As computing.net has reported: "Both AOL's internet software and the AOL Instant Messenger program (AIM) are force installing unwanted software called Viewpoint Media Player on people's computers." http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/9665.html
Antispyware programs like Xoftspy, PestPatrol, Spysweeper, Spyware Doctor and Spybot can detect and remove Viewpoint, however AOL reinstalls it EVERY TIME you open AOL if it's found missing!
AOL has incorporated Viewpoint into it's AIM and Superbuddy features, and considers it integral to AOL "functioning properly". Therefore, even if your antispyware is able to detect and remove all vestages of Viewpoint, AOL will reinstall it the very next time you log on!
According to Paretologic, makers of Xoftspy antispyware software, Viewpoint is not only spyware, but it can slow your system down due to it's hogging of processor cycles and memory.
http://labs.paretologic.com/spyware.aspx?remove=Viewpoint%20Toolbar "Viewpoint tracks user information, installs without notice, uses immense system resources."
AOL DOES have a way to prevent this, though; but they are SURE keeping it a secret. In fact, the process CAN'T be found unless you know about it! Hence the reason for this article! EVERY AOL user should know about this.
Open AOL and go to "help" on the toolbar. Select "About AOL". Next is the SECRET STEP. You must then press "CTRL+D" to access a "secret" panel to disable all of the desktop and IM fancy features that are associated with viewpoint. This is the only way to prevent AOL from re-installing Viewpoint at AOL startup.
Most users will find their system performance improves once they have removed viewpoint.
Related Reading: http://www.spywaredaily.com/2005/03/spyware.html What is spyware?
You really need to research the topic deeper.
Viewpoint is the furthest thing from spyware. Are you just trying to get some attention?
Us web users are priveledged to have such a sophisticated technology available for us to use and interact with over the internet for FREE. It is nothing more than the flash player on steroids.
Every new computer sold comes with the vmp pre-installed.
Here is an example of what they do:
Right on top of the car to the right. SUPERZOOM
http://www.lexus.com/models/gs/gallery_exterior_360.html
This is what your aritcal is about? Where is the spyware? A 3d graphics rendering technology?
If you did some research you would have learned that Aol uses them for graphics rendering.
It amazes me that people whip up articles about companies that they know nothing about.
You should really consider retracting your article hear.
It is very OBVIOUS that you just want people to click on your sponsored links. I don't think your sponsors will be happy with having people creating lies to get their marketing dollars.
I am personally going to report you to Viewpoint's General counsel for slander and to every single sponsor on your page. Damages to that company is damages to me.
I use their technology daily to create graphical representation for clients around the globe.
Posted by: michael_tzez | March 07, 2006 at 08:42 AM
You must work for viewpoint!
I have been a writer on political and technical topics for quite some time - I'm not looking to make money on sponsored links. I happen to have a couple affiliate links to products I USE and RECOMMEND only for the convenience of my readers... They're hardly a moneymaker - I didn't earn $100 in total from all of them in all of 2005! Not really trying to make a living off "sponsored links"! Incidentally the only SPYWARE link I've got linked on my blog is for Pest Patrol, which you'll notice I didn't quote from that vendor at all and barely mentioned it within a list of a number of antispy vendors. My blog is simply a single site repository of ALL items I publish. This article was written for publication on other websites which I am an author for. NONE of them have affiliate links so 90% of the people who will read the article (on these other sites) will never see an affiliate link... hardly my motivation for writing the article.
And what's your beef anyway? You certainly can't object to people simply choosing to uninstall the software! MY beef with AOL is that you can't uninstall Viewpoint and KEEP it off as a user of AOL's software without KNOWING ABOUT and using the CTRL-D trick. So I simply let people know about it!
So go ahead and report me to Viewpoint's legal team. I simply cited an article published by computing.net. I quoted Xoftspy's statement regarding viewpoint. (Note that I have no affiliate relationship with Xoftspy!). Then I told people about a hidden feature of AOL to allow them to use AOL WITHOUT Viewpoint. Got a problem with that? They didn't ASK for Viewpoint to be installed. They may have tried to remove it and it keeps coming back - to their endless frustration. Therefore, I told them what they can do.
Viewpoint software - which does indeed track user information - is installed without user information or consent - and does consume system resources, is listed by several security vendors as spyware and I agree with them. Take it up with the antispyware industry if you want them to de-list Viewpoint. Meantime, as long as it's going to show up on a spyware scan - and as long as AOL will keep reinstalling it daily if removed by a spykiller... it is prudent to advise users of the process to PREVENT THIS CYCLE and that's all I've done.
Sorry if that bothers you. Maybe Viewpoint should stop tracking user info, trim down to use less resources, and OFFER itself for OPT-IN download to 'enhance your experience' rather than force-bundle it. Maybe they should join the community of REPUTABLE and RESPECTABLE software PROVIDERS instead of behaving like an invader and using questionable tactics to get their product onto hard drives unsolicited.
Posted by: edeldoug | March 07, 2006 at 01:31 PM
Doug, you have it all wrong.
I do not work for Viewpoint although I do own shares and I do use their tech to create very useful content for the net.
I appologize for insulting you regarding the sponsored links topic. It is where my mind went because I think it is so crazy to call this company spyware.
Spyware is such a negative name. You have a link describing what spyware is and Viewpoint is none of those things. Viewpoint is a graphics rendering application. As for the data collection it is nothing more than how a cookie works. It never, ever sends data off your computer. What it does do is check for updates when your computer is idle. That is a good thing not a bad thing. I wish all my apps automatically updated when my computer is idled.
As for Aol bundling it:
They are not bundling it. I mean they are not just putting it on your computer because they got paid by viewpoint. They actually are using it to render graphics. It is one of the components used for aol to work properly. If your war is with Aol you should keep it with AOL. The viewpoint player is free for anyone to use or download. Would it be okay for aol to install flash player on your computer? I would assume so. I can not understand how viewpoint is so misunderstood.
As for the spyware companies. From what I know the best of them(ones that you listed) do not have viewpoint as spyware. That is a false statement. I saw some of your references and you are refering to stuff from 2004.
I think a viewpoint the most misunderstood technology would have been a much better title for this topic.
The company really takes social responsiblity for their application. You put them in the same catergory as gator. Viewpoint has never ever pushed third party pop ups on anyones computer. EVER! They could have easily gone down that road.
You really have it all wrong. Instead of arguing with me please look further into it.
Look into all the good this company bring to the end user and their internet experience.
Best and I hope there are no hard feelings,
Michael
Posted by: Michael_Tzez | March 07, 2006 at 01:59 PM
In the interest of full disclosure, apparantly Mr. Tzez is heavily invested in Viewpoint, as he's posting almost daily on a yahoo group of Viewpoint investors! In fact that's how he learned of my posting.
Incidentally, a Google or Yahoo search of Mr. Tzez will show he's very tenacious about posting defenses of Viewpoint!
See: http://finance.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?.mm=FN&action=l&mid=&board=4688157&sid=4688157&tid=mcre&start=122715
Posted by: edeldoug | March 12, 2006 at 08:24 AM
Doug,
The fact that I am invested means I put my money where my mouth is. Also, I told you that I was invested in my previous post. Besides I could have posted on this board under any made up name. I have nothing to hide. If anything that makes me more credible. The fact that I am well read on Viewpoint tech since the late 90's and the fact that I do this stuff for a living clearly suggest that I know much more than you regarding this topic. MUCH MORE. You calling it spyware would be like me telling a dentist how a certain drill works and then telling him that it is not good. How the hell would I know that? I wouldn't.
Well, that is what you read like to me.
Yes it is true, I am an active support of the technology. I believe it is the future of graphics rendering on the web. The next step in the evolution of web graphics on the web. A 3D Rich web.
What is wrong with that?
Honda, Toyota, Ford, GM, GE, Dell, HP, Sony, Samsung, Intel, and many other Fortune 500 companies rely heavily on Viewpoint technology to showcase their products.
Also, every single new computer sold except for gateway has the vmp already on it. They put it their just as they do flash and windows media player. They put it there so the computer is ready for the internet and so that the end user has a seamless experience.
Every single automobile on Honda.com is showcased using the Viewpoint Media Player. Do you think that they or any of the companies I mentioned above would endorse SPYWARE? I mean really, how about using some common sense now.
http://automobiles.honda.com/models/
This thread says it all.
I appologized to you for claiming that this is just for the sponsored listing(I gave you the benefit of the doubt). Then I asked you to further your research on "Viewpoint Tech" - which you are clearly claiming is SPYWARE - which it is not and what you are doing is indeed slander.
Instead of doing some homework on the company and maybe calling them to ask some questions you go and do research on me and post that to your readers.
I mean C'mon!
That COMPLETELY discredits you and puts me right back where I started. This thread was created so you can create revenue from sponsored listings. No crime in that...the crime is that you are lying to do so. You are claiming false claims and passing them as fact.
FYI - Pest Patrol does not even uninstall the viewpoint media player. Also, viewpoint is not on the list of any of the well recognized(not some company that just poped up trying to make a quick buck) anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-adware app out there.
This is current and FACTUAL.
Viewpoint is not considered spyware by the following:
PestPatrol (Computer Associates)
Norton
Mcafee
Hijackthis
http://www.hijackthis.de/filedb.php?keyword=ViewMgr.exe&action=suche
liutilities
http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/ViewMgr/
Adaware
System Info
Computer Cops
Webroot Spysweeper
Microsoft Anti-Spyware
Spybot Search & Destroy
Oh, and please stop quoting articles from 2004. Get up to speed and acknowledge that 2 years is a decade of time for technology.
Lighten up, you are being bias.
I presented you with the facts. Be a gentlemen and retract your statements.
Best,
Michael
PS> Lose the picture you look like a serial killer ;-)
Posted by: Michael_Tzez | March 15, 2006 at 11:03 PM
The serial killer thing was a joke.
I hope you took it that way. I did not say it to offend you.
One more thing. The biggest campaign in anti-poverty history is relying on Viewpoint Technology to play their video campaign and to get their message out there.
http://one.viewpoint.com/
Bono:
"Viewpoint has been our Paul Revere in cyberspace."
http://www.interference.com/stories/id152452.html
Show some respect. This is a solid tech and a solid company that you are blindly calling spyware.
Posted by: Michael Tzez | March 15, 2006 at 11:21 PM
Michael
Firstly, you must realize that the article was written for The Conservative Voice, where I am a contributing editor - the blog (where the couple of "I use 'em - you should to" links exist... and only one of them is an antispyware: Pest Patrol) exists only as an anthology of all my published work; so no, your accusation that I'm just trying to drive traffic to my links is far off.
The fact is that I am not calling Viewpoint Spyware. I quoted ParetoLogic's characterization. Hardly "slander". Check with a lawyer.
I DO feel that Viewpoint's practices of stealth installation, autoupdates without informed consent, and viewpoints own acknowledged association with targeted marketing puts it at least suspiciously within the adware arena. But once again - if you READ the original post beyond the headline... my only point was to inform those who DESIRED TO REMOVE Viewpoint and who found it REINSTALLING everytime they opened AOL... that there WAS a way to prevent the reinstallation. THAT was the topic of the post.
You may find it interesting that Viewpoint contacted me after you contacted them. I posted their letter in its entirety. You got your equal time.
See http://edeldoug.blogs.com/thoughts_rants_raves_and_/2006/03/viewpoint_isnt_.html
As Viewpoint cited AskLeo as a "defender" - I also quoted Leo. He makes some of the very points I did.
Posted by: edeldoug | March 15, 2006 at 11:27 PM
Doug,
Glad to see that.
Best of luck to you,
Michael
Posted by: Michael Tzez | March 15, 2006 at 11:49 PM
In part due to the discussion on this thread, Paretologic has modified their description of Viewpoint at http://labs.paretologic.com/spyware.aspx?remove=Viewpoint%20Toolbar
Viewpoint has been reclassified by ParetoLogic - maker of XoftSpy - as a minor threat data miner, with the following description:
"Through cookies and various other means the Viewpoint Toolbar tracks web surfing habits to deliver targeted advertising. It can be installed without notice. In some cases it can use an unreasonable amount of system resources and degrade computer performance."
Posted by: edeldoug | March 16, 2006 at 12:31 PM
I am calling you out!!!
You are an ad affiliate of Paretologic.
http://spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=1154
Posted by: Michael Tzez | March 17, 2006 at 12:29 PM
I am calling you out!!!
"You are an ad affiliate of Paretologic.
http://spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=1154"
WHAT? What does the page you link to have to do with me??
Michael - I have no axe to grind on ANY spyware app. I use several, and have an affiliate link on my blog to ONE... Pest Patrol. I made $45 on it so far this year.
I write for The Conservative Voice, Daley Times Post, Capitol Hill Coffee Shop, The Post Chronicle, The New Media Journal and others. None of them have affiliate links to spyware apps. I have no affiliation with Paretologic whatsoever, except that I USE Xoftspy - which I paid retail for. You keep accusing me of trying to make money off my article. The fact is that people learning about the adware association with ViewPoint might cost YOU money.
I actually did you a FAVOR by pointing out that the quote page that I'd linked to at ParetoLogic had SOFTENED their description of you... I had thought it was due to VIEWPOINT's appeals to them. When I noticed the change on a page I had linked to , I commented on it here. Where it HAD said, "Viewpoint tracks user information, installs without notice, uses immense system resources." and was listed as a high threat, it appeared modified to a minor threat data miner, and described as "Through cookies and various other means the Viewpoint Toolbar tracks web surfing habits to deliver targeted advertising. It can be installed without notice. In some cases it can use an unreasonable amount of system resources and degrade computer performance." (Sounded like something YOU would have said!)
Oh, incidentally - that link has returned to the original wording since I posted about the change. Apparantly they decided not to change it afterall.
I'm closing the comment thread on this article. We've beaten it to death.
Doug
Posted by: edeldoug | March 17, 2006 at 12:52 PM
Oh PLEASE post my comments on this!!!
This Michael Tzez guy is an IDIOT!!!! His arguments on this blog entry are absolutely ridiculous and he's obviously trying to sell this product with every breath. GO Ahead Micheal!!! REFER ME TO VIEWPOINTS legal counsel!!!! I couldn't possibly care less and your threats are nothing more than silly.
Posted by: Jason Crump | April 05, 2006 at 09:06 PM
Any software that is installed on my computer without me asking for or consenting for it is in my view spyware.
Why is Michael Tzez so bothered if people just want to remove it?
Posted by: William Hawker | April 18, 2006 at 10:06 AM
Is that not what it's all about?Did I install it. Is this program here because I wanted it or did it just show up. Can I remove or will just reinstall? There are many programs that will do the same job. I have full control of these and if there on my system. I don't care if the info they collect cannot be traced to me, any info collected without my concent is personal. Thank you for your help. My answer was to use aol 7.0 or earlier. As for Michael I have never seen anyone push software people didn't want any harder.
Posted by: Randy Cok | May 05, 2006 at 11:13 PM
This Michael Tzez guy is obviously and clearly biased towards the sleaze-bag company he has invested into. I have been looking at a number of ways to remove this crap Viewpoint program and I keep running into his garbage. It's funny that he claims anyone who outs Viewpoint for being the spyware that it is, only does so to get advertisers. Because, what he is doing is only to get a return on his investment. Well guess what, Michael you slimebag, Viewpoint is spyware, they are a cheating and lying company, and I am sure that they are all devoid of any soul and compassion what-so-ever. Just another entity added into the pit of despair that is adware, spyware, and malware. You and your investment can go to hell. Doug, please don't let this little tool slide and don't bend to his little whines and cries. Calling Viewpoint a cheating, lying, spyware-installing and privacy invading, resource-hogging, pathetic excuse for a corporation is not libel or slander, it's the truth. You're a joke, Michael, and Viewpoint is a plague.
Posted by: Chuck D | May 18, 2006 at 01:32 AM
Viewpoint is adware/spware crap. I called aol tech's to remove it and they only told me to use the control panel add/remove programs which everyone knows doesn't work. I had to search the internet for many months until I finally found something that worked!(the ctrl-D trick)AOL wouldn't even tell me about this. What the fuck! This is dishonest and needs to stop. Also, I see that Michael guy on almost every site i've looked at. He is an asshole trying to make a buck for himself and viewpoint in my personal opinion. U know what, this is America and it is his right. It is also my right to be able to remove unwanted crap from my computer without it being such a well guarded secret!
Posted by: Big daddy | June 18, 2006 at 04:59 PM
As far as I'm concerned viewpoint meets ALL criteria associated with adware/spyware. If anyone knows what site it contacts I would like to add it to my hosts file.
And Michael Tzez is f*cking piece of sh*t.
Posted by: Jerry | July 08, 2006 at 01:35 PM
Viewpoint may or may not be spyware by some strict definition, but it is "rudeware" and "sleazeware" for sure.
The rude comments by Michael Tzez only reinforce the negative image of the company and its employees.
Posted by: Hugh Toppe | September 22, 2006 at 02:25 AM
At around 3 a.m. this morning Viewpoint installed its toolbar into Internet Explorer and also installed some program called Fotomat.
The only AOL program I have (that I'm aware of) is AIM, and the CTRL-D trick did not work. (File -> Help -> About AIM -> CTRL-D ... nothing happened.)
Any advice? I need to get rid of this stuff. My computer runs slow enough as it is. Help!
Posted by: Si Y. | October 25, 2006 at 01:57 PM
Funny, I don't remember ever installing Mathplayer either. Whats up with these programs that install without your knownledge?
Posted by: ray | October 27, 2006 at 12:48 PM
I don't have aol installed,just AIM...so....how do i go about removing viewpoint? the CTRL D trick doesn't work on the AIM window..
Many thanks..
Pat
at the Jersey Shore
Posted by: Patricia S. Dumas | November 04, 2006 at 08:50 PM
Since folk are asking:
The CNTRL D trick works only for the AOL primary Client. AIM is a separate program which also installs Viewpoint.
If you have AIM installed (and I recommend you don't!) there is a 3rd party resource which can help:
http://aimadhack.webhop.net/
A better option is to uninstall AIM entirely, then uninstall viewpoint, and use an alternative client for chat. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOL_Instant_Messenger
Scroll down to THIRD PARTY CLIENTS.
Posted by: edeldoug | November 06, 2006 at 04:01 AM
I agree that Mr. Tzez is very rude, and needlessly attacks anyone wishing to remove Viewpoint. I too have the problem of Viewpoint trying to access the internet every time I log on. I had no idea where the program came from, and since I've started research on what the program is I keep running into Mr. Tzez and his pushy ways. That alone is enough to make me not want the program anymore, spyware or not. So, as to not upset him again, I will call Viewpoint spam. Uninstall, it comes back. What a bother! I agree with the last posts. Uninstll Aim, and Viewpoint. Then use a program called Gaim, or better yet, visit meebo.com
nuthing to install with that one.
Posted by: Aaron | November 16, 2006 at 12:58 PM
is it wrong that i'm deriving pleasure from reading all of this michael tzez guy's comments and attacks?
Posted by: Toby | December 14, 2006 at 08:57 AM
Thank you so much for this discussion of the viewpoint toolbar. I thought something was fishy, and my computer has been moving so much more slowly since I ignorantly updated the toolbar as prompted. I'm going to get rid of my AIM right now.
PS You don't look like a serial killer. And Mr. Tzez is an ass.
Posted by: Jen | January 16, 2007 at 11:46 AM