Re: Cool Technique---Comet Cursor

In a message dated 10/27/00 8:54:32 AM Central Daylight Time, 
kransdell(at)squishedmosquito.com writes:

<< The granddaddy of them all...
 http://cometcursor.cometsystems.com/
  >>
I must admit this struck home with me, as I use the Comet Cursor, on several 
of my pages within 3-4 sites I work on:  about a week ago I had signed a 
guestbook and the webmaster returned the visit and emailed me with the 
following, which I have copied and pasted below regarding the Comet 
Cursor---although, I have enjoyed many sites with this feature and have not 
decided whether to remove the feature from my sites....I would like some 
imput regarding this information which was sent to me, thanks in 
advance........below is what was emailed to me regarding the Comet Cursor:
*************************************************************************
Toured your site, is really nice..kinda down home and warm. I like it.

I do have a comment about "Comet Cursor" It looks cute, it may be free but
it can never be removed from your computer unless you format it. Doing
uninstall only removes the front end. The main program stays totally intact.
BTW the main part of the program is a tracer. It collects info on every site
you visit and sends it to Comet headquarters. They sell your user info to
advertising agencies ect. Just thought you might want to know. Us computer
industry folks out here avoid it like a plague.

***************************************************************************
It tracks where, when, how long and the IP of every site you visit all the
time. Each visitor of yours that says yes and accepts comet cursor gets the
same wonderful treatment. While I was on your site I was tracked. Sorry I
didn't stay long. Something about telling big brother the places I visited
before stopping by your site. Once I left it stopped tracing me. But you are
still being traced. Free isn't always without a cost. Just think, after
installing comet did it take about a month and you started getting more
Spam. Plus it was directly addressed to you?????

To remove the front end use add remove programs. To remove it
all.....reformat hard drive and reinstall.
Option install a firewall on your machine ("Zone Out") or something similar
to stop it from communicating out. With a firewall you must set permissions
for each program to talk one way or both. You can change the settings. BTW
Zoneout or Zone alarm is freeware available at   tucows.com   or   cnet.com

As a note real player which is a nice free Mp3 program does the same thing.

I physically called comet folks after it auto installed on me after seeing a
cute English site. Well needless to say.. I wasn't pleased. I sincerely hope
things have changed in 6 month but I wouldn't bet on it. After all who pays
for their programmers time and wages?
******************************************************************************

**************************************

I do have to add, that I HAVE NOT rec'd any more than the norm of spam mail 
since using the Comet Cursor.
~~Lanice~~

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