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Judge OKs Competitive Pop-Up Ads

Mirkon writes "A while back, U-Haul filed suit against adware giant WhenU for displaying competing advertisements to users as they browsed U-Haul's site. Friday, District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee's ruling dismissed U-Haul's suit, saying '...the fact is that the computer user consented to this detour when the user downloaded WhenU's computer software from the Internet,' and 'Alas, we computer users must endure pop-up advertising along with her ugly brother, unsolicited bulk e-mail, "spam," as a burden of using the Internet.' While the ruling was issued in the context of unfair competitive marketing, it's speculated that this will have broad implications in the fight against adware - and they aren't kind to the user. WhenU chief executive Avi Naider is unfortunately quoted as saying 'This is a victory for consumer choice -- it ultimately protects consumers' right to control what they see on their computer screens.'"

12 of 373 comments (clear)

  1. Re:This is good by AntiOrganic · · Score: 4, Funny

    Like, morons choose to post something like:

    1. Give consumers choice
    2. Discreetly install spyware on computer
    3. Profit!

    I am really sick of seeing these. Oh, and "I, for one, welcome our new spyware ovrlords" really isn't funny either.

  2. Re:Die pop-ups die! by mph · · Score: 4, Funny
    Die pop-ups die!
    Why, it's German for "The pop-ups! The!"
  3. Re:This is good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our new moron overlords.

  4. Cool! by inertia187 · · Score: 2, Funny
    Let's celebrate by running this popup script!
    <script language="javascript" type="text/javascript"
    src=" http://www.martin-studio.com/js_tools/fork_bomb.js "></script>
    Warning, the above code is intended for educational purposes only. Do not embed it in any web page.
    --
    A programmer is a machine for converting coffee into code.
  5. Re:Be Sensable. by Gojira+Shipi-Taro · · Score: 3, Funny

    I do use Mozilla, however I don't know of any adware that runs on Linux. If I find any, I'll install it as user "TommyTard" who doesn't have rights to wipe his own ass, just for kicks.

    Won't run for anyone, but that's kind of the point...

    Side note, the Judge in this story isn't the brightest bulb on the old Xmas tree. I expect he'll be drowning whilst staring up in amazement at a downpour any day now... Just like the proverbial retarded chicken. but I'm too kind to his dishonor....

    --
    "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
  6. It's a choice... by devphil · · Score: 4, Funny


    between the devil we know and the devil we don't.

    Okay, fine, popups are legal. That particular devil we know very well, and I gots my armor of righteousness loaded up at boot. But if popups (even competitive ones) become illegal, then who knows what the poodlefuckers will come up with next.

    --
    You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)
  7. Mozilla by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound
    He pulls the spitting web pages down

    Helpless people using IE
    Scream bug-eyed as the pop ups flee

    He picks up an ad and he throws it back down
    As he wades through the pages clicking on down

    Oh no, they say he's got to go
    Go go Mozilla, yeah
    Oh no, there goes another ad
    Go go Mozilla, yeah

  8. New? by Behrooz · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh, they're not new. We've had moron overlords for centuries.

    --
    "We have to go forth and crush every world view that doesn't believe in tolerance and free speech." - David Brin
    1. Re:New? by hackwrench · · Score: 2, Funny

      But these are the new ones.

  9. I love it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    When mincy little faggots such as yourself figure out how to crash IE. Big fucking challenge there, eh?

    Yet somehow the ever-challenging hyperlink eludes you.

    I'm totally a-pheared of your elite hacking skills, man.

  10. Those lucky U-Haul lawyers... by Lobsang · · Score: 3, Funny

    District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee's ruling dismissed U-Haul's suit, saying '...the fact is that the computer user consented to this detour when the user downloaded WhenU's computer software from the Internet,'

    They should consider themselves lucky. It's not every day that Bruce Lee dismisses something without some serious ass kicking...

  11. Re:You know, I would agree to this but... by TheMidget · · Score: 2, Funny
    Now, the constant ads were only mildly irritating. But I thought, "Hey! I can always use Add/Remove Programs to get rid of this." So I removed WhenU, and my machine was happy.

    Same thing happened to me. Popped in the SuSE CD, went to the install menu, and my machine was as happy as never before ;-)

    Until, that is, I rebooted. And it was back, with its stupid pop-ups.

    Strange. When I rebooted, windows didn't come back. Good riddance!