Friday, September 02, 2005

Yahoo IM users get more than they bargained for

From the article:

"By accepting Yahoo's 'typical' installation of YIM with Voice, it will also download Yahoo's Search Toolbar with anti-spyware and anti-pop-up software, desktop and system tray shortcuts, as well as Yahoo Extras, which will insert Yahoo links into the Internet Explorer browser. The IM client also contains 'live words,' which will automatically show an icon when the user highlights words online and then hyperlink to Yahoo search results, definitions or translation tools. Finally, the installation will alter the users' home page and auto-search functions to point to Yahoo by default.

To avoid these changes, users must actively choose the 'custom' installation and uncheck five boxes."

I thought "we" (the collective computer using community) had made it crystal clear to companies that these kinds of tactics would cause us to abandon using their services and software. Since they need us to use their services and software in order to advertise to us, this is very counterproductive.

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