Hi,
My IE Google Toolbar disappeared this AM. I tried to reinstall it without success. I ran Hyjackthis with the following results:
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Ken (Old Runner)
Ken :
Perhaps the "disappearing" Google Toolbar is a Blessing in
disguise !? I would NOT have this toolbar on my computer.
However, this sounds like you have spyware and since you
have SpySweeper, why not go to their website, click
"Request Support", then "Submit a ticket" and go from
there !? I did notice from your HijackThis log that your
Java programming is 2 Updates behind & the advise on
many antiSPYWARE forums is to completely remove all
"old" versions, then go to www.java.com/en and install
their latest. Also you have an out-of-date AOL Instant
Messenger and with AIM getting infected on a regular
basis either uninstall it and install the safer Yahoo IM
or go to the AIM portal at www.aim.com and get their
latest.
If you do not wish to "Submit a ticket" to Spysweeper,
perhaps you should try the forums at www.landzdown.com
Spiritsong,
Thanks, I’ll follow up on your suggestions.
At the risk of sounding naive, why do you think I’m better off without the Goggle Toolbar?
Ken
What’s wrong with Google Toolbar?
I don’t use it (neither do I commend nor condemn it) but people are concerned that it’s well disguised spyware because of its Auto link feature. Just imagine if MS tried something like Auto Links and if Google can, anyone can. Many folks don’t like the way it “enhances” or modifies pages, links or content of webpages and see it as Google’s way of controlling their websurfing.They also worry about it later adding ads. Basically they see it as a privacy risk.
Maybe Spiritsongs can tell us more?
Saw the following in the Aug 7, '05 issue of Spyware
Weekly Newsletter ( why not go to google.com for search ?)
"CNet news published an interesting article about Google a few weeks ago. Google has, in databases which currently are separate from each other, some extremely detailed information about their users. Between Gmail, personalized home pages, desktop search, Google’s toolbar, their web accelerator program and the cookies left from searching Google’s search engine, Google could quite a lot of information about you, if they chose to tie all of that together.
CNet wonders how long Google’s policy of “do no evil” can last. To make their point, CNet published personal details about Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt. The information they published was all found through an in-depth session with Google’s search engine. It was a good point and they made it well, but I believe that it was distasteful and unnecessary to publish that. Google apparently agrees and were pretty offended by it. They have forbidden their PR people to return calls from CNet for a one year period.
It seems difficult to believe that Google would ever abuse the trust they have built with their users. Google usually is the example used when explaining how companies should operate. Their toolbar, for instance, makes it perfectly clear that it might gather information about browsing habits, turns that feature off by default and leaves it up to the user to decide if they want to turn it on. Most software companies can’t be bothered to make their software so polite.
People trust that Google has no evil intentions with their toolbar, so most people turn on Page Rank and let the toolbar track which sites they visit. People trust that Google has no evil intentions with their personal information, so they sign up for Gmail or the personalized home page feature.
Still, they do have an awful lot of information about some of us. They could build a profile of individuals that would be so accurate that you’d think an author had spent years writing a biography. Google now is a publicly traded company. They have shareholders who expect a return on their investment. How long will Google withstand the temptation to start tying all of those various databases together? How long before they are tempted to bend the “do no evil” rule?
One thing that already mars Google’s good guy image, and I have written about this before, is the fact that they refuse to make the updater in their toolbar optional. I have written about automatic software updaters several times and made my opinion very clear on the subject. Software should not be installed on a person’s machine without their knowledge or consent, ever.
I originally learned of this non-optional updater after it caused a problem for one of the regulars at the message board. Something in the newest version conflicted with another toolbar and ended up damaging both of them. The person was unable to keep Google from updating her toolbar, so she was forced to remove it.
There is just something wrong with a software developer who believes he should have the final decision about installing or not installing software on the user’s computer. Sorry, pal. This is my box, paid for with my money. I decide when software is installed on it, not you.
This same issue caused a problem with a friend of mine just the other day. She had the toolbar buttons arranged to her preference and was used to them being where she left them. Well, every time the toolbar updates itself, without her permission, it rearranges those buttons, also without permission. So rather than deal with this rude behavior, she simply has deleted the toolbar.
Ahem. Hey, Google. tap tap
You guys really need to do something about that updater. That thing is rude and it is costing you users. The good guys don’t install code on other people’s computers without asking. If it is going to bruise some poor code monkey’s ego to make his precious updater code optional, send him to a shrink and tell him to get over it. You are supposed to be the good guys, remember? "
Why don’t i search for this on google?Because i already know this stuff about autolink and pagerank.I still use the toolbar with autolink and pagerank turned off had it turned off since day 1 and i have no idea on what he is on about with the updater.So Google toolbar auto updates i don’t see a big deal here.BTW i only have it installed in IE which my sister uses and google toolbar helps her out alot especially with the spell checker feature.I personally don’t use IE as i am browsing on Maxthon most of the time.
I see no reason for panic on Google Toolbar about autolink and pagerank.
This is how it works. I won’t call it spyware as the user can or cannot allow this behavior.
I personally don't use IE as i am browsing on Maxthon most of the time.Only earlier versions of Google Toolbar (e.g., 2.0.114.1) works in Maxthon, disabling the auto update feature (craking it).
Tech where’s your avatar?
I DON’T have google toolbar installed in maxthon.I have it installed in IE.
Just changed… part of the low profile policy…
If you have it into IE you can activate it into Maxthon, but not the new ones, that are incompatible.
If you use the old compatible version you can have it both into Maxton and IE.