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Viewpoint - A Point of View
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If software is installed without your knowledge, and if you have no idea what it does, it is necessarily evil? |
| An Interesting Discovery |
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In mid-June 2005 my trusty Zone Alarm firewall asked if I wanted to allow the Viewpoint Viewer to update itself. As I did not know I had a Viewpoint Viewer, I decided to pursue this further.
A quick Google search turned up dozens of articles explaining how Viewpoint was the most vile and evil thing this side of Satan . It also turned up dozens more articles extolling the praises of Viewpoint. Given the venom in some of the reviews, I tend to doubt that these are totally reliable sources. Still, one must wonder whether to trust something that got onto my computer seemingly by itself. |
| The Inquiry |
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The Viewpoint Website is of a high quality. This is definitely not some shoddy operation. The viewer looks as if it provides a good service. So, rather than dismiss this as some malware operation I decided to fire off an e-mail asking some pointed questions:
- How might Viewpoint have gotten onto my computer? Viewpoint claims to be used by AOL, however, I do not have AOL products such as AIM, Real Player, Netscape, WinAmp, or their music service.
- Why doesn't Viewpoint totally remove itself when I un-installed it?
- How can they claim to have a huge number of happy users, when most of them probably do not know they even have Viewpoint?
- How can they claim that Viewpoint is not Malware since it is installed without my knowledge or permission?
- Is their definition of spyware perhaps a bit "Clintonian"? Are they saying, "We have determined that our software does not spy on you in
certain ways, therefore it is not really spyware..."
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| The First Reply |
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We received a very nice reply from Viewpoint. This is reproduced below, edited for clarity. It still leaves some questions unanswered. These are highlighted in green and commented at the right.
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The Viewpoint Toolbar does not automatically self install. If you have the Viewpoint Media Player, the toolbar was offered to you as an opt-in experience based on your Viewpoint Manager Preference settings. You can change these settings < describes how >. We want the user to be in control of their experience with us. This kind of flexibility and control is more than users get from other programs such as Yahoo Messenger or AOL.
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How is this an "Opt-in experience"? if I did not know I was installing Viewpoint? How did it get on my computer?
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| The Viewpoint Media Player is the basis for many of the cutting edge graphics and applications one uses today on the web. If you’ve ever looked at a 3D car model, a virtual room, a 3D server, or any of the other interactive content we’ve created for our clients, then you’ve needed the Viewpoint Media Player. |
Does this cutting edge technology include flashing, winky-blinky advertisements and things that drop down on top of the page you are viewing?
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| We’re an integral part of the AOL operating system enabling AOL users to choose desktop themes and 3D Super Buddies for their desktops and IM’s. |
Operating system? Does that mean that AOL is systematically trying to take over the computer? |
| The Viewpoint Media Player is bundled with AOL, AIM, Netscape, certain Adobe products, and newer computer purchases through the manufacturer. |
Bundling gives PC makers extra revenue. The more deals the more they make, regardless of what they do to you. |
| We do not install any 3rd party software nor do we collect ANY personally identifiable information (i.e. hard drive, credit card numbers). |
Terms and conditions can change at any time. We never saw them anyway. |
| The Viewpoint Toolbar is compliant with Better Business Bureau and TrustE privacy standards, and has received 4 out of 5 stars from PC Magazine. |
So, how does a good review authorize installing this on my computer? Besides, the people that review products like this do not have to live with them afterwards. |
| Additionally, we have been reviewed and certified as completely FREE of spyware and adware by leading anti-spyware software such as Spybot, Pestpatrol, LIUtilities, Hijack This, Adaware, Computer Cops, System Info, Webroot Spysweeper, and the Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta. |
Well, that is good to hear. So, why is this thing on my computer? They claim it comes with AOL products, which I do not use. |
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| Second Reply |
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The reply from Viewpoint left more questions unanswered than before we sent our note. Apparently, it is some sort of sin not to have Viewpoint on your computer, as evidenced by this follow-up note.
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Comments |
The Viewpoint Media Player is a plug-in that enables the viewing of 3D content on the internet. It is the engine that drives AOL Super Buddies, AIM Themes and other popular web applications. The Viewpoint Media Player and Manager is bundled with AOL, AIM, versions of Netscape, certain Adobe products and most retail computers sold today. One can also download it if viewing content that requires the Viewpoint Media Player, naturally. |
Once again, we learn that Viewpoint is heavily oriented around AOL. We use NO products from AOL - Nada, zilch, bupkis. We have used several Adobe products for years but never before have we been asked to update Viewpoint. |
| The pop-up is initiated by the Viewpoint Manager which manages and searches for updates to the Media Player. As an addendum to the update, our Toolbar installs on your browser window. |
So, they acknowledge that Viewpoint's updater does throw the toolbar onto the browser without being asked. |
| Since our software has been in use for many years, yet no one knows that we exist, we feel that the Toolbar is a good way to showcase our developers talents and to build our brand. |
Isn't that special. I have done a lot of good work over the years. Does that give me the right to put software on YOUR computer to showcase my talents? |
| We have redesigned the pop-up to make it more clear what is being installed and updated. Please feel free to contact us for any additional questions you may have. |
Translation: Did someone sue you over this? |
No further contact is necessary. I plan to remove this from any computer that I am asked to service. That way I can showcase my talents by removing removing rogue toolbars from your computer.
Perhaps Viewpoint is a worthwhile product and perhaps some of our readers use it with good results. I, for one, do not care to have software on my computer that is installed without my knowledge or permission, and for which the publisher tries to justify their actions by by stressing the value of the product and the hard work required to produce it. |
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