MSN Messenger 6.2 beware!

[Andrew]

Well theere is a new msn out and it is 6.2 I believe, I am about to install it.

DO NOT just click through it when installing.

It asks you whether you want to install msn toolbar, make msn default search engine, and to make msn default home page. These are checked by default.

Sad to see companies take advantage of people who just click through an installation process.

It seems that the search engine toolbars are now the biggest thing to compete with, everyone has it.

[Vanguard3000]

It seems that the search engine toolbars are now the biggest thing to compete with, everyone has it.

That's because they're always spyware.  Anyway, I always skip the terms of agreement, but I never zip through an entire installation like that.

[Andrew]

The google toolbar is spyware?

Same with yahoo and msn? ???

[Vanguard3000]

Google is, I'm pretty sure.  Aside from that, it's downright annoying.  ;)

[lowzeewee]

I couldn't install 6.2 because it kept crashing when I tried installing it, lol.

[Emperor Harkonnen]

what is spyware?

and I think that the msn toolbar was quite useful since I do not get any popups anymore now :)

[exatreide]

I just unchecked them and ran adware when i was done...Piece of piss  ;)

[GUNWOUNDS]

just installed it .. unselected the adware and all is good

[Timenn]

Spyware is something criminal, but strange enough there seems to be no law against it. But it is a piece of software which can be embedded in other software you use (like Gator, that is a confirmed one) spyware registers the things you are doing on your computer, often it is only which websites you visit, but they can log alot more, and the spyware then sends that information to the ones managing that spyware program. And they have contracts running with all kinds of third party companies, who pay for all that information on what kind of user you are of the internet, so they can send you more and more advertisiments.

In short words, spyware is a direct violation of privacy rights, and it still is used by all kinds of organisations...

(Adaware, a program that can track spyware and adware (advertisiment programs) down, and deactivate it. Not all though...

you can download a free version of it. Here is the link:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/

I wouldn't trust MSN btw, and there are alot of other things which can block popups as well...

---

I don't understand why laws aren't formed such criminal activity, yea, I think it is criminal, because it is all in direct violation of privacy rights.

[Caid Ivik]

Do you want someone Messenger 3 or 4? I use 4 as it has can upload larger files than 3, but still have no idea why should I upgrade it further  ;D

[Cyborg]

Do you want someone Messenger 3 or 4? I use 4 as it has can upload larger files than 3, but still have no idea why should I upgrade it further  ;D

Security reasons.

Earlier versions have serious security holes in them that may allow viruses and other bad things to pass through.

And regarding the MSN Messenger 6,2 installer, I am so happy that they do it that way...

You shall read through any installation process, and this teaches some people a lesson.

[Timenn]

Why? People should get punished for skipping through an installation?? What kind of sick idea is that, do you really think that justifies such a very sick installation guide...?

MSN uses this to trick people, not to "teach them a lesson"...!

[nemafakei]

"viri"

Plural is viruses, going like genius and syllabus.

[Cyborg]

Ok, I got a bit confused about that, because I saw Symantec using viri on the plural of virus.

[Cyborg]

Why? People should get punished for skipping through an installation?? What kind of sick idea is that, do you really think that justifies such a very sick installation guide...?

MSN uses this to trick people, not to "teach them a lesson"...!

I know they do it to trick them, but it teaches people a lesson...

Too many people today are just clicking yes on all windows that pop up and so on and so forth.

You could avoid many problems just by taking a quick look at each screen.

I do that, and I also checked "no thanks" for ads...(default was on)

[Timenn]

So you really think that people should be punished because they don't realise that skipping through installations can cause some problems?

Stop looking at this through only your own eyes! Do you even realise that dozens of computer users don't even know what installing is for?! They just think: "Hah, I now want MSN!", and they don't really understand why they should do all the installation stuff, "Why can't a program not just work when I downloaded it?"

So they just skip through the installation, because they have no idea what a toolbar is ("hmm, a storage plank for tools?") and some even don't know in what folder to install things, because they can look at folders at an entirely different way then we do. Maybe they see it as some sort of fundamental structure, where everything needs to be put in a right, preset, place. And then they have no clue where to put all the files...

MSN isn't some kind of high-tech program, that is only used by advanced computer users. It is used by beginners as well.

This may sound harsh, but it is because of people like you that the computer world is such an unwelcome place for newcomers. While that could easily have been avoided...

[Cyborg]

That is really just bad for them.

If you use a computer often, then you should care about learning at least the basics about installation and such...

It's like using a car without knowing anything about it. "Huh? Why did my car just stop?... Petrol you say? How do I acquire that? Oil? What's that?"

[Timenn]

Wow, you are really caring for other persons eh? Nothing can go outside your little world eh? ::)

"It's like using a car without knowing anything about it. "Huh? Why did my car just stop?... Petrol you say? How do I acquire that? Oil? What's that?"

Ah, yes... but for driving a car you can take lessons, with a human instructor included. And you know what... A human instructor can make this sooo more clear and understandable...

(And forget about computer lessons you can take, we both know that such lessons don't give you the full insight...)

[Cyborg]

Well, I don't have much left for those who don't get even the basics of what they're doing.

If you don't know what an installer is, get someone else to install your programs...

Wow, you are really caring for other persons eh? Nothing can go outside your little world eh? ::)

(And forget about computer lessons you can take, we both know that such lessons don't give you the full insight...)

Well, in Norway, we learn a little bit(however, extremely little) about the use of the computer at school, and it helps.

And computer lessons do help, but they have to be taught by someone who knows his stuff... At most schools today, the pupils know more than their teachers about computers.

[gryphon]

same as with the car. . we learn to drive it but not to change or install parts into the car. .that's just for a selective group...

Most younger people who are in school now are the so called Windows generation. They know perfectly well how to login, play music and video files use the internet and download whatever they want. But when you start about reg-editing [ let's be hounest, the basic way to controle the Windows OS ] is beyong the scope of even most web-designers and other grafical hig end users. People who do really skilled things with PC's. . just still don't know those features.

being more technical, I doubt even the majority of Linux users who claim to know a lot about computers know how to do the same things they like Linux for with the Windows registry [ it is possible ].

We can pretend that most computer users are kids who want to know their machine, but I doubt thats even close to the truth. Elderly, just regular Jo's who don't want to learn about computers when they got home from work but just use the thing. And the kids, who just think the Windows interface is the only thing about the Software. You know Operating System not many people know anymore, or can grasp the meaning of it.

In todays world software is developed by engineers, with a whole lot of functions and feature for engineers. For poeple like you [ cyborg ] mentioned want to know things about computers, want to learn how to interact and use a computer. This way of designing things is however not realy customer, of even function related. The engineer provides the design, not the function of the devise. Nor is there a inhouse-end-user with a firm that checkes if computer software is even developed for the marker group it's targeting with the software.

Software is designed by and for enigeers, not for regular Jo's who just want to use a computer.

Yet, it is being marketed for being easy to use, functional and adjustable to your needs. While for most users, it's the other way around.

[Cyborg]

the "install parts into the car" thing would be about the same as software engineering... You work with things sometimes with strange names... Very few, and often educated people, do that kind of work. Just as a mechanic.

However, installing programs and such, is something you will have to do. Like fill petrol, as I mentioned above. You can drive for a while, but then suddenly this problem occurs. If you'd just care to learn about it, you would know how to handle it...

[Andrew]

The worst part is when they put a "(recommended)" phrase next to something that is not really much useful to the user, it is only useful to the company. Although some of the recommended things are good.

And you cant expect everyone to know exactly what is spoken of when installing a program.

At least they give you the option to not install items nowadays, compared to sometimes you would install stuff and it would be automatically installed anyway. (AOL!!!)

But they should be unselected by default for people who don't want to install a bunch of junk when they install a program.

[Cyborg]

The recommended thing is a whole other issue...

I'm strictly against trying to trick users to choose something they will regret...

[gryphon]

However, installing programs and such, is something you will have to do. Like fill petrol, as I mentioned above. You can drive for a while, but then suddenly this problem occurs. If you'd just care to learn about it, you would know how to handle it...

true .. but then why isn't their a general FAQ for those things .. or why doesn't the Microsoft Office course also focus on how to install Office ?

it's a part that is lacking in the computer / software industry..

You are not being tricked into anything. . you clearly have the option on installing it or not.

[Andrew]

Do you want to make X your home page?

Do you want to install these links?

Do you want to add desktop icons, group thingies, quicklaunch, taskbar? (which actually serves a purpose.)

And then they add second party apps.