B and E. Pop-ups, spyware, et al.

[trof]

Breaking and Entering.
Why do we accept all this crap?
Just because some smartass technonerd marketer figured out a way to make them happen, why do we just bitch and moan and LET it keep happening?
This is my PERSONAL computer.
Mine, dammit!
If I want your crap on here, I'll ASK for it.

This morning I turned on the puter and, lo and behold, THERE'S A BRAND NEW TASK BAR right above my task bar. Something about getting coupons online. Just what I always wanted. I sent them this:

"Subject: VANDALS!
Suppose you got up this morning and discovered vandals had broken in to your home in the night and plastered a billboard ad for McDonalds over your living room walls. That's how I felt when I found your piece-of-shit taskbar on MY computer this morning.
Why should I have to contact you for a program to uninstall it? YOU put it there and I expect YOU to take it away. I don't have time for this crap.
Maybe you think this is a clever little marketing program that will win you a gazillion customers and make you rich and famous just like Bill Gates.
WRONG!
Go away and don't ever come back!"

If we start complaining to congress and the FCC, couldn't we do something about this?
It's gone on long enough.
No, too long.
:grr:
And DO NOT lecture me (at least not right now) about pop-up stoppers (I have one). They don't stop everything. Or spyware detectors/mail-washers. Got that too. The evil ones figure ways around them. I shouldn't even HAVE to have a program to keep unwanted crap off of my computer.

[Elidor]

1. Time to check your security settings

This happened to me. After sending the offenders a very nasty email, they told me my security is set to accept downloads automatically (thanks Bill Gates!). I felt like a stooge.

[Don_G]

2. Mine Are Set To Ask For A Prompt Every Time

That way I do get a warning when they try to sneak something in.

[trof]

3. That's my point.

It should be against the law to put something unasked for on a person's computer.

We don't accept it in our homes. Why should we in our computers?

If I don't have a home alarm system and someone breaks in, the cops don't say "Well, you should have had a home security system. There's nothing we can do."
They go try and catch the guy.

[Elidor]

5. I agree completely

It's a fucking outrage that my personal computer can be hijacked remotely by marketing execs. And it's only getting worse. And now, I should go clean out the 30 spams for the Paris Hilton video that have surely flooded my inbox.

[Gman]

4. Use Mozilla

ends all the problems.

[trof]

6. OK, tell me about it.

But it still begs the question.