Shoutbox

I'm doing some system cleaning on a forum with some help. We're using Hijackthis and other scary tools so I believe my helper knows what he is doing.

This is what he said:

quote:

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Messenger Plus IS the installer for Lop adware, and although some people get lucky and opt out of that "sponsor" they still have an adware vendor on their computer, and that has unseen communications with it's servers. Not a good thing to keep.

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I read this.
I have never installed the sponsor thingy so I don't like the fact that I still have some adware stuff going on because of Plus!.

It's optional as you know, nothing Adware-y is installed if you don't install the sponsor . If you can't live with the fact that that is the truth then just don't use MP!L

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Originally posted by Fenume
I have never installed the sponsor thingy so

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In that case you never had any Lop adware on your system, neither any "unseen communications with it's servers".

If he says we're lying, let him prove the unseen communications with the Lop servers when the sponsor is never installed. It isn't hard to capture all incoming and outgoing internet traffic, so showing some prove shouldn't be too hard for him .

quote:

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Originally posted by Fenume
...We're using Hijackthis and other scary tools so I believe my helper knows what he is doing.

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I hate to say it but apparently he doesn't know what he is doing (in regards to Plus! and/or C2Media's sponsor program) if he says:

quote:

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Messenger Plus IS the installer for Lop adware, and although some people get lucky and opt out of that "sponsor" they still have an adware vendor on their computer, and that has unseen communications with it's servers. Not a good thing to keep.

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Let's brake that down:
"Messenger Plus IS the installer for Lop adware"

This is already not entirly correct. Messenger Plus! is not the only program which could be (note: "could" and not "is") responsible for the C2Media adware being installed on your computer.

"although some people get lucky and opt out of that "sponsor" they still have an adware vendor on their computer"

Entirly incorrect!! It isn't a matter of being lucky or not. There was never any version (including beta versions) where the user opted out of the optional sponsor program and where the sponsor was still installed. Also, in all the versions, there was _always_ a screen where the user was able to opt out of the sponsor. There was _never_ a version where the sponsor would be automatically installed without the user being able to opt out,  ... never! Nor was there ever a bug in that (simple) installation process which might install the sponsor even if the user has opted out.

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So, he clearly does not know what the real deal is with Messenger Plus! and its optional sponsor. And clearly his information comes only from hearsay and not from actual facts.

Facts:

- LOP doesn't exist anymore (since a very very very long time). The name of the company is C2Media.


- The sponsor program of Messenger Plus! can always be uninstalled by going to Add/Remove programs if the setup and uninstaller wasn't damaged by some 3rd party tool which attempted to remove the sponsor or Plus!, and if you follow the given instructions.

This is the most common reason why people say the sponsor can't be uninstalled: they used a 3rd party tool which actually did far more damage than solving anything, instead of simply going to Add/Remove programs and using the official uninstaller.

Although the only thing they need to do is simply launching the uninstaller, I don't know of _any_ anti-adware/spywre tool which is capable of properly uninstalling the sponsor. The reason is simple: they all try to forcefully remove it and in the process they actually damage it and/or even leave stuff behind.


- Messenger Plus! is not the only program which might install an adware sponsor program. So, if there is still some adware left on your hard disk after removing Messenger Plus! (provided its setup wasn't damaged, see above), than the adware did not come from Messenger Plus!'s sponsor program. People often forget this fact.

- Messenger Plus! will always show a screen to the user to opt out of the optional sponsor program.

- The sponsor program of Messenger Plus! will never be installed without the explicit confirmation of the user.

"straight dope" version of cookierevised's post:

the installer bundles lop, but it lets you choose whether to install it or not. if you choose to install it, it extracts a seperate (invisible) installer for lop and runs it. if you choose not to, then it doesn't. most people do unknowingly choose to install it, but thankfully the uninstaller (add/remove programs> messenger plus! live> uninstall sponsor only) *does* remove it cleanly.

Of course it's an installer for malware.
It is a disgrace, many many threads have been started on many help forums, all are disgusted at the way this 'virus' works.
Why anyone would even think of purchasing anything from those companies that are involved in this sort of advertising is beyond me.
If I see a pop up i take down the company name and exit the browser.
I then refuse to use that company, another potential customer gone.
Patchou and all the others involved in this scam know very well that the type of people that will install this drivel are kids that don't read things like 'do you agree to install the sponsor'.
If you were people with morals you would have the option to install the sponsor unchecked, then kids that don't read the small print would not inadvertantly install it.
Please tell me of anyone that you know that would knowingly install something that is going to annoy the hell out of them.

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Originally posted by Fredrika
Of course it's an installer for malware.
It is a disgrace, many many threads have been started on many help forums, all are disgusted at the way this 'virus' works.
Why anyone would even think of purchasing anything from those companies that are involved in this sort of advertising is beyond me.
If I see a pop up i take down the company name and exit the browser.
I then refuse to use that company, another potential customer gone.
Patchou and all the others involved in this scam know very well that the type of people that will install this drivel are kids that don't read things like 'do you agree to install the sponsor'.
If you were people with morals you would have the option to install the sponsor unchecked, then kids that don't read the small print would not inadvertantly install it.
Please tell me of anyone that you know that would knowingly install something that is going to annoy the hell out of them.

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Please get your facts straight before posting.

It is not malware, it is optional ad-ware that is not harmful and is certainly not a virus.

Even if it is accidentally installed, it is easily removed and won't do any harm to the computer

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Originally posted by Fredrika
if you were people with morals you would have the option to install the sponsor unchecked

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Which it is and always has been. Run the installer again and show us how the sponsor is checked by default.

quote:

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Originally posted by Fredrika
If you were people with morals you would have the option to install the sponsor unchecked, then kids that don't read the small print would not inadvertantly install it.

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it's actually not checked by default, but thanks for trying

Okies.
Nothing really bad then, ne?
I suppose I continue using Plus! then.