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Microsoft buying Claria has nothing to do with Gator, spyware, blocking popups (oh my). What they are after is Gain, which is a Claria product. The reason why? Might have something to do with Gain being the most advanced targeted advertising system on earth. Think about it, Microsoft want to extend MSN and have it compete with Google. The main Google attraction at the moment is the advertising model, you get specific ads, and retailers can tailer their ads to only the users who want to see them. For Microsoft to get here, they can either try to re-produce such a system themselves, or go and buy the *best* system for targeted advertising that exists at the moment, so they go to Claria! The net result is that MSN offers extremely targeted advertising, much better than what Google can offer, which increases the value of the ads meaning less ads are required! Quiet the opposite of the scenarios being discussed here thus far. From the Gain site:

GAIN Network advertising programs can generate click-through rates 20 to 40 times higher than traditional banner ads, because through GAIN, advertisers can reach consumers across the Web, at exactly the right time in their buying cycle.

Taking into account buying cycles for ads? Unheard of anywhere else (many other features such as this that Google currently can not match). The one disadvantage that Gain does have is that it installes software (smileys, free screensavers etc.) that are used to collect the information to tailor the ads. What Microsoft will have to do instead is use their MSN services (Hotmail, MSN messenger etc.) to get this data from the users. By extending the collection of data across the whole MSN install base, the value of reaching this network for advertises is orders of magnitude larger than anything else

End result? We all benefit.. MSN gets better advertisements, and if they follow Google's lead site owners will be able to integrate this technology into their own sites, and at the same time they drop all the crap that Claria used to carry because Microsoft will use their own software to track what ads it should send you.

GAIN Network advertising programs can generate click-through rates 20 to 40 times higher than traditional banner ads, because through GAIN, advertisers can reach consumers across the Web, at exactly the right time in their buying cycle.

I actually support Microsoft (Or any industry giant) buying yet another company in the same industry. Claria also owns GAIN Publishing which has some of the most annoying ads. Also, I must say that Claria software, seeing as they own an advertising agent, is seen around the web more often than much of the other annoying programs we see out there.

I actually support Microsoft (Or any industry giant) buying yet another company in the same industry. Claria also owns GAIN Publishing which has some of the most annoying ads. Also, I must say that Claria software, seeing as they own an advertising agent, is seen around the web more often than much of the other annoying programs we see out there.

Such as GAIN (producers of Gator).

If this is made illegal it _will_ make a dent. It will also significantly reduce the number of companies willing to advertise with a spyware vendor; if GAIN is made illegal no legitimate enterprise will buy ads on their network, which significantly reduces their potential profit.

It doesn't completely fix the problem, sure, but to say that it does nothing is simply not true.

You mean GAIN, not GAIM.

You probably haven't run MS products in years and still base your arguements off old systems.

Any technology that can install software and change your HKEY_CURRENT_USER settings just by visiting a web page is a security risk. I'd guess the root problem is that Windows has so many "Are you sure?" dialog boxes that users have been conditioned to "just click OK," even to an unsafe action such as installing any of GAIN Publishing's products.

Lets hope that Spyware companies don't get the idea that voice and video are spectacularly good ideas for their products. Oops, too late.

Use of something like Spam Motel highly recomended.

If you prefer another method of sharing your feelings. By all means SnailMail: GAIN Publishing, Inc. 2000 Bridge Parkway, Suite 100 Redwood City, CA 94065.
Their Fax Number is plainly listed as: 650-232-0400
For people in Redwood City, CA they even provide a MAP of their location

Who's lawyers called up theirs to tell them user license agreements would be violated

Many programs include Claria's GAIN Network software to deliver advertisements that fund continued development of the programs, with EULA terms to the effect: "You agree not to interfere with the function of the advertisement delivery software included with this Program."

Now I might be fooled into thinking that Claria wasn't spyware, but I thought that the name GAIN was still attached to it pretty closely. It makes me wonder if they will be rebranding this company too...

The public can't be that stupid, can they?

Wanna see what evil will be appearing on your network soon? Source: Claria

Date-Manager
Gator E-Wallet
Weatherscope
www.precision-time
gainpublishing
Searchscout

I know I've seen several of these installed already on our systems at work.

Once spyware, always spyware.