedrive.exe" before today, and I think I would have if it had anything to do with MsgPlus!. People post about the sponsor quite often. Are you sure you (or another user of your PC) didn't install a piece of software called WipeDrive since the last time you checked your startup list? Also, are you sure that you read the name correctly? It might be something that looks similar.

And one more thing: if this is a real startup entry, there's probably an associated command and path. Where is the file located?

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
I've had a previous version of this scumware which installs itself silently using exploits and uses similar methods to avoid deletion.

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The sponsor program bundled with Plus is custom-built to be less dodgy than other versions. I don't think it's fair to judge Plus based on your previous experience with other programs.

The file is installed in c:\program files\poke for cool and is installed by this scumware.  It was installed by this scumware when it illegal forced itself onto my computer last time.

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The sponsor program bundled with Plus is custom-built to be less dodgy than other versions. I don't think it's fair to judge Plus based on your previous experience with other programs.

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Ok, the fact that you're saying it's less dodgy sort of implies that you agree it's dodgy.  You probably didn't intend it to sound like that but I'm sure I'm not the only one who agrees that this scumware is neither useful nor legitimate.  Certainly, from the few people I've spoken to about this since last night (most of which use Messenger Plus), the consensus is that this is not a welcome addition.  I've pm'd Patchou today offering to help find an alternative because when word spreads about this I can see a lot of people turning their backs on Messenger Plus - certainly, in my circle anyway.

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
when it illegal forced itself onto my computer last time.

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When did it do that? It didn't illegally install itself with Plus! - you gave permission for it.

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
I'm not the only one who agrees that this scumware is neither useful nor legitimate.

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Apparently, some people find it useful, according to Patchou. About being legitimate: if it wasn't legitimate, action by lawyers and stuff would already have been taken.

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
the consensus is that this is not a welcome addition

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If you have a better idea on how to make money, suggestions are welcome

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
I've pm'd Patchou today offering to help find an alternative

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
because when word spreads about this I can see a lot of people turning their backs on Messenger Plus

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There are indeed many people who now consider it spyware and don't install it. Too bad.

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Originally posted by Tochjo
There are indeed many people who now consider it spyware and don't install it.

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I don't understand why...I mean it's optional and that's obvious to any one who takes notice of installations.

Although for this minority I would like a small bit of text on the installation in red that says "Please take note this is not the usual yada yada" like the Google toolbar for IE...

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Originally posted by Anubis
that's obvious to any one who takes notice of installations

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Unfortunately, that is a very, very small group nowadays...

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
when word spreads about this I can see a lot of people turning their backs on Messenger Plus - certainly, in my circle anyway.

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when word spreads about what? the fact that you cant understand the words "I ACCEPT install the sponsor program"

you cant complain about 'scumware' that YOU AGREED to install, its your own fault an no one elses. Don't try and put off other people from installing a great program like Plus just because you were too stupid to read what you were signing up for

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Originally posted by CookieRevised

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Originally posted by pharees
when word spreads about what? the fact that you cant understand the words "I ACCEPT install the sponsor program"

you cant complain about 'scumware' that YOU AGREED to install, its your own fault an no one elses. Don't try and put off other people from installing a great program like Plus just because you were too stupid to read what you were signing up for

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That realy doesn't help... He has problems with the content of the sponsor, he's not arguing the fact that the sponsor is/isn't optional....

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But you can't blame Patchou for that. Take it up with sponsor.

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
WIPEDRIVE is a highly suspicious name for something that doesn't do anything nasty to your hard drive.  You probably wouldn't install anything that would format a users hard drive but did you even notice the WIPEDRIVE file?  You don't even know what it does so how do you know whether it's harmless or not?

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NOBODY has ever comlained that they istalled the sponsor and then their hard drive has been wiped

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Originally posted by wonkotsane
I bet you don't even use the search thing yourself because it slows your connection down, pops up ads all the time and it takes between 10 and 20 seconds to navigate between pages when it's running.

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As if that makes a diffrence. The fact that you are given a CHOICE should dispute this.

At the end of the day, if you dont like it, dont install it. In theroy what your doing is installing a program, not liking it at all, and rather then un-installing it and not using it, keeping it on and having a go at the wrong people

I can assure you and every other person here, I was NOT asked any more questions beyond would you like to update msgplus!.

It installed it self, and added crap all over my PC.  You can tell me as much as you want that it's not possible, but it obviously is.  The other interesting part is I'm by far not the only person claiming this on the boards and all the staff here says is "It's not possible".

So, I'm going to take the same stance several other mods on other large boards are doing. I'm letting all my members know about this bug, and to watch out for msgplus.  I hope at some point you'll change your practices, but it's far more likely we'll just have to use a competing piece of software.

I should have seen the writing on the wall once you announced "optional" spyway.