Explain to me the logic being Adware.

[ThankQ]

I mean, really?

You want to give my comp a virus so it stops working. You're a jerk who wants to cause problems for no other reason that you get a thrill from screwing with others. I'm not to wild about that, but at least I can understand it.

But, with adware, you're wanting me to buy something. And how are you trying to accomplish this? By sticking some exe in my comp that makes it run like crap, that keeps popping up and annoying the shit out of me...

Do you think I'm going to think, "God this is so annoying that I should by something from these people." Really? how does that logic work?

Does adware work?

I think it's funny that a lot of the popup adware is about how to remove annoying adware from your computer. Is this the whole "Give 'em a disease then sell them the cure" con?

Does this work? Are people actually buying stuff from the adware that only annoys them... that they didn't want in the first place?

 

[The Borg Queen]

I think it should be regarded as extortion and treated as such.

 

[ALF]

I think they target the market of people that don't know exactly how to run their computers?
What's this? Oh, I should click it.

Ohhh. Gator. Sounds good!

 

[Evil_Kirkneivel]

1) Inexperienced people cannot distinguish between the legitimate windows that the operating system displays and the adware windows. With many of the adware windows copying the look and feel of the OS, it can be tough for neophytes.

2) Trusting people don't get suspicious when a solution happens along just after the problem starts. Suspicious people do.

3) All kinds of people in all kinds of states of mind use computers. Old, young, mentally challenged, drunk, stoned, tired, vulnerable. The convenience of 'one-click' becomes dangerous when that's all it takes to infect your computer.

Here's a good real-world example: TrekToday pops up a graphic ad on top of its page with a Close link somewhere on it (the location varies). A couple of times, just as I went to click the Close link, the ad timed out, and instead I ended up accidentally clicking on the banner ad running underneath on the page. All I got was an unwanted jump to another site...but you get the idea. It's easy to click the wrong thing.

 

[trekkiedane]

[billcosby]^In other words: IT'S A SCAM.

 

[Nick Ryder]

To whomever created the idea of adware - in the words of Worf - "You must find him and kill him!!"

I honestly think both adware and computer virii are made by the companies selling the 'removal' tools. I remember my first job, when I worked at a small used computer store, I would spend the better part of my day installing fresh copies of Windows 98 on old off lease computers. Doing formats and all, so these were as clean as a baby's soul. Well, when it came time to install the antivirus software on the request of a customer, it would magically find a few viruses. Now... these computers have NEVER seen the Internet. Never did more than just a basic check to make sure they worked and blammo.. virus. After Norton was installed.

That's kinda why I trust like AVG at least they have a free version.

 

[Gaseous Anomaly]

So the same could be said for [highlight]ANTI VIRUS[/highlight], the virus is created just to sell another unneeded program that will slow down your computer? Or is someone really trying to see your key strokes and get your banking info?

I'll just keep buying my internet security and not take the chance!

 

[Tiberius Jim]

I just use this great anti-virus program that just came out called Common Sense 2009. Seems to work pretty well for me so far.

 

[jkladis]

They know the computer casualties incurred. It's all about revenue the popups generate. The 3rd party cares only about hit count. If you could chart the average duration a person endures it before finally fixing/remedying/formatting, the hits likely equate to $$$ sold...however these operations are dealt.