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Digsby IM Client Quietly Installs Badware

Posted by kdawson on from the pushing-the-envelope-and-the-bounds-of-good-taste dept.

An anonymous reader writes "IM company Digsby has quietly included malware in an update to their client software that utilizes users' computing power and bandwidth while idle for a quick buck. When questioned, developers at Digsby claim that they have done no wrong and that users should not complain because the client software is 'free.'" The money-making distributed computing software is in addition to six "crapware" apps that users must refuse during installation. The terms of service that no one ever reads does describe the CPU- and bandwidth-robbing moneymaker, and its off switch is located behind the "Support Digsby" menu item.

8 of 259 comments (clear)

  1. Re:You get what you pay for... and then some more. by Flea+of+Pain · · Score: 4, Funny

    free as in Willy

    --
    Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
  2. Re:You get what you pay for... and then some more. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    give it away for free with no strings attached without any need to release the source.

    I have hidden code in it to kill switch the software for users I don't like and more hidden code that detects their username from their internet cache and bans them from ever using my software again if they're already on my bad list.

    Sic.

  3. LOL! by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 5, Funny

    users should not complain because the client software is 'free.'

    Oh, I'd love to kick that guy in the nads and when he says "Dude! What up?" I'll say "Shut up! It was free!" and then he'd be all weepy like and I'd be all laughin' up in his face. Yeah, good times.

  4. Re:FOSS, maybe? by bitt3n · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why people never mention Miranda? It's probably the best free & open-source client for Windows, so much better than Pidgin.

    because anything you say via Miranda can and will be used against you in a court of law

    --
    how many pairs of boxer shorts should you own?
  5. Re:Nuisance of free software by sabt-pestnu · · Score: 2, Funny

    > Power costs money

    Knowledge is power.

    I KNOW how you can save money...

  6. Re:Free or not... by Mister+Whirly · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think they mean if you eat the product while in virtual reality, it is "fat free".

    --
    "But this one goes to 11!"
  7. Re:Nuisance of free software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ... or bone the CEO's wife when he's not around.

    "Dude, she's just lying there idle anyhow."

  8. Re:Nuisance of free software by Gandalf_Greyhame · · Score: 2, Funny

    Knowledge = Power
    Time = Money

    Substitute into the equation "Power = Work/Time":
    Knowledge = Work/Money

    Rearrange:
    Money = Work/Knowledge

    Therefore as
    Knowledge --> 0
    Money --> Infinite
    Regardless of the amount of work done

    --
    I am not stubborn. I am right!