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Microsoft Gives MVP Award to Adware Pusher
An anonymous reader writes "Ed Bott reports that Microsoft has given an MVP (Most Valuable Professional Award) to an individual known for peddling Adware via his Messenger Plus program." From the article: "So how did a guy whose primary business involves installing adware become an MVP? That's what Christopher Boyd, a Microsoft Security MVP better known as Paperghost wants to know. Boyd isn't the only MVP who has a history with Patchou. Sandi Hardmeier, a current MVP in the Internet Explorer category who specializes in the fight against malware, has written three long, angry pages about the messy adware that 'sponsors' Patchou's product."
They recognize their kin.
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
I lolled. Euphemisms are fun! WGA is a "Consumer Protection Tool" weeee! A Trojan is now a "sheathed injection of digital harmony!" Yippe! Really this goes to show it's Us vs. Them. As long as MS knows 90% of their customers are blissfully unaware, they're going to reward these dorks.
the mods may say you posted flamebait, but to me it's a flame that warms my heart. rock on, brother! --chebucto
It's probably because these 'awards' are dreamed up and given out by 'Marketing' folk who are too stuck up their own arse to waste time talking to technical experts to find out if what they're doing makes any sense.
There is nothing interesting going on at my blog
A compairson of how Microsoft, Yahoo and Google are fighting to shove ads at users, and why adware strategies are eating away at Microsoft's ability to support and extend their desktop and remain competitive.
"Microsoft's insatiable greed has resulted in a poorly designed software platform, rushed to market in order to kill emerging competition. Architectural flaws have resulted in a security crisis for users, which has resulted in an unsupportable mess for Microsoft. Rather than working pointedly to solve their flaws and the resulting platform crisis, Microsoft as a company has chased after adware revenue, and has exposed users to further grief by being part of the adware problem rather than its solution."
It is quite useful, and I have used it in the past.
:-p
Upon install, it ASKS YOU if you want the advertisements installed.
You also have the option to purchase the program. Given how much arse it kicks, I think that this is a fair trade.
The author has changed sponser programs numerous times in an attempt to find one who doesn't lie about their sponsorship program. You can all guess how well that has gone over.
The irony of this all IS this though:
Messenger Plus got started as a way to remove the banner ad from MSN Messenger.
MS contacted him and asked him not to do that any more.
It doesn't do that any more.
It now ships with additional banners though.
Thus making the entire program useless!
If you check out the Messenger Plus website, it gives a link to www.mess.be which does all what Messenger Plus used to do, but for free, and then some more as well.
Need help treating your acne? Come here!
I've used Messenger Plus! for a very long time. The adware is clearly warned, you are given a very clear prompt whether to install or not install it, and it uninstalls cleanly, AFAIK. The guy has to get a return from his product, doesn't he? And Messnger Plus! itself, which I've been using since its early days, is a brilliant and very functional addition to MSN Messenger and I loathe using MSN without it. Sure, he might bundle Adware, but I don't think Microsoft gave him the award because of the adware, but because of the dedication and ingenuity he put forth in developing such a simple, powerful MSN addon back when Microsoft knew nothing about him, working from reverse-engineering the source and a general will to help make a good chat program better. I haven't been following MSN Plus! closely since I've moved to Linux, although it's still there in my Windows partition, but it is (or was the last time I checked) a great program with fantastic functionality, the adware portion of which is clearly marked and very easy to avoid installing, and the reasons for it as very understandable.
I would like very much to corner him in a blind alley at night with something heavy and blunt.
...your enlarged penis?
What?
I've been involved with PC's since 1979 and I'll tell you there has never been a better time to switch since about 1984. Back then we had Macs and Amigas. Then for about the past 10 years, there hasn't been a good technical alternative to switch away from Microsoft.
Today, the choices are more and better than at any time since the personal computers were invented. Vista is the final nail in the coffin for me. I'm switching to the Mac. I've had them for years, but in my opinion, Apple has finally gotten the recipe correct. Powerful, beautiful OS, Great software, well priced hardware etc etc. Heck, you can even get MS Office for the Mac. I've been using some of the new Linux distros, Ubunto, Suse... these are all great systems that have lots of software and are more than just toys for tinkerers.
If people switch to Vista it's because we want to, and not because they have to. So for people complaining they have no choice, they're not being honest with themselves. The choices are there. If you put yourself into these handcuffs it's your own decision.
I've reached my limit with MS.
You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
Mod parent up. There are several usernames spelling sponsor as "sponser", all are claiming the adware is fine and sparkly, and one of those accoutns was set up today. Microsoft MVP Adware Author = Shill.