A guy named paperghost over at Vital Security has written a scathing editorial on Patchous recent MVP award status. I'd like to point out that the opinion expressed herein is not that of Neowin, so don't shoot the messenger! -no pun intended.
If you'd created a program that installed Adware, would you be surprised if you were then awarded an MVP Award from Microsoft?
Well, step right up Patchou AKA Cyril Paciullo, creator of Messenger Plus! I first heard about this while stopping over at his website, and was surprised to find him lurking in the Windows Live Developer section on the MVP site. That's him, down at the bottom of the page.
For anyone who doesn't know about the controversy surrounding this program, its an add-on for Windows Messenger / Live / whatever they're calling it this week. Problem is, it comes bundled with LOP, a major source of annoyance and anger for web-users since, oh, ages ago. Yeah, it now gives you an improved option as to whether you want to install it or not - but that's hardly the point, is it? There's a long history here of potentially deceptive installs and the standard, yawntacular MsgPlus apologist line of "It doesn't do it anymore, so you have to let him off the hook, lol" is the kind of (amazingly poor) thinking that companies such as Direct Revenue are using to avoid legal smackdowns.
Link: Drama unfolds in comments section of Vital Security
News source: VitalSecurity
If you'd created a program that installed Adware, would you be surprised if you were then awarded an MVP Award from Microsoft?
Well, step right up Patchou AKA Cyril Paciullo, creator of Messenger Plus! I first heard about this while stopping over at his website, and was surprised to find him lurking in the Windows Live Developer section on the MVP site. That's him, down at the bottom of the page.
For anyone who doesn't know about the controversy surrounding this program, its an add-on for Windows Messenger / Live / whatever they're calling it this week. Problem is, it comes bundled with LOP, a major source of annoyance and anger for web-users since, oh, ages ago. Yeah, it now gives you an improved option as to whether you want to install it or not - but that's hardly the point, is it? There's a long history here of potentially deceptive installs and the standard, yawntacular MsgPlus apologist line of "It doesn't do it anymore, so you have to let him off the hook, lol" is the kind of (amazingly poor) thinking that companies such as Direct Revenue are using to avoid legal smackdowns.
Link: Drama unfolds in comments section of Vital Security News source: VitalSecurity
Obviously the person who wrote it feels that it'll be good with hits and the people who don't know better believe every bit of it. He doesn't even have the journalistic integrity in creating satire thus he results in using a mocking tone...what a bitch...if i could I would slap him.
It's a useful addin. I boycotted it immediately when he didn't give the option, but it is so blatently easy not to install the adware part that you deserve it if you do.
The current option in version 4 is nearly idiotproof, even my 6 year old bro would know not to install it.
The current option in version 4 is nearly idiotproof, even my 6 year old bro would know not to install it.
...you'd be surprised.
Kudos to the writer!
"Oh but the spyware is optional"
..... Spyware OPTIONAL? Come ON, give me a break. Since when did people WANT to get spyware?
That's like asking "Do you want me to take your money from you?" Nobody will rightly say yes!
Sorry, but if its optional, and a pain in the butt, it NEEDS to go. Its for the good of the user!
No, there wasn't sarcasm in that either. Want to flame? Dont bother. YOU know its true.
Though I do agree with you on the point that it shouldn't be there, but Patchou needs to get some form of revenue through the addon, it's extremely rare to see FREEWARE developers having absolutely no form of revenue created through their application.
Personally, I love msgplus and am glad patchou got this. Good job Patchou and keep up the good work
The software is great and if microsoft want to reward the program then they can and will - nobody's awards ever take into account the boxes the software comes in so why should an award for an online-only program be punished for the form in which it is delivered?
MSN Messenger
Hotmail
Gmail
Yahoo Mail
Neowin
To name a few. This arguement about Plus! is a dead horse. There is an option to NOT install the sponser program in the setup, it your own damn fault for not reading about what you are consiously installing on your own computer.
If the software were being silently installed, this would be another matter entirely. Patchou makes no attempt whatsoever to hide the fact this software is included with Messenger plus, and includes a detailed section in his FAQ on the site.
Anyway, I think the article writer has a point and I'm not stupid enough to realise that yes, its a choice to install it. It is however an add-on, not a stand-alone application that adds software that Microsoft recognizes as a threat, so basically they awarded a programmer with MVP despite this obvious status he gets on Microsofts own scanners. I see that as room for discussion.
Thanks for your comment tho
I dont know too much about Patchous but I dont see why he dosen't setup a pay pal account or something similer and advertise that through Plus! instead.
edit: damn Neobond beat me to it
http://www.msgpluslive.net/news/2006/10/05...o-windows-live/ (click on profile link)
When ever ive sent my mates MSN Plus i have told them not to accept the sponser to install msn plus... and there like it wornt let me install it then will it? and im like yes it will.
Myself ive never got any spyware from msn plus and ive been using it since it was first released, but thats because i know it has the option to install it but on the other hand I installed deamon tools the other month and got some spyware from that
I think what this guys getting at is people dont read stuff when installing, they just click next, next, next and wait for it to finish so there for in MSN Plus's case you end up with spyware... but at the end of the day that artical is a load of rubbish...just read what your installing.
He could be jelous he's not an MVP
Lots of people just click next, next and next when installing stuff (i do that my self at times too)
You cant do that with plus, they force you to read it and click an option. the next button is disabled otherwise.
It's about those stupid people who know nothing about spywares or don't just simply click yes when installing. These are the people who created the whole spyware concept in the first place.
Normal people don't normally surf neowin, or slashdot ya know. Which is why they are totally oblivious to the fact that this "helper" program is adware, or spyware, or tracker, or whatever you wanna call it.
but yes Lop is the most annoying peice of adware ever and you have to be blatently stupid to even go near MsgPlus. But hey only the thick people who have no idea how a computer works install the adware because they don't read :p.
If you want to customize Messenger
Enough said here
It's irrelevent how the Sponsor is handled now, because when it first came out, the autoupdater from the previous Messenger Plus! installed the Sponsor Messenger Plus! silently (with the Sponsor) and those installs are still generating him revenue.
You should be taking a stand against programmers that use Spy/Adware. Regardless of their motives, it brings the standard of the Windows platform down.
I really struggle to see how Messenger Plus could make it any clearer that you don't have to install the optional "extras". That whole issue aside, why should it prevent the developer of what is, let's face it, a very clever interface to Messenger, that has been relatively bug-free, and extremely popular with a vast number of Messenger users, being given an MVP?
Is anyone seriously suggesting that by wanting to help support yourself somehow precludes you from being awarded any technical merit whatsoever? If so, that is an extremely deluded and somewhat blinkered suggestion. And then, let's even cast that issue aside. It's just a bloody MVP -- it's not like he even gets the best seat in a restaurant if he flashes his MVP badge at the waiters.
The author of this "article" suggested that his first instinct was to tell MS to "shove it", in regards to his own MVP status. Dare I suggest that would be far more productive than sitting and whining that you feel you are somehow more deserving than the next guy. It looks, and indeed is, decidedly childish.
These two "different" types of Badware™ are one and the same, and should be treated as such. After all, it's not like you're not being spied on already.
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