Aluria has joined with WhenU

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,11723816~mode=flat

==========================Quote from TomCoyote ==========

This is a stunning development against the Anti-Spyware movement. Aluria has joined with WhenU supposedly to market a spyware scanner.... http://www.whenu.com/whenu_solution.html

=Quote=====

 WhenU is committed to protecting consumers' privacy and consumer PCs against dangerous spyware. This is why WhenU has teamed up with Aluria Software, a leading provider of anti-spyware tools, to provide WhenU consumers with UControl. UControl is the first product in the online advertising industry that provides a comprehensive scan of your computer and removes unwanted spyware programs, while continuing to provide the deals, offers and value consumers have come to expect from WhenU contextual products. Using Aluria's technology, WhenU's UControl Spyware Scanner: Rids your computer of dangerous spyware Protects privacy and personal information Prevents credit card theft Increases system performance Ends browser hijacking Enables consumers to continue to receive relevant contextual advertising, special deals and offers Innovation is the key to the survival of any industry, and WhenU looks forward to playing a pivotal role in this evolving field of consumer protection. This product will be ready for download on November 1, 2004.

===endquote======

Due to this development, Aluria is no longer a part of ASAP nor will TomCoyote site recommend thier products, I would like to have any other ASAP list on your own forums removed as well concerning Aluria's involvement. I would also like to suggest blacklisting Aluria from all future corespondance in the Anti-Spyware community and make sure we get the word out that their programs can no longer be trusted.

=================End Quote============

Quote from one post at - http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,11723816~mode=flat - comment by Eric L. Howes

The UControl anti-spyware application flagged FlashGet, which is installed on my computer. The problem is that it flagged the full, registered version as "suspect," not distinguishing between the ad-supported version and the full, registered version.

What does this mean? It means that WhenU's anti-spyware scanner is flagging a competing adware product -- a product that uses a similar advertising model as WhenU's own products and that competes with WhenU for advertising dollars. Unfair competitition?

Still worse, WhenU's scanner is flagging an adware application that is arguably MORE CONSUMER FRIENDLY than WhenU's own applications because FlashGet allows users to remove the advertising permanently.

What we have here is a case of utter hypocrisy -- an adware vendor who effectively bought protection from an anti-spyware vendor by partnering with that anti-spyware vendor is now distributing an anti-spyware product that flags the non-ad supported version of a product from a competing adware company that is arguably more consumer friendly than WhenU itself.

And Aluria is distributing its spyware application through an adware company that is arguably less consumer friendly than the adware its own anti-spyware product flags and removes.

The makers of FlashGet would be quite justified in being a little miffed at the treatment they're getting from the competition.

=End Quote=====

Message Edited by ChrisRLG on 10-30-2004 01:48 PM