🚀 go-pugleaf

"Kelly Robinson" <ispy@groovyshow.com> writes:
> I must admit this really isn't a nice thing to do, and only reminds me that
> businesses are so *@&!^ arrogant that they think they can do whatever they
> want with consumers, saying that without businesses we'd be a lot worse off
> (or whatever).
> ...lines snipped

Don't believe all you read!

The following is not true.  

What happened is that an ALPHA version of WindowBlinds had a bug that
incorrectly kept resending the registration information. Note it was an
intermediate release not distributed to many people.

It did not snoop disk or do anything of the sort.

Please find out the facts before spreading stupid rumours.

> Stan <pallis@[nospam]one.net.au> wrote in message
> news:37a44a20.0@pink.one.net.au...
> > To All,
> >
> > I sent an email to Brad, stating what I think of this practice, in short
> > Stardock Systems has lost my business on this issue.  What others do is
> > purely up to them, I'm letting my wallet do the talking.
> > They can call it what they want it won't be tolerated not by me any
> > way.  Just as well he's in the US in Australia I would be contacting the
> > dept of Fair Trading and Consumer Affairs if Stardock was an Australian
> > Company.
> >
> > Buyer Beware.
> >
> >
> > Subject:
> >             Did you know Stardock PERIODICALLY snoopes disk, reports
> > back to stardock
> >             via internet (was: Re: WinBLIND TROJAN)
> >         Date:
> >             31 Jul 1999 10:47:27 GMT
> >        From:
> >             uno@40th.com (uno@40th.com)
> >     Reply-To:
> >             reply@only.n.news.40th.com
> >  Organization:
> >             Yanaguana
> >   Newsgroups:
> >             comp.os.os2.apps, comp.os.os2.misc, comp.os.os2.advocacy
> >  Followup-To:
> >             comp.os.os2.advocacy
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Brad Wardell? (bwardell@stardock.com?) wrote (Fri, 23 Jul 1999
> > 09:43:42):
> > >Specifically, WindowBlinds sends:
> > >
> > >The skin you are using - so that we can determine the most popular skin
> > >Your registration code - so monitor software piracy (it is OUR code
> > >remember)
> > >What OS you are running - websites take your OS info too
> > >
> > >I think that's about it.  Nothing "secret".  We primarily want to know
> what
> > >skin you are running.
> > >
> > >Eventually, our skins page will use this information to determine the 25
> > >most popular skins based on the skins people are running.  I think that
> > >blows away any sort of "rating" system since the ultimate recommendation
> a
> > >skin can get is by how many people are using it.
> > >
> > >Brad
> >
> >
> > TomG wrote:
> > >
> > > It is 18:27 EST and I can't reach the Stardock site to verify -
> apparently their site
> > > is down (to update their disclaimers perhaps?).  There has NOT been
> anything up
> > > front.  I am too sensitive to this particular issue to simply have not
> noticed it.  I
> > > attach to their servers several times each week to download updates and
> I am all over
> > > the WindowBlinds configuration control panel - no mention of snooping at
> all.  Go to
> > > the "About" tab, page down between 40+ times through all the text and
> guess what - NO
> > > mention of this feature.
> > >
> > > Privacy statement at the web site?  Well, I must apologize;  I do not
> have it
> > > memorized but I will go back and analyze it.  However, claiming that
> this practice is
> > > "No different from other products that send similar information back at
> the
> > > acquiecence of the user" is no defense.  Moreover, I was not "asked" -
> before
> > > download, purchase, or at the point of installing the program or any
> update, whether
> > > or not I would like to turn this feature off.
> > >
> > > It just smells funny, even if this was not some *intentional* attempt at
> hiding the
> > > snoop feature.
> > >
> > > Kris Kwilas wrote:
> > >
> > > > In article <37A33ADB.40CB0EB2@erols.com>, TomG
> <nospam.pendrake@erols.com> wrote:
> > > > >seriously, no matter who is doing it or for what purpose.  I was not
> made aware
> > > > >of the fact that Stardock was snooping and I DO NOT believe that it
> should be
> > > > >my responsibility to discover it - it should be out in the open and
> up-front from
> > > > >the vendor.
> > > >
> > > > WindowBlinds 0.97, the product in question (released yesterday I might
> add),
> > > > is quite up front about it. It includes the option to disable sending
> the
> > > > information right from the get go. No different from other products
> that send
> > > > similar information back at the acquiecence of the user. See the
> privacy
> > > > statement on www.windowblinds.net if you are interested in more
> details.
> > > >
> > > > No "snooping" is going on.
> > > >
> > > > Kris
> 
> 

--
Regards,                    Michael Taylor
Mike                        miket@interact.net.au
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  Home Page: http://users.interact.net.au/~pmiy
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