Alexa Now Installs With MS Update !

[bullgator]

Lavasoft.de seems to be down, try here for the download:
http://download.com.com/3101-2001-0-1.html?tag=pop

For a description of what Alexa used to do go here:
http://users.rcn.com/rms2000/privacy/alexa.htm

Now that MS has gotten hold of it who knows what its ET'n home.

[krohnjw]

Just toast webhance and alexa. Webhancer probably installed on the coat tails of something else you installed as usual. This is ridiculous by MS....more reasons to avoid XP for me . Thanks for the info though, ill forward it to some friends.

[vass0922]

Has anybody though to forward this message to news.com or slashdot?

[Geotpf]

http://www.alexa.com/prod_serv/msie.html

The "related links" feature, built in to MSIE 5 and above, uses this. Apparently, it sends back info to thier master server to determine which links go with what, IE, "people who surf here frequently surf here", like amazon.com's "people who bought this also bought that" thing. Possibly other things too. Rather icky that it's built in to Windows. It's also included in Netscape too:

http://www.alexa.com/prod_serv/netscape.html

Here's thier privacy policy:

http://www.alexa.com/company/privacy.html

(Note: Ugh.)

Also, check out these FAQ notes:

http://www.alexa.com/exec/faqsidos/h....html?index=12

...and...

http://www.alexa.com/exec/faqsidos/h....html?index=58

The second one seems to indicate that only the full version (which is a browser toolbar add-on) is actual spyware, because if you turn it off, it ain't spying any more. Dunno for sure though. It might be that adaware is detecting the nonspyware version in MSIE6 for some reason. But, again, who can tell?

[willy_ph]

Hmmm, that's a good idea Vass.

Maybe I'll whip something up for it. Unless someone has already got it covered.

[bullgator]

Good idea vass.......run with it willy

[samwichse]

I've tried to find several times the update file for adaware with the new spyware definitions (wow, I just had virus scanner flashbacks... ) because the definition I have is from 9/01, pretty old.

[awwall]

Samw, get this prog. It is used to update adaware to the latest sig files. I use it all the time.


http://www.jamcomputerservices.com/l.../refupdate.exe

<aw>

[bullgator]

Just uninstall the old one and grab the new one, I've had trouble in the past with the reflist not running correctly.