If you use file-swapping programs...
Sep. 27th, 2002 11:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
heidiYes, you. You know who you are...
An article in the New York Times this morning alterted us to a situation involving anyone who uses file-swapping software like KaZaa.
As the Times' article says, the setup starts when users install the swapping program. When you do so, you are asked whether you
<<...would also like to show support for the software maker by shopping through an online affiliate program. These programs typically give a percentage of each purchase back to the affiliate — in this case, the software maker — as a commission.
What the consumers are not told clearly is that if they agree to participate, their computers may be electronically marked: all future purchases will look as if they were made through the software maker's site, even if they were not.>>
In other words, if you clicked this button when installing your Kazaa program, or your LimeWare or Morpheus, and you shop at the WB store, Amazon or PostersNow via the links on FA, the percentage from your shopping isn't going to help FA cover our server fees, like you think it is.
Instead, it's lining the pockets of the file-swapping program maker or distributor.
While this isn't clinically theft, because you the user have agreed to this, it's Really Really Tacky, and we would greatly appreciate it if you removed the "switching" parts of the program and, if you install such software in the future, that you don't agree to "shop" through their affiliate programs.
We're not going to drop our affiliate programs because of this - there's still a bit of money for the FA servers coming in that way, and we're sure that when the Book V release date is official, many of you will place orders through FA's affiliate program with Amazon.
However, if you want to donate to FA without using the affiliate programs, it's easy to do.
You can make a five dollar donation via paypal here
Or donate a different amount here
Or sign up to make a monthly donation of $5.00 here
Don't forget - if you don't have a PayPal account already, you get five dollars for just signing up.
****************************************************
Here are the instructions that the Times gives on how to delete those parts of the program:
BUYERSPORT - The shopping software with Morpheus:
Click the Start button.
Click on Find.
Click on Find Files or Folders.
Type in mbho.dll. Click on find now. When the file appears in the directory window, drag mbho.dll into the trash.
LIMESHOP - The software with LimeWire:
Click the Start button.
Click on Settings.
Click Control Panel.
Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
Click LimeShop.
Click Add/Remove.
SAVENOW - The software used by Kazaa:
Click on Start.
Click Settings.
Click on Control Panel.
Double-click on Add/Remove Programs.
Click SaveNow.
Click on Add/Remove.
An article in the New York Times this morning alterted us to a situation involving anyone who uses file-swapping software like KaZaa.
As the Times' article says, the setup starts when users install the swapping program. When you do so, you are asked whether you
<<...would also like to show support for the software maker by shopping through an online affiliate program. These programs typically give a percentage of each purchase back to the affiliate — in this case, the software maker — as a commission.
What the consumers are not told clearly is that if they agree to participate, their computers may be electronically marked: all future purchases will look as if they were made through the software maker's site, even if they were not.>>
In other words, if you clicked this button when installing your Kazaa program, or your LimeWare or Morpheus, and you shop at the WB store, Amazon or PostersNow via the links on FA, the percentage from your shopping isn't going to help FA cover our server fees, like you think it is.
Instead, it's lining the pockets of the file-swapping program maker or distributor.
While this isn't clinically theft, because you the user have agreed to this, it's Really Really Tacky, and we would greatly appreciate it if you removed the "switching" parts of the program and, if you install such software in the future, that you don't agree to "shop" through their affiliate programs.
We're not going to drop our affiliate programs because of this - there's still a bit of money for the FA servers coming in that way, and we're sure that when the Book V release date is official, many of you will place orders through FA's affiliate program with Amazon.
However, if you want to donate to FA without using the affiliate programs, it's easy to do.
You can make a five dollar donation via paypal here
Or donate a different amount here
Or sign up to make a monthly donation of $5.00 here
Don't forget - if you don't have a PayPal account already, you get five dollars for just signing up.
****************************************************
Here are the instructions that the Times gives on how to delete those parts of the program:
BUYERSPORT - The shopping software with Morpheus:
Click the Start button.
Click on Find.
Click on Find Files or Folders.
Type in mbho.dll. Click on find now. When the file appears in the directory window, drag mbho.dll into the trash.
LIMESHOP - The software with LimeWire:
Click the Start button.
Click on Settings.
Click Control Panel.
Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
Click LimeShop.
Click Add/Remove.
SAVENOW - The software used by Kazaa:
Click on Start.
Click Settings.
Click on Control Panel.
Double-click on Add/Remove Programs.
Click SaveNow.
Click on Add/Remove.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2002-09-27 08:41 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2002-09-30 10:44 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2002-09-27 12:41 pm (UTC)Thanks for the info.
*desperately trying to find teh "settings" option on Kazaa...*
(no subject)
Date: 2002-09-28 02:49 pm (UTC)I looked there and there was no SaveNow on my computer. :)
Merh.
Date: 2002-09-28 09:56 pm (UTC)