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OpenDNS Says Google-Dell Browser Tool is Spyware
PetManimal writes "David Ulevitch, the founder of OpenDNS, claims that Google and Dell have placed 'spyware' on Dell computers. Ulevitch made the claim based on his observation of the behavior of the Google Toolbar and homepage that comes preinstalled on IE in new Dell machines. He says that a browser redirector sends users who enter nonexistent URLs to a Dell-branded page loaded with Google ads. Another observer, Danny Sullivan, says that this is a different result than what happens on PCs without the redirector. However, the original article notes that Ulevitch has a vested interest in the results of mistyped URLs."
Now I work for a fortune 500 company and guess what we do with every box we get from Dell? Re-image it.
Now, for the 99% other Dell customers, this is just purely unfortunate because I'm not so naive to expect everyone to know how or why they should take the above actions. I hope that all the virus scanning apps (HiJackThis, Lavasoft's Adaware, etc) get this thing because Adaware is about the most useful thing I can show my family how to use frequently enough to keep the computer protected.
This sounds a lot like something the old Gateways would do. Huh, I never would have thought Dell would reach that level but, well, here we are. The important thing is to factor this in when you're thinking about a new computer. Hopefully some competition will spring up for Dell and, you know, quality of the software (not just the hardware) will start to matter for Dell.
My work here is dung.
This seems like junk that Dell have installed to make some cash one the side. If firefox bundled the same dns hijacker then who would you blame? Firefox or google?
Just because google make the tool doesn't mean its their fault that it is installed by default in a spywareish fashion.
The issue here is that Google / Dell beat OpenDNS to the punch. Both accomplish the same purpose: when a user types a malformed URL into the address bar, they get an "enhanced" experience.
OpenDNS is bummed that Google figured out a way to make money off the proposition. OpenDNS should have thought of that first.
To Copy from One is Plagiarism; To Copy from Many is Research.
Dell is "monetizing" mistyped URL traffic, like OpenDNS. The customer has a choice which DNS server he uses and which preinstalled software he gets with a new computer (by choosing different vendors). Both do the same, for the same purpose. If I had to choose between the two, I'd choose Dell. At least they don't fly under a false flag, like OpenDNS, which only claims to be Open for marketing purposes.
http://www.iwebtool.com/domain_lookup?domain=www.g oogle.com
Age of domain 9 year(s), 9 month(s) and 9 day(s) - Online since: 15-Sep-1997
P.S. Roll your monitor 180 degrees.
... Or at least _not only_ The same behaviour happens on my company issued Dell D820. It comes loaded with IE6 and NO Google toolbar and yet when I mistype a URL I do not end up at the MSN search page like on any other IE installation! Instead IE redirects me to a Dell branded Google search page full of Google commercials.
I'm sure slashdot denizens will have a good time discussing how useless the bundled software and trialware that comes with Dell computers is, and how the sensible thing to do is reinstall from scratch, but that's been the case for a while. There is zero story here.
The fact that it sends you to a custom page if you make a URL typo does not mean it is spyware. That's a visible change, and you would be hard-pressed not to notice the effects of the software, or the fact that it sends you to a Dell branded page.
Since Dell ships it to you that way, you have no meaningful opportunity to establish an expectation that the Dell system behave differently. I.E. Since the software "comes that way" for you, it's not as if the software made a change to your computer without your permission.
So not only is it not spyware, it's not malware, or software that secretly modified your system without authorization (because, you see, your system came that way in the first place).
Lifehacker recently had an article on a piece of software called the PC Decrapifier. I haven't tried it, but it seems relevant to this thread.
Using OpenDNS redirects mistyped URLs to their own site.
_ money
http://www.opendns.com/faq/#how_does_opendns_make
How does OpenDNS make money?
OpenDNS makes money by offering clearly labeled advertisements alongside organic search results when the domain entered is not valid and not a typo we can fix. OpenDNS will provide additional services on top of its enhanced DNS service, and some of them may cost money. Speedy, reliable DNS will always be free.
Now, to be fair I use OpenDNS at home, but I find it hard to take this kind of warning from a person who makes money the same way.
Okay so you have showed that some people dislike the results that google provides to is BRANDED websites. First off how much of that is Google and how much is the BRAND? Second what you describe IS NOT SPYWARE!! Where did that claim come from?
Thanks for responding to this, but claiming that your monetized URL typo page is better than Google's hardly justifies your claims of spyware or lock-in. Every discussion of this article has been filled with stories of people who have removed the browser redirection. Let's face it, the sort of people that aren't afraid to use custom DNS servers usually also aren't afraid to remove programs from their computer. In fact, it seems like you used a lot of inflammatory language to mask what boils down to a simple advertisement.
And lost in all this is the fact that you seem to be redirecting google.com to your own servers. I really liked OpenDNS when it was just a DNS server, please trust your users to be able to follow instructions and stop intercepting their google queries.