What the heck is 'viewpoint?'

[Dissipate]

Tonight I was using my computer when suddenly a big update notice came on my screen for something called 'viewpoint.' I do not go to web sites that have spyware, and I use Firefox. A google search revealed that this 'viewpoint' spyware is distributed through AOL Instant Messenger. I am appalled that this was installed on my computer without any notification at all. Anyone else get this thing or has heard of it? I uninstalled it from the Control Panel.

BTW, Microsoft Anti-Spyware didn't detect it except for the fact that it tried to put itself into my startup.

 

[Kalvin00]

I don't know...it installed itself on my computer somehow, got the same big update window..

 

[Goosemaster]

It is a media player that AOL uses I think..either way, the moment I found it, it was gone...

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
It is a media player that AOL uses I think..either way, the moment I found it, it was gone...

If you use AIM and you uninstall it, AIM will automatically install it again.

 

[hg321]

it a toolbar Here

 

[Twista]

ya its on my pc also, but its not a toolbar on any browser

 

[Mrvile]

It's on every PC that uses AIM. No toolbars, I dount it's malware of any kind, I just know that it's called Viewpoint Media Player and if you uninstall it nothing happens but it finds its way back onto the PC (probably through AIM). I've never actually seen any windows or popups with it, dunno.

 

[EpsiIon]

Trillian! Trillian!

(Or GAIM, or any number of better-than-AIM alternatives)

 

[HN]

it's a media player integrated into browsers like shockwave or QT. for an example of it in use, check out the lexus.com site --> select GS --> select GS photo gallery --> 360 view tab --> interactive view.

(i have had to deal with this almost everyday since the 2006 GS was launched)

 

[phreakah]

is it what AIM uses to play those stupid movie advertisements?

 

[notfred]

This is only in very new versions of aim. I think everything before 5.5 or 5.9 doesn't have it.

 

[Mrvile]

UUUgh, I hate Gaim, you can't minimize it to the toolbar and it's confusing as f. And you can't talk to people on MSN through your AIM account (I don't think you can). The only thing I like about it is the assign names feature. Otherwise, AIM.

 

[ribbon13]

GAIM minimizes to the System tray just fine.

 

[Baked]

I thing I hate about gaim is new message windows don't pop up when people call you, I have to click the mini flashing flag in the tray to receive the message. WTF?! Perhaps there's a plug-in for this feature?

 

[Jeff7181]

There is a way to prevent it from being installed... set NTFS permissions for it's folder so that only a specific user has access to it, then delete that user.

 

[Mrvile]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
There is a way to prevent it from being installed... set NTFS permissions for it's folder so that only a specific user has access to it, then delete that user.

Ew way too comp geek for me. Plus it doesn't do anything to the comp so I just leave it.

 

[zerocool1]

yep, trillian/gaim is the way to go.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: zerocool1
yep, trillian/gaim is the way to go.

:thumbsup:

I have converted all my non-geek friends to Gaim, except the one, who already used Trillian. I let him be.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Mrvile

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
There is a way to prevent it from being installed... set NTFS permissions for it's folder so that only a specific user has access to it, then delete that user.

Ew way too comp geek for me. Plus it doesn't do anything to the comp so I just leave it.

LMAO. Pvssy. That is an awesome solution. Too many hoops to jump through to keep bloatware AIM, but clever. :beer:

 

[Slugbait]

Originally posted by: notfred
This is only in very new versions of aim. I think everything before 5.5 or 5.9 doesn't have it.

Nope, it's been silently installing on your machines for maybe two years now. Its shovelware distributors are AIM (AOL), Navigator (AOL) and AOL (AOL). It is not included in the Privacy policy for any software install, and it is not an optional install.

If you use AOL, you have Viewpoint installed. It's that simple. Some people think it's spyware, but it's probably more akin to being adware

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: Mrvile

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
There is a way to prevent it from being installed... set NTFS permissions for it's folder so that only a specific user has access to it, then delete that user.

Ew way too comp geek for me. Plus it doesn't do anything to the comp so I just leave it.

LMAO. Pvssy. That is an awesome solution. Too many hoops to jump through to keep bloatware AIM, but clever. :beer:

I did it back in the day (like 2 years ago) to prevent dumbass family members from installing Gator too.

*EDIT* I can call them dumbasses because none of them are cool enough to browse AT Forums.

 

[zerocool1]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: zerocool1
yep, trillian/gaim is the way to go.

:thumbsup:

I have converted all my non-geek friends to Gaim, except the one, who already used Trillian. I let him be.

used trillian them gaim then back to trillian. Gaim started being unstable, think its my computer itself

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: Mrvile

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
There is a way to prevent it from being installed... set NTFS permissions for it's folder so that only a specific user has access to it, then delete that user.

Ew way too comp geek for me. Plus it doesn't do anything to the comp so I just leave it.

LMAO. Pvssy. That is an awesome solution. Too many hoops to jump through to keep bloatware AIM, but clever. :beer:

I did it back in the day (like 2 years ago) to prevent dumbass family members from installing Gator too.

*EDIT* I can call them dumbasses because none of them are cool enough to browse AT Forums.

Nice.