An Open Letter to The Gator Corp - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Astrocloud · 10-18-2003, 09:59 PM

Dear Gator,

Please stop trying to download your shitty spyware onto my computer. I don't need it and nobody does. Your company makes money by causing problems on the internet and your product should be illegal. Please release a list of your clients and your client's clients so I can boycott them all.

Yours truly,

Astrocloud.

The_Dude · 10-18-2003, 10:03 PM

yes, gator is an annoying piece of shit.

unfortunately, there is a shitload of other spyware out there.

tekaweni · 10-19-2003, 03:37 AM

Get Ad-Aware or something similar, and scan for this shit often. It's the only way to keep on top of it.

phukraut · 10-19-2003, 09:30 AM

according to this, they have quite a few clients:

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/...page6.html?bc=

santafe5000 · 10-19-2003, 10:07 AM

I agree with you, Gator , please go away and DIE. The world does not need your Crap.

Sexodus · 10-19-2003, 03:02 PM

GATOR SUCKS ... yeah well anyways.

tekaweni thank you for the ad-ware i found it shortly after reading your post!

thanks.
Sx

Prophecy · 10-19-2003, 03:06 PM

I hate Gator with a passion, before I knew what Spy-ware was, I had about 30 different programs running on my old pc from Gator and other companies causing pop ups all the time..
.

Sexodus · 10-19-2003, 03:13 PM

ya i am pretty sure i only have gator.... but you never now LOL.

I havnt run any programs like adware before so we will see what happens. if you guys like i will post how many finding i get.

EDIT: I found 100 items LOL ii think i only had like 3 couse it looked like i had a shit load of Gator[s]

Astrocloud · 10-19-2003, 07:01 PM

Yeah I should definitely order Ad Aware -it's recomended by Spybot and it seems to be what everyone uses... It's a sad little world when we have to lock our doors because we're worried about the neighborhood businessmen stealing our stuff.

TrogDor · 10-19-2003, 07:05 PM

What kind of programs are you guys downloading made by gator? I've honestly never had a problem with it.

The_Dude · 10-19-2003, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TrogDor
What kind of programs are you guys downloading made by gator? I've honestly never had a problem with it.

they dont make programs, but the programs have spyware attached to it that are made by gator.

Astrocloud · 10-19-2003, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TrogDor
What kind of programs are you guys downloading made by gator? I've honestly never had a problem with it.

If you've downloaded gator or ever clicked "Yes" when you visit some site and gator asks to install; (for reference purposes we will call it a malicious website that tries to download gator) -then you can shave off a few precious milliseconds off every internet page you open... the extra time comes from Gator cheerfully recording the websites you go to.

The second malicious thing that it does -is that it attempts to remove your choices in which websites you surf for. It will do everything it can to pop open windows of it's pre-chosen crap advertising while you websurf. So say you do a websearch on "killing kittens" odds are that Gator will have popup ads offering you all sorts of online pet stores. It just is a fucking annoying waste of time.

So if you have it installed I would remove it pronto. It doesn't do anything good except sell you to someone via the Gator Corp.

arch13 · 10-19-2003, 08:53 PM

The sad part is, there are ten companies waiting in the wings with more spyware eyeing gators market share.

TrogDor · 10-19-2003, 09:15 PM

Oh, I think you miss understood me. I've never had a problem with gator stuff being on my computer. Of course I know it will fuck all my stuff up and record everything I do

bundy · 10-19-2003, 11:23 PM

if i can be crude for just a moment...

Dear Gator,

FUCK OFF

signed,
everyone on Earth!

there, thats out of the way.
thanks Astro, i needed that.
thank goodness for Spybot and Adaware.

Boner · 10-20-2003, 11:40 AM

Go get SpywareBlaster

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

I honestly haven't seen a Gator popup in about a year.

It preloads the GUIDs for the pieces of crap so that IE will automatically decline them.

poof · 10-20-2003, 08:17 PM

Gator is easily avoided if you purchase some protection. Get a firewall, hard or software.

"It is better to protect your computer than to curse the dickheads on the interweb."

Willy · 10-20-2003, 08:22 PM

DOWN WITH GATOR!

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

JimmyTheHutt · 10-20-2003, 08:42 PM

I hate Gator. Not for myself, as I have never been tagged by the POS, but for my users (stupidest users on earth) who download it, install it, then call me to complain that their shit is fucked up. My life would be so much easier if someone would pull a Hiroshima on them.

And Internet Accelerator.

And CommonName.

and the list goes on....

Veritas en Lux!
Jimmy The Hutt

Astrocloud · 10-20-2003, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JimmyTheHutt
I hate Gator. Not for myself, as I have never been tagged by the POS, but for my users

I've cleaned gator off of two friends computers... One of them should've known better.

liquid_dreams · 10-21-2003, 11:45 PM

gator you should die, but there is worse shit out there man if your usin a spybot detection/removal thing y you should know what i'm talkin bout off the top of my head i rember that "sex tracker" is much worse and "hot bar"is just a pain in the ass to get off your comp.... can we kill them all?

Mr.Deflok · 10-21-2003, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bundy
if i can be crude for just a moment...

Dear Gator,

FUCK OFF

signed,
everyone on Earth!

there, thats out of the way.
thanks Astro, i needed that.
thank goodness for Spybot and Adaware.

Damn it, I was gonna say the exact same thing! Damn you thought-thief!

supafly · 10-24-2003, 05:16 AM

I get a craving for a Gator-steak. FUCK GATOR!!! Can't imagine that anyone would work for such a company.

happyraul · 10-24-2003, 05:40 AM

I understand that Gator sucks, but what I don't understand is how everyone gets it. I mean I've never had a popup ad unless I happen to go to a site that has popups with IE. I don't get how gator gets on your computer, I mean obviously you downloaded and installed it right?

Fly · 10-24-2003, 07:22 AM

hey..............mr.motherfucker gator fuck

GO TO HELL...........

meff · 10-24-2003, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Dude
yes, gator is an annoying piece of shit.

unfortunately, there is a shitload of other spyware out there.

OOH YOU SAID 'SPYWARE' !!
You're gonna get sued now, it's *ADWARE"

meff · 10-24-2003, 08:25 AM

Kinda scary 'their' lead application, eWallet, stores most of your financial information for you... and probably for Gator to take a peek at..

Or, for $30 you can buy eWallet without spy.. ahem.. adware

Astrocloud · 10-25-2003, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by meff
OOH YOU SAID 'SPYWARE' !!
You're gonna get sued now, it's *ADWARE"

I see what you mean:

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5095051.html

Quote:

See you later, anti-Gators?

By Paul Festa
CNET News.com
October 22, 2003, 12:21 PM PT

In an effort to improve its corporate reputation, adware company Gator has launched a legal offensive to divorce its name from the hated term "spyware"--and so far its strategy is paying off.
In response to a libel lawsuit, an antispyware company has settled with Gator and pulled Web pages critical of the company, its practices and its software. And other spyware foes are getting the message.

"There is this feeling out there that they won the lawsuit, and people are starting to get scared," said one employee of a spyware-removal company, who asked not to be named. "We haven't been sued, but we've heard that other companies are being sued for saying this and that, so we've changed our language" on the company Web site.

Gator often distributes its application by bundling it with popular free software like Kazaa and other peer-to-peer programs. When downloaded, Gator's application serves pop-up and pop-under ads to people while they're surfing the Web or when they visit specific sites. Ads can be keyed to sites so that a pitch for low mortgage rates, say, can appear when a surfer visits a rival financial company's site.

The distinction between such "adware," which can report back to its creator with information about the computer user's surfing habits, so as to allow for supposedly more effective ad serving, and "spyware," which similarly monitors surfing habits and serves up ads, is sometimes a hazy one, and lies at the heart of Gator's libel suit.

Gator maintains that its software differs from spyware in that people are clearly notified before they download it, and in that they do so in exchange for a service, like the peer-to-peer software. Spyware, the company maintains, is surreptitiously installed and gives the unwitting computer user no benefit.

But critics of adware companies question how clearly such downloads are marked--PC users may suddenly be deluged with pop-ups and have no idea where they're coming from--and protest that companies like Gator are collecting information without sufficiently accounting for what they do with it.

The defendant in the Gator libel suit, PC Pitstop, offers software to cleanse computers of spyware and other undesirable code, and until signing a preliminary settlement with Gator on Sept. 30, vociferously targeted Gator's application.

In settling the suit, which alleged false advertising, unfair business practices, trade libel, defamation and tortious interference, PC Pitstop apparently removed several pages from its Web site that referred to Gator's application as spyware--along with many that went beyond that to urge action against Gator itself.

Executives for both companies declined to discuss settlement terms, citing a confidentiality agreement. But Gator advised a reporter to "go to their new site and draw your own conclusions" about what PC Pitstop did to comply with the settlement.

PC Pitstop used to publish pages on its Spyware Information Center titled "Is Gator Spyware?" the "Gator Boycott List," and the "Gator Quiz." Those pages are now gone. But as of Tuesday, they could still be found in the Google cache, which keeps copies of missing or unavailable Web pages for a limited time. (By Wednesday the cache of those pages had expired.)

"PC Pitstop believes that Gator products degrade the quality of a user's PC experience," read the cached PC Pitstop page urging a boycott of companies advertising through Gator. "This belief is based on our hands-on use of Gator products and experience with hundreds of systems in our forums....Although Gator Corporation likes to make a distinction and call their products 'adware,' other sources make no such distinction. Independent research has shown that they collect extensive information and have not clearly explained how the information is used once it reaches the Gator servers."

A Gator executive said the suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, was part of a larger strategy to educate spyware-removers about the company's software--and to put an end to the practice of calling it "spyware."

"If we find anyone publicly calling us spyware, we correct it and take action if necessary," said Scott Eagle, Gator's senior vice president of marketing.

In addition to going on the offensive against detractors, Gator has spent significant time in court defending its practices against the charges of companies that run Web sites that Gator has targeted with its ads.

Gator in February settled litigation brought against it by the New York Post, The New York Times, Dow Jones and other media companies. The Washington Post, L.L. Bean and Extended Stay America have sued the company, and their consolidated lawsuit will be decided by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, the courts have smiled on a company that operates a similar ad network. Last month, WhenU survived a legal challenge brought against it by moving company U-Haul after WhenU served ads for U-Haul's competitors on top of U-Haul Web pages.

Eagle declined to comment on other specific spyware-busters, such as the New York City-based Enigma Software Group or InterMute, in Braintree, Mass. Those companies have advertised that they can rid computers of Gator--but their Web sites no longer mention the software. Eagle said he could not talk about ongoing actions.

Enigma Software Group could not be reached for comment. InterMute, which previously has spoken openly against Gator, declined to comment.

"Companies like Gator are the Goliath that average computer users are up against in the war for online privacy," Ed English, CEO of InterMute, said last month in an interview with CNET News.com.

Gator said it would take on its critics on a case-by-case basis.

"There are going to be detractor sites," Eagle said. "What we can do is focus on education and getting the word out there. We have discussions on this topic whenever we need to."

For its part, PC Pitstop said that, whatever the terms of its settlement, it continued to target Gator's software on people's computers.

"PC Pitstop detects a variety of situations that we would consider problems, including certain software that we didn't think was in the best interest of the end user," said Dave Methvin, chief technology officer for the Web-based start-up. "We currently detect and recommend removal of Gator."

CNET News.com's Stefanie Olsen contributed to this report

Come now gator, Shit by any other name still smells like shit.

TrogDor · 10-25-2003, 03:51 PM

Do they honestly think that by doing shit like this, the people who have already had to deal with gator are gonna go "oh!! they dont call them spyware anymore! they must be good now!!"?

dj_simo · 10-26-2003, 01:41 PM

We all do shit illegal anyway - *cough* KaZaA *cough* - so I dont think a letter is gunna affect the people who HATE GATOR - Its a load of shit - It killed my schools mainframe and they had no idea that is was gator. I agree - Gator is bad Adware or Spyware - it is still shit
my 2 cents
-SImo

b1naryb0r1s · 10-27-2003, 11:54 AM

Gator and all the other programs that pop and say, please click ok for us to spy on every little thing you do. Pop-ups should be illegal. err.

punx1325 · 10-27-2003, 12:11 PM

I downloaded Ad-aware (download.com) for my parents pc. I'm talking 10 ads would pop up everytime you open IE. I couldn't believe it. This program is awesome!!! Not only did it find 265 ad program instances, it got rid of them and not a problem. On my PC I am a little smarter and I don't have 1 ad program installed on here.

Uuudar · 10-27-2003, 04:53 PM

I love you Bonzai Buddy!

flecktone4 · 10-27-2003, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by flyman
hey..............mr.motherfucker gator fuck

GO TO HELL...........

lol

maluv · 10-28-2003, 01:31 AM

i use ad-aware, takes care of problems like this -.-

SecretMethod70 · 10-28-2003, 05:03 AM

Wil Wheaton said it best in his comment on slashdot:

http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=83240&cid=7287248

Quote:

Dear Gator,

Gator is Spyware, you fuckers. Spyware. Spyware. Spyware.

Please send me a nastygram. My career is stalled, and I could really use the publicity.

Love,

Wil Wheaton
Linux weenie who doesn't even use your crappy SPYware.

PS- It's spyware.

That said, honestly while I think Gator is evil, I don't think it's as big a problem as it's made out to be. I don't use Ad-Aware but once a month, and even then I'm lucky if it finds ANYTHING. Anyone who's halfway intelligent about internet browsing has nothing to worry about from Gator or anything else. *shrug*

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I hate spyware/adware because it's intrinsically evil and because of the problems I hear it causes other people, but I don't understand WHY it causes anyone besides "mom and pop" these problems.

bennyb · 10-28-2003, 04:09 PM

I pray every night they they are attacked by a band of scurvy sailors.

losthellhound · 11-02-2003, 08:38 PM

Gator is nothing compared to some of the other evils out there.. Try removing newdotnet from someone's system when it decides it doesnt want to work anymore

Newdotnet is a program that allows your system to access alternate DNS systems, allowing you to get to sites not on the beaten path.. It does however, mess up your winsock so badly that a removal can take hours..

And dont get me started on CometCursor or Bonzia Buddy

Sunrise · 11-02-2003, 08:41 PM

We should make an online petition against gator.
Anyways you's have reminded me to run ad-aware 6. It's been about 2 months since I've ran it.
Results: 1 "Tracking cookie" found
w00t, clean as a whistle.

TequilaJr · 11-02-2003, 11:35 PM

My mom's computer was so thoroughly infected with that crap....Gator, Xupiter, and other assorted garbage. Adaware removed 300 and some odd instances of their trackers and cookies. Needless to say, her computer runs a lot smoother now. Now I just gotta remind her to run Ad-aware often.

10-18-2003, 09:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
Astrocloud Apocalypse Nerd	An Open Letter to The Gator Corp Dear Gator, Please stop trying to download your shitty spyware onto my computer. I don't need it and nobody does. Your company makes money by causing problems on the internet and your product should be illegal. Please release a list of your clients and your client's clients so I can boycott them all. Yours truly, Astrocloud.

10-18-2003, 10:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
The_Dude The GrandDaddy of them all! Location: Austin, TX	yes, gator is an annoying piece of shit. unfortunately, there is a shitload of other spyware out there. __________________ "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

10-19-2003, 03:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
tekaweni It wasnt me Location: Scotland	Get Ad-Aware or something similar, and scan for this shit often. It's the only way to keep on top of it. __________________ If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten

10-19-2003, 10:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
santafe5000 EVIL! Location: Southwest of nowhere	I agree with you, Gator , please go away and DIE. The world does not need your Crap. __________________ When all else fails, QUIT.

10-19-2003, 03:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
Prophecy Oracle & Apollyon Location: Limbus Patrum	I hate Gator with a passion, before I knew what Spy-ware was, I had about 30 different programs running on my old pc from Gator and other companies causing pop ups all the time.. . __________________ La Disciplina È La Mia Spada, La Fede È Il Mio Schermo, Non salti Ciecamente In Incertezza, E Potete Raccogliere Le Ricompense.

10-19-2003, 09:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
phukraut Addict	according to this, they have quite a few clients: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/...page6.html?bc=

10-19-2003, 03:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
Sexodus Banned Location: The Canyons - Boarding	GATOR SUCKS ... yeah well anyways. tekaweni thank you for the ad-ware i found it shortly after reading your post! thanks. Sx

10-19-2003, 03:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
Sexodus Banned Location: The Canyons - Boarding	ya i am pretty sure i only have gator.... but you never now LOL. I havnt run any programs like adware before so we will see what happens. if you guys like i will post how many finding i get. EDIT: I found 100 items LOL ii think i only had like 3 couse it looked like i had a shit load of Gator[s] Last edited by Sexodus; 10-19-2003 at 05:51 PM..

10-19-2003, 07:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
Astrocloud Apocalypse Nerd	Yeah I should definitely order Ad Aware -it's recomended by Spybot and it seems to be what everyone uses... It's a sad little world when we have to lock our doors because we're worried about the neighborhood businessmen stealing our stuff.

10-19-2003, 07:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
TrogDor Tilted	What kind of programs are you guys downloading made by gator? I've honestly never had a problem with it.

10-19-2003, 08:53 PM	#13 (permalink)
arch13 Loves my girl in thongs Location: North of Mexico, South of Canada	The sad part is, there are ten companies waiting in the wings with more spyware eyeing gators market share. __________________ Seen on an employer evaluation: "The wheel is turning but the hamsters dead" ____________________________ Is arch13 really a porn diety ? find out after the film at 11. -Nanofever

10-19-2003, 09:15 PM	#14 (permalink)
TrogDor Tilted	Oh, I think you miss understood me. I've never had a problem with gator stuff being on my computer. Of course I know it will fuck all my stuff up and record everything I do

10-19-2003, 11:23 PM	#15 (permalink)
bundy . Location: Tokyo	if i can be crude for just a moment... Dear Gator, FUCK OFF signed, everyone on Earth! there, thats out of the way. thanks Astro, i needed that. thank goodness for Spybot and Adaware. __________________ Ohayo!!!

10-20-2003, 11:40 AM	#16 (permalink)
Boner Insane Location: Plugged In	Go get SpywareBlaster http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html I honestly haven't seen a Gator popup in about a year. It preloads the GUIDs for the pieces of crap so that IE will automatically decline them.

10-20-2003, 08:17 PM	#17 (permalink)
poof Psycho	Gator is easily avoided if you purchase some protection. Get a firewall, hard or software. "It is better to protect your computer than to curse the dickheads on the interweb."

10-24-2003, 07:22 AM	#25 (permalink)
Fly see the links to my music? Location: Beautiful British Columbia	hey..............mr.motherfucker gator fuck GO TO HELL........... __________________ BASTARD SterlingStudios

10-20-2003, 08:22 PM	#18 (permalink)
Willy Insane	DOWN WITH GATOR! http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

10-20-2003, 08:42 PM	#19 (permalink)
JimmyTheHutt Psycho Location: Hell (Phoenix AZ)	I hate Gator. Not for myself, as I have never been tagged by the POS, but for my users (stupidest users on earth) who download it, install it, then call me to complain that their shit is fucked up. My life would be so much easier if someone would pull a Hiroshima on them. And Internet Accelerator. And CommonName. and the list goes on.... Veritas en Lux! Jimmy The Hutt __________________ Think Jabba, only with more hair and vestigal legs.... "This isn't a nightmare, its real. Nightmare's end." -ShadowDancer

10-21-2003, 11:45 PM	#21 (permalink)
liquid_dreams Banned Location: ketchikan	gator you should die, but there is worse shit out there man if your usin a spybot detection/removal thing y you should know what i'm talkin bout off the top of my head i rember that "sex tracker" is much worse and "hot bar"is just a pain in the ass to get off your comp.... can we kill them all?

10-24-2003, 05:16 AM	#23 (permalink)
supafly Psycho Location: Rotterdam	I get a craving for a Gator-steak. FUCK GATOR!!! Can't imagine that anyone would work for such a company. __________________ Thumbs up

10-24-2003, 05:40 AM	#24 (permalink)
happyraul Crazy Location: St. Louis, MO	I understand that Gator sucks, but what I don't understand is how everyone gets it. I mean I've never had a popup ad unless I happen to go to a site that has popups with IE. I don't get how gator gets on your computer, I mean obviously you downloaded and installed it right?

10-24-2003, 08:25 AM	#27 (permalink)
meff Vanishing, like I do.. Location: Austin, TX	Kinda scary 'their' lead application, eWallet, stores most of your financial information for you... and probably for Gator to take a peek at.. Or, for $30 you can buy eWallet without spy.. ahem.. adware __________________ Toy-like people make me boy-like.

10-25-2003, 03:51 PM	#29 (permalink)
TrogDor Tilted	Do they honestly think that by doing shit like this, the people who have already had to deal with gator are gonna go "oh!! they dont call them spyware anymore! they must be good now!!"?

10-26-2003, 01:41 PM	#30 (permalink)
dj_simo Crazy Location: The Woods	We all do shit illegal anyway - cough KaZaA cough - so I dont think a letter is gunna affect the people who HATE GATOR - Its a load of shit - It killed my schools mainframe and they had no idea that is was gator. I agree - Gator is bad Adware or Spyware - it is still shit my 2 cents -SImo __________________ .:GOT SIMO:.

10-27-2003, 11:54 AM	#31 (permalink)
b1naryb0r1s Crazy Location: Murfreesboro	Gator and all the other programs that pop and say, please click ok for us to spy on every little thing you do. Pop-ups should be illegal. err.

10-27-2003, 12:11 PM	#32 (permalink)
punx1325 Junkie Location: San Diego	I downloaded Ad-aware (download.com) for my parents pc. I'm talking 10 ads would pop up everytime you open IE. I couldn't believe it. This program is awesome!!! Not only did it find 265 ad program instances, it got rid of them and not a problem. On my PC I am a little smarter and I don't have 1 ad program installed on here. __________________ If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is....

10-27-2003, 04:53 PM	#33 (permalink)
Uuudar Insane	I love you Bonzai Buddy!

10-28-2003, 01:31 AM	#35 (permalink)
maluv Upright	i use ad-aware, takes care of problems like this -.-

10-28-2003, 04:09 PM	#37 (permalink)
bennyb Banned	I pray every night they they are attacked by a band of scurvy sailors.

11-02-2003, 08:38 PM	#38 (permalink)
losthellhound Thats MR. Muffin Face now Location: Everywhere work sends me	Gator is nothing compared to some of the other evils out there.. Try removing newdotnet from someone's system when it decides it doesnt want to work anymore Newdotnet is a program that allows your system to access alternate DNS systems, allowing you to get to sites not on the beaten path.. It does however, mess up your winsock so badly that a removal can take hours.. And dont get me started on CometCursor or Bonzia Buddy __________________ "Life is possible only with illusions. And so, the question for the science of mental health must become an absolutely new and revolutionary one, yet one that reflects the essence of the human condition: On what level of illusion does one live?" -- Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death

11-02-2003, 08:41 PM	#39 (permalink)
Sunrise Crazy Location: Melbourne, Australia	We should make an online petition against gator. Anyways you's have reminded me to run ad-aware 6. It's been about 2 months since I've ran it. Results: 1 "Tracking cookie" found w00t, clean as a whistle.

11-02-2003, 11:35 PM	#40 (permalink)
TequilaJr Crazy	My mom's computer was so thoroughly infected with that crap....Gator, Xupiter, and other assorted garbage. Adaware removed 300 and some odd instances of their trackers and cookies. Needless to say, her computer runs a lot smoother now. Now I just gotta remind her to run Ad-aware often.