Onpeed software now with unwanted Yahoo add-ons

I had consider Onspeed a good product, hence using it for 3 years.
Today my opinion changed when I downloaded the new version.

Onspeed had always given the option of installing the Yahoo toolbar,
which I have always declined, as I use Google and want some say over my
computer. Unfortunately this time there was no option to accept or
decline and I found the Yahoo toolbar installed and sitting on my
computer and also a 'Best Loans' button. I tried to uninstall it and
eventually found it could only be hidden.

I contacted Onspeed informing of my annoyance and the invasion of my
computer with unsolicited software. I was told "its part of the Onspeed
software...you cannot uninstall it...just hide it".

I have since discovered that the new version of the Yahoo browser will
not allow you to upgrade without also installing Norton Anti Virus so
it's not just On Speed using such a policy.

At approximately R300 per annum it is only fair to warn users prior to
downloading and therefore I will not renew my subscription.

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> I had consider Onspeed a good product, hence using it for 3 years.
> Today my opinion changed when I downloaded the new version.
>
> Onspeed had always given the option of installing the Yahoo toolbar,
> which I have always declined, as I use Google and want some say over my
> computer. Unfortunately this time there was no option to accept or
> decline and I found the Yahoo toolbar installed and sitting on my
> computer and also a 'Best Loans' button. I tried to uninstall it and
> eventually found it could only be hidden.
>
> I contacted Onspeed informing of my annoyance and the invasion of my
> computer with unsolicited software. I was told "its part of the Onspeed
> software...you cannot uninstall it...just hide it".
>
> I have since discovered that the new version of the Yahoo browser will
> not allow you to upgrade without also installing Norton Anti Virus so
> it's not just On Speed using such a policy.
>
> At approximately R300 per annum it is only fair to warn users prior to
> downloading and therefore I will not renew my subscription.
>
That software is crap anyway IMO.

All it does is compress everything down before passing it to you. Resulting
in pages with images that look very poor.
Best forget it altogether. The idea is nice, but the results are useless.
Anyhow, what the problem with the Yahoo toolbar? It can be hidden easily as
you said already, so hide it !!

James

James wrote:
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
>> I had consider Onspeed a good product, hence using it for 3 years.
>> Today my opinion changed when I downloaded the new version.
>>
>> Onspeed had always given the option of installing the Yahoo toolbar,
>> which I have always declined, as I use Google and want some say over my
>> computer. Unfortunately this time there was no option to accept or
>> decline and I found the Yahoo toolbar installed and sitting on my
>> computer and also a 'Best Loans' button. I tried to uninstall it and
>> eventually found it could only be hidden.
>>
>> I contacted Onspeed informing of my annoyance and the invasion of my
>> computer with unsolicited software. I was told "its part of the Onspeed
>> software...you cannot uninstall it...just hide it".
>>
>> I have since discovered that the new version of the Yahoo browser will
>> not allow you to upgrade without also installing Norton Anti Virus so
>> it's not just On Speed using such a policy.
>>
>> At approximately R300 per annum it is only fair to warn users prior to
>> downloading and therefore I will not renew my subscription.
>>
> That software is crap anyway IMO.
>
> All it does is compress everything down before passing it to you.
> Resulting
> in pages with images that look very poor.
> Best forget it altogether. The idea is nice, but the results are useless.
> Anyhow, what the problem with the Yahoo toolbar? It can be hidden easily
> as
> you said already, so hide it !!
>
> James

Toolbars and their ilk add significantly to the slowdown that people who use
IE6 suffer over time, toolbar after toolbar, clog up the system. Toolbars
are a curse, and if you must have one, ensure it is one, and only one, and
also ensure it isnt malware.

If the yahoo toolbar is installed as the OP describes, and without an
uninstall option, I would be a bit concerned.

It seems every piece of software you download tries to put some kind of
toolbar on, sometimes it takes some careful reading of the installation
process to ensure you dont get one, sometimes its opt in, sometimes its opt
out etc.

Firefox it seems is open to this shit also, I have had the google toolbar a
couple of times install itself with Firefox, despite me denying the request.

Gaz

Gaz wrote:
> Firefox it seems is open to this shit also, I have had the google toolbar a
> couple of times install itself with Firefox, despite me denying the request.

I suspect that that is a fault of the toolbar software, not of firefox.

Paul Cupis wrote:
> Gaz wrote:
>> Firefox it seems is open to this shit also, I have had the google toolbar
>> a
>> couple of times install itself with Firefox, despite me denying the
>> request.
>
> I suspect that that is a fault of the toolbar software, not of firefox.

The great selling point (if a free product can have a selling point) was
security and speed, with the software that uses holes in ie6 to generate
popups, hijacks and involuntary toolbars unable to penetrate it. The idea
is, that for any of these third party programmes to be able to associate
themselves with firefox, permisssion within firefox was specifically
required.

Gaz

Gaz wrote:
> The great selling point (if a free product can have a selling point) was
> security and speed, with the software that uses holes in ie6 to generate
> popups, hijacks and involuntary toolbars unable to penetrate it. The idea
> is, that for any of these third party programmes to be able to associate
> themselves with firefox, permisssion within firefox was specifically
> required.

Firefox allows plugins to install into specific directories - this is
how you get multimedia features such as Adobe Reader, Realplayer etc
integrated.

You can also install many additions using the Firefox management tool -
Tools->Addons or similar.

The same will be true of most popular web browsers.

Paul Cupis wrote:
> Gaz wrote:
>> The great selling point (if a free product can have a selling point) was
>> security and speed, with the software that uses holes in ie6 to generate
>> popups, hijacks and involuntary toolbars unable to penetrate it. The idea
>> is, that for any of these third party programmes to be able to associate
>> themselves with firefox, permisssion within firefox was specifically
>> required.
>
> Firefox allows plugins to install into specific directories - this is
> how you get multimedia features such as Adobe Reader, Realplayer etc
> integrated.


They require specific permission, in ie6, this seems to be optional,
dependent on the courtesy of the software provider.

> You can also install many additions using the Firefox management tool -
> Tools->Addons or similar.
>
> The same will be true of most popular web browsers.

If third party software can install itself into firefox without user
permission, then hasnt Firefox just turned itself into a tabbed version of
IE6?

Gaz

The rule should be that NOTHING gets installed or runs on MY computer,
unless I agree.
I am pretty much close to it, running both Spyblaster and Spybot.
Spybot monitors BHO (Browser Helper Objects e.g. toolbars) and lets you
delete them.
You can also disable them from within IE6 tools.

What got me over Christmas was Itv-f1.com opening a new window with either
Shelter or Cancer Research website EVERY time I clicked a link. Although I
barred the domains, it kept opening them, didn't have enough time to find
out what was going on.
Any one knows how STOP webpages opening other window(s) ? (When you bar them
they still open blank window)

BTW I have nothing against these charities, but could they think annoying F1
fans will get them donations ?
Are they really that stupid ?
Regards,
Martin

On Dec 27, 6:54 pm, "Gaz" <gaz...@msn.com> wrote:

> Firefox it seems is open to this shit also, I have had the google
> toolbar a couple of times install itself with Firefox, despite me
> denying the request.

Not quite sure what the point of the Google toolbar is in Firefox when
it comes with a Google search box built in anyway. But of course that's
besides the point.

Have a look at Preferences > Security and make sure "Warn me when sites
try to install add-ons" is ticked. Also click on "Exceptions..." and
see what's in there. By default it has three Mozilla sites in there.
I'm using Firefox 1.5-2.0 on Windows 2003 Server, XP, XP Pro and Linux,
and I've never had the Google toolbar install itself. In fact, I've
never even seen the Google toolbar in Firefox!

alexd

ale.cx wrote:
> On Dec 27, 6:54 pm, "Gaz" <gaz...@msn.com> wrote:
>
>> Firefox it seems is open to this shit also, I have had the google
>> toolbar a couple of times install itself with Firefox, despite me
>> denying the request.
>
> Not quite sure what the point of the Google toolbar is in Firefox when
> it comes with a Google search box built in anyway. But of course that's
> besides the point.
>
> Have a look at Preferences > Security and make sure "Warn me when sites
> try to install add-ons" is ticked. Also click on "Exceptions..." and
> see what's in there. By default it has three Mozilla sites in there.
> I'm using Firefox 1.5-2.0 on Windows 2003 Server, XP, XP Pro and Linux,
> and I've never had the Google toolbar install itself. In fact, I've
> never even seen the Google toolbar in Firefox!
>
> alexd

I don confess, on reconsideration, it might have being the yahoo
toolbar..............

Having checked the settings above, they are as default, as you described,
thats what bothered me so...
Firefox is regularly getting updates though, unlike MS who let IE6 whither
for the longest time.

Gaz