Spyware companies are full of crap.

[Raziaar]

Figured i'd send them an e-mail with a single, one line thing that they'd probably just ignore. I was surprised to get an answer, despite it being a shitty one full of lies.

Original Message Follows:
------------------------
From: "Raziaar" <[email protected]>
Subject: press question
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 09:52:32 +0000

Raziaar ([email protected]) writes:

Why do you illegally spy on peoples computers?

Raziaar,

Your email was forwarded to the support department.

GAIN Publishing programs are not Spyware because GAIN Publishing's Privacy
Policy specifically and clearly states how and why our programs must
contact the server, what information is collected, and how it is used;
and, users must review and accept GAIN Publishing's Privacy Policy and End
User License Agreement before our programs are downloaded to the users
computer (i.e. explicit, informed, consent is received by GAIN Publishing;
please refer to GAIN Publishing's Privacy Policy at
http://www.gainpublishing.com/help/privacy_statement.html for more
information).

GAIN Publishing believes it does not meet any reasonable Spyware
definition because of the following factors:

· Up front, full, plain language disclosure: GAIN Publishing clearly
states what will be collected from the user and why this must happen in
the privacy policy.

· No Unnecessary Information Gathering: as per the privacy policy, we do
not know who you are and we know nothing about you personally. We do not
store personally identifiable information or use it in any way. The
information that is collected is clearly spelled out in the policy.

· Formal Online Privacy Statement: located at
http://www.gainpublishing.com/help/privacy_statement.html

· Preemptive Request for Consent: The installation of any GAIN supported
program(s) is disclosed prior to the installation, at which time a user
may simply opt not to install the program(s).

· All GAIN supported programs are easily removable via the program's
uninstaller and/or the Windows Add/Remove Programs Control Panel. A few
minutes after all GAIN supported programs have been uninstalled, the GAIN
AdServer software is designed to self uninstall.

Heidi

So I followed it up with a reply, simple yet again, to see if i'd get a response.

Original Message Follows:
------------------------
From: Raziaar <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [#1450535] press question
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 09:44:00 -0500

But, it is impossible to remove the software without using some form of
adware/spyware removal program. Any normal program does not require such
'difficult' methods to remove, and generally remove every last piece
associated with it using windows uninstall.

Raziaar,

GAIN AdServer software is designed to self uninstall when all GAIN
supported programs have been properly uninstalled (using the Windows
Add/Remove Control Panel or the uninstaller provided with the program
group).

However, if any of our files have been moved or deleted manually by you or
another program installed on the computer, then the GAIN self uninstall
process will fail.

Do you have GAIN installed? If so, using Windows Explorer (steps below if
you need them), can you tell me if any of the following folders; Beach
Islands Screensaver, Butterfly Oasis Screensaver, Christmas Wishes
Screensaver, DashBar, Date Manager, Gator.com, Global Fireworks
Screensaver, GotSmiley, Magic Waterfall Screensaver, Midnight Lake
Screensaver, Moonlit Seaside Screensaver, Mythical Fountain Screensaver,
Paradise Lagoon Screensaver, PrecisionTime, SearchScout Toolbar, Seaside
Sunset Screensaver, SitePass, Turtle Beach Screensaver, Weatherscope,
WebSecureAlert, CMEII, and/or GMT are on the computer?

C:\Program Files\Beach Islands Screensaver
C:\Program Files\Butterfly Oasis Screensaver
C:\Program Files\Christmas Wishes Screensaver
C:\Program Files\DashBar
C:\Program Files\Date Manager
C:\Program Files\Gator.com
C:\Program Files\Global Fireworks Screensaver
C:\Program Files\GotSmiley
C:\Program Files\Magic Waterfall Screensaver
C:\Program Files\Midnight Lake Screensaver
C:\Program Files\Moonlit Seaside Screensaver
C:\Program Files\Mythical Fountain Screensaver
C:\Program Files\Paradise Lagoon Screensaver
C:\Program Files\PrecisionTime
C:\Program Files\SearchScout Toolbar
C:\Program Files\Seaside Sunset Screensaver
C:\Program Files\SitePass
C:\Program Files\Turtle Beach Screensaver
C:\Program Files\Weatherscope
C:\Program Files\WebSecureAlert
C:\Program Files\Common Files\CMEII
C:\Program Files\Common Files\GMT

WINDOWS EXPLORER:
To use Windows Explorer, RIGHT mouse click on the Windows Start button and
select Explore from the pop up menu.

When the Windows Explorer window opens, in the LEFT side pane, scroll up
to the very top (so you can see the options for Desktop, My Computer, C:\,
etc.).

Just below those items are folders (listed in alphabetical order), locate
the one called Program Files and click on the plus (+) sign in front of it
to open the folder and display the folders/files inside of it.

Once you can see the folders inside of the Program Files folder, do you
see a folder called Beach Islands Screensaver, Butterfly Oasis
Screensaver, Christmas Wishes Screensaver, DashBar, Date Manager,
Gator.com, Global Fireworks Screensaver, GotSmiley, Magic Waterfall
Screensaver, Midnight Lake Screensaver, Moonlit Seaside Screensaver,
Mythical Fountain Screensaver, Paradise Lagoon Screensaver, PrecisionTime,
SearchScout Toolbar, Seaside Sunset Screensaver, SitePass, Turtle Beach
Screensaver, Weatherscope, or WebSecureAlert?

Next scroll down and locate the folder called Common Files and click on
the plus (+) sign in front of it.

Once you can see the folders inside of the Common Files folder, do you see
a folder called CMEII or GMT?

Heidi

However, we all know they are full of crap, because GATOR is one of those spyware/adware things that are difficult to get rid of. The windows uninstall DOES NOT get rid of it. It always reinstalls itself.

 

[Vegeta897]

I did this once to some spyware company... They responded with BS of course. "We hate spyware too! We are not spyware! You must be mistaking us for someone else!"

Pretty amusing.

 

[AtomicSpark]

Haha.. thats silly because Gain is the #2 spyware company there is. I forgot #1 but like they have so much money they haven't even been found yet (their servers).

 

[Shodan]

Someone I know made a program called returnfire, if you know an IP that is giving you hassle, you can tell the program to send any data back to the source and also, you can make it install any of the bullshit that the bastard may have sent.


If you are going to reply to Heidi, state that her method of removing GATOR, fails to remove any registry keys, and it may be impossible to remove the aformentioned files anyway, because the program is still running.

****ing spyware companys don't even understand their own stupidity.