PC Pitstop is speaking out against Gator and similar products because we believe that most users do not benefit by having them installed. This is consistent with the basic tenets that drive both our business philosophy and the advice that we give to users.
Several companies that have contacted PC Pitstop are puzzled how they could be associated with Gator when they honestly don’t believe their company does business with Gator Corporation. Our first thought was that there was simply someone else in the organization responsible for advertising through the Gator Advertising Information Network (GAIN), or perhaps that a third-party ad agency they hired was responsible for placing Gator advertising. (For example, adware has caused concern for companies such as Toyota.) However, we have found another way that many companies may unwittingly be advertising on Gator through its partnership with Overture and the Search Scout feature.
Overture and Gator Read More »
So why is there a Gator Information Center anyway? Why did we single out Gator for a special section? In a way, you could say that Gator almost demanded that we single them out because they didn’t like the group they were in.
A recent article estimated that Gator made $100M in revenue in 2002. That’s a lot of dough. And it got me wondering, how one goes about making $100M in a year. Here’s my back of the napkin math.
The Economics of Gator Read More »
There is a war going on out there. As you are reading this, the forces of good and evil are at work battling to control your computer. This is not a joke nor an exaggeration. It is happening every day, and at times, I think the bad guys are winning. I’m talking about unwanted software. Software that installs itself largely without the user’s knowledge. The makers of these softwares are going to great lengths to gain control of your PC to further their own causes. Following are three different and distinct examples:
The Evils of Unwanted Software Read More »
Spyware Wars
Tip: Emergency Access To PC Pitstop
Another Smoking Gun
PhatBot Lets Spammers Own Your PC
Comcast Yanks the Plug On Infected Customers
Will Legislation Stop Spyware and Spam?
Tip: System Security Checklist
Solve Your PC Problems At The Pit
March 2004 Newsletter Read More »