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Gator Files for IPO to Raise $150 Million
michalas writes "Wired reports on the IPO filing of adware/spyware kings Claria who have recently changed their name from Gator.
Claria on Thursday filed for an initial public offering to raise $150 million to continue developing its 'behavioral marketing platform.' Claria had a net income of $35 million on revenues of $90 million in 2003. In addition, Claria said it has 43 million active users and 425 advertisers."
Is a special transmitter that sends back information on where you place it.
Cost of privacy = 150,000,000 / Claria's victims
Our greatest enemy is neither a single man, nor is it a nation, it is, as it has always been, our own greed.
Suckers. Big-time suckers.
They only deserve to lose their money.
They are now Claria, that is so much less predatory than Gator. They were just misunderstood.
Claria said it has 43 million active users
...of those 43 million "active users" only three are actually aware that they are running Claria's "product".
Of which 7 know they are.
What a coincidence, as I'm starting an IPO shortly, too! We're hoping to raise $150 million, which will be metered out as payment for the head of each Claira investor.
DRM = Digitally Restricted Media. This is a viral sig, pass it on.
If he is, we need to tell him about a coupla punks in Lindon, Utah who been talkin shit about the boss.
Here's what they're saying about Gator stock:
"I love the way Gator takes my money and saves it for a rainey day!"
"Gator stock is so stable, I can't imagine investing with out it!"
"I love the way my income depends on Gator stock it make me feel secure!"
||| I still can't believe Parkay's not butter.
"In addition, Claria said it has 43 million active users and 425 advertisers."
Don't forget the 71 million ticked off ex-users.
Also, Claria said their certificates represent "the latest in investor-tracking technology." Claria's executives plan to use the small audio monitoring devices embedded in each certificate to learn valuable insider information about upcoming shifts in the stock market. "This represents a new direction in the stock market. Never before have companies used their stock certificates as a way to gather valuable investor information," said Claria's CEO in a press release today extolling the virtues of Claria's new business venture.
Addressing privacy concerns, he also mentioned that, "Anyone buying this stock knows exactly what they're getting into. We fully disclose all information about our monitoring technologies to anyone who bothers to break into our company's vault and read the encrypted data therein. Anyone who claims they were misled about privacy simply hasn't done the proper espionage expected of both parties entering into any contract. After all, if you don't catch us spying on you, it's your fault."
That's it. I'm no longer part of Team Sanity.
That would be like Hepatitis C Inc., boasting about their 500 million customers. This reminds me of Mel Brook's radio skit about the LMNOP Advertising Agency: "We just got the Cholesterol account. We're trying to move Cholesterol into the American heart. It's going to be tough, but we'll win. Advertising is a lot stronger than life."
Calling the Gator software GAIN was just an attempt to try to associate themselves with a clean, fresh scent.
Users Install gator!
I hope no one buys their stock.
That's what the handy-dandy X button is for.
Man, someone needs to go Steve Irwin on that gator's ass...
You can't take the sky from me...
Claria take their name from Chlamydia, a common sexually transmitted infection that many people do not know they carry. Someone in the advertising/PR department must have had a bit of fun with that one ;)
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Claria said it has 43 million active users and 425 advertisers
Er, no. Try again. How about:
Claria said it has 43 million active victims and 425 parasites
Ditto, as linux user, I happily welcome anything that makes the ms-windows experience that much more unbearable.
It's All Politics
me too :)
We've always been at war with Eurasia.
that the company now has $150 million that can be targeted by the enterprising trial lawyers. Let the litigation begin!
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
In a follow-up to this story, after Gator announced it will change its name to Claria, Spyware changed its name to Gator citing brand recognition and popularity as primary reasons....
1. Build up spyware company and infect millions of clueless people's PCs with your crappy software.
2. Change name and then sell stock, ranting about how many "active users" your product services.
3. Flee the country with ill-gotten gains.
4. Profit! (Assuming you picked a country without good extradition treaties with the U.S.)
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
same here
HI, MY NAME IS ISAAC.
Were is the hunter when you need him?
I just hope that with this new found money they'll be able to port their excellent product to Linux.
I've been meaning to switch from Windows for years, but since it doesn't run Gator, I just can't see myself making the switch.
Remember, Phillip Morris owns Kraft, and many more brands you wouldn't think!
May favourite is when tobacco companies say "we're concerned about youth smoking." Yeah, deeply concerned that it won't continue. If it wasn't for youth smoking they wouldn't have much of a company. That's when everyone starts.
Hmmmm, so thats what their calling crap nowadays.
Sig? What Sig?
They wanted SCUM but were told that a small company from Lindon, Utah has dibs on that one...
Consultancy: If you're not part of the solution, there's money to be made in prolonging the problem
When will Gator move to open source?!
I think you should be very wary of buying their stock, and if you do, read the small print on the stock purchase agreement. It may be that by buying their stock and installing it into your 401k, you agree to allow them to make modifications to your 401k, withdraw money from time to time, and present you with personalized advertising every time you use your ATM card...
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
n/t
Step 1: Short this stock
Step 2: Coerce/Beg/Convince MSFT and others to license AdAware & include it in a free "update"
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit and maybe hang out with Martha Stewart for awhile.
Damn... didn't think this thru. She'd make me giver her my shirt to make a "Nice Ghetto Chic" throw rug.
But really, how do we screw this up for them?
Why do I have this? I don't smoke.
Ad-Aware should advertise on Gator...
You can train a lot of ninjas for $150 million. The kind that don't leave any trace.
Honestly, when I first saw the name Claria, I thought "...isn't that the name of some penis-enlargement pill I got in my inbox the other day"?
"Claria said it has 43 million active users and 425 advertisers."
You've misspelled "involutary".
Fred
"A fool and his freedom are soon parted"
-RMS
I beleive the preferred method, would be to flood news outlets with negative information until the stock plumets to pennies on the dollar. Then pick it up and change the titles of everyone in the company to "towel boy"
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.