Microsoft's New Spamming Technique

judges1617 writes: "Microsoft is now testing a beta version of their MSN Explorer that sends e-mails to everyone in your Outlook Address, informing them that your e-mail address has changed and invites them to to try MSN. Even the people who use MSN are complaining, but M$ refuses to acknowledge it is doing anything wrong. Read the whole story here" The best part of this article is the MS reps argument about why this isn't spam "The e-mail you received was an invitation from MSN Explorer, sent on behalf of an existing user who changed their e-mail address and wants you to try MSN Explorer." I guess we can add "Spamming" as another "Business" where Microsoft can use its monopoly status to its advantage.

Comments

Doesn't this violate the "virus" laws?

[plover]

I mean if you can be busted for writing Melissa, (which behaves in an identical manner) why not for this?

Multiple email accounts

[semaj]

I have several email accounts, for different reasons. If they all spontaneously decided to tell everyone to use one account, where would I be?

I don't see why this shouldn't be an /option/, but as the default it does seem a bit weird.


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A bit biased

[boing boing]

Jeez...this article is more about clueless newbies sending spam...the product specifically asks if you want to email ALL of your email contacts. Maybe a lot of people just didn't bother to read the message. The implementation is clearly bad, but that doesn't make the idea (allowing people who have just changed their address to send a mail to everyone they email regularly) bad.

Re:A bit biased

[jgerman]

Before I say anything else: Windows users generally ARE clueless newbies. That's kinda M$'s market no?

In any case it's one thing to automatically send out an informational note declaring a change of address. But I don't recall seeing anywhere M$ jinforming the user that they would be sending an ad/invitation or whatever. Most people would just assume they were sending a "hi my email address changed". Instead M$ is putting words into users mouths. They never said they wanted their contact list to try it.

I say we all d/l the software and put a hundred or so M$ email addresses in our address books, then we can invite M$ employees, support, or whatever to try the new MSN Exploder.

Re:A bit biased

[markt4]

Uh, excuse me, but it seems to me that there is a significant difference between "notify the people in your address book of a change of e-mail address" and "notify the people in your address book of a change of e-mail address and include in that message a totally unsoliciated advertisement implying your endorsement of our service and we are not going to let you read this message before we send it out".

Re:A bit biased

[ichimunki]

Windows users generally ARE clueless newbies. That's kinda M$'s market no?

Given the sheer number of personal computers and smaller servers that exist in the world and run under Windows 9x/2k/NT/CE, I'd say that their target market is pretty much anyone and everyone who uses a computer for anything, ever. To try to equate "Windows users" with "clueless newbies" is nothing short of insulting to the computing population as a whole. I'm guessing I can count on one hand the number of computing professionals who, at some point, haven't been willingly involved in some way with MS products, including their foul GUI.

I say we all take a solemn vow to simply avoid Micros~1 products as much as possible and to stop treating them as though they were actually important in the world of computing.

Re:A bit biased

[B.D.Mills]

I agree completely.

It's pretty clear how completely distorted the thinking of these Microsoft marketing people is. From the article, a representative of Microsoft's customer support department is quoted as saying: "The e-mail you received was an invitation from MSN Explorer, sent on behalf of an existing user who changed their e-mail address and wants you to try MSN Explorer." (Emphasis is mine.)

It's pretty clear that Microsoft is intending to put words into the mouths of their users with statements like that.

The usual definition of "spam" I employ is "unwanted and unsolicited commercial or bulk e-mail". This alleged Microsoft product meets both of these definitions.

One problem with anti-spam laws is the way some anti-spam laws are worded. It would be the users that would be prosecuted and not Microsoft. But the good news is Microsoft could be prosecuted for making and trafficking a product that sends unsolicited commercial e-mail. It is clearly a trojan feature in their product.

I feel that Microsoft should get advice from their lawyers on anti-spam laws, other laws relating to unauthorised access to computer equipment and e-mail fraud before releasing this product. If they don't, they could be in for an interesting time in the courts later.

---

Disclaimer: IANAL. IDNLITUSA. (I am not a lawyer. I do not live in the U.S.A.)

--

Polar opposites...

[mr.ska]

M$: 90+% of the home operating system market.
Apple: has some home operating system market.

M$: monopolizes with its bosom buddy Intel. Boring hardware.
Apple: can't monopolize to save its life. Funky, powerful hardware.

M$: spams their users.
Apple: sues anyone trying to tell their users about new Apple stuff.

Sigh. It's stuff like this that makes me want to load up QNX and just hide in my basement...

Lock-in

[Shotgun]

Just another example of lock-in techniques from the monopolist. I get an offer for a free month of MSN, so I say, "Heh, it's free. Let's see why everyone trashes MSN so much." I install it, then everyone get a notice to change how they reach me.

Once I discover why everyone has been dissing the service, I have to either manually inform everyone that the previous message was bogus spam generated by MS crapware, that I was only testing out their service to see how bad it was, that it was so bad that I'll never use it again and that they should send emails to my real address, or I keep the service since that is how everyone knows how to reach me.

It's a testament to my cynicism that I believe most people would opt for the second choice.

I don't notice anything different...

[lwagner]

I don't know what you guys are talking about...Mine seems to work fine...

---

"I recently began using a new product from Microsoft called MSN Explorer. With MSN Explorer, you can send and receive e-mail, exchange instant messages with me and the millions of other people who use MSN Explorer, browse the Web and much more. MSN Explorer even offers an exciting new look for using the Web and makes it easy to find and play music online. Want to try it out? It's FREE! Just click on the link below and follow the download instructions."

--
Spindletop Blackbird, the GNU/Linux Cube.

Um...

[Fervent]

To Microsoft's credit, you have to press a couple of buttons to "accidentally" send this spam (read: you are an idiot). The program even tells you the subject line of the spam right before you ok to send it ("Come try Explorer Preview" or something like that).

IMO, if you go through a few clicks and see something as blatant as that, you shouldn't click "OK" and complain about it afterward.

Where to dou want to go today?

[jbarnett]

This is an automatic message from the new Windows Messaging software information you that _Bob Sagertion_ has change his desktop wall paper quickly and easily with only 2 clicks of the mouse. That sure is easy, please try using Microsoft Windows 98 with imbedded Windows Messaging Software to allow YOU to take advantage of this great new fearture.

This email would also like to information you that _Bob Sagertion_ has not only moved his mouse, but has also used 2 clicks in the last _12_ seconds. How do you know so much information about _Bob Sagertion_ ? With the new Microsoft Mouse Monitor Util imbeded with Microsoft's own Windows Messaging. If you would like these great feartures YOU TO can get Windows Messaging for the low price of $19.95.

The next time _Bob Sagertion_ has made any changes or has interacted with a peice of Microsoft's Windows Messaging software, you will receive notice of this. If you would like YOUR freind to take notice of any IMPORTANT things you do with your computer, like change email address, store your persoal private journal or even make a mouse click, then please check out Microsoft's Windows Message software for the low price of $19.95

--

Also on a side note, Microsoft is suing Norton Anti-virus software for detecting and delete any messages Windows Messager is sending out. Due to the lack of AI in Norton's software, it can't tell the differant between this GREAT NEW SOFTWARE and the hoard of outlook worms/virii out there.

On a related topic, Mr. Norton knew caps has been shattered by an unknown person(s).

Have a nice day,
Windows Messaging software and Paper clip harry

MicroSnot isn't the only one...

[LordStrange]

I think most mega-dialup ISPs are doing this sort of thing. I know Sprint/Earthlink does it. They do ask if you want to notify those in your address book, but they fail to mention the marketing crap that they attach.

It is distasteful, but it's not a Microsoft only thing.

Re:MicroSnot isn't the only one...

[mr.ska]

It is distasteful, but it's not a Microsoft only thing.

...but it is a distasteful Microsoft thing. So we're allowed to whine, hiss, and spit. Aren't we?

License: By reading this you are agreeing that you agree with me.

Yes, I agree that I agree that that sentence is your licence.

This is part of their new strategy...

[Wellspring]

You think this is bad, you should see what else they have on the way:

Internet Explorer: Automatically posts to slashdot announcing that you are now using Internet Explorer and that we will all be assimilated.

MS Word: Prints a letter and envelope, complete with Estamps, to everyone in your address book, then uses Orbital Mind Control Lasers to make you sign, seal and send them. MS charges the estamps to your credit card.

MS Money: An 'affiliate' program. They send spam announcing that you use MS Money, then offer five bucks to people who switch, also. The money comes from your bank account. (After all, they didn't get this rich writing big checks. Buy 'em out, boys!)

Re:Email address books are for wimps

[Tackhead]

if you can't memorize the email addresses of the hundred or so people and mailing lists with whom you regularly correspond, you shouldn't be using a computer.

Actually, while I think you meant it in jest, I think it's true.

My name isn't unique. There are a million John Does in the world. At work, I'm john_doe@johndoescompany.com, and at home, I'm jd@johndoesisp.net. Those are two unique identities.

Nothing bugs me more than carrying on a conversation with foo@bar.com, and having him "reply" to the wrong address because "John Doe"'s work address is above his home address in foo@bar.com's "address book". Not only do I not necessarily want personal correspondance at work, but now I have to forward that mail *back to my home address* if I want to keep a record of it in one place.

Email addresses uniquely identify users. Names don't. We expect total drooling fuckwits to be capable of associating phone numbers (7 to 10 arbitrary digits) with individuals, so it's actually pretty goddamn reasonable to expect them to be able to associate an email address (a pronounceable string of characters often bearing a striking resemblance to the person's name) with an individual too.

And as for those who are saying that "mailing everyone in your address book when you change addresses isn't spam", read the article.

If it mailed everyone in your address book with "Hi. This is John Doe. I'm now on MSN and my address is john_doe@m_s_n_dot_com", it would be a misfeature, but forgivable.

It doesn't.

It says "I recently began using a new product from Microsoft called MSN Explorer. With MSN Explorer, you can send and receive e-mail, exchange instant messages with me and the millions of other people who use MSN Explorer, browse the Web and much more. MSN Explorer even offers an exciting new look for using the web and makes it easy to find and play music online. Want to try it out? It's FREE! Just click on the link below and follow the download instructions", and presumably follows it with a link to a Trojan. (Yeah, I consider MSN a trojan. Deal with it.) 100,000 quatloos says the spam's in fuckin' HTML, too.

If it walks like spam, smells like spam, and is made from potted meat product like spam, it bloody well is spam.

I've just added the strings in the above-quoted spam to my procmail filter. The response will be "550 MSN auto-generated spam rejected. Use a real ISP that doesn't turn you into a spammer."

As for Bill Gates and the marketer who came up with this shit, anyone whose sole view of the world is their own lower digestive tract should not be permitted to come within 20 feet of a computer, much less one attached to the 'net.

M$ is not the spammer -- YOU ARE!!!

[Stavr0]

No. This is much worse. By sending potentially hundreds of unsolicited commercial emails, you are violating your ISPs Terms of Service. When 5 or 10 of these posts trigger a spamcop report or other similar complaint, YAIT!

• You get TOSsed from your ISP and you'll have to spend hours on the phone to convince said ISP that "honest! it wasn't my fault!"
• 
  You lose some friends who now think your a MS sellout, spammer or worse
  Your email address will end up ORBS, RBL and several other blacklists, which means your (brand new!) email address is now useless
  Several of you friends will succumb to the suggestion, try MSN explorer and fsck themselves up too; hating you twice as much.

I nominate this one for the stupid crocky losing misfeature award of the year.
---

Re:Email address books are for wimps

[Tackhead]

> I cannot believe that these idiots are trying to claim that it isn't spam. It's auto-generated; it's ad-copy; and it's offensive to one's intelligence.

"This is not spam!" is the first cry of the spammer.

0) Spam is theft.
1) Spammers lie.
2) If you think a spammer's telling the truth, see Rule #1.
3) Spammers are st00pid.

(Footnote: Actually, "OooOOOOOHhonnnngggh! is the cry of the spammer. After I pound its balls flat with a mallet. The bit about "It wasn't spam, it was invitation to buy my product" only comes after they've regained the ability to speak. This is poor practice: when you whack a spammer, do it like you mean it. If properly whacked, the bits of goo around the server room will never recongeal into anything that has the ability to speak.)

Just like Friends and Family

[frankie]

I'm surprised that no one mentioned this yet, but it reminds me of the MCI Friends and Family fiasco. Remember that one? People signed up for cheap long distance to certain numbers, but MCI conveniently neglected to mention that they would call each of these people at dinner time and say "well, your friend so-and-so gave us your number and said that you should switch to MCI".

My extended family has boycotted MCI ever since. Too bad none of us use MSN right now -- we can't get indignant and drop their service.

For those interested in taking a look...

[painecave]

For those who want to take a look at the VB code, after installation of the software, go to the hidden folder:

C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNCoreFiles

(And do your self a favor and make get rid of it's hidden option)

There you will find a few .mar files. Don't be fooled, they are not short cuts to access databases as your windows may believe. Open em up in wordpad and take a looke. There is some junk in images and such, but there is also alot of VB. I wonder if the send program is in there?

BINGO

[painecave]

in file:

C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNCoreFiles\ui.mar

Do a search for 'recently'. It will take you to the message. Go ahead and edit it in wordpad to give yourself any email spam you would like to give.

My personal favorite is : Security through obscurity and bad press doesn't work very well. If I could do this, pray you have your VB scripting turned off.

Re:Who do you want to do today?

[coyote-san]

This is an automatic message from Windows Messaging to let you know that _Bob Sagertion_ was able to access his favorite web site, _http://hotdudesinaction.com_, in only click with hot new version of Windows ME!

Windows Messaging thinks you would also like to know that _Bob Sagertion_ is available at MSN Instant Messaging address _hungry-for-c*ck_ at this very instant!

You can join _Bob Sagertion_ at _http://hotdudesinaction.com_, or his instant message handle _hungry-for-c*ck_, by downloading your FREE trial version of MSN at the address below. (Or you can join his wife, _Sue Sagertion_, as she searches for _Salt Lake City Divorce Lawyers_.) Remember, with Windows Messaging you are sure your friends can always join you at your favorite sites!

<i>Bob always thought that the 'paperclip' seemed a little <b>bent</b></i>

The New ICQ 2000b (AOL) uses same type of tactic

[detritus.]

It appears that the new ICQ 2000b uses a tactic similar to Microsoft's, where users on your contact list are by default are sent an e-mail from you to log back on to ICQ after 30 days of not being online. While this isn't nearly as intrusive as MSN's browser's feature, it still is sending messages by default without the user's knowledge (unless they look at their preferences).

Yet more useless and annoying "features" added to ICQ's new releases after AOL's purchase of Mirabilis...

- Slash

Re:Hmmm - It seems the Linux Community cannot read

[Hanno]

I have clicked "no" on Microsoft's web site when I signed up for a minor download.

Ever since then, I receive constant updates from Microsoft's "Freedom to Innovate Network".

Unsubscribing did not help. Complaining to my local customer support of Microsoft Germany did not help (Several German MS employees asked "What is the Freedom to Innovate Network? I never heard of that.") Complaining to the US customer support did not help. Complaining to their US internet provider did not help.

Now don't tell me about "clicking no the for the love god" when it comes about a company that is too big to even care about me wanting their PR spin or not.

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