spyware doctor + wildtangent

[xtreemman]

i just installed spyware doctor on my comp and it said it found 19 malignant processes and listed rundll32.exe (WildTangent), if i remember right rundll32.exe has to do with windows. what should i do it gives me an option to remove processes or ignore them i chose to ignore it for now please help thanks[/img]

[BJ_M]

The original file from Microsoft gets placed in the Located at C:\WINDOWS\System32\rundll32.exe . If you find it anywhere else then you should be suspicious for sure.

see also here

http://forums.maddoktor2.com/index.php?showtopic=1257

[bazooka]

Wild Tangent is not spyware.

[guns1inger]

You and the CEO of Wild Tangent are to only two people I have ever seen dispute the fact that it is spyware - everyone else tries to remove it.

[Faustus]

Every claims it is... but I've not had anyone explain exactly WHAT this spyware does. I know what wild tangent DOES DOES, but not what everyone is concerned with.

I think its detected because it uses 2 way communication to check for updates personally.

[redwudz]

It came on my HP laptop with a bunch of crappy games. It installs with the recover discs. Apparently goes on the internet to get the rest of the game if you want it. I removed it several times as I reformatted and reinstalled XP with no problems. AFAIK it's harmless.

[Faustus]

Yeah I know what its primary function is, what Meant was I've heard it called spyware and at the same time the people don't ever seem to know what its doing thats so bad.

Quicktime is as much spyware as it as far as I can tell. I disable its tray icon just like with quicktime.

[BJ_M]

quicktime and windows media player both check for updates even if you disable the function ...

[IAIHMB]

If you're following the spyware definition, Wild Tangent is indeed spyware. From Wild Tangent:

"We collect certain system configuration information through our software such as your computer's CPU speed, video card configuration, and DirectX version. We use this information to adjust the way our games and other software work in order to ensure their best possible performance. We also collect certain product usage information through our software such as the number of product launches and time spent playing a product.
Our software includes a service that updates the GameChannel menu located in your Start folder with the latest games. Periodically, your computer will connect to our servers to receive the latest product updates. New product availability information or messages are transparently and unobtrusively transferred to your computer in the background, allowing you to review them later when you're off-line. You can access these product updates in the Game Channel folder of your start menu."

[bazooka]

If you read computer power user magazine, then you will realize it is not spyware.

[thecoalman]

If you read computer power user magazine, then you will realize it is not spyware.

I'll have to disagree with you Bazooka particularly since Wild Tangent is installed with other apps without your consent. It's just another piece of uneeded garbage.

To answer your question extreemman, wild tangent is a low risk type of spyware. You should be able to uninstal it from the add/remove software control panel.

[bazooka]

If you read computer power user magazine, then you will realize it is not spyware.

I'll have to disagree with you Bazooka particularly since Wild Tangent is installed with other apps without your consent. It's just another piece of uneeded garbage.

To answer your question extreemman, wild tangent is a low risk type of spyware. You should be able to uninstal it from the add/remove software control panel.

The ceo of wildtangent is an editor/writer for cpu magazine.

He said in a magazine that it is not spyware.

It is a driver that enables online gameplay.

[thecoalman]

The ceo of wildtangent is an editor/writer for cpu magazine.

He said in a magazine that it is not spyware.

It is a driver that enables online gameplay.

Yea but it sends info about your computer.....hence the spyware definition. And again it's usually installed without the users knowledge. I had it installed with a AIM installation, that and six million AOL icons. I've since removed both AIM and Wild Tangent, never will either be installed on my comp again.

Whether the software is just technically spyware or not really doesn't matter. It's the installation without my permission that bothers me.

[bazooka]

You need the installation to play some games.

I dispute the sending info part.

Like I said, if you read cpu magazine, you would see that it is not spyware.

The anti spyware mislabeling his software as spyware has hurt Alex St. Johns Rep.

The story spanned several Computer Power User magazines.

[IAIHMB]

In my mind Wild Tangent is definitely spyware, but it is harmless spyware. :P A majority of the time it installs without your consent, and unless you have a firewall chances are you don't even know when/that it's sending information about your surfing habbits and computer specs. :P

[bazooka]

Whatever,

I am tired of arguing with people that do not even read the magazine I am talking about.

The president and ceo was a codesigner of direct x.

If he was doing something disreputable like offering spyware, he would be a member of the Computer Power User Magazine Staff.

[thecoalman]

You need the installation to play some games.

Ok that's fine, I don't play those games but I was never given the choice to install or not install. Maybe Mr. Alex St. Johns rep wouldn't have been hurt if his product had been implemented some other way instead of crammed down peoples throats.

And... if this is true

"We collect certain system configuration information through our software such as your computer's CPU speed, video card configuration, and DirectX version. We use this information to adjust the way our games and other software work in order to ensure their best possible performance. We also collect certain product usage information through our software such as the number of product launches and time spent playing a product.
Our software includes a service that updates the GameChannel menu located in your Start folder with the latest games. Periodically, your computer will connect to our servers to receive the latest product updates. New product availability information or messages are transparently and unobtrusively transferred to your computer in the background, allowing you to review them later when you're off-line. You can access these product updates in the Game Channel folder of your start menu."

It is indeed spyware, low risk but still spyware.

[bazooka]

You need the installation to play some games.

Ok that's fine, I don't play those games but I was never given the choice to install or not install. Maybe Mr. Alex St. Johns rep wouldn't have been hurt if his product had been implemented some other way instead of crammed down peoples throats.

And... if this is true

"We collect certain system configuration information through our software such as your computer's CPU speed, video card configuration, and DirectX version. We use this information to adjust the way our games and other software work in order to ensure their best possible performance. We also collect certain product usage information through our software such as the number of product launches and time spent playing a product.
Our software includes a service that updates the GameChannel menu located in your Start folder with the latest games. Periodically, your computer will connect to our servers to receive the latest product updates. New product availability information or messages are transparently and unobtrusively transferred to your computer in the background, allowing you to review them later when you're off-line. You can access these product updates in the Game Channel folder of your start menu."

It is indeed spyware, low risk but still spyware.

I sent you a pm.

I will drag out my old issues to prove my point if I have to.

[thecoalman]

Here's the question, does it or does it not collect information from your computer and send it to someone else?

And second does it or does it not get installed without your knowledge? Iknow it can be installed by a user but this is not the case for most.

If the answer is yes IMO it's spyware. I don't know what your definition is but if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's a duck.

[BJ_M]

i thought if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's capmaster after a night with "bessie" :


looks like spyware to me also ..

[Faustus]

Ok so its spyware, but thats really the sort of spyware the worries me personally. So it looks at my CPU type... big deal. Like I said I disable the thing anyway.

And I've never seen it installed without permission except on OEM boxes where its preinstalled. It always ask to install when I play the first game that uses it on a computer.

[bazooka]

Ok so its spyware, but thats really the sort of spyware the worries me personally. So it looks at my CPU type... big deal. Like I said I disable the thing anyway.

And I've never seen it installed without permission except on OEM boxes where its preinstalled. It always ask to install when I play the first game that uses it on a computer.

It is not spyware.

April 2004 CPU magazine

Wild Tangent is a web driver installed with aim to power streamed online games

June 2004 CPU magazine

At least that's what I thought until one of the internet's leading "removeware" products decided that my WildTangent web driver product was "spyware."

None of the removeware vendors appears to make any attempt to contact the companies whose software they are breaking, inform them of the numerous support requests they are getting from their users, or make any attempt to link to our support forums where some of the same issues are dealt with frequently and correctly.. These companies presume all online distributed software guilty and malign

The problem is that in their zeal to stamp out evil software, wherever it hides, they are also sewing consumer paranoia, damaging legitimate online software publishers, and empowering Microsoft to assume more control of the software that reaches you computer in the name of security.

July 2004 CPU magazine

After enormous damage to my business reputation, we've finally succeeded in persuading the leading removeware vendors that our software isn't "spyware" or "adware".

Somebody needs to educate the hysterical about the truth to counter the irrational fear of all software that is distributed electronically.

So guys, you all need to rethink your stance........

I have proven that WildTangent is not spyware.

Alex St. John was one of the founding creators of Microsoft's DirectX technology. He is the subject of the book "Renegades of the Empire" about the creation of DirectX and Chromeffects, an early effort by Microsoft to create a multimedia browser. Today Alex is President and CEO of WildTangent Inc., a technology company devoted to delivering CD-ROM quality entertainment content over the web.

[thecoalman]

So guys, you all need to rethink your stance........

I have proven that WildTangent is not spyware.

I'm a little confused as to what you have proved. You've quoted a few articles but if I looked I'm sure I can find others that say otherwise. Also you mentioned that the CEO of Wild Tangent is the editor, perhaps a little biased wouldn't you think As a matter of fact the first quote points out that it is installed without your knowledge which furthers the point that it's a spyware like app

I think one of the major reasons it's labled as spyware is because of the way it's deployed (or was deployed), they should have never bundled it with other software installations. IMO this a major no-no any software that is installed without your consent and knowledge that's going to send any information (whether it's innocuous or not) is and should be labled spyware. The next issue if I remember correctly is that this is a start-up a program further making it IMO a nuisance. I get a little tired of cleaning out my startup apps evertime I install something.

As for Alex St. John's reputation and his companies reputation that's too bad I have no sympathy for him or any other company that deploys software in the way that they have. He should have considered the consequences of deploying his software in the manner that it is or was (i haven't installed AIM lately so I don't know if it still contains Wild Tangent). Just because he's some hot shot doesn't allow him special priveleges. He and his company should have realized that it was going to be scrutinized just as any other application.

You answered one question, it's installed without your knowledge (or at the very least was). Does it send info to them or not, again if so......


Wild Tangent =

[bazooka]

Well, I never thought we would be getting into semantics now.

At any rate, it is harmless....

[BJ_M]

We also collect certain product usage information through our software such as the number of product launches and time spent playing a product.
Our software includes a service that updates the GameChannel menu located in your Start folder with the latest games.

it collects data and reports it -- spyware , pure and simple no mater the motives..

it installs software without your knowledge or permission - virus or troj type behavior .. pure and simple ..


i give no permission for ANY software to harvest information and report it or any software to install something without my knowledge ..

IF said software will not function properly -- tough luck , i dont want it anyway ..

[thecoalman]

Well, I never thought we would be getting into semantics now.

At any rate, it is harmless....

It's not sematics, the question is pretty simple. Does it or does it not send info to them? A simple Y or N is sufficient.

Maybe harmless but still a duck.... :P

[Faustus]

We also collect certain product usage information through our software such as the number of product launches and time spent playing a product.
Our software includes a service that updates the GameChannel menu located in your Start folder with the latest games.

it installs software without your knowledge or permission - virus or troj type behavior .. pure and simple ..

Last I knew it doesn't actually install the games. It just updates the games menu so that they new games are clickable options.