What Software Do Cable Installers Place on Your PC?

{e}N0S asks: "The cable guy came over to install a cable modem at my Dad's house. As I watched him do his stuff I noticed he was installing something called Broadjump Client Foundation. I know you don't need software for a cable modem to work so I asked if it was necessary. He said he had to do his list of things, and we had to sign that he did his list of things, otherwise he couldn't leave it with us to use. Since I can always remove the software, I agreed, but I noticed while he was flipping through the install, he was clicking 'agree' on every EULA that came up. Doing a search on Google for 'Broadjump Client Foundation' comes up with some pretty scary stuff as far as what it does, like: 'Builds a database of subscriber demographics and buying behaviors to help evolve and refine marketing efforts.' Now, how does this affect us? Neither myself or anyone in my family agreed to the software; the cable guy did. And is there anyway to get cable companies to stop doing this as I can imagine since the cable company is a monopoly in this town, that the percentage of people who still have this software on their computers is pretty high."

Comments

They tried.

[MKalus]

When I moved lately I had a guy come out as they needed to "configure my pc".

I showed him to my Linux firewall, he was surprised about the prompt but figured it was just DOS (ha).

Put in the cd, realised it was not DOS, took the CD out, turned to me and said: "Well, I guess you know what you're doing." And left.

Offically my Cable Provider (Rogers) is not supporting Linux / Unix but if you have a technical issue just bug the Second Line support and 99% of the time you get the Unix guy who answers your questions.

Re:They tried.

[slide-rule]

That gives me an idea: make a "D:" script that echos out a big series of cryptic warnings, errors, etc. about invalid path, DLL and/or VxD warnings, a few bells, and a half-complete panic message about the file system now being corrupt with enough sleep statements between the echo's to make it all "look good". Man... seeing a tech's face (or heck, even just family company) get all sweaty for thinking he just hosed someones system might make it worth it.

Re:They tried.

[Density_Altitude]

I had the cable guy come to my house to install the NIC/junkware too. When he arrived, I shut my linux firewall down, open the case, he gives me the network card that I put in and boot. Then he gives me his drivers floppy, asking me which OS I ran. I tell him I run linux and I don't need the drivers. The card is an old SMC 10mbit so I just compiled the ne2k-pci module, insmodded it and ifuped eth1 which I configured to use dhcp.
The best part was the look on his face when he saw the internet connection working right away without rebooting. (At the time they were supporting only win9x machines)

That's tough

[ONOIML8]

If you're going to play with their toys the you have to play by their rules. If their contract/TOS/whatever says you have to agree to have all that software and agree with the licensing to all in order to use their service, then I guess that's what you gotta do. But it's their system, their toys, so if you don't like it then don't play.

Now the installer was wrong. Very wrong. If you're gonna play by the rules then you should have read EVERY word of EVERY EULA and made the determination for each one. Since those are legal documents you would want to read carefully, perhaps consult with your lawyer on a few points. You could tie up that installer for a VERY long time. But for him to indicate that you accepted.....well, you might want to consult with your lawyer now.

Re:Nothing.

[Skirwan]

Screwed the cable line into the modem, turned it on, attached it to the Linksys router, turned it on, attached that to the LAN port on my Mac, turned that on, and presto! A working internet connection!

Step three... There's no step three. There's no step three!

:)

--
Damn the Emperor!

Re:What scares me just a little bit...

[adlai]

Maybe they're being blocked by the French authorities?

Damn French. :)

Re:he installed

[s20451]

Next thing you know you'll have spy wear and you can't remove it.

Yeah, like this.

Just say "NO"

[anthony_dipierro]

The cable guy came over to install a cable modem at my Dad's house. As I watched him do his stuff I noticed he was installing miniature cameras in my Dad's bedroom and bathroom. I know you don't need cameras for a cable modem to work so I asked if it was necessary. He said he had to do his list of things, and we had to sign that he did his list of things, otherwise he couldn't leave it with us to use. Since I can always remove the cameras, I agreed, but I noticed at the top of the camera was a small antenna. Doing a search on Google for 'Comcast minicam' comes up with some pretty scary stuff as far as what it does, like: 'Records toilet breaks and sexual escapades in order to enhance customer service' Now, how does this affect us? Neither myself or anyone in my family agreed to the cameras; the cable guy did. And is there anyway to get cable companies to stop doing this as I can imagine since the cable company is a monopoly in this town, that the percentage of people who still have these cameras in their bedrooms is pretty high.

Re:Have a honeypot

[clustersnarf]

I had a linux box as my "computer" when the cable guy came out a couple years back. It had Redhat 6.2 or 7 on it. I think it was running the FVWM295 stuff so it LOOKED like windows 95... they guy sat down at it after plugging things in and hit the "start" menu. He looked all over for about a minute till he kinda sheepishly looked at me... I said, It's linux, I better drive. Fired up a terminal, ran dhcpcd and grabbed an address. Sent him on his way. It was kinda funny to mess with his head like that though.

Re:Have a honeypot

[ViXX0r]

I did this because at the time I first got DSL, they didn't support Linux at ALL. So I stuck an old 200MB drive in the machine, and put Win95 on it, let him do his thing, then quickly removed the drive and sterlized it by fire :P

Re:That's great for Slashdot geeks...

[fialar]

Please take a complimentary course on "social ethics and justice" and call ME in the morning.

Capitalism is a short-sighted system that puts profits before people, dollars before the environment.

Free your mind, read Z Mag

Re:Have a honeypot

[clickety6]

Good solution because all non-geeks have at least two or three old PCs just lying around the place for emergenices like this!

Some replies

[anthony_dipierro]

• Have a bogus bathroom for him to install his camera in, which you can leave "unused" 'til you need to call support when you can shit in that bathroom if needed.
• • More amusing would be sending him to your outhouse. Let him try to figure it out. :)
• This is why I always opt for the self-install option with any ISP. I don't even like my wife watching me take a shit, nevermind some complete stranger. (Side note: Yes, she does have her own bathroom. So there. :P)
• Take them to small claims court and sue them for the time you spent removing the cameras.
• They use 802.11 to transmit their signal to the nearest spy truck. To find out exactly what they're doing hook up an 802.11 hub and analyse the traffic.
• If you're going to use their product, then you have to play by their rules. Forget about the fact that the installation guy might not be following the rules, and that as a monopoly service they are highly regulated by the government. Just bend over (for the camera) and take it.
• Tell them your policy does not allow anyone to install cameras in your house without passing an extensive personal background check, signing a non-disclosure agreement, and obtaining a million dollar bond payable to you upon breach of contract. Ask him for his personal address and phone number so that you can contact him when the background check is completed, and have him fill out a form giving you his social security number and permission to use it for the purposes of obtaining the background check.

Re:Have a honeypot

[Bobzibub]

My installer (at&t cable) got confused at lilo.

; )

-b

Kick him out of the house next time!

[grantedparole]

I noticed he was installing something called Broadjump Client Foundation. I know you don't need software for a cable modem to work so I asked if it was necessary. He said he had to do his list of things, and we had to sign that he did his list of things, otherwise he couldn't leave it with us to use.

This would have prompted me to kick him out of the house and demand that they give me a self starter kit.

G.

Re:Have a honeypot

[sckeener]

More amusing would be a Linux machine. Let him try to figure it out. :)

If the cable company is like my DSL support, then they wouldn't install it. Every time I have to call in problems with my DSL line, I have to lie and say I have a windows 98 pc. They usually then try to get me to do some basic networking troubleshooting. This can be hard to fake if you don't remember off the top of your head what the output is supposed to look like. If they catch me in the lie, I usually play the mad customer (which I usually am at this point) and demand they open a ticket for the issue. :)

One time...

[snowlick]

The guy that came over to install my stuff was a total moron. When signing up for my cable modem service I decided to do the "honeypot" idea with my Windows machine, which I figured would be easiest (let them screw everything up, then pull out the info I need after they leave). There was a spot of trouble which I didn't forsee, however: I use Apple Studio Displays on all of my machines, and he couldn't get over the fact that they aren't iMacs. When he got there he was like, "Aa, iMacs? They're fancy. I don't know how to install this stuff on iMacs. Let me call my supervisor..."

I had three clearly visible beige boxes under the table at this point, which obviously had the monitors connected to them, the keyboards, mouses, etc, etc.

I tell him, "No, man, these are all PC's."
"Yeah, cool. Hmmm..."
*fiddles with one of them running Windows98, dials number on cellphone*
"Yeah, what's up, man. Um, I got these iMacs here, and I was wondering what I should do..."
I just about hit him over the head with my chair. After some pressuring I got to talk to the guy on the other end of the phone, who gave me everything I needed to know(IP, etc). When I gave the phone back I could hear him yelling at the "installer."

"Oh, you mean that they aren't iMacs. That's crazy. They look just like em."

What the FUCK...

Re:interesting

[hosebee]

Karma: I invented putting my Karma: in my sig.

Yes, but I believe CmdrTaco holds the relevant patents. It's only a matter of time before you're PanIPed.

Easy Solution and Fun Too.

[teamhasnoi]

I keep all my cable installers and put them in a deep circular well in my basement. They scream and holler, especially when I tell them I'm going to make a fleshsuit out of their skin. I won't feed them until they put the lotion on. And I get all the channels for free!

Re:he installed

[bheerssen]

If he wants to install his software, I point to my mandrake box and say "sure have at it." Gets 'em every time.

Re:That's great for Slashdot geeks...

[TibbonZero]

"Scott, your ISP is not quite evil enough. You're semi-evil. You're quasi-evil. You're the margarine of evil. You're the Diet Coke of evil, just one calorie, not evil enough."

Re:Boss's Reaction to Lilo

[enneff]

Sounds like your boss is even more clueless than you.

Re:he installed

[Capt. DrunkenBum]

I did the same thing, except I pointed at my ancient SparcStation 2, running Solaris 7..

I thought he was going to rupture something. :)

Re:Have a honeypot

[mr_z_beeblebrox]

I have Wide Open West (WOW) cable internet, they are very Linux friendly and know how to do it right. BTW, the right way is "Oh you use Linux, I am just supposed to leave the modem here after I run the cable".

Re:he installed

[Anonymous Coward]

Better yet, I point to the SPARCStation LX running NetBSD. Sir, do you have SPARC binaries for that?

Re:investigate your cable connection

[thatguywhoiam]

Um... okay. I think I got it.

One question: my computer is the purple kind. Will that change anything?

sorry, couldn't resist.

Re:Have a honeypot

[shanebush]

Same fer me, but by a different method... The cable installer guy insisted he setup the machine, so I let him...

However, I had installed win98 in a VMWare virtual machine and had that running full screen when he did the setup... I patiently watched him setup the virtual windows and when he was through, signed off on it. Then I took my seat back, dropped the windows virtual machine back to a window and closed it. He had this strange look on his face when he realized what happened.

Oh well, he did his job.

Re:Missing the point?

[rilian4]

"1. Do it yourself. Know how to do all of this stuff as good or better than the service provider (and fake like you're an idiot customer with the spare Wintel box next to your connection for when you have to demonstrate the service provider has a problem)." I like this option. I uninstalled the software that was installed on my PC by the installer guy. Oh yeah, the guy installing my software refused to setup(nor new how to setup) email on anything other than Outlook Express(Which I refuse to use!). I let him do it and then copied the settings to my own email software after he left.

POKE 65495,0? You ARE old!

[Tsar]

For those who really don't remember (or who followed a different track to geekdom), executing that line on your TRS-80 Color Computer would make ROM cartridge programs run twice as fast, and bump up your BASIC program speed by about 50%. Of course, you'd better POKE 65496,0 when you're done, so your 'half-fast' cassette recorder would work again.

It wasn't all that noticeable with a single machine, but I once had a Beowulf cluster of these babies, and...

Re:Missing the point?

[budgenator]

something akin to keyword matching
ME: Do you you block out-bound SMTP traffic
AOL: Sir AOL doesn't block Email
ME: Well I can send mail out through my personal ISP through the website, but can not when connected to the internet through AOL.
AOL: Are you sure the website is configured properly, we aren't responsable for websites
ME:yes the website is configured properly, I can send Email from my Linux computer to the site through My personal ISP, and I can send Email from this Windows machine to the site through My personal ISP, but I can not I can send Email from this Windows machine to the site through AOL.
AOL: AOL doesn't suppport Linux
ME: My boss just doesn't belive me when I told him that AOL probably blocks outbound email to external servers as a SPAM prevention measure. Do you or do you not block SMTP on port 25 from going to non-AOL mail servers?
AOL: Yes sir, that is one of our Email abuse prevention measures.