Wincustomize: Nasty Pop-Ups Continuing
WC/Stardock Webmaster(s) Need To Do Something, Please
Thursday, December 29, 2005 by TheOtherGods | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
I put up a post about this a while ago, and many others agreed they were getting the same thing.
Now, it's becoming intolerable.
I just got nailed with a "general" Trojan, from a pop-up (off main page, and WB page) just entering the site.
Now, just sitting within a forum page reading a thread, I had a giant pop-up occur every 30 seconds or so.
When I go to download something, 90% of the time, I get a pop-up when entering that page.
Sometimes it starts as a small pop-up in the lower right-hand corner of my monitor, then expands to a large full-screen one.
Other times, a small pop-up in the upper left-hand portion of my monitor, which is the one I just got the Trojan from (yes, it's possible to get a Trojan from just opening a site; malicious HTML; I'm a coder, so I know and it's been happening for years).
Other times, just one giant pop-up behind the main browser.
Damn, you've got to be kidding me! I just got one now while sitting here typing this!
This is ridiculous, and I and others have already made complaints about this.
I've posted screenshots in the past, and nothing was done. I have more screenshots now, but I really don't have the time to be uploading a ton of these just to "prove" it's coming from here... it is!
All I'm asking, as a patron of Wincustomize for the last 3 years, is that the webmasters removed the embedded coding that seems to plague this site these days, which is allowing these pop-ups.
Please, do not "argue" with me here... there's another thread I started a while back with many people having the same problem... it's true... and yes, I know what I'm doing and I know what I'm talking about... just to avoid those who would "flame" out of lack of maturity.
I'm 31 years old and a programmer/graphic artist and build pcs... so please, don't tell me I'm not having this problem with this site... it's ONLY from this site, and it started sometime around the beginning of this year, and only got worse.
I'm hoping I can fully weed-out this damn trojan, but I'm asking you guys again... PLEASE look into this, alright?
It's becoming such a problem, I almost cannot visit WC anymore.
I'm running hardcore anti-virus, firewalls and totally updated IE... so I cant even imagine how these pop-ups are getting through, but the trojans (2nd one I've gotten from a pop-up here) attach to cookies... which, while might seem easily deleted, trojans are notoriously hard to completely get rid of, and that's a problem... not to mention the spyware coming from these pop-ups (yes, I'm protected, but it still gets through) and it just being a general huge annoyance.
I'm a long-time Stardock customer, and would appreciate someone finally looking into this and resolving the problem.
Thank you.
Now, it's becoming intolerable.
I just got nailed with a "general" Trojan, from a pop-up (off main page, and WB page) just entering the site.
Now, just sitting within a forum page reading a thread, I had a giant pop-up occur every 30 seconds or so.
When I go to download something, 90% of the time, I get a pop-up when entering that page.
Sometimes it starts as a small pop-up in the lower right-hand corner of my monitor, then expands to a large full-screen one.
Other times, a small pop-up in the upper left-hand portion of my monitor, which is the one I just got the Trojan from (yes, it's possible to get a Trojan from just opening a site; malicious HTML; I'm a coder, so I know and it's been happening for years).
Other times, just one giant pop-up behind the main browser.
Damn, you've got to be kidding me! I just got one now while sitting here typing this!
This is ridiculous, and I and others have already made complaints about this.
I've posted screenshots in the past, and nothing was done. I have more screenshots now, but I really don't have the time to be uploading a ton of these just to "prove" it's coming from here... it is!
All I'm asking, as a patron of Wincustomize for the last 3 years, is that the webmasters removed the embedded coding that seems to plague this site these days, which is allowing these pop-ups.
Please, do not "argue" with me here... there's another thread I started a while back with many people having the same problem... it's true... and yes, I know what I'm doing and I know what I'm talking about... just to avoid those who would "flame" out of lack of maturity.
I'm 31 years old and a programmer/graphic artist and build pcs... so please, don't tell me I'm not having this problem with this site... it's ONLY from this site, and it started sometime around the beginning of this year, and only got worse.
I'm hoping I can fully weed-out this damn trojan, but I'm asking you guys again... PLEASE look into this, alright?
It's becoming such a problem, I almost cannot visit WC anymore.
I'm running hardcore anti-virus, firewalls and totally updated IE... so I cant even imagine how these pop-ups are getting through, but the trojans (2nd one I've gotten from a pop-up here) attach to cookies... which, while might seem easily deleted, trojans are notoriously hard to completely get rid of, and that's a problem... not to mention the spyware coming from these pop-ups (yes, I'm protected, but it still gets through) and it just being a general huge annoyance.
I'm a long-time Stardock customer, and would appreciate someone finally looking into this and resolving the problem.
Thank you.
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eieio
Reply #22 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:14 AM
Reply #22 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:14 AM
I'm a bit surprised that hardly anyone would get popups nowadays. With the popularity of Firefox and Opera, not to mention the latest IE having popup protection builtin, I'd think it would be a very small minority of people that still get popups.
Dad: Yea son, I remember back in the day you couldn't hardly surf the net for all the popups.
Son: What's a popup?
Dad: Yea son, I remember back in the day you couldn't hardly surf the net for all the popups.
Son: What's a popup?
ZubaZ
Reply #23 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:23 AM
LMAO.
No pop-up blocker, IE, subscription . . . no pop=ups. I wonder what my secret is?
Reply #23 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:23 AM
| You might want to check your configurator abstraction wizard settings, there is quite possibly a hole in the patched inversion coupling that has caused a buffer relay overprotection induction. I had this problem until I was able to pin down a configuration for my WCSUB.pay files. Now I have gotten pretty cleaned up. |
LMAO.
No pop-up blocker, IE, subscription . . . no pop=ups. I wonder what my secret is?
scorpio-logic
Reply #24 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:39 AM
Reply #24 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:39 AM
I'm no coder. I don't have a job involving computers in any way. But I'll tell you this: don't except third party cookies, prompt for script activation, use a pop-up blocker, don't surf porn sites and don't jump to conclusions. Sometimes one msut just admit that they may be at fault. Ninety-five perent of all computer problems are because of the user. Clean your system, use good software to do it, and quit putting fault when there is already info available to you that if you read it, you would know that YES there are ads (duh) and your AV doesn't work properly when it calls every ad a trojan. Mr. Coder, do some research. Use WC browser or SDC browser.
You'd think that a coder would do more than just rant about a pop-up, like check his/her system for a hole in the patched inversion coupling that might cause a buffer relay overprotection induction.
Some people...
"I'm sure the universe is full of intelligent life.
It's just been too intelligent to come here."
--Arthur C. Clarke
You'd think that a coder would do more than just rant about a pop-up, like check his/her system for a hole in the patched inversion coupling that might cause a buffer relay overprotection induction.
Some people...
"I'm sure the universe is full of intelligent life.
It's just been too intelligent to come here."
--Arthur C. Clarke
Fuzzy Logic
Reply #25 Friday, December 30, 2005 12:02 PM
Reply #25 Friday, December 30, 2005 12:02 PM
| ...as a patron of Wincustomize for the last 3 years... ...I'm a long-time Stardock customer... |
Your profile doesn't list you as being either a current or past customer, and you've only been registered 18 months... Interesting...
patched inversion coupling that has caused a buffer relay overprotection induction
Nonsense. It's obviously a sub-space tachyon pulse generator creating an unstable wormhole - easily cured with a couple of strips of latinum
Bichur
Reply #26 Friday, December 30, 2005 12:08 PM
Reply #26 Friday, December 30, 2005 12:08 PM
if you can afford it, use gold-pressed latinum - you won't regret it 
Jafo
Reply #27 Friday, December 30, 2005 9:56 PM
Reply #27 Friday, December 30, 2005 9:56 PM
| You might want to check your configurator abstraction wizard settings, there is quite possibly a hole in the patched inversion coupling that has caused a buffer relay overprotection induction. I had this problem until I was able to pin down a configuration for my WCSUB.pay files. Now I have gotten pretty cleaned up. |
Crap...Symantec flagged mine as a Trojan ActiveX control so I deleted it.
Anyone got a crack to the Abstraction Wizard proggy?......Mine now has black menu buttons so it won't induct and the coupling broke, too.....
joetheblow
Reply #29 Friday, December 30, 2005 10:31 PM
Reply #29 Friday, December 30, 2005 10:31 PM
This again?
The only timess I ever had a pop up on WC was when I had somethingon my computer.
That reminds me, recently I got a pop up (wasn't signed in) while one Netscape (of which in itself seems funny cause it has a pop up blockers too).
I don't remember what site I came from, though... Oh well.
Besides, pop-ups are so lame. Its cheap quick money, but in the long run (long run meaning more than 3 months because people just don't like pop-ups...) its not a good idea. Its better to use text ads, well placed image ads and possibly either intro ads (like what GameStop has) or full page color matching ads (like Billboard.com did with T-Mobile Boost or like Yahoo does with Yahoo Music (formally known as Launch))
Besides, this site:
http://frogboy.wincustomize.com/Articles.aspx?AID=90929
will probably become a subscription site, so pop-up ads won't be nessiciary. What is available to the public will be there to show what is available if you subscribe.
I am sure there will be libraries to browse and images to see, but not enough to need to pay for it by using pop-up ads.
The only timess I ever had a pop up on WC was when I had somethingon my computer.
That reminds me, recently I got a pop up (wasn't signed in) while one Netscape (of which in itself seems funny cause it has a pop up blockers too).
I don't remember what site I came from, though... Oh well.
Besides, pop-ups are so lame. Its cheap quick money, but in the long run (long run meaning more than 3 months because people just don't like pop-ups...) its not a good idea. Its better to use text ads, well placed image ads and possibly either intro ads (like what GameStop has) or full page color matching ads (like Billboard.com did with T-Mobile Boost or like Yahoo does with Yahoo Music (formally known as Launch))
Besides, this site:
http://frogboy.wincustomize.com/Articles.aspx?AID=90929
will probably become a subscription site, so pop-up ads won't be nessiciary. What is available to the public will be there to show what is available if you subscribe.
I am sure there will be libraries to browse and images to see, but not enough to need to pay for it by using pop-up ads.
aimzzz
Reply #30 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:24 PM
So 5 minutes ago-- mine's niobium
Reply #30 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:24 PM
| use gold-pressed latinum - you won't regret it |
So 5 minutes ago-- mine's niobium
Liandral
Reply #31 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:28 PM
Too many large scary words - it's fair doing my wee blonde head in!
*cries*
Happy place, where's my happy place......
Reply #31 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:28 PM
| Nonsense. It's obviously a sub-space tachyon pulse generator creating an unstable wormhole - easily cured with a couple of strips of latinum |
Too many large scary words - it's fair doing my wee blonde head in!
*cries*
Happy place, where's my happy place......
aimzzz
Reply #32 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:52 PM
And you wondered what happened to your boot sector?
Reply #32 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:52 PM
| Mine now has black menu buttons so it won't induct and the coupling broke, too..... |
And you wondered what happened to your boot sector?
WebGizmos
Reply #33 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:54 PM
I have come here lots of times (in the past few years) without being logged in, and I have never...ever seen one single popup. I see a few ads, but thats it.
Reply #33 Friday, December 30, 2005 11:54 PM
| Come on now. I've been a subscriber for three years now. If I don't log in, this site is terrible, with pop ups. And we all know that. |
I have come here lots of times (in the past few years) without being logged in, and I have never...ever seen one single popup. I see a few ads, but thats it.
scorpio-logic
Reply #34 Saturday, December 31, 2005 10:44 AM
Reply #34 Saturday, December 31, 2005 10:44 AM
There's rumor of a patch for TPG instability, but you have to download and install Norton Security Suite and, then, uninstall it. The noibium is a myth, it only works if you hold onto the TPG while a major radiation leak is being mind-melded by a Vulcan.
Kevison
Reply #35 Monday, January 2, 2006 2:16 PM
Reply #35 Monday, January 2, 2006 2:16 PM
I havent seen a popup either... however i wonder if you run some sort of cleaner like ad-aware or antiviral sweep on your system. Do you have the messenger service turned off?
You could always wipe and reload your system. Check the site using another PC.. etc.
You could always wipe and reload your system. Check the site using another PC.. etc.
thomassen
Reply #36 Monday, January 2, 2006 2:36 PM
Agree with joe here. Isn't it better to provide better spesialiced ads than just piling on any random ad. I Adblock sites bloated with loads of random adverts. Google ads I leave. Also ads related to the content of the site.
Reply #36 Monday, January 2, 2006 2:36 PM
| Besides, pop-ups are so lame. Its cheap quick money, but in the long run (long run meaning more than 3 months because people just don't like pop-ups...) its not a good idea. Its better to use text ads, well placed image ads and possibly either intro ads (like what GameStop has) or full page color matching ads (like Billboard.com did with T-Mobile Boost or like Yahoo does with Yahoo Music (formally known as Launch)) |
Agree with joe here. Isn't it better to provide better spesialiced ads than just piling on any random ad. I Adblock sites bloated with loads of random adverts. Google ads I leave. Also ads related to the content of the site.
KeithMacDonald
Reply #37 Monday, January 2, 2006 3:01 PM
Reply #37 Monday, January 2, 2006 3:01 PM
1.) Use Firefox 1.5 (http://www.firefox.com).
2.) Shaw Secure (https://secure.shaw.ca/apps/shawsecure/default.aspx)
2.) Shaw Secure (https://secure.shaw.ca/apps/shawsecure/default.aspx)
T-Man
Reply #38 Monday, January 2, 2006 3:16 PM
Reply #38 Monday, January 2, 2006 3:16 PM
WinCustomize does not support popups/spyware/etc etc. We do have various ads being being displayed through out our site. These ads come from a couple different sources as we uses third party companies to serve ads to our site. On accasion it is possible that an undesirable ad may come through. If we are aware of those ads we contact our ad service agents and have them remove them.
So if you do see an ad that causes a popup, or tries to install something like gator or a virus or anything please take a screenshot of that page and send it to me ([email protected]) and let me know what the URL to that page was and which ad (as there may be more than one ad per page) that you believe is causing the problem. If you can copy the shortcuts for the links to the ads and send those links that will also be extremely helpfull in determining which ad may be causing the problem.
And after you have sent this data and since we do not have any malicious code in our site and do not support these type of ads please check your system with anti virus and anti spyware software as it is possible that the popups may be caused from a program on your system.
Dest581
Reply #40 Monday, January 2, 2006 6:29 PM
Reply #40 Monday, January 2, 2006 6:29 PM
"WinCustomize does not support popups/spyware/etc etc. We do have various ads being being displayed through out our site. These ads come from a couple different sources as we uses third party companies to serve ads to our site."
If you know that spyware and trojans come from the ads displayed by the third party companies, and you continue to allow ads to come from the third party companies, you are supporting spyware and trojans.
If you know that spyware and trojans come from the ads displayed by the third party companies, and you continue to allow ads to come from the third party companies, you are supporting spyware and trojans.
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Reply #21 Friday, December 30, 2005 9:44 AM
That was actually discussed in the thread where Frogboy mentioned the changes that were coming to the site and the final decision was, yes, it might but in order for WC to become more manageable in terms of monthly cost something had to be done. So, the freeloaders were put on notice, subscribe or move on. It may seem harsh but this is a site run by a business and while SD isn't looking to make money off of WC, they don't have the deep pockets of a company like MS to just throw money away forever.
Now, a message for the OP. If you've been here for three years then I'd say it's high time you pony up the bucks and get yourself a membership. Then, those annoying pop-ups will just disappear.