Shoutbox

Dear Patchou,

I just accidentally accepted the installation of messenger plus's sponsor program (it is cleverly disguised as a licence agreement - safe in the knowledge that nobody reads them). So, knowing a little of Hijacks and spyware I had a look at the software installed.

The sponsor program changes the user's internet explorer start page to 'mysearchnow.com' a search engine (complete with annoying popups) which goes through a list of sponsored links to things like 'viagra', 'diet pills' and 'loans', and as such it is almost completely useless.

This would be ok, if the user could simply change the start page back to google (or whatever it was before) but unfortunately the software goes to some trouble to stop the user from changing their homepage to anything other than 'mysearchnow'.

Firstly, it installs routines which reset IE's homepage back to 'mysearchnow' whenever IE starts. Then, if these are removed, it has a routine that will reinstall them when windows starts.
It also places numerous entries into the registry which will also reset IE's homepage.
Not to mention all the annoying favourites and rubbish like that it installs.

This is very disappointing, hijacks like this are a very real problem on the internet today, and you can say "it's my sponsors fault" all you like, but by distributing this rubbish with your software you are advocating its use.

For a popular program like messenger plus, you should have no problem finding a sponsor without such underhand methods. By dealing with your current sponsor you are doing a disservice to your large and loyal fanbase - many of whom are children and will struggle to work out where the hijack came from, let alone how to remove it.

I have a great deal of respect for you as an independent software publisher like myself and messenger plus is an excellent piece of software, but this sort of practice is simply unethical and takes advantage of less experienced computer users - the very people software publishers like you and I are trying to help.

I recognise that this is your choice to make, but I beg you - find a new sponsor and clear your conscience. (don't become a 'kazaa'-like hate figure)

Yours Sincerely,

Dogger.

I'm glad that someone said that they had accidentally installed the sponsor, it saves a lot of moaning and hassle on both behalves.

This problem is easily handled - just uninstall messenger plus from the add/remove programs list. If you want to keep your preferences and/or plugins (if any), then MsgPlus allows you to do this.

Then you can simply reinstall the program (making sure to not install the sponsor this time).

Patchou doesn't want to disguise the sponsor part of the install process as a license agreement. The 'i accept' sentence even has ACCEPT in capital letters, so it is not as easily missed.

Sure, Patchou could make the sponsor page even more friendly, but it's his decision, and also many people don't have much of a problem with it.

I guess the lesson to learn here is to not just 'quick-click' through installers, as every page has a reason to be there. (Even though no one wants to read license agreements, just read the text next to the box you are checking.)

Isn't that the reason its called spy/adware....
it'd be useless if you could install it then take it off with a couple clicks...
they want you to keep it there for a reason

Dear Dogger,

thank you for your kind post. I would just like to point out that C2Media, my current sponsor, has worked very hard to give me a special 'light' version of their package. Changing your IE home page is definitively not something so bad (though, it shouldn't do what you say it does, I'll check it out). I would earn a lot more money with the usual packages you find in more and more programs these days (often, they even install up to 4 packages of different companies to maximise their revenues) and I'm not doing it for the only reason that I certainely don't want to polute people's computer. My sponsor is a very light program (once again, compared to everything else) and its success has been proven over the past years: not much people complain about it if you consider the millions who have it installed .

well, next time, just read before you click..
Anyway, did you say you have to remove msn messenger? and reinstall it again?

quote:

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Originally posted by M-Head
This problem is easily handled - just uninstall messenger plus from the add/remove programs list. If you want to keep your preferences and/or plugins (if any), then MsgPlus allows you to do this.

Then you can simply reinstall the program (making sure to not install the sponsor this time).

I guess the lesson to learn here is to not just 'quick-click' through installers, as every page has a reason to be there. (Even though no one wants to read license agreements, just read the text next to the box you are checking.)

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What do you mean did you say? Can't you scroll up?

lol ceramic_spider, thanks for quoting. I'll say it again in case: just uninstall messenger plus (Control Panel > add/remove programs > Messenger Plus! 3 > Remove)

If you have attempted to remove the spyware manually, then the best thing to do is reinstall Messenger Plus! 3 with the spyware, and then remove the program fully.

C2media, is that the same thing as c2.lop?? Couse wene I run my ad-aware program it takes about 10 min to go threw c1.lop threw c2.lop....And it is SO hard to get outa my system...

quote:

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Originally posted by XxRebelSeanxX
C2media, is that the same thing as c2.lop?? Couse wene I run my ad-aware program it takes about 10 min to go threw c1.lop threw c2.lop....And it is SO hard to get outa my system...

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DO NOT never no time use a spyware remover to get rid of the sponsor. It will harm regristry, delete the uninstaller but still keep the program. If you have done it, there is a thread that some smart user can post here.

to repair this, just reinstall plus WITH the sposor, uninstall plus, and install plus! WIHOUT the sponsor