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bstone · Feb 11, 2005, 08:34 AM

Every 500 URLs that PithHelmet blocks causes this annoying popup window, asking me to register. If i click skip, it brings me to a webpage which asks for money. I wonder why Safari's built-in popup blocker doesn't block this. And I wonder why PithHelmet's ad blocker doesn't block this. Annoying.

fisherKing · Feb 11, 2005, 08:38 AM

Originally posted by bstone:
Every 500 URLs that PithHelmet blocks causes this annoying popup window, asking me to register. If i click skip, it brings me to a webpage which asks for money. I wonder why Safari's built-in popup blocker doesn't block this. And I wonder why PithHelmet's ad blocker doesn't block this. Annoying.

odd...i've used pithhelmet for years, and never have seen that.
perhaps something else is causing this...

perhaps time to clean cookies??
(just a thought)

ChrisF · Feb 11, 2005, 08:49 AM

Originally posted by bstone:
Every 500 URLs that PithHelmet blocks causes this annoying popup window, asking me to register. If i click skip, it brings me to a webpage which asks for money. I wonder why Safari's built-in popup blocker doesn't block this. And I wonder why PithHelmet's ad blocker doesn't block this. Annoying.

Perhaps registering and paying for software you're actually using may solve the problem.

bstone · Feb 11, 2005, 08:54 AM

Originally posted by ChrisF:
Perhaps registering and paying for software you're actually using may solve the problem.

That's not quite the point. This so-called ad blocked is circumventing the build-in popup blocker. This is called spyware/malware.

TheAlbinoBowler · Feb 11, 2005, 10:14 AM

isn't that called nagware?

Diggory Laycock · Feb 11, 2005, 10:16 AM

It's not a pop-up - it's a Sheet.

Millennium · Feb 11, 2005, 10:48 AM

Originally posted by bstone:
That's not quite the point. This so-called ad blocked is circumventing the build-in popup blocker. This is called spyware/malware.

The reason that Safari's pop-up blocker doesn't catch this is that it's not a Web popup: it's a sheet. It gets there through good old mach_inject. This same mechanism could be used for spyware, but that hasn't happened yet.

leperkuhn · Feb 11, 2005, 12:51 PM

he's not talking about the sheet, he's talking about the new browser window that pops up and brings you to the registration page.

CatOne · Feb 11, 2005, 01:22 PM

Originally posted by leperkuhn:
he's not talking about the sheet, he's talking about the new browser window that pops up and brings you to the registration page.

It's still not a popup. It's not coming from the web, it's coming from an application plug-in.

And damn, quit bitching if you use shareware without paying. I'll avoid the "cheap ..." comment.

alphasubzero949 · Feb 11, 2005, 02:52 PM

Originally posted by ChrisF:
Perhaps registering and paying for software you're actually using may solve the problem.

Yeah, and what was the problem when it was FREE? I refused to upgrade from v.0.7.3 for precisely that reason, and it still works with the current iteration of Safari.

Randman · Feb 12, 2005, 04:36 AM

Originally posted by ChrisF:
Perhaps registering and paying for software you're actually using may solve the problem.

Angus_D · Feb 12, 2005, 05:21 AM

Sorry, how exactly is this spyware?

Stop spreading FUD.

bstone · Feb 12, 2005, 06:50 PM

By installing software which hijacks the browser.

Hi I'm Ben · Feb 12, 2005, 07:07 PM

Originally posted by bstone:
By installing software which hijacks the browser.

Stop being an idiot. It's reminding you that you're using shareware and it's time to pay up or deal with the fact that every 500 (500!) Popups you get you're going to get reminded you're cheap. And by cheap I mean you become cheap when you come on here and start complaining that it's adware. Adware installs itself or sends out information about your computer it shouldn't. You installed this program, you know better, you should buy it or stop using it.

Or just stop complaining and bashing perfectly good software.

Millennium · Feb 12, 2005, 07:37 PM

Originally posted by bstone:
By installing software which hijacks the browser.

It hijacks the browser by design; that's what it means to inject code like this. Unlike spyware, the company is very up-front about what it does; everything is explained in clear terms before the software is ever installed. Furthermore, it is designed to be easily uninstalled, unlike spyware, which often takes some fairly impressive work behind the scenes.

It is possible that when and if spyware appears on the Mac, it will work in a manner similar to how PithHelmet does its thing. But spyware is about more than what it does: it's also about deceiving the user, and PithHelmet does no such thing.

bstone · Feb 12, 2005, 07:39 PM

Originally posted by Hi I'm Ben:
Stop being an idiot. It's reminding you that you're using shareware and it's time to pay up or deal with the fact that every 500 (500!) Popups you get you're going to get reminded you're cheap. And by cheap I mean you become cheap when you come on here and start complaining that it's adware. Adware installs itself or sends out information about your computer it shouldn't. You installed this program, you know better, you should buy it or stop using it.

Or just stop complaining and bashing perfectly good software.

Fine! Fine, Mr Perfect, I'll stop complaining about spyware.

Millennium · Feb 12, 2005, 07:48 PM

Originally posted by bstone:
Fine! Fine, Mr Perfect, I'll stop complaining about spyware.

This is not spyware. We have been over this time and again. It does not hijack your browser. It only displays a nag message every once in a while (and not even very often). It is no different from any other form of nagware in this regard. Annoying, perhaps, but spyware? That's an unfair characterization, and I suspect that you know this.

Just cough up the ten bucks, already. Or if you insist on not paying for software, then go with Firefox and Adblock instead. Frankly, I don't care which. But unfairly maligning a perfectly legitimate shareware program as spyware isn't cool.

Titanium Man · Feb 13, 2005, 08:26 AM

I pop in for a quick look-see and what do I find? Ignorance.

Bstone, you don't appear to know the first thing about spyware. Spyware collects information in your computer and transmits it somewhere else. Pithhelmet doesn't do either. You won't win any arguments here if you won't acquaint yourself with the terms you're throwing around.

Angus_D · Feb 13, 2005, 08:49 AM

What is spyware?
What is adware?

PithHelmet is not spyware, it does not gather and report information.
PithHelmet is not adware, it does not display adverts.
PithHelmet is nagware. This is a perfectly legitimate and widespread subclass of shareware.

What is shareware?
What is nagware?

bstone · Feb 13, 2005, 08:52 AM

"Nagware (also known as annoyware)"

I gladly restate. PithHelmet is annoying!!!

Angus_D · Feb 13, 2005, 08:59 AM

Originally posted by bstone:
I gladly restate. PithHelmet is annoying!!!

It's only annoying if you don't pay for it.

Either pay for it, don't use it, or put up with the nags. Those are your options. Whinging won't get you any sympathy.

bstone · Feb 13, 2005, 09:04 AM

Rule #1: don't ever come to macnn looking for sympathy. heh! with a "community" like this, who needs enemies.

Randman · Feb 13, 2005, 09:08 AM

Originally posted by bstone:
Rule #3: don't ever come to macnn looking for sympathy when you want to use a shareware app without paying for it.

Fixed.

mindwaves · Feb 13, 2005, 01:18 PM

shhhhhh!!!....the baby is sleeping....