RSSClaria Works to Change Adware Image
By Ed Oswald | Published August 1, 2005, 12:40 PM
An adware pioneer known for serving pop-up ads to users based on their surfing habits now appears it's attempting to clean up its act. Claria, most known for its Gator software, has been the target of recent speculation over a possible acquisition by software giant Microsoft.
According to reports, Claria had approached Microsoft about using some of its technology. That technology must have interested Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer; according to the source, Ballmer gave the approval to begin buyout talks in early June.
Also, in early July a researcher discovered that Claria's classification within Microsoft's Windows AntiSpyware had been changed, further fueling speculation. Eric Howes at Spyware Warrior discovered the changes during a test and found that Dashbar, Gator, PrecisionTime and Weatherscope had all been switched from a "Quarantine" classification to "Ignore."
Claria says that it had never intended to make pop-ups a centerpiece of its strategy. Rather, it was aiming for personalization where ads are served based on surfing habits. A new program due out this month will serve ads to a user's desktop in this manner, but they will not be in the form of pop-ups.
However, researchers and analysts are skeptical. Questions remain as to how Claria plans to get the program onto computers. In the past, it's Gator software has come bundled with programs like Kazaa, where the application is sometimes installed without the knowledge of the user.
This time around, Claria plans to work with toolbar and instant messaging providers along with legitimate Web sites to spread its program. The company is also working hard to mend relations with sites who may have shunned it in the past, as well as reaching out to advertisers who refused to place their ads on Claria's pop-up services.
The company claims that, to an extent, the change is working.
Claria - Scum of the earth.
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|Nobody has done more than Claria to make Windows users switch to Mac or Linux. Why would MS want to do business with the people who gave their software such a bad reputation? I wouldn't be surprised if MS went along with this though... They don't care at all about their customers. They just care about making money. A company with pride like Apple or Google would never talk to scum like Claria.
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|Who says Microsoft has? This stupid assumption about MS buying Claria is getting ridiculous. Now people are referring to it as fact.
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|Claria, although I won't be as foul-mouthed as some of my fellow posters, I do agree with the sentiment that your efforts are too little, too late, but I will go a step further in saying that there is no useful purpose for personalized ads despite what you may assume.
It may seem true that users will only click on an ad they're interested in, and that by providing personalized ads you will provide them with ads they are interested in. The problem, however, is that more users are interested in their privacy which makes your efforts dubious and counter-productive. Nevermind the fact that I can say as a frequent-surfer that I have yet to see advertising that I am interested in... I like Sci-Fi TV shows and movies, comedy movies, and computer software that doesn't promise computing miracles by compromising my privacy and security.
And here's a news flash in case you've missed it: WE HATE POPUPS!!!!! Whether that means real popups, flash ads, and adware programs hiding in the background, we hate them no matter the source. In-page advertising such as banner ads are annoying, but I'll admit they're a necessary evil, and if I ever see one I like, I'll click on it.
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|Claria needs to be driven out of business. They damaged so many systems. If MS joins in with Claria I truly may switch to Linux. Everyone need to send MS feedback on this. I will be writing them tonight.
Contact MS at:
https://support.microsof...%2fwww.microsoft.com%2f
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|Claria ceo: DIE SLOW MO FO!!!! I had to waste so much valuable time helping my friends deal with your sh***y software! I wish someone makes sure your kids don't grow.
Pay me for all the time you stole!!!!
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|claria should be fxxkd with no merci!!! their ceo should be executed!!
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|If I have Claria on my computer and as a result, when I surf my usual sites, I see ads that are for products that interest me, what's the big deal. NO MORE POPUPS!
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|I think the overall reply here is--too little, too late Claria.
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|How about an apoligy for all the screwups their scumware had caused in the past. Nope, just a nice easy sellout to big daddy microsoft. What a bunch of sleaze.
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|Claria has been anything but honest and forth-coming with their software. What's supposed to convince me that they are being otherwise now?
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|the only thing that would convince me these guys are finally on the right path is if the entire company went poof and all the execs wound up on food stamp lines. Then the name Claria "might" be redeemable. :)
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|No matter what shape you mold poop into, it's still poop.
This company has made it's money by annoying users and wasting time of I.T. employees.
I hope this company goes out of business.
They destroyed their image the first time around. Too late to fix it.
Just because ValuJet changed their name to AirTran doesn't mean they are any better today than before the everglades crash.
Losers.
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|"Claria plans to work with toolbar and instant messaging providers along with legitimate Web sites to spread its program"
Hmm...wouldn't that be a hoot if the Claria program was bundled with the MSN toolbar and messenger?
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|As long as it's an option and not just force-fed, I don't care... but if it is force-fed, it could be enough to make me stop using MSN Messenger in favor of Trillian on a full time basis.
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|adware is adware. Gator was a son of a b!tch to uninstall too. Clean image or not, the damage is done, Claria burn in Hell!
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|Couldn't have been said better. Adware is adware...period. No matter how they do it, I won't like it any more than I like television commercials.
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|I actually had to completely reformat my hard drive after it was infested with adware and spyware. Even Norton and spyware removal programs were unable to get rid of all of them. Reformatting was my only solution. What a pain in the a** that was.
Dean
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